CompTIA Network+ Fundamentals Flash Cards

Network Fundamentals

Networks

Encompass a diverse range of connections extending to both wireless networks and wired networks

Clients

Devices that users access the network with

Servers

Provide resources to the network

Hubs

Older network devices that connect other devices like clients and servers over a local area network

Switches

“Smarter hubs” that provide more security and more efficient bandwidth utilization

Wireless Access Points (WAPs/APs)

Allow wireless devices to connect to a wired network

Routers

Used to connect different networks together

Firewalls

Security barriers between internal networks and the external world (usually the Internet)

Load Balancers

Devices or software that distribute network or application traffic across multiple servers

Proxy

Acts as an intermediary between a user’s device and the Internet

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)

Detect unauthorized access or anomalies and alert administrators

Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)

Not only detect threats, but also take action to prevent intrusion

Controllers

In Software-Defines Networking (SDN) context, these are central units used to manager flow control to networking devices.

Network-attached Storage (NAS) Device

Dedicated file storage system that provides data access to a heterogeneous group of clients

Storage Area Network (SAN)

High-speed network that provides access to consolidated block-level data storage

Media

In networking, it refers to the physical materials used to transmit data

Wide Area Network (WAN) Link

Used to connect networks over large geographical areas

Client/Server Model

Utilizes a dedicated server to provide access to network resources (files, scanners, printers, etc.)

Peer-to-Peer Model

Peers or other machines (e.g., laptops, desktops) can share resources together directly

Personal Area Network (PAN)

Smallest type of wired or wireless network which usually covers a distance about 10 feet or less

Local Area Network (LAN)

Connects components in a limited distance, generally up to about 100 meters or 300 feet

Campus Area Network (CAN)

A building-centric LAN that is spread across numerous buildings in a certain area

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Connects locations that are scattered across the entire city

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Connects geographically disparate internal networks

Network Topology

Refers to the arrangement of different elements like links, nodes, clients, and servers that make up a computer network

Physical Topology

Used to show how the network devices and components are physically cabled and connected together

Logical Topology

Talks about how the traffic is actually going to flow in the network

Point-to-point Topology

Simplest form of network topology that involves a direct connection between two devices

Ring Topology

A network configuration where each device is connected to two other devices, forming a circular data path

Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI)

Used to conduct data transmissions on fiber optic line sin a local area network. Runs on Dual ring structure

Bus Topology

All of the network devices are connected to a single central cable, called the bus or backbone

Star Topology

One of the most common network layouts that is in use today

Hub-and-spoke Topology

A variation of the star topology where the central node (hub) is connected to multiple nodes (spokes)

Mesh Topology

Features a point-to-point connection between every single device on the network to create a robust and redundant network. There is Full-mesh Topology & Partial-mesh Topology

Full-mesh Topology

Every node is connected to every other node in the network

Partial-mesh Topology

Some nodes are organized in a full mesh scheme, while others are only connected to one or two devices in the network

Infrastructure Mode

The most common type of wireless network that uses a wireless access point as a centralized point

Ad Hoc Mode

Decentralized wireless network which creates Peer-to-Peer connections and does not require a router or access point

Wireless Mesh Topology

An interconnection of different types of nodes, devices, and radios

Datacenter

Any facility that businesses and other organizations use to organize, process, store, and disseminate large amounts of data

Utah Data Center

Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center

Three-tiered hierachi

Core, Distribution/Aggregation, Access/ Edge

Collapsed Core

Network architecture where the core and the distribution layers are being merged into a single layer

Spine and Leaf Architecture

An alternative type of network architecture that focuses on the communication within the data center itself

Spine

Connects switches in a full mesh topology

Leaf

Consist of all the access switches

North-South

Traffic that enters or leaves the data center from a system physically residing outside the datacenter

Northbound Traffic

Leaving datacenter

Southbound Traffic

Entering datacenter

East-West

Refers to data flow within a datacenter