2014 7th International Conference on Intelligent Computation Technology and Automation

A Study on Topology in Computer Network

Qing Liu1, Qiuping Liu2

1

Jiangxi Applied Engineering Vocational Institute, Jiangxi Pingxiang,337000,china

2
Pingxiang University,Jiangxi Pingxiang,337000,china
63032688@qq.com
indications show that, at this stage of the Internet,
Abstract-It is well known that well learning the
computer network has never been demonstrated by the
computer network topology and its development trend
success and prosperity, while the corresponding structure
is keenly important in the research of next generation
have also demonstrated the fragility and inadequacy than
network It is necessary in a correct understanding of
ever before. Correct understanding of the current status of
the current computer network development status and
the computer network, computer network, the trend of
network system structure based on the meaning and
development in different directions, and the review of
expansion to meet the next generation network
computer network structure, and the meaning of research
development needs of a new generation of network
to built the next generation of network development
structure research. Therefore, this article analyzed the
needs of the new generation network structure. Therefore,
computer network and current situation of the
the reference of current network structures will be an
development of the computer network. In recent years
important guide.[3]
the evolution and development of computer network
are summarized and analyzed by focusing on the
2. Summery of Network structure
meaning of network system structure deeply and
The most famous network structure in current status is
widely. The conclusion of this article is important and
Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model), which
key to guide the next generation of computer system
is a product of the Open Systems Interconnection effort at
network.
the International Organization for Standardization. [46]This is a way to divide a communications system into
Keywords- Computer Network; Next generation
seven smaller parts which are called layers. Each layer
network; Topology
contains similar functions which could provide services
to the upper layer and receives services from down layer.
On each layer, an instance offers services to the instances
at the upper layer and requests service from the down
1. Introduction
layer.[7-10] The seven layers are shown as follows:
Computer networks have developed and obtained
Physical Layer
huge achievements during past decades. In particular, as a
The Physical Layer is regarding the electrical and
typical representative of computer network Internet is a
physical specifications for devices. The physical layer
global, open integration, that anyone can use multiple
supplies an electrical, mechanical, and procedural
network applications across heterogeneous networks. It
interface to the transmission data. In particular, it defines
has deeply impacted politics, economics, technology and
the relationship between a device and a transmission data,
culture world widely. However, in recent years, with
including voltages, hubs, adapters, and so on. This layer
commercialization of the Internet, emerging of new
mainly supplies the transmission of data.
network technologies, and the widely used Internet
Data Linking Layer
applications of the rapid development, some flaws of
The Data Link Layer defines the functional and
current Internet structure have been emerged increasingly
procedural means regard data between network entities
visible and prominent [1]. For example of the quality, it is
and to detect errors. As well this layer will correct the
difficult to guarantee that service will be flexible. The
error as far as possible. Originally, this layer was intended
custom network transparency is gradually lost. Some
for P2P and P2M data. For local area network structure,
other problems are obvious, such as lack of security, more
this layer usually includes broadcast-capable multi-access
and more complex hardware and software, twisted-tussle
data. In real practice, sliding window is only used in, but
[2], are now growing intensified. There are some
not flow control. A famous application of sliding-window
978-1-4799-6636-3/14 $31.00 2014 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/ICICTA.2014.18

45

link between two endpoints. The value of an on-demand

P2P connection is positive proportional to the number of
potential pairs of network nodes.
Bus

flow control is TCP, but this is still used in niches with

good performance. In another word, its main task is to
produce and recognize the frame boundary of data. This
can be conducted by attaching special bit patterns to the
whole progress of the frame. The input data can be
divided into different frames.
Network Layer
The Network Layer mainly provide the functional and
procedural means of transferring variable length data
sequences on a different network, while guaranteeing the
quality of service requested by the Transport Layer. The
Network Layer supplies network routing functions, and
report errors. Routers work at this layer to send data by
using the extended network. Actually, this is a logical
addressing scheme according to the values chosen by
engineers or workers. The progressing is not hierarchical.
It operates subnet and determines the routing strategies.
Transport Layer
The transport layer receives reliable data from upper
layers and transfers data between end users. The
Transport Layer determines the reliability of a given link
by using flow control, segmentation/de-segmentation, and
tolerant of error. Some protocols are state and connection
oriented.
The Session Layer
This Layer provides a user interface to the network
where the user negotiates to build a connection. The user
must supply the remote address to be contacted. Its major
work is to transfer data from the other application to this
application so that this is mainly utilized for transferred
layer.
Presentation Layer
The Presentation Layer build context among all
Application Layers, that the upper layer may utilize
different syntax and semantics if the presentation service
provides a mapping between them.
Application Layer
The Application Layer is the OSI layer closest to the
end user, which means that both the OSI application layer
and the user interact directly with the software
application.

