help you solve the troubleshooting problem that follows.
Background Information
Choosing a network that does not meet an
organization's needs leads directly to trouble. A common problem arises from choosing a peer-to- peer network when the situation calls for a server- based network.
A peer-to-peer network might begin to exhibit
problems with changes in the network site. These are more likely to be logistical or operational problems than hardware or software problems. The presence of several indicators is a sign that a peer- to-peer network is inadequate: Lack of centralised security is causing difficulty Users are turning off computers that are providing resources to others on the network
When a network's design is too limited, it cannot
perform satisfactorily in some environments. Problems can vary depending on the type of network topology in effect.
Bus Topology
A few situations will cause a bus network's
termination to fail and thereby take the network down. Possible scenarios include the following: A cable on the network breaks, causing each end of the cable on either side of the break to lose its termination. Signals will bounce, and this will take the network down. A cable becomes loose or is disconnected, thereby separating the computer from the network. It will also create an end that is not terminated, which in turn will cause signals to bounce and the network to go down. A terminator becomes loose; thereby creating an end that is not terminated. Signals will start to bounce and the network will go down. Hub-Based Topology
While problems with hubs are infrequent, they do
occur. Possible scenarios include the following: A hub drops a connection. When a computer becomes disconnected from the hub, that computer will be off the network, but the rest of the network will continue to function normally. An active hub loses power, causing the network to stop functioning.
Ring Topology
A ring network is usually very reliable, but
problems can occur. One possible scenario is the following: One of the cables in the ring breaks or becomes disconnected, causing network performance to drop. In token-ring networks, the network will stop functioning temporarily. Restoring the cable will immediately restore the network.
The Problem Some or all of the information that you have just read may be useful in troubleshooting the scenario that follows.
A small company with three departments recently
began networking and has installed peer-to-peer networks in each department. The peer-to-peer networks are not connected to each other. A user in one department must make a diskette of the information to be loaded on the next network. Four employees in one department are working on a project. Each person has a different set of responsibilities, and each produces documentation for a different part of the project. Employees have each made the hard drive on their own computers available to everyone else on the project.
As the project grows, each user produces more
documents, and questions arise about who has which document and which employee last revised a given document. Also, employees outside the department who have an interest in the project are asking to see some of the completed material.
1) Why are problems arising concerning who has
which document? Suggest at least one reason. 2) What one change could you make that would give you centralised control of the access to these documents? 3) Describe one change that your solution will bring to the users' operating environment.
Notes prepared by: FBE Computer Science
Department. Adapted from: Networking Essentials Plus, Microsoft Press