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Chapter Profile
                        TOPOLOGY


                 Topology refers to the physical or logical arrangement of computers or nodes in a network. The

                 factors that determine the type of topology are cost, flexibility and
                                                                                            reliability. There are five
                 different types of topologies. Let us learn about these in detail.

                 Bus Topology
                 In this topology, all the nodes are connected to
                 a single common path. It is simple and easy to
                 maintain.  Additional  nodes  can  be  connected  at
                 any point along its length. The major disadvantage
                 of this topology is that fault detection is difficult,
                 and a failure in the main cable can bring down the
                 entire network.                                                         Bus Topology


                                          Ring Topology

                                          In this topology, all the nodes are connected in a circular path. The messages
                                          are travelled in clockwise or anti clockwise direction. Any damage to the
                                          cable of any node or device may result in breakdown of the whole network.



                      Ring Topology
                 Star Topology

                 In this topology, central node acts as a hub to which all the other
                 nodes are connected. As compared to the bus topology, star topology
                 requires more devices and cables. The addition of a new node to a
                 star topology is easier compared to other topologies such as bus as it
                 involves a connection only to the central node.
                                                                                                  Star Topology
                                                               Tree Topology
                                                               In this topology, nodes are connected as branches of
                                                               a tree where hub acts as a root node. It is scalable as it
                                                               is easier to add or remove the faulty nodes. However,
                                                               its major disadvantage is that if the root node fails to
                                                               operate, the entire network is inoperable.

                                Tree Topology
                 Mesh Topology
                 In this topology, every single node in a network is connected to all
                 the other nodes or computers in the network. There are minimal
                 chances of network failure in this topology due to redundant
                 connections.


                                                                                                  Mesh Topology




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