Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By : Gordon Davies
Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By: Gordon Davies

Overview of this book

A network is a collection of computers, servers, mobile devices, or other computing devices connected for sharing data. This book will help you become well versed in basic networking concepts and prepare to pass Microsoft's MTA Networking Fundamentals Exam 98-366. Following Microsoft's official syllabus, the book starts by covering network infrastructures to help you differentiate intranets, internets, and extranets, and learn about network topologies. You’ll then get up to date with common network hardware devices such as routers and switches and the media types used to connect them together. As you advance, the book will take you through different protocols and services and the requirements to follow a standardized approach to networking. You’ll get to grips with the OSI and TCP/IP models as well as IPv4 and IPv6. The book also shows you how to recall IP addresses through name resolution. Finally, you’ll be able to practice everything you’ve learned and take the exam confidently with the help of mock tests. By the end of this networking book, you’ll have developed a strong foundation in the essential networking concepts needed to pass Exam 98-366.
Table of Contents (23 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Section 1: Network Infrastructure
7
Section 2: Network Hardware
11
Section 3: Protocols and Services
18
Section 4: Mock Exams
19
Mock Exam 1
20
Mock Exam 2

Overview of the TCP/IP layers

You will notice as you go through this chapter that the TCP/IP model has many similarities with the OSI model. They both take on a layered approach, with each layer talking to the adjacent layers and their respective layer on the destination device. Like the OSI model, the TCP/IP model is an open or non-proprietary standard, which means any manufacturer can use it. Although most networking courses place a heavy focus on the OSI model, most experts argue that the TCP/IP model is a truer reflection of how networking works:

Figure 10.1: The TCP/IP model

As shown in the preceding diagram, the TCP/IP model has only four layers compared to the seven layers of the OSI model. These layers are as follows:

  • Application layer
  • Transport layer
  • Internet layer
  • Network layer

We will discuss each of these layers in turn in the following sections, but I'm keen...