Network Functions

Following are some of the important functions that a network needs to perform

1.       Switching
2.       Routing
3.       Flow control
4.       Speed
5.       Security
6.       Backup
7.       Failure monitoring
8.       Traffic monitoring
9.       Accountability
10.   Internetworking
11.   Network management

1.       Switching
Switching is defined as the ability of a network to connect different channels attached to each node to each other. This is essential for moving the traffic from incoming channel to the desired outgoing channels.

2.       Routing
Routing is defined as the ability of the network to select a path. The routing can be of different types, namely the fixed routing or alternative routing. The routing can also be classified as static routing or dynamic routing.

3.       Flow control
Flow control is the control over the rate of traffic. It is necessary in order to reduce the network congestion.

4.       Speed
The speed of different devices is different. Also the codes used by different devices are different from each other. In the digital networks, we have to allow the communication between all such devices.

5.       Security
Network security is defined as the ability of a network to disallow any unauthorized access to the network and the data travelling over it. We have to take the measures such as using passwords of use of data encryption and physical security.

6.       Backup
It is defined as the ability of a network to react to the component failures. Back up also includes sending to indicate failures or to route the traffic via some other path to avoid a failed component.

7.       Failure monitoring
It is the ability of the network to keep track of faulty and working components.

8.       Traffic monitoring
It is defined as the ability of the network to keep track of traffic levels. It is useful for the network design.

9.       Accountability
It is the ability of the network to keep a track of who is actually using the network. This is possible through the billing and charge back process. It gives us an understanding of the various users of a network. This is different from the traffic monitoring.

10.   Internetworking
When two or more networks are connected they are called internetwork of internet. Individual networks are joined into internetworks by the internetworking devices like bridges, routers and gateways.
The term internet (lower case i) is a generic term used to mean and interconnection of networks and Internet (upper case I) is the name of specific worldwide network. A common form of internet is a collection of LANs connected by a WAN. Internetworking is defined as performing the function needed for communicating with other networks in as internetwork.
The internetworking includes the following functions:
i)                    To provide routes for traffic.
ii)                   To allocate resources such as buffers and links

11.   Network management
The network management is not a one single function. It is instead a combination of many functions. It includes the following functions:
i)        To maintain the user’s list.
ii)       To maintain the addresses of the devices.
iii)     To keep an eye on changes in schedules of network.
iv)     Fault isolation.
Some of the network functions are carried out at each node and the others are needed to be carried our only by the first and the last node.

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• Networking Fundamental
• Network Topology
• Network Functions
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• Internet Security & IP Security (IPSec)
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