Networking

A network allows data to be exchanged between devices. The best known network in the world is the Internet, this is a network because everyone is a hub or node for information; you send information and retrieve information from the host of a website. On a network any device that creates new data, forwards data on or terminates data is known as a node. Two devices are said to be networked together when one device is able to communicate and exchange data with another.

A network is defined as telecommunications network which allows computers to exchange data. Below is an image that shows the different topologies of a network, this is the way different networks communicate, some are more efficient than others. A fully connected network would be more expensive to set up but may be more efficient and quicker at sending data to a specific node. A star network requires a central point where all data goes through first before being routed elsewhere. A ring network requires the data to be sent around the ring until it reaches the target.