Dr. Neha Gulati Assistant Professor University Business School Panjab University, Chandigarh

Dr.
Neha Gulati
Assistant Professor
University Business School
Panjab University, Chandigarh
INTRODUCTION:
Network Topology is the arrangement of various elements of a communication
network – hubs, nodes, etc., attached through lines of connection.
The physical topology of the network is the cabling layout used to link devices.
It depicts the layout of cables and nodes and the interconnections between them.
In contrast, logical topology is the way the data passes through the network
from one device to the next without regard to the physical interconnection of the
devices.
The various topologies have been discussed as follows:

BUS TOPOLOGY
Bus topology is a network type in which every computer and network
device is connected to single cable. This central cable is the backbone of
the network and is known as the bus (thus the name.)
A signal from the source travels to all machines connected on the bus cable until it finds the intended
recipient. If the machine address does not match the intended address, the machine ignores the signal.
It is mostly used in small networks.
ADVANTAGES:
• Cost effective – Since cable required is least as compared to other networks
• Easy to understand
• Easy to expand joining two cables together
DISADVANTAGES:
• If cable fails then the whole network fails
• If network traffic is heavy, performance of the network decreases
RING TOPOLOGY
It is called ring topology because it forms a ring as
each computer is connected to another computer, with
the last one connected to the first. so, there are exactly
two neighbors for each device.
Each node connects to two other nodes.
Rings can be UNIDIRECTIONAL, with all traffic

travelling either clockwise or anticlockwise around
the ring, or BIDIRECTIONAL also.

Because a unidirectional ring topology provides only one pathway between any two
nodes, unidirectional ring networks may be disrupted by the failure of a single link.
RING TOPOLOGY
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Performs better than a bus topology • One malfunctioning workstation can

under heavy network load create problems for the entire network
• Does not require a central node to • Moving, adding and changing the
manage the connectivity between the devices can affect the network
computers as compared to star topology
• Communication delay is directly

• Point to point line configuration makes proportional to number of nodes in the
it easy to identify and isolate faults network
STAR TOPOLOGY
In Star topology, each individual piece of a
network is attached to a central node
(often called a hub).
The individual nodes are not interconnected

individually however.
The attachment of these network pieces to the

central component is visually represented in a form
similar to a star, hence the name.
The central node acts as a conduit to transmit

messages.
Each node has its exclusive connection with the
hub and not with any other node. So, any
information to be sent to the other node passes
through the hub.
This also allows for quick data transmission between a particular node and the
hub. The node can easily draw information from the hub (CLIENT-SEVER
RELATIONSHIP ).
• Fast performance • Cost of installation is high
• Hub can be upgraded easily • If the hub fails then the whole
network is stopped because all
the nodes depend on the hub
• Even if one node fails, the rest
of the network goes on smoothly • Performance is based on the
capacity of the hub
MESH TOPOLOGY
A network setup where each computer/network
device is interconnected to every other
computer/network device. For n nodes,
connections required are (n*(n-1)) / 2
This allows for most transmissions to be

distributed, even if one or more of the
connections go down.
This feature makes the network highly reliable.

Problems in a cable affect only the two nodes attached to it, and they can still
connect via other nodes.
All mesh nodes cooperate in the distribution of data in the network.

It can be applied to both wired and wireless networks.
MESH TOPOLOGY
• Can handle high amounts of traffic • Installation and configuration is

difficult
• A failure of one device does not
cause a break in the network or • Cabling cost is very high as
transmission of data compared to other networks
• Adding additional devices does not • Maintaining the topology is difficult

disrupt data transmission between and time consuming
other devices
HYBRID TOPOLOGY
Hybrid networks combine two or more topologies in such a way that the resulting network
does not exhibit one of the standard topologies.
A hybrid topology is always produced when two DIFFERENT BASIC TOPOLOGIES are
connected.
ADVANTAGES:
• Flexible: Hybrid Network can be designed
according to the requirements of the
organization
• Scalable: Its easy to increase the size of

network by adding new components, without
disturbing the existing network
DISADVANTAGES:
• Complexity of design
• Costly infrastructure
• Difficult to maintain`
Types of entities where a particular Topology is suitable :
Since the BUS TOPOLOGY and RING TOPOLOGY are capable of handling only limited data
flow at a time, they are suitable for use in relatively smaller organizations. E.g. School library.
ALSO, lesser financial outlay is required.
The STAR Topology is suitable in organizations which require some computers or network
devices to fetch information from a centralized server and which require activities to be
monitored from the central command center. E.g. BANKS
The MESH Topology is used by the organizations which require the network to be up and
running at all times .
MESH provides them with a ROBUST NETWORK that can connect to nodes even if a few
connections are lost.
For such organizations, COST IS NOT A CONSIDERATION.

E.g. Military Establishments.

Dr. Neha Gulati Assistant Professor University Business School Panjab University, Chandigarh

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The various topologies have been discussed as follows:

It is mostly used in small networks.

Each node connects to two other nodes.

Rings can be UNIDIRECTIONAL, with all traffic

• Performs better than a bus topology • One malfunctioning workstation can

• Communication delay is directly

The individual nodes are not interconnected

The attachment of these network pieces to the

The central node acts as a conduit to transmit

This allows for most transmissions to be

This feature makes the network highly reliable.

All mesh nodes cooperate in the distribution of data in the network.

• Can handle high amounts of traffic • Installation and configuration is

• Adding additional devices does not • Maintaining the topology is difficult

• Scalable: Its easy to increase the size of

For such organizations, COST IS NOT A CONSIDERATION.

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