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WJEC A2 ICT - Mrs Cook
Name the 6 factors to be taken into account when choosing a network for a company
1. Cost of network
2. Size of organisation
3. How the system will be used
4. Existing systems
5. Performance required
6. Security issues
State 6 issues dealt with by network managers
1. User accounts and logs
2. Network security strategies
3. Configuration management
4. Remote management
5. Disaster planning
6. Auditing (logs)
State three costs involved in setting/running a network
1. Costs of the server
2. Costs of cabling
3. Costs of software
4. Costs of third party communication services
Why is the size of an organisation relevant when deciding on networks?
1. Will affect whether a LAN or WAN is used
2. Large networks need complex security measures
3. Large networks need specialist staff to keep th network running
What four factors show how well a network is performing?
1. Speed
2. Reliability
3. Cost
4. Usability
What are the 2 types of network
1. Peer to peer
2. Client server
What is a peer to peer network
A network where each computer has the same status and they are able to communicate with each other on an equal footing
State 3 advantages of a peer to peer network
1. Cost saving - no server is needed
2. No network manager is needed
3. No reliance on a server
State 3 disadvantages of a peer to peer network
1. Backups cannot be made centrally
2. Users need more IT knowledge
3. Poorer security
What is a client server network
A larger network which usually has a more powerful computer as the central computer holding all files and programs
State 3 advantages of a client server network
1. Security is better because it is centralised
2. Centralised data on the file server so all users have access to the same set of data
3. Faster access to programs and files due to the file server
State 3 disadvantages of client server networks
1. More expensive as servers are expensive
2. Need specialist knowledge, ideally a network manager
3. If the server fails, then the network is unusable
What is a ring topology
A peer to peer network where all computers are arranged in a circle
Give 2 advantages of a ring topology
1. The network is not dependent on a central computer
2. Each computer has the same access so no one computer can hog the network
Give 2 disadvantages of a ring topology
1. If there is a break in the connection, the whole network fails
2. Faults are difficult to locate
What is a bus topology
A topology where all the devices connected to the network are connected to a common shared cable called the backbone
State 2 advantages of a bus topology
1. Costs effective due to the small amount of cable needed
2. Easy to add extra devices to the network
State 2 disadvantages of a bus topology
1. If more than 12 devices are connected, the network slows down
2. If there is a break in the backbone cable, the network cannot be used
What is a star topology
A topology with a central connection point which connects all the devices on the network together
State 2 advantages of a star topology
1. Fault tolerant - if one of the cables fails, then the other computers can still be used
2. Load tolerant - extra computers can be added without much loss in performance
State 2 disadvantages of a star topology
1. Higher costs due to large amount of cabling
2. Dependence on the central hub, switch or router
Give 2 advantages of Wi-Fi
1. People can work wherever they can find a signal
2. Allows inexpensive LANs to be set up without cables
Give 2 disadvantages of Wi-Fi
1. Uses lots of power
2. Possible health problems
3. Security issues
Give 3 tasks performed by network management software
1. Ensuring all computers have up-to-date software
2. Keeping track of the software being run on each computer
3. Checking that bandwidth is being used correctly
Who sets up user accounts and logs
Network manager
What 3 rights do network users usually have
1. Can change their password
2. Can change their desktop settings
3. Can manage their own files
What 4 decisions does the network manager make when setting up user accounts
1. Which software the user can access
2. Which shared files the user has access to
3. If a user is allowed to copy files
4. If a user is allowed to install software
What is configuration management
The process of organising and maintaining all the information about a network. The network configuration database contains the locations and network addresses of all hardware devices used in the network and also information about the programs installed
What are the advantages of configuration management software
1. Much easier to repair, expand or upgrade the network
2. The network will be optimised and so will run faster
3. There will be less network downtime owing to better management of the network
What is remote management
A facility which allows the network administrators to carry out tasks on their own terminals such as seeing which users are using the network, can check on emails being sent in company time