NETWORK TOPOLOGY

Network topology is the arrangement of the elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a communication network.[1][2] Network topology can be used to define or describe the arrangement of various types of telecommunication networks, including command and control radio networks,[3] industrial fieldbusses and computer networks. Network topology is the topological[4] structure of a network and may be depicted physically or logically. It is an application of graph theory[3] wherein communicating devices are modeled as nodes and the connections between the devices are modeled as links or lines between the nodes. Physical topology is the placement of the various components of a network (e.g., device location and cable installation), while logical topology illustrates how data flows within a network. Distances between nodes, physical interconnections, transmission rates, or signal types may differ between two different networks, yet their logical topologies may be identical. A network’s physical to...