Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) Operation
When a switch receives a broadcast frame, the switch floods the frame out all switch ports other than the port on which the frame was received. More ...
Introduction to SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking)
SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking) standards were developed to take advantage of low-cost transmission over optical fibers. It defines a hierarchy of data rates, formats and optical signal specifications. More ...
Data Center Networking
In recent years, companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have built massive data centers, each housing tens to hundreds of thousands of hosts, and concurrently supporting many distinct cloud applications. Each data center has its own data center network that interconnects its hosts and interconnects the data center with the Internet. More ...
Technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT)
Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the effort to connect everyday objects to the Internet in order to make them smart. Many wireless technologies are used to make IoT a reality. More ...
The Difference Between a Hub and a Router
For someone who needs a quick clarification on the matter, a hub combines all linked computers or workstations into a network, while router links two separate and distinct networks to each other. More ...
Network Hubs
A hub lives at Layer 1 of the OSI model, so it does not make forwarding decisions. Instead, a hub receives bits on one port and then retransmits those bits out all other ports. Because of this a hub is sometimes called a repeater. More ...
Computer Network Routers, Hubs, and Switches
The most common components on a computer network, not counting cables, are "routers", "hubs", and "switches". Many of these modules can be appear similar and there can be significant overlap in roles. This article explains the difference between these important network components. More ...
Multilayer Switch
A network switch operates at layer 2 the OSI model. A multilayer switch also works at layer 3 or higher, all the way up to layer 6 of the OSI model. More ...
What Are Fiber Optic Attenuators?
A fiber optic attenuator, also called an optical attenuator, simulates the loss the would be caused by a long length of fiber. For a fiber optic receiver, too much light can overload it and degrade the bit error ratio. More ...
Difference Between Unmanaged, Web Smart and Managed Switch
A network switch is used to route data over a communication network. There are four major types of a switches. It can either be an unmanaged switch, a managed switch, a smart switch or an enterprise managed switch. Each kind of switch has its own strengths and weaknesses. More ...
Network Storage Server Options
Although the need for storage available over a shared network is evident, it is not always clear which solution is right for your organization. There are a variety of options available, direct-attached storage (DAS), network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area networks (SAN). More ...
Proxy Servers
With a proxy server, instead of connecting directly to a server that can fulfill a requested resource, such as a file or web page, the client directs the request to the proxy server, which evaluates the request and performs the required network transactions. More ...
VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) Basics
"A VLAN is a LOGICAL network where devices might be on separate PHYSICAL networks. The purpose of implementing a VLAN is to improve the performance of a network or apply security features. More ...
