When designing the layout of a local area network, an organization can choose from a variety of different technologies on which to base the backbone of their LAN. The technology choices that the organization adopts will play a critical role in the performance of its LAN. Two important LAN backbone issues, which I will introduce, include:A network based on Ethernet or Token Ring technologyFactors to consider when choosing a Network Operating SystemLANs are also known as subnets, which are single networks. Overall, LANs use a hybrid TCP/IP-IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) framework consisting of 6 layers: application, transport, internet, logical link control layer, media access control layer, and physical layer. The IEEE has many standards committees to develop standards for LANs. The most widely known is the 802.3 Working Group, whose Ethernet standards dominate LAN technology. Another is the 802.5 Working Group, which created the competing Token-Ring network standards used in many organizations. At the media access control layer (MAC), CSMA/CD (Carrier sense multiple access/collision detection) governs communication between stations. Ethernet uses a bus transmission, which is characterized by broadcasting. One station transmits, and this transmission is broadcasted to all other stations. In Ethernet 10Base-T and 100Base-TX, the hub does the actual broadcasting. In contrast, Token Ring network stations connect to access units, which are connected in a ring. A special frame called a token signals around the ring and stations which grab hold of the token may transmit. Whereas Ethernet uses CSMA/CD for the MAC layer, Token Ring networks use token passing to determine when each station may transmit. The growth of today’s LAN traffic is pushing network administrators to look too higher-speed network technologies to solve the bandwidth problem. Highly reliable networks are critical to the success ...
