What are the Types of Network Topology?
What is a Network Topology?
A network topology is the arrangement of the elements of a communication network.It is the topological structure of a network and may be depicted physically or logically. It is an application of graph theory wherein communicating devices are modeled as nodes and the connections between the devices are modeled as links or lines between the nodes.
5 types of Network Topology
Linear Bus Topology
It uses one long cable referred to as a backbone.It is a type of network topology in which each device is connected one after the other in a sequential chain. The bus is the network connection between the devices, and if any link in the network chain is severed, all network transmission is halted.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
easy to install
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if the main cable fails or gets damaged the whole network will fail
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cheap to install, as it doesn't require much cable
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as more workstations are connected the performance of the network will become slower because of data collisions
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Star Topology
It uses a central device called as hub with cables extending to all directions. It is a topology for a Local Area Network (LAN). It takes more cable than a bus, but the benefit is that if a cable fails, only one node will be brought down.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
high performing as no data collisions can occur
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extra hardware required (hubs or switches) which adds to cost
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if a hub or switch fails all the devices connected to it will have no network connection
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| very reliable- if one cable or device fails then all the others will continue to wok | expensive to install as this type of network uses the most cable (network cable is expensive) |
Ring Topology
It is a type of network topology wherein nodes are connected to each other forming one contiguous pathway in a ring formation. Data travels from node to node, with each node along the way handling every packet. It provides only one pathway between any two nodes. It may be disrupted by the failure of a single link. A node failure or cable break might isolate every node attached to the ring.
Advantage
This type of network can transfer data quickly, even if there are a large number of devices connected because the data only flows in one direction, so there won’t be any data collisions.
Disadvantage
If the main cable fails or any device is faulty then the whole network will fail.
Mesh Topology
It has structures wherein all the nodes on the network can route data traffic on their own. This topology was originally developed 30+ years ago for military applications, but today, they are typically used for things like home automation, smart HVAC control, and smart buildings.
Advantages
- A broken node won’t distract the transmission of data in a mesh network. Each node is connected to several other nodes which make it easier to relay data. A broken device will be ignored by the signals and will then find a new one that is connected with the node.
- Additional devices in a mesh topology will not affect its network connection. Hence it will improve the traffic in the network. Mesh topology makes a large data center that simulates useful information to its nodes.
- A mesh topology can handle high amount of network traffic since every additional device into the network is considered a node. Interconnected devices can simultaneously transfer data smoothly and will not complicate the network connection.
Disadvantages
- Maintaining mesh networks can be very hard to manage. It requires continuous supervision because of the redundancy present in the network. Skilled network administrators will find it easy to manage this kind of topology.
- Due to the fact that building this topology requires a lot of devices it will need a lot of capital to invest in. It may be expensive but the service it provides you will definitely give back the invested capital.
Hybrid Topology
It is simply a network that uses a mix of any two or more different topologies in such a way that the final network does not exhibit one of the characteristics of the standard topologies. It has many advantages as well as disadvantages of all the constituent basic topologies rather than having characteristic of one specific topology. This combination of topologies is done according to the requirements of the organization.
Advantage
- It has far better fault tolerance. The section where fault is found could possibly be singled out from the rest of network and required restorative steps could be taken, without impacting the working of rest of the network.
- The most important advantage of this topology is that the weakness of the different topologies connected are disregarded and only the strengths are taken into consideration. For instance, ring topology has good data reliability and star topology has high tolerance capability, so these two function quite well in hybrid star-ring topology.
- One of the key advantages of this topology is its flexibility. The topology is created, so that it can be implemented for a variety of distinct network environment. Hybrid Network can be created in line with the demands of the corporation and by maximizing the available resources.
- Hybrid networks are built in a fashion which enables for easy integration of new hardware components like additional concentration points. It’s quite simple to extend the size of network with the addition of new elements, without disturbing existing architecture.
Disadvantage
- Due to the fact that different topologies connect in a hybrid topology, managing the topology gets challenging.. Its not easy to design this type of architecture and its a difficult job for designers. Configuration and installation process needs to be very efficient.
- The network hubs needed for hybrid topology networking are costly to purchase and maintain. The cost of this topology is higher in comparison to the other topologies. The hubs used to connect two distinct networks are expensive.
Source: Google
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