Week 7 Readings
Lowe, Networking for Dummies
Book 1: Chapters 1-3  Networks are connected so that they can share information and get work done faster. Practically speaking, they exchange emails and documents. They are also able to be more productive because they share resources. This can be external like the printer or they can share public files. I  was not surprised to read that they are often connected by cables, though fiber optic cables are new to me. The reading says that they are faster. Another new piece of information was that wireless networks (like the laptop that I am using right now) connect through radio signals. They are able to connect because of software, too. A good example of that is an operating system. Being a part of the same network means that the computers that are connected can share the same applications.
The different kinds of networks are based on the geographical size that is covered, not the number of computers involved. The LAN, which I am familiar with, is able to bring together computers in the same building, or that are close to each other. The other two I had not heard of before. The MAN can connect LANs in the same city (the M is for metropolitan), where a cord or cable is not enough to bridge the distance. The WAN is for a significantly larger area (wide), like a city or country. I guess the difference between a MAN and a WAN is how big the city is and where the computers are.
Network topology is how the parts of the network are connected. The methodology depends on the size of the network. Small networks can utilize a bus, star, or expanding topology. Larger networks would use the ring or mesh ones. The difference between them, besides the size, is how the aspects of the networks are connected, and what they rely on for support or data. It's better to have a server to rely on, because if there is a problem with the connection for one of them, the whole network won't break down.
Another important factor in keeping networks connected is protocol and standards. They are related but different; protocols are the rules that the network follows and standards are the clarifications of the protocol that international organizations set. The OSI model breaks the network into seven layers, one on top of the other, the top ones protecting the ones under them. The physical forms a shell; it runs the physical functions of the network. After that data is established. Then the network can connect the computers. Next the data can be transported from computer to computer. The transporting level makes conversations (sessions) possible between computers. Lastly, data can be presented to the computers' applications. The progression is logical, and the protective feature is probably needed.
The descriptions of the components of a server reminds me of Raspberry Pi, which we are doing in LIS 2000.
There are different kinds of servers and one network can have multiple servers. Varying types of servers can hold differing amounts of data. There are also multiple ways to connect within a server, which is making a router less and less necessary.