Buying Networks II: The Technology Explained

Have you ever wondered about the significance of IEEE or puzzled over the difference between Peer-to-Peer workgroups and Client-Server workgroups?

You may have heard of Ethernet products but do you really know what Ethernet means. Put simply, Ethernet is the computer industry standard for networking.  The term Ethernet implies of a set of standardized rules for communication between a computer and hardware: Ethernet was created by a group of government, university and corporate representatives known as the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, hence IEEE is attached to these standardized products.

From the 1980's to the mid-nineties, the Ethernet standard was most popular due to its relatively low cost and fast data transfer rate of 10 MBPS.  Several years ago new networking standard known as "Fast Ethernet" was introduced. Using technology that dramatically improved data transfer rates to 10 times that of standard Ethernet (100 Mbps) Fast Ethernet allowed networks to handle the high volume data transfer needed to sustain multimedia and other energy desktop technologies.

Another common set of terms whose definitions are misunderstood is Peer-to-peer workgroups vs. Client Server Workgroups. The key differences between these two types of networks are the way data is routed and the size of the networks.

Peer-to-peer networks consist of a small number of independent workstations that can communicate with each other and share printers and drivers but lack a centralized workstation with the power to control the network itself.  Peer-to-peer networks typically run operating systems such as Windows 98, XP or Vista.

By contrast, Client Server Workgroups are larger size networks that utilize a powerful central computer or "file server" to mediate the high-volume data flow between computers. Depending on the size of the network and the volume of data flowing through it, one to over a hundred file server may be utilized to control the Flow of Information between workstations.

Client Server Workgroups allow network administration to easily increase or decrease the size of a network and offers security so that sensitive data cannot be accessed without permission.  A client server network typically uses operating systems such as Windows Server or Novell Netware to control data communication between workstations.

Those are just a few of the many terms you need to understand in order to assist you in becoming a networking expert.