Computer Networks and Data

Communication(BCS 1202)
Topic: Network Hardware & Software]

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 In this lecture, you will learn the basics of Network Hardware
and Network Software which includes their definition, types,
classification, and their working details. you will also learn
about the difference between Network Hardware and
Network Software as well as their functionalities.

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 ▪ Network Hardware combines to perform
required operations of computer networks
and is responsible for data communication.
Network Hardware is also known as Network
What is Network
Hardware? devices.

 Network hardware contributes to the

computer network system and makes the
network system function well.

 Server, Client, Router, Switch, Bridge, Firewall,

NIC, Cable, Modem, Repeater, and Gateway

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are an example of Network Hardware.
 ▪ Network Software is mainly focused on reducing design issues
like managing, improving, or deploying a network. It helps
network administrators to manage a network and prevents
unauthorized access and various cyber-attacks, as by using
network software one can restrict access to the network.

 The two major software used in computer networks are the

Operating system and the Protocol suite.
What is Network
Software? o Here the function of the Operating system is to support the
network. For example, Windows, Mac, and Linux OS can easily
connect to a network. One can use the OS to make the
system a server.

o Protocol suite consists of layers and each layer is working

according to different protocols. Here, protocol is a set of rules
upon which communication devices agree to communicate
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successfully.
 Operating system
and Protocol suite

What is Network Software?

The above diagram explains about two types of network

software, operating system, and protocol suite. Mainly here
3 OS are described in above diagram which is widely used
in the world. And the other side is the protocol suite which
describes how the data travels from layer to layer over the
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network by agreeing on the protocol.
 Dimensions of Network Hardware
Mainly, network hardware has two important dimensions:

i. Transmission technology and

ii. Scale.

Transmission Technology dimension: It is used for data communication between sender and
receiver. And two types of transmission technology are used in Network Hardware: Point-to-point
links and Broadcast links.

 Point-to-point links: It helps to connect different pairs of machines. As the term “point”
suggests, a point-to-point network will have one sender and one receiver.

o In this type of network, the sender and receiver both can act as a client or server
simultaneously.

o A famous example is telephone calls.

 Broadcast links: In a broadcast network, all the end devices of a network share a common
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communication channel. So that, the message sent by any machine can be received by every
Transmission
technology

 The above diagram talks about the two most commonly used
transmission technology in the network between the network
hardware.
 You can see that in point to point network there is only one sender
and one receiver. On the other hand, a message that is transmitted
7 from one device in a broadcast network is transmitted to all the
devices connected to it.
 Dimensions of Network Hardware
 Scale dimension: Distance is an important factor for a network, leading to the use of different
types of topologies at various scales.

 Network Hardware is set up in a network using a scale, and scale may be PAN (Personal
Area Network), LAN (Local Area Network), MAN (Metropolitan Area Network), or WAN
(Wide Area Network).

 You can use PAN when you want to install network hardware on a small scale. For
example, setting up Wi-Fi or Bluetooth with a mobile or computer is an example of PAN.

 You can use LAN when you want to install network hardware within a 100m to 10km
radius. The school network, college network, and office network are examples of LANs.

 MAN is used when you want to set up network hardware in a city network. Similarly,
WAN is used for country or global networks.
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 Nowadays software and hardware are integrated into some
network devices such as routers and switches. Due to this
Software network software structure is highly structured in today’s time.
Structuring So, the main five techniques are used to understand the network

Techniques of software structuring. They are as follows:

1. Protocol Hierarchies
Network 2. Design Issues for the layers
Software 3. Connection-oriented and Connectionless
4. Service primitives
5. Relationship of Services to protocol
Task: Explain the above listed techniques(Assignment 2)

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 How does Network Hardware & Network
Software Work in a Network?
We have seen that protocols and operating systems are types of network software and all types of
physical devices are network hardware. So let’s understand how they work together in a network. The
diagram below explains the working of Network hardware and Network Software in a network.

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 How does Network Hardware & Network
Software Work in a Network?
 First, we will use a router to connect the newly created network to the Internet. As you can
see in the above diagram that the router is connected to the bridge through the firewall.
After connecting the router to the Internet, your network goes live.

