Network topology
Introduction
Network topology is defined as a physical or logical map of a network for exchanging data. In other words, it is the way the network is designed, whether on the physical or logical plane. The concept of a network can be defined as a "set of interconnected nodes." What a node is specifically depends on the type of network in question.[1].
The logical topology is determined solely by the configuration of the connections between nodes. The distance between nodes and physical interconnections that belong to the physical topology of the network.
Topologies
There are two types of network topologies: physical and logical.[2].
The layout of the transmission medium used to connect devices is the physical topology of the network, along with the location of nodes and connections between devices and cabling.[3].
The logical topology is the way in which data passes through the network, and does not take into account the physical connections of the devices, seeing them only as nodes.[4][5].
In addition to describing the physical structure or logical path of data, each type of topology has a direct impact on performance, fault tolerance, and network outage behavior. In practice, even if a network has a simple physical topology, its logical topology can be designed to offer redundant paths, load balancing or automatic recovery mechanisms, allowing traffic to continue flowing even when a link or node fails. This difference is especially relevant in modern networks and distributed systems, where service availability and data consistency depend on how the logical topology manages failures and prevents a local problem from affecting the rest of the network.[4].
Classification
Contenido
Los estudios de topología de red reconocen ocho tipos básicos de topologías:[6].
Point to point
The simplest topology is a permanent link between two endpoints known as point-to-point (PtP). The switched point-to-point topology is the basic gateway of conventional telephony. The value of a permanent PtP network is the unhindered communication between the two endpoints. The value of an on-demand PtP connection is proportional to the number of possible pairs of subscribers and has been expressed as Metcalfe's law.