Introduction

What is a computer network?

Computer network is a simply group of computers which are interconnected by some kind of communication channel (wired or wireless, some times also referred to as guided and unguided media) to share resources among users. Computer networks are classified according to wide range of characteristics.

Figure 1 : A simple network diagram

Figure 2 : A simple wireless network

A network design principal which define how the network work and how the data formats works together and what are procedures that the network operate at.

Here we can identify main two architectures;

(1). Peer to Peer network architecture

(2). Client server network architecture

 

Beside these architectures there is another architecture that we don’t see much. Actually it is not using in now a days. That is Main frame network architecture.

(1). Peer to Peer network architecture

Peer- to – peer computer architecture is the simplest architecture that we can arrange. It is a distributed application which partitions work load or tasks among peers. Peers are equally privileged. Which means authentication levels for peers are equal to handle the network or in sharing network resources like vise. 

Figure 3 :

With using a central connecting device (Hub or Switch)

Figure 4 :

With using a central connecting device (Hub or Switch)

Advantages of using Peer – to – Peer configuration

• Easy to setup
• Less complexity
• Low cost since all devices are equally authorized no servers are needed
• Can be used for simple network tasks such as printer sharing and file sharing

Disadvantage of using Peer – to – Peer configuration

• No centralized authentication
• Not secure
• All the devices may ac as both client and servers so the performance of those devices may get decrease