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Network categories define the geographical layer of our networks because networks can be as small as a few computers in one room or as large as two computers connecting over several thousand miles that could be spanning all over the globe we have this individual categories that we can place our networks into. Our first network category is a local area network. A local area network is going to be defined usually to one building. So we have several computers in this example on several floors of building one. There will usually be a single management entity that will control all of the components in building one. So these are generally flourished in our networks and also the type of inter connecting devices such as routers and switches will be fairly inexpensive. Once we move to a campus area network our network gets a little bit larger. Now we are moving between two buildings such as the management building and the sales building. We can define a campus area network by network that expands a small area and does not leave the land that is owned by that organizational entity. So a college for example might own 300 acres of land .In any of the buildings that are inter networked on that college campus would be considered a campus area network. In metropolitan area network it can span up to 30 miles. Now in this example we have a building in North Miami and a building in South Miami. These computers are connecting together by a mark away connection. Now we have adopted this way because there are only a few different types of network media that will allow you to spend this greater bit distance. As a matter of fact the reason the metropolitan area network is limited to 30 miles is because there is only one type of network media cable and that is single mode fiber. The real key characteristic to remember about a metropolitan area network is there will always going to be using data lines and media that we own. But our data might be passing over land that we do not. So in this example it will be pretty tough for us to run a cable from North Miami to South Miami .But because we are using these microwave dishes to transmit our data will still using our own technology. So at this point we are still working under a single management entity but there may be more triple teams at play. Finally, the wide area network which is the largest of all of our network categories. In a wide area network a data will travel from a client computer usually through a router over the internet. Now this is the key point. As we travel over the internet we are moving over data lines that do not belong to us. These are usually considered leased lines or data carded lines. In a leased line environment we would actually go on to an internet service provider or an ISP and rim it done with on their media. If we have a data card line that just means that we have a guaranteed information rate. So as this data passes over the internet on the lines that we don't know it alternately reaches its destination on the other side .The technology and the cost associated with wide area networks also makes them difficult and very expensive .So as our networks gets larger and lager they get more expensive and more complicated .So this should give you an idea about our different network categories. In our next chapter we will talk about network connectivity.
Course: | CompTIA Network+ Certification (2005 Objectives) |
Author: | Brad Causey |
SKU: | 33608 |
ISBN: | 1-932808-53-1 |
Release Date: | 2005-03-22 |
Duration: | 7 hrs / 97 lessons |
Captions: | No |
Compatibility: |
Vista/XP/2000, OS X, Linux QuickTime 7, Flash 8 |