1.7 Differentiate between network infrastructure implementations - Paiet/Tech-Journal-for-Everything GitHub Wiki

1.7 Differentiate between network infrastructure implementations

  • WAN (Wide Area Network)
    • Applies to networks that are connected over vast distances
      • 1 network in Miami connected to another network in New York City
    • WANs are large networks consisting of multiple connected smaller networks
      • Employed by large companies with multiple sites around the state, country, or globe
      • The Internet is technically a WAN, the Largest WAN
    • WANs are also used by smaller organizations when they need to connect remote sites together
  • MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
    • Large multi-site network that stays within the limits of a single city
      • University
      • City utilities
    • Very similar to a WAN, but with one key difference
      • Smaller Geographical Coverage
        • Doesn't span as much distance as a WAN
  • LAN (Local Area Network)
    • Applies to networks that are relatively small in size and/or scope
      • 1 room
      • 1 floor
      • 1 building
    • All network hosts are directly connected using hubs, switches, and routers using physical wires or wireless technology
    • All LAN traffic stays inside the LAN
      • If it leaves the LAN then it's not LAN traffic
  • WLAN (Wireless LAN)
    • Same as a regular LAN, but implements wireless connectivity instead of wired media
    • Hotspot
      • A wireless access point
      • Uses directional, semi-directional, or omni-directional antennas
  • PAN (Personal Area Network)
    • A network of electronic devices that are on or near the user
      • Laptops, portable printers, PDA, mobile phone, and bluetooth
    • WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network)
      • Devices connected using wireless technology
        • Infrared sometimes
        • Usually Bluetooth
    • Bluetooth
      • Multiple connected Bluetooth devices is referred to as a piconet
      • Multiple connected piconets is called a scatternet
    • IR (Infrared networks)
      • Used originally in PDAs to connect to peripheral devices like printers
      • Able to connect 2 IR devices to share resources
      • Small range
        • 3 feet
    • NFC (Near Field Communication)
      • Allows wireless devices to communicate with each other via RF
      • Usually enabled by tapping the devices together or bringing them within close proximity
        • < 10cm
  • SCADA/ICS
    • ICS server (Industrial Control System)
      • Used in critical infrastructure systems like power, water, oil, and gas
        • Collects and controls data from SCADA and DCS Field Devices
        • Gives user control and/or automates opening valves, breakers, and other logical or mechanical functions
    • SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
      • Centralized control for systems that are separated by a substantial geographic distance and multiple sites.
      • Uses Remote Control Devices (aka RTU Remote Terminal Unit) or Field Devices
      • Where are they used?
        • Industrial Processes: Manufacturing, Power Plants
        • Infrastructure: Water Treatment, Oil/Gas Pipeline electrical power, civil defense sirens
        • Facility Management: HVAC, environmental energy controls
      • Security vs Accessibility (Sliding Bar)
    • DCS/closed network (Distributed Control System)
      • Breaks up the ICS control processes into subprocesses
        • Instead of one controller for the entire process, the processes are broken down into parts
          • Each part has its own control system called PLCs
          • PLC: Programmable Logic Controller
      • DCSs are employed in a machine system that is in close proximity
        • Usually a process-based industry like
          • Power plant
          • Oil Refinery
          • Food processing
          • Chemical processing
          • Automotive
    • Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)
      • Connects the physical equipment to the ICS/SCADA/DCS
    • Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
      • Used to control how the physical equipment operates
        • Kind of like a mini-OS governing a machine's physical operation using boolean logical operations and timers
      • Even has some self-correction abilities
  • Medianets
    • A network that is optimized for delivering rich media
      • Rich Media: mixed data consisting of voice, video text, web pages, documents, and/or any other forms of media
      • What is a Medianet?
    • VTC (Video Teleconferencing)
      • ISDN
        • Uses Medianets to enable VTC
      • IP/SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
        • Responsible for initiating, modifying, and terminating a multimedia communication session
      • What is VTC?