1. Network Devices BY JACKSON HARDESTY

2. Hubs  Hubs are a now outdated way of sending signals at layer 2 compared to switches.  Hubs are used primarily in small network environments due to the vast technical pitfalls when compared to switches today.  Hubs are a cost effective way of connecting devices together on a network, you get what you pay for.  A hub is designed to connect devices, but it will broadcast incoming data on all nodes. Meaning there is more chances for loops to be created.  Bandwidth is shared by all PC’s connected to a hub, making it difficult to use in an enterprise environment.

3. Switches  Powerful tools with a variety of options for managing a network.  Can have multiple purposes, layer 3 switching is now prominently used in many companies and is a good alternative when trying to save on costs.  Switches are not cheap, to get a managed switch in an enterprise environment will be much more expensive then a hub, but offers much more control.  Switches operate primarily on layer 2 to allow network access for users. They utilize a variety of protocols to balance traffic on a network allowing for appropriate QOS.

4. Switches  There is a large variety of switches that are offered ranging between a lot of speeds.  Enterprise environments tend to revolve around gigabit switches to give them the most bandwidth possible, this is not always necessary for a smaller company.

5. Routers  Routers use headers and forwarding tables to determine data’s best route to take.  Routing protocols make it easier for routers to communicate with each other to configure the best routes with the least amount of data degradation.  Routers are what connect multiple networks together.  Can be used to connect local networks to the WAN or can be used to connect multiple local networks.  Routers are not filtering devices, they do very little filtering of data at Layer 3.

6. Routers  Routers are an essential aspect of a companies network and allows for many locations to share resources over company intranet.  Routers allow for a more in depth control of a network and give a better understanding where traffic is going and where resources are best utilized.

7. Bridges  Bridges are very similar to switches, just usually used for smaller environments.  A bridge operates on layer 2 of a network and inspects incoming data and then makes decisions on what data to forward on to the destination.

8. Gateways  A gateway is software, hardware, or a combination of both that allows connecting networks that may be using different protocols.  A good example of this is the modem that most ISPs give new customers. It allows for a local connection to connect to the internet through the gateway.

9. Firewall  Firewalls act as a companies filtering device as well as a way to regulate access on a network.  Companies use firewalls to allow users to connect to company resources from home using VPN.  Enterprise environments MUST HAVE a firewall to operate and function normally. Smaller companies can usually get away with having a software based firewall.

10. Wireless AP  Wireless Access Points is how users can connect to the internet without having a physical connection. It can be used as a dummy Access point that is controlled from a central software that controls them all or they can each be programed differently.  Wireless AP’s can be configured to only give access at certain times, to certain people, and for a set duration to give more control to the administrator.

11. Diagram