Fig1 Bus network topology

The structure of BUS is shown in Fig 1. This kind of

structure is widely used in local area networks. In this
structure, each node is connected to a single cable. In
practice, each CPU or server is connected to the single
bus cable. Signals from the source transfers in positive
and negative directions. Throughout this method, both
CPU or severs can be connected the bus cable. As well
this kind structure can be intended with extra recipient.
Star

Fig 2 Star network topology

Another well used topology in local area networks is a

star topology. A central hub connected distribute network
host with a P2P connection method. In this topology,
every node is connected to central node called hub or
switch. The switch is the server and the peripherals are
the clients, which are shown in Fig 2. The advantage of
this kind topology is the simplicity. It is convenient to
add additional nodes, while the most obvious
disadvantage is that the hub is the weakness of the whole

3. Analysis of Internet Topology

In current main network structures, there are main
eight basic topologies: Point-to-point, Bus, Star, Ring,
Mesh, Tree, Hybrid, Daisy chain.[11-17] The detailed
instructions are given as follows,
Point-to-point
This structure is also called P2P. This is a famous
network structure. The simplest topology is a permanent

46

Fig.5 shows the situation named ppartially

y connected.

network. If the central hub be destroyed, the whole

network won't work any more.
Ring

Fig 5 Partially connected mesh topology

The type of network topology in which some of the

nodes of the network are connected to more than one
other node in the network with a point-to-point link this
makes it possible to take advantage of some of the
redundancy that is provided by a physical fully connected
mesh topology without the expense and complexity
required for a connection between every node in the
network.
Tree

Fig 3 Ring network topology

The Ring topology is shown in Fig 3. Each device

incorporates a receiver for the incoming signal and a
transmitter to send the data on to the next device in the
ring. The network is dependent on the ability of the signal
to travel around the ring. Actually, if the scale of network
is huge, any two nodes will destroy the connection of the
whole network.
Mesh
This structure can be cataloged as two situations
according to the connection method. One is fully
connected and the other one is partially connected. The
overview of the two kinds are shown as follows,
In Fig 4, the figure is shown the situation named Fully
connected

Fig. 6 Tree network topology

The type of network topology in which a central 'root'

node (the top level of the hierarchy) is connected to one
or more other nodes that are one level lower in the
hierarchy (i.e., the second level) with a point-to-point link
between each of the second level nodes and the top level
central 'root' node, while each of the second level nodes
that are connected to the top level central 'root' node will
also have one or more other nodes that are one level
lower in the hierarchy (i.e., the third level) connected to
it, also with a point-to-point link, the top level central
'root' node being the only node that has no other node
above it in the hierarchy (The hierarchy of the tree is
symmetrical.) Each node in the network having a specific
fixed number, of nodes connected to it at the next lower
level in the hierarchy, the number, being referred to as the

Fig. 4 Fully connected mesh topology

The number of connections in a full mesh = n(n - 1) /

2.

47

IFIP/IEEE International Conference on Wireless and Optical

Communications Networks (WOCN), 2005.
[4] J. Akella, M. Yuksel, S. Kalyanaraman, Error analysis of multi-hop
free-space-optical communication, IEEE International Conference
on Communications (ICC) 3 (2005) 17771781.
[5] I.F. Akyildiz, X. Wang, W. Wang, Wireless mesh networks: a
survey, Computer Networks 47 (4) (2005) 445487.
[6] D. Banerjee, B. Mukherjee, Wavelength-routed optical networks:
Linear formulation, resource budgeting tradeoffs, and a
reconfiguration study, IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking 8
(5) (2000) 598607.
[7] D.P. Bertsekas, Dynamic Programming and Optimal Control, vol. 1,
Athena Scientific, 2000.
[8] S. Boyd, L. Vandenberghe, Convex Optimization, Cambridge
University Press, 2003.
[9] J. Cao, D. Davis, S.V. Wiel, B. Yu, Time-varying network
tomography: Router link data, American Statistical Association
Journal 95 (2000) 10631075.
[10] CPLEX, <http://www.cplex.com>.
[11] J. Derenick, C. Thorne, J. Spletzer, Control system analysis for
ground/air-to-air laser communications using simulation,
IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and
Systems (IROS) (2005) 39903996.
[12]Groth, David; Toby Skandier (2005). Network+ Study Guide,
Fourth Edition'. Sybex, Inc..
[13]Proulx, S. R.; Promislow, D. E. L.; Phillips, P. C. (2005). "Network
thinking in ecology and evolution". Trends in Ecology and
Evolution 20 (6): 345353.
[143]Inc, S., (2002). Networking Complete. Third Edition. San
Francisco: Sybex
[15]Bicsi, B., (2002). Network Design Basics for Cabling Professionals.
City: McGraw-Hill Professional
[16]Marakas, James A. O'Brien, George M. (2011). Management
information systems (Global ed., 10th ed. ed.). New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill/Irwin. pp.289.
[17]ATIS committee PRQC. "network topology". ATIS Telecom
Glossary 2007. Alliance for Telecommunications Industry
Solutions

'branching factor' of the hierarchical tree. This tree has

individual peripheral nodes.
Hybrid
Hybrid network is a combination of two or more
topologies mentioned above. By combination, each
network does not exhibit one of the standard topologies.
For example, a mesh network connected to a mesh
network is still a mesh network topology. However, a
hybrid topology is always produced when two different
basic network topologies are connected.
Daisy chain
The main advantage of daisy chain is easy to add
more computers or servers into a network by connecting
each computer in series to the next. Data will be intended
for a computer partway down the line, each system
bounces it along in sequence until it reaches the
destination.
4. Conclusions
In this paper, we mainly discussed the main stream
network topology structures. We present the main
advantage and disadvantage about the eight structures
mentioned above. According to the analysis, we know the
characters about different architectures so that it is
convenient for us to build new network in practice. As
well all the conclusions are meaningful for engineers to
develop the next generation network.
References
[1] IEEE 802.15 standard group, <http://www.ieee802.org/15/>.
[2] IEEE 802.16 standard group, <http://www.ieee802.org/16/>.
[3] J. Akella, C. Liu, D. Partyka, M. Yuksel, S. Kalyanaraman, P. Dutta,
Building blocks for mobile free-space-optical networks, in:

48