Mr C JohnstonICT Teacher

www.computechedu.co.uk

BTEC IT Unit 09 - Lesson 07

Network Components

Session Objectives

Understand the different categories of network components which are required to build a network,

Be able to explain the key components from each category required to build a network.

Network Component Categories

When building a network, the components used fall into a number of different categories, Network devices

Hardware which users make use of on the network Interconnection devices

Hardware which connects the network devices users use together so they can talk to each other Connectors and cabling

Used to create a link between the network devices and interconnection devices Software

Installed / embedded into network and interconnection devices, so users can access network services and administrators can manage.

Several components will be needed from each category in order for the network to operate.

Content To Cover For P3 and P4 you need to explain the purpose, features and functions of the following network components

Network devices: workstations; servers eg print, mail, file, web, proxy; others eg network interface cards (NIC), printers, UPS, NAS

Interconnection devices: equipment eg router, hub, switch, wireless access points, gateway, bridge, repeater,

Connectors and cabling: Types of WAN connection (leased line; dedicated line; ADSL; DSL; cable broadband; mobile technology) media types eg STP, Category 5, 6; 7;

coaxial, UTP, fibre optic; wireless; cable/connection standards, patch panels, face plates, Software:

network operating system (client / server); virus checker; firewall; other communication software eg email client; web browsers; ftp; network utilities (monitoring, management, fault finding); embedded web interfaces, network card drivers;

Commercial systems: software eg Mac OSX, Linux, Windows, Citrix

P3 and P4 Requirements P3 requires you to make some notes which explain the key components for

connection to network systems and show that you can apply them, P4 requires you to make some notes which explain the function of

interconnection devices. Perhaps present your notes in a table creating a detailed entry for each

component and draw and application diagram.

Category

Name Purpose Features and Functions

Picture

BTEC Book – Unit 09 p11(start at chapter 2) - 18

Programming Constructs

P3 – Explain the key components required for client workstations to connect to a network and access network resourcesP4 – Explain the function of interconnection devices

P3 – Explain the key components required for client workstations to connect to a network and access network resourcesP4 – Explain the function of interconnection devices• For P3, learners are explaining the key components for connection to

network systems. This, along with the evidence for P4 (the function of interconnection devices), could be produced as an information ‘leaflet’, which may be paper- or web based. Use a diagram to show that understand the exact requirements for a client to connect to a network.

Diagram to show key components required to access network resources

P3 / P4 Recap….. Need a EXPLAIN a range of network devices…. Explain means give reasons. Key questions to answer:

What device is and what does it do / allow to happen on the network, Key features / specifications of the device – data transfer speed, Why the device is needed, How does the device work, Any advantages and disadvantages of using this device.

Content to cover: Network devices

Servers (as many as you can think of but certainly print, web, file, proxy, mail, authentication) Workstations (as many different types as you can think of) Network cards (wired, wireless, pci / dongles) Printers (ensure you talk about network printers only!!) NAS UPS

Interconnecting Devices Hub (active and passive) / Router / Switch / Bridge / Wireless Access Point / Repeater / Gateway

Connectors & Cabling Type of WAN connection (Leased line, Dedicated line, ADSL, DSL, cable, mobile) Types of cable and their connector – UTP / STP, Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 7, Coax Fibre, Cabling hardware – patch panels, rack cabinets, trunking, face plates, Types of wireless connection,

Software Network operating system – for servers, for clients, Network card driver Network utilities Application software so can make use of the network and keep network secure Firmware and embedded software

Commercial systems: software eg Mac OSX, Linux, Windows, Citrix

Network Components Notes

Network Devices Hardware which users make use of on the network

Workstations / Clients Allows access to the networks services, Not necessarily a desktop PC or laptop anymore.

Servers Powerful computers which provides the network with a service e.g. web, email, authentication, print, file, network addressing (DNS / DHCP),

security, Services provided depends on the software which is installed on the machine,

Network card All devices which are to connect to the network need some form of network card, Depending on the type of network being used, may be able cable based (UTP, Coax, Fibre), Wireless (802.11a/b/g/n), 3G/4G, Bluetooth. Could be internal (built in) or dongle based.

Interconnection Devices Hardware which connects the network devices users

use together so they can talk to each other Hub

Allows devices on a network to communicate with each other, Broadcasts data to every active port so that the correct device

will receive it, Switch

Allows devices on a network to communicate with each other, Uses switches inside to create a circuit between ports so devices

communicating with each other do so directly, Router

Used to connect different networks together, Wireless Access Point

Used to allow devices to connect wirelessly to the network, Bridge

Divides networks into segments – legacy device switches can do this much easier by creating vLANS

Connectors and Cabling1

Used to create a link between the network devices and interconnection devices.

Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) 4 sets of twisted pairs with an outer case Speeds up to 1000mbps Has RJ45 connector in the end#

Shielded twisted pair (STP) 4 sets of twisted pairs covered in foil then an outer case Less prone to electrical interference than UTP so less data loss but

is dearer Speeds up to 1000mbps Has RJ45 connector in the end

Coaxial Cable Solid copper cable covered in an insulating plastic case. The case is

then covered with a copper mesh which is all encased with another plastic sleeve

Can be more rigid that UTP/STP but less interference BNC (Bayonet Neill-Concelman) connector on the end

Connectors and Cabling2 - Fibre Optics

Uses pulses of light rather than electrical signals to transmit the data – therefore is immune to electrical interference,

The light is pulsed down hollow glass or plastic tubes – main advantage is distance and speed - 14 Tera bits per second over a single 160 km long optical fibre is the current record. (http://www.ntt.co.jp/news/news06e/0609/060929a.html)

Hollow glass or plastic tube which light is pulsed down,

Has a protective cover to protect the light from interference and is immune to electrical interference,

Glass can carry longer than plastic, Can travel long distances and is fast Expensive over short distances but very

economical over long

SC (subscriber connector)

or

ST (straight tip)

Fibre Optic Cable

OverviewConnectorCable Type

Connectors and Cabling3 -Other Equipment

Wall plates and trunking Used in rooms to ensure neat cabling Workstations plug to wall plates using a short

cable, Patch Panels

Used in machine rooms to form a connection between the cables which come out of wall plates and the switch

Wall plate cables get brayed onto the back of the patch panel, patch cables (short network cables) go in the front of the panel then into the switch.

Software1

Installed / embedded into network and interconnection devices, so users can access network services and administrators can manage.

Server operating system Installed on the server and provides some services to the network,

Network service software Installed on the server to provide additional services which were

not included with the Server OS e.g. media streaming, email Workstation operating system

Allows the client to access the network – will need to include the protocol suite being used on the network,

Drivers for the network cards, Security software,

Antivirus and firewall to help maintain security of the network

Software2

Application software Installed on the workstations to allow users to perform tasks and

access the services provided by the network e.g. Web browsers, FTP clients, email clients, media players,

Embedded software Control panels built into printers and other interconnection

devices to help administrators manage them – usually HTML based.