Notes and Study Materials

Different Characteristics of Networks

 

 

A network is a set of devices (often referred to as nodes) connected by communication links. A node can be a computer, printer, or any other device capable of sending and/or receiving data generated by other nodes on the network.

 

A network must be able to meet a certain number of criteria. The most important of these are performance, reliability, and security.

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Performance

 

Performance can be measured in many ways, including transit time and response time.

 

    Transit time is the amount of time required for a message to travel from one device to another.

    Response time is the elapsed time between an inquiry and a response.

 

 

The performance of a network depends on a number of factors, including the number of users, the type of transmission medium, the capabilities of the connected hardware, and the efficiency of the software.

 

Reliability

 

In addition to accuracy of delivery, network reliability is measured by the frequency of failure, the time it takes a link to recover from a failure, and the network's robustness in a catastrophe.

 

Security

 

Network security issues include protecting data from unauthorized access, protecting data from damage and development, and implementing policies and procedures for recovery from breaches and data losses.

 

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