For example, consider a scenario which I have mentioned below.

 Let’s say PC-1 needs some services from the server. So, PC-1 will first prepare the request
and send it over the communication link. As that request reaches the communication link,
it passes through different layers, and different protocols are used for successful
communication. After that, it reaches the server passing through the bridge and switch.

 As soon as the server receives the request, it sends services to PC-1 as a response using
the operating system running inside it. Now, PC-1 can access the services of a server over
a network. It is also known as a client-server mechanism.
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 Difference between Network Hardware and Network Software

Key Network Hardware Network Software

Network Software helps to manage a
Network Hardware combines to perform
network and prevents unauthorized
require operations of computer networks
Definition access and various cyber-attacks, as by
and become responsible for data
using network software one can restrict
communication.
access to the network.

There are 5 types of software structuring

techniques in network software by which
one can understand the structure and
Network hardware has two dimensions issues of the network.
from which one can understand network
1. Protocol Hierarchies
performance.
Techniques
2. Design Issues for the layers
1. Transmission Technology
3. Connection-oriented and
2. Scale
Connectionless
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4. Service primitives
 Difference between Network Hardware and Network
Software
Network Software performs
Network Hardware transmits data
Feature functions on data that are required
from one device to another device.
for successful communication.

Network software is embedded in the

Network hardware connects via wired or
Connection network hardware like PC, Router, Switch,
wireless media.
etc.

Network hardware such as routers helps Network software such as an operating

Functionality to connect the newly created LAN to the system helps a computer to act as a
Internet. server.

Server, Client, Router, Switch, Bridge,

Examples Firewall, NIC, Cable, Modem, Repeater, Operating System and Protocol suite.
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and Gateway.
 Functionalities of Network Hardware
We have already seen that Server, Client, Router, Switch, Bridge, Firewall, NIC, Cable, Modem, Repeater,
and Gateway are Network Hardware. So, let’s see their functionalities also.
 Server: It is a device that provides services to clients.
 Client: It is an end device that requests services from servers available on the network.
 Router: It helps in forwarding the packets over the network by using the store and forward
mechanism.
 Switch: Switch helps to connect devices on a network. It uses the packet switching method to
receive, process, and transfer data to the receiver.
 Bridge: Bridge helps to connect more than one network.
 Firewall: The purpose of a firewall is to filter out bad packets.
 NIC: It helps to physically connect the devices to the network.
 Cable: It is a medium that helps to connect devices for communication purposes.
 Modem: It simply modulates the signal to encode, and demodulate the signal to decode.
 Repeater: As the name suggests, the repeater receives a signal and retransmits it, so that the
signal can be transmitted over long distances.
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 Gateway: It is an interface that provides compatibility between networks. It converts protocols,
security services, or transfer speeds.
 Functionalities of Network Software
Below is the list of Functionalities of Network Software.

 Network Software allows a network administrator to set up and install OS.

 A network administrator can maintain and improve the network using network software.

 Provides protocols to data upon which communication devices agree and establish
successful communication.

 Network administration can install a network operating system on a computer and make it
a server for the network.

 Network Software provides reliability to the users on a network.

 The network administrator can remove unauthorized users from a network.

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 Summary of the lecture
Here is the list of key points you need to note about “Network Hardware & Network Software”.
 Network Hardware combines to perform require operations of computer networks and become
responsible for data communication.
 Network Software enables a network administrator to deploy or manage a network, restrict access to
a network.
 Examples of network hardware are routers, switches, firewalls, NICs, bridges, cables, modems, etc.
Operating systems and protocol suites are examples of network software.
 There are mainly two dimensions of network hardware that helps to describe the scope of the
network. They are Transmission Technology and Scale.
 To understand network software structure better, 5 main software structuring techniques are used:
1. Protocol Hierarchies
2. Design Issues for the layers
3. Connection-oriented and Connectionless
4. Service primitives
5. Relationship of Services to protocol
 Network hardware allows newly created computer networks to connect to the Internet.
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 Network Software provides reliability on a network to the users.
 Thank you!

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