Networks

Network classification

Network classification

Network classification is defined to identify a set of equipment or items connected to each other by some means of transmission

Communications networks have become a type of structure widely used in companies, government organizations and even individuals.

Thanks to communications networks we can run network applications such as web browser, email, Whatsapp, transfer files, etc

That is why its study, design and implementation has become the primary objective for numerous companies and organizations.

However, there is a wide typology of communications networks adapted to each type of requirements and environments

A network is defined as a set of equipment or elements interconnected with each other by some means of transmission

the most typical example is a computer network in which different PCs or computer equipment are interconnected by one or more transmission links.

But there are numerous networks such as mobile phone networks, data networks, television networks, etc

They all share the same networking concepts

Computer networks can be classified according to many criteria but one of the most popular is according to the physical field they occupy.

We can classify the networks by:

For the space they occupy

  • LAN Networks

    They are privately owned networks, up to a few kilometers long

    For example, an office or an educational center (an institute or a university campus)

    Used to connect personal computers or workstations to share resources and exchange information

    They are restricted in size, which means that the transmission time, in the worst case, is known, allowing for certain types of (deterministic) designs that might otherwise prove inefficient

    Generally have low delay and experience few errors

    They can be deployed using wired networks or wireless networks depending on the number of computers that make it up and the services or information that are shared

    The most typical transmission speeds are those of 10 to 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet), although recently higher speeds are already used, that is, 1 Gbps or even 10Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet) especially for large companies

  • Networks MAN

    Metropolitan networks are computer networks larger than LANs, generally encompassing cities with a radius of about 10–15 km

    They are typical of companies and private or public organizations that want to interconnect their teams, located in different offices or headquarters in different locations (several offices within the same city or between different cities)

    They are also those employed by local telecommunications operators that offer their services to companies

    As a means of transmission they can use wired networks or wireless networks (Wimax or LTE), the latter are increasingly common due to the low costs of their implementation

  • Networks WAN

    They are networks that extend over a large geographical area, usually worldwide

    It consists of a set of nodes or LAN networks interconnected with each other forming a large network

    The clearest example is the Internet, as it is only a set of LAN and MAN networks interconnected with each other (connecting offices in different cities, countries or even continents)

    In this type of networks there are a series of computers dedicated to running the applications of the users (server computers), they are the so-called Host

    This is done by using interconnection equipment such as routers or modems

    Each host will be connected to one of these interconnection equipment that will be responsible for sending the information over the network

    A WAN contains numerous cables connected to a pair of routers

    if two routers that do not share a cable need to communicate through intermediate routers, using a bridge, switch or wireless AP (Access Point)

    The packet is received complete on each of the intermediate media and stored there until the required output line is free

    WANs can be established on satellite or ground radio systems in which each router has an antenna with which it can send and receive the information

    By their nature, satellite networks will be broadcasting

By connection type

  • Wired networks

    They are those networks in which devices and equipment are connected using the different types of cables that exist to interconnect networks

    Highlights include twisted pair (mainly), fiber optics and coaxial among others

  • Wireless networks

    They are those networks in which devices and equipment are connected using wireless means, either radio or infrared waves

    Here we find the Wifi networks, microwave networks, infrared networks, etc

By functional relationship

  • Client-server networks

    these networks in which there is a primary computer called a server to which all other computers called a client connect to obtain resources and information from it

    in this type of network the information is stored on the server

    The clearest example is the networks of the offices, which have a data server computer, to which all the client computers (the computers of the employees), connect to consult the databases of the company

  • Networks peer-to-peer

    They are those networks in which the devices and computers are considered all servers and client at the same time, there is no hierarchy of functions between computers

    here the information is distributed among all the computers on the network

    The clearest example is file sharing networks (music, movies, etc.) such as Emule, Edonkey, Torrent, etc

By data directionality

  • Simplex or one-way networks

    they are those networks in which only one computer or device is the one that sends and the rest of the computers only receive

    They are mainly used for multicast networks

    The clearest example is television networks

  • Semi-duplex or half-duplex networks

    they are those networks in which computers (any of them) can send or receive, but not at the same time

    They are two-way networks. but not simultaneous

  • Full-duplex networks

    They are those networks in which the computers (any of them) can send or receive and at the same time simultaneously

    Most networks are of this type, such as data networks

By service or function

  • Data Networks

    They are networks created for the exchange of data between their computers

  • Educational networks

    They are networks created with the purpose of exchanging content and educational resources between their teams

  • Commercial networks

    They are networks created with the aim of commercial exchange between their teams

  • Research networks

    They are networks created for the exchange of data and resources for research purposes between their teams