Logical and physical networking Essay Example for Free

Logical and physical networking Essay As used in computer world, networking is simply the connection of two or more computers in order for the computers to communicate to each other and share resources and information. This is very important for an office set up. It enables the office workers to transfer computer files without moving from their respective work stations. It also makes it possible for all the computers in an organization to be connected to one printer. This in return brings about considerable reduction of the employees movement in the office leading to reduction of wasted time due to unnecessary movement. The movement of information is also very fast. Networking of computers consists of two parts which is the physical networking and logical networking. Physical networking As depicted from the term, this is where the physical aspect of the networking is addressed. The components to be networked are listed and the exact location of these components put into consideration. The distance of the components from each other is considered as this affect the cable length to be used. If a client consults an expert to help him in networking then he/she will give more of the physical networking details. The expert in return might fine tune the details in order to come up with a drawing that represents the actual physical network. The physical layout map represents the diagram of the actual floor (the way it would appear when viewed from the ceiling). Various physical components like the, printers, fax machines and scanners are represented using the appropriate symbols. The other unique components which are useful in networking are as listed below Hub- this acts as the connecting point of the devices and is usually placed at the centre of the network. Bridges These are the devices that are incorporated in the network to improve it, though put and operated at a more intelligent level than the hubs. They are always placed between two hubs in the network. Switch This uses a bridging technology to forward traffic between ports. Routers – A router has two basic functions namely path determination using a variety of metrics and forwarding packets from one network to another [Difference between Logical and Physical Network Designs]. Logical networking Before addressing the issue of the type of cable to be used and other related components the logical design network should come first. This involves assessing the needs for network and it serves as the basis of coming up with the appropriate physical infrastructure. This design should address the basic issues such as what the users are doing on the network, and the applications in immediate and distant future. The major issue is the logical addressing used to describe the network itself or the network it connects to. It shows the different IP addresses associated with each part of the network. The class of the network is to be chosen. The logical network can be a simple class C network such as 192. 168. 0. 0 with subnet mask of 255. 255. 255. Such a network will allow a host of up to 254 computers connected to it without the necessity of routing. The future growth and expansion should be put into consideration when designing a logical networking. This is a point which many people tend to overlook only to be faced with problems such as running short of IP Addresses. It is advisable when designing a network to leave room for future expansion of up to 60% of the current size. The budget, the implementation deadline, security requirement for the network and the impact of downtime and network drag on users are the non technical consideration that should be in logical networking [Difference between Logical and Physical Network Designs]. Physical and logical diagrams When networking the network design can be represented both physically and logically. The diagrams are helpful as they act as troubleshooting tool for the IT employee when there is a problem with seeing a device on the network, adding items to the network, understanding what IP addresses are available, adding items on the network and sharing devices across the network. The physical network is more of a pictorial representation as compared to the logical diagram. For example a certain work station with three computers can be represented by one computer symbol in the logical diagram with the three computer addresses. For the physical diagram this station will be represented by the three computer symbols which will sometimes depict the actual positions of the computers in the work station [Logical and Physical Network Designs, 2005]. The physical diagrams are vital in capturing a variety of information in the network. Computers are connected to the hub and a cable line shows how they are connected. The diagram helps in visualizing how much equipment is needed and to show the contractor what the client needs. The administrator creates the physical network diagram to represent the physical layout of the network. The following are typical ways of representing the physical and the logical diagram. Physical network representation Source: http://www. edrawsoft. com/network-drawings. php Logical network diagram Source: http://www. edrawsoft. com/Logical-Network. php The logical network helps one in understanding IP addresses and also used to represent how the network connections are using the upper layer of the OSI. The logical network diagrams are created after the physical network diagrams. References Difference between Logical and Physical Network Designs. Retrieved 20 February 2009 http://www. firewall. cx/ftopict-1176. html Edraw Networks (2009). Logical network diagrams. Retrieved 20 February 2009 http://www. edrawsoft. com/Logical-Network. php Logical and Physical Network Designs (2005), Retrieved 20 February 2009 from http://www. oppapers. com/essays/Logical-Physical-Network-Design/57593