This article explains what a Local Area Network (LAN) is and describes
the different types of LANs and how each can be helpful to your organization. Introduction
By definition a network is simply two or more computers communicating with
each other. By understanding the different kinds of networks and how they work
you will be able to determine which form of LAN will suit your program's needs
best. Some LANs are rather simple and easy to set up while others are much more
complex and will require the help of a trained professional.
Definitions
Network-enabled - hardware device with
the neccesary ports for network cables.
Peer to Peer: Peer-to-Peer networks are the simplest of
all LAN set-ups. Not only are they easy to configure and require few resources,
they are also inexpensive to implement. Peer-to-Peer, also called P2P networks,
are the most direct method of connecting computers, requiring only a network
cable for the simplest of networks.
Diagram 1
A simple Peer-to-Peer network can be a simple collection of two computers
and a printer. Computer 1 will be able to print on the printer connected
to Computer 2, if Computer 2 sets up the sharing permissions for the printer.
Already we can see the advantages of building a small LAN: Files can be
shared between the two computers and there is only one printer that must
be purchased and maintained. A LAN like this is very simple to set up. In
fact, many households may have LANs just like this. Diagram 2
When a LAN needs to include a larger number of computers, a hub may be
used. This hub will enable all the computers connected to the network to
communicate with each other without having to connect each individual computer
to each and every other computer on the network. This saves space and considerable
set-up time and expense. Again, this P2P network is fairly simple to setup
and allows all the computers to communicate with each other and to print
using one or two printers. One note of caution - Printer 1 and Printer 2
in this diagram must be network enabled. If they are not, one could simply
connect Printer 1 to Computer 4 and connect Printer 2 to Computer 3 and
the printers could be shared as in Diagram 1.
Client/Server Diagram 3
Client/Server LANs are generally much larger in scope than P2P networks.
A file server is the most common server used. It frees up hard drive space
on all the client machines and provides a single place to store files for
everyone to access. Other popular servers include mail servers to send and
deliver email, web servers to host Internet sites, database servers, and
print servers. The complexity of client/server LANs can range from fairly
simple networks to networks comprised of thousands of client machines and
numerous servers that require an entire staff dedicated to keeping the network
up and running. Summary
There are benefits to both client/server and peer-to-peer LANs.
If a simple communication method is desired, a P2P network can be
set up quickly, easily, and inexpensively. When the size of the
network grows quite large one should consider implementing a client/server
configuration. This can provide a central storage area for files
(thus keeping client machines free from large numbers of files),
ensuring that the most current file will be available to everyone
on the network. This central storage area also makes backing up
files much simpler since only the server needs to be backed up.
The costs of larger client/server networks increase with size, however,
and once they reach a certain size one must also take into consideration
the personnel cost to maintain the network. |
