Networking Self-Teaching Guide

OSI, TCP/IP, LANs, MANs, WANs, Implementation, Management, and Maintenance

James Edwards, Richard Bramante

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780470402382
• eBook ISBN: 9781119120223
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Computer Networking
• Index: Computer Science

IT professionals who want to move into the networking side in a corporate or enterprise setting will find the detailed content they need to get up to speed on the very latest networking technologies; plus, current networking professionals will find this a valuable and up-to-date resource. This hands-on guide is designed so that you can select, design, and implement an actual network using the tutorials and steps in the book. Coverage includes an overview of networking technologies, including the hardware, software, transmission media, and data transfer processes; in-depth coverage of OSI and TCP/IP reference models; operating systems and other systems software used in today?s networks; LANs, WANS, and MANs, including the components and standards that operate within each type of area network; and more.

Part I
Networking Nuts and Bolts

In This Part

1. Chapter 1: Introduction to Networking
2. Chapter 2: LANs, MANs, and WANs
3. Chapter 3: Network Hardware and Transmission Media
4. Chapter 4: Operating Systems and Networking Software
5. Chapter 5: The TCP/IP Protocol Suite
6. Chapter 6: Ethernet Concepts
7. Chapter 7: Not To Be Forgotten

CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Networking

What, exactly, is the Internet? Basically it is a global network exchanging digitized data in such a way that any computer, anywhere, that is equipped with a node called a “modem” can make a noise like a duck choking on a kazoo.

— Dave Barry

Most of us would be lost without data networks.¹ Just a few short years ago, when computers were first starting to make their way into the business world, data sharing would normally have to be done by copying and then carrying the data from one PC to the next.² Today, the data is transferred from one user to the next in a fraction of a second. The growth that networking has undergone is remarkable. And it doesn’t stop there. Every day there are new standards being proposed, new innovations being developed, and updates and changes to these being addressed.

Advances in technology are a fact of life. What needs to be considered is that any advance that requires the movement of data from one point to the next will need the services of a network to do so. This is why the world of networking has grown so much (and will continue to do so). With users transferring large amounts of data and the amount of that data growing at a exponential rate, there seems to be no end to the opportunities networks offer.

This chapter provides an introduction to networking. The intention is to provide you with a good foundation before we dive into the “nitty-gritty” of networking. In this chapter, we cover the history of networking, the TCP/IP and OSI reference models, standards organizations, as well as some discussions and definitions. The approach we took with the first chapter will hopefully be an enjoyable read, as well as set the tone for the rest of this book. We tried to make this an interesting base chapter, splitting up the boring parts as much as possible.

So, without further ado, welcome to our introduction to networking.

1.1 Networking: A Brief Introduction

  Main Entry: net.work.ing3 Function: noun 1: the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business 2: the establishment or use of a computer network  

A data network is a group of computers connected to one another by communication paths, as well as the standards that allow communication. A network can connect to other networks, allowing virtually worldwide communication between two endpoints. Many networks share information among one another, creating larger networks. Figure 1-1 is an example of a segment of a network.

Figure 1-1 A computer network sharing applications as well as hardware

Many things are shared on a network. Corporate business is conducted nearly exclusively on the network. Networks allow users to share applications that are stored on servers in the network (e-mail applications, word-processing applications, databases, and many others). They allow communication between end users. Data can be shared between companies or individuals for business or personal purposes. Many websites provide opportunities that would have not existed if networks had never been developed. Not to mention the entire file sharing that is enabled by a network. The possibilities are endless, and you can be sure that someone is working on a new, cutting-edge service even as you read this sentence.

Typically, networks are identified by their size. They range from small local area networks (LANs) to larger wide area networks (WANs).⁴ Many networks remain isolated from others. They are there to perform tasks that fit the specific needs of the group or organization the network supports. These networks have in place networking standards that support the needs of their organization, without regard to anything outside of the network boundaries. This is due largely to the fact that upgrading (updating) the network can be a cost that the organization has not justified. If an organization does not need a high-speed LAN, why spend the money to upgrade to one?

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ACRONYM ALERT

VPN — Virtual private networking

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There are many other networks that have taken advantage of the tremendous technology breakthroughs in the past 25 years that enable these networks to share data securely. Vendors can connect to their clients’ LAN to exchange business data in an instant. Internet service providers (ISPs) provide the gateway to the Internet for their customers to share information. We discuss many net...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• About the Authors
• Credits
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Part I: Networking Nuts and Bolts
• Part II: The OSI Layers
• Part III: Network Design and Implementation
• Part IV: Managing and Maintaining the Network
• Appendix A: Additional Exercises
• Appendix B: Exercise Answers
• Appendix C: Glossary
• Appendix D: Acronyms
• Index
• Wiley End User License Agreement