Network systems

Network Systems

  • Network systems enable interconnected computers and devices to communicate and share resources.
  • When talking about network systems, the scale can range from Local Area Networks (LAN) within a building, to Wide Area Networks (WAN) spread across the globe.

Types of Networks

  • LAN is a network system covering a small geographic area such as within a building or campus.
  • WAN is a network system that covers a large geographic area using a collection of LANs, often connected via the internet.
  • Personal Area Network (PAN) involves connecting devices centred around an individual person’s workspace.
  • Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) connects LANs within a city or town.

Key Components

  • Hardware components in a network can include servers, computers, routers, network cards, cables etc.
  • Network systems operate with the aid of software components like network operating systems, firewalls, antivirus software etc.
  • The network interface card (NIC) enables a device to connect to a network.

Network Protocols

  • At the heart of network communication lies various protocols such as TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP, etc.
  • These protocols standardise the way information is formatted, sent, received, and acknowledged on a network.
  • For instance, HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) guides the transmission of data for web browsing.

Benefits and Challenges

  • Network systems bring operational efficiency, easy information sharing, centralised data management, and cost-effectiveness.
  • However, they also present challenges such as potential security threats, privacy concerns, and dependence on network reliability.

Security Measures

  • Implementing firewalls, using encryption, enforcing strong password policies, and maintaining up-to-date antivirus software help secure network systems.
  • Network administrators are crucial in managing, securing, and troubleshooting network systems.

Internet

  • The Internet is the largest example of a WAN, connecting billions of devices worldwide.
  • World Wide Web (WWW), a service on the Internet, consists of interlinked documents and resources, accessed through browsers.
  • Features like email, instant messaging, file transfer (FTP), streaming services etc all operate over the Internet.