Peer to Peer Network (P2P network)

What is a client-server network

Client-Server networks are those kinds of networks in which a device have the permission only to act as either a client device or as a server device. The client device will only have the permission to receive data from the server device and the server will only have the permission to provide data to the client device. Client devices will have client software on it like the web browsers and the server devices will have server software running on them.

What is a peer to peer network

A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is created when two or more PCs are connected and share resources without going through a separate and dedicated server computer. In this kind of networks, a single device will have both client and server software running on them. It can be said as a network, created by systems, which acts as both client and server at the same time. It usually occurs in home networks and in small businesses. All the systems or end-devices in a Peer to Peer network are linked together with equal permissions and responsibilities for processing data. Unlike the traditional client-server network, no devices in a Peer to Peer network are designated solely to serve or to receive data. Peer to Peer network can be abbreviated by P2P network for simplicity. 

Here in the below figure, the PC-01 has a Universal Serial Bus connection to the printer for print sharing and a network connection to PC-02 , using the Network Interface Card for File Sharing purpose. In effect, every connected PC is at once a server and a client. There's no special network operating system residing on a robust machine that supports special server-side applications like directory services (specialized databases that control who has access to what).

A Peer to Peer network can be:

• an ad hoc connection—a couple of computers connected via a Universal Serial Bus to transfer files. 
• a permanent infrastructure that links a half-dozen computers in a small office over copper wires. 
• a network on a much grander scale in which special protocols and applications set up direct relationships among users over the Internet.

In general, office and home P2P networks operate over Ethernet (10M bit/sec.) or Fast Ethernet (100M bit/sec.) and employ a hub-and-spoke topology. Category 5 (twisted-pair) copper wire runs among the PCs and an Ethernet hub or switch, enabling users of those networked PCs access to one another's hard drives, printers or perhaps a shared Internet connection. Peer to Peer network allows you to easily share data without having to use a separate server for your file-sharing. Each end-computer that connects to this network becomes a 'peer' and is allowed to receive or send files to other computers in its network. This enables you to work collaboratively to perform certain tasks that need group attention, and it also allows you to provide services to another peer. 

Read More

Mesh Topology

What is a Network Topology

Network topology is the way in which the nodes and the associated links (or connections) in a network is arranged. It can be of many types:

• Star Topology
• Bus Topology
• Ring Topology
• Tree Topology
• Mesh Topology
• Hybrid Topology

What is Mesh Topology

A mesh topology is a network topology (arrangement of nodes in a network) in which each node is individually connected to all or most of the other nodes in the network. It is one of the key network architectures in which nodes are connected with many redundant interconnections between them. This kind of topology allows for most transmissions to be distributed even if one of the connections goes down. In Mesh topology, if any cable or node fails, there are many other ways for two nodes to communicate, making it a reliable network topology. This topology is commonly used for wireless networks. There is no concept of a central hub (as in a Star Topology) nor that of a backbone cable (as in the Bus Topology). Even though they are easy to troubleshoot and offers increased reliability, Mesh networks are expensive to install as they require a lot of cabling. 

Mesh topologies involve the concept of routes. Messages sent on a mesh network can take any of the several possible paths from source to destination. The mesh topology accounts for having highest number of  physical connections per device. Unlike other network topologies, Mesh Topology can be divided as: Fully connected mesh topology and Partially connected mesh topology

Different types of mesh topology

• Fully connected mesh topology 
• Partially connected mesh topology

Fully connected mesh topology 

A mesh network in which every node is connected to each and every other nodes of the network. The number of connections in this network can be calculated using the following formula: n(n-1)/2, where 'n' is the number of nodes. Full mesh is very expensive to implement and yields the greatest amount of redundancy, so in the event that one of those nodes fails, network traffic can be directed to any of the other nodes. Full mesh is usually reserved for backbone networks. 

    Number of connections = n(n-1) /2    

Partially connected mesh topology

A partially connected mesh topology does not have all the nodes connected to each other. At least one of the node in the network will not have connection to all the other nodes of the network. It is an inexpensive way to implement redundancy in a network. If one of the primary computers or connections in the network fails, the rest of the network continues to operate normally.

If any node is not fully connected to all other nodes of the network, then that Mesh Topology can be termed as Partially connected Mesh Topology. With partial mesh, some nodes are organized in a full mesh scheme but others are only connected to one or two nodes in the network. Partial mesh topology is commonly found in peripheral networks connected to a full meshed backbone. It is less expensive to implement and yields less redundancy than full mesh topology.

Advantages of a mesh topology

• Able to manage high amounts of traffic (since multiple devices can transmit data simultaneously)
• A failure of one device does not cause a break in the network
• Adding additional devices does not disrupt data transmission between other devices.
• Increased reliability
• Each connection can carry its own data load
• Robust in nature
• Easy to diagnose
• Provides security and privacy (since point to point connection exists between each pair of nodes)
• Easy of troubleshoot
• Data can be transmitted from different devices simultaneously.
• Even if one of the components fails, there is always an alternative present,
• Expansion and modification in topology can be done without disrupting other nodes.

Disadvantages of a mesh topology

• Overall cost of this network is way too high as compared to other network topologies.
• Building and maintaining the topology is difficult and time consuming.
• The chance of redundant connections is high, which adds to the high costs and potential for reduced efficiency.
• Cabling cost is more and the most in case of a fully connected mesh topology
• Bulk wiring is required
• Installation and configuration are difficult if the connectivity gets more.
• There are high chances of redundancy in many of the network connections.

Implementation of Mesh Topology in Cisco Packet Tracer

Mesh Topology implementation in Cisco Packet Tracer 8.0

Feel free to contact me, if you face any kind of problem regarding the above topic.

Read More