STAR TOPOLOGY

Star topology, also known as star network, is a computer network topology. It is a common
network setup where the computers and other devices on the network are connected to a central
or master computer, also known as the hub. The star topology, which is one of the types of
network topologies, got its name because the connections of the computers resemble a star. The
hub, along with the leaf nodes and the transmission lines connecting them form the topology of a
star. The star topology is used mostly in Ethernet and Local Area Networks (LAN). After
installation the star topology resembles the spokes of a bicycle wheel. The cabling segments of
the topology meet at a central connection point which is known as a router or switch. Each host
or computer is connected to the central device or hub with the help of cables that transmit data.
An extended star topology is a star network that is expanded and an additional networking device
is connected to the central or main networking device.

The active star network or star topology has an active central node which prevents problems
related to echoes created during transmissions. But in a passive central node, the initial or
originating central node should be able to bear up the echoes created during the receptions of the
transmission. There is also a delay caused due to a two way transmission. The chances of a
failure in the network is reduced when all the systems are connected to the central node. The star
topology can also be applied to a bus network. A bus network or bus topology is a central hub
which broadcasts transmissions that is received from a peripheral mode to the rest of the
peripheral modes that are connected to the network, including the central node. If there is a
failure in the transmission in any peripheral node to the originating node, then that peripheral is
isolated without affecting the rest of the system. A node consists of workstations, peripherals and
file servers that are connected directly to the network hub. The data on the star topology is
transmitted through the hub before it reaches its destination. The central hub controls all the
functions and transmissions of the networks that are connected to it. The configuration of the star
topology is done with the help of optical fiber cable, twisted pair cable or a coaxial cable. There
are many star topology advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a look at the advantages and
disadvantages of a star topology separately.

Advantages of Star Topology

A star topology has many advantages. Some of the advantages of a properly functioning star
topology are listed below;

 The star topology is easy to install and wire.

 The star topology gives a better performance than any other network topology as there is
no clogging of nodes. In order to communicate between any two devices only 2 links and
3 devices are involved to prevent confusion. The hub also has adequate capacity to
handle high utilization by one device, without disrupting the functioning of the other
devices.
 The working of the star topology is simple to establish, understand and navigate. Any
fault in the devices connected to the central hub can be detected easily as the
malfunctioned device or link is isolated, which allows easy probing into the matter.
 The faulty and defective parts of the network can be easily replaced. Till the links are
replaced, the other devices continue their normal functions without any disruptions.
  Expansion of the star topology is easy as the format is very simple thus aiding the growth
of networking.

Disadvantages of Star Topology

One of the main disadvantages of the star topology is that if the central hub has some errors, then
the communication between the systems fail, as the nodes are highly dependent on the proper
functioning of the central hub. There is a limit to the number of networks that can be connected
to the hub and the performance of the entire computer network is monitored by its throughput.
The traffic of the network is also disrupted if the node that occupies a major portion in the
processing capability of the central node is faulty. The star topology is one of the costliest
network topologies and the wiring of the system is a complex process.

Advantages
 Better performance: star topology prevents the passing of data packets through an
excessive number of nodes. At most, 3 devices and 2 links are involved in any
communication between any two devices. Although this topology places a huge overhead
on the central hub, with adequate capacity, the hub can handle very high utilization by
one device without affecting others.
 Isolation of devices: Each device is inherently isolated by the link that connects it to the
hub. This makes the isolation of individual devices straightforward and amounts to
disconnecting each device from the others. This isolation also prevents any non-
centralized failure from affecting the network.
 Benefits from centralization: As the central hub is the bottleneck, increasing its
capacity, or connecting additional devices to it, increases the size of the network very
easily. Centralization also allows the inspection of traffic through the network. This
facilitates analysis of the traffic and detection of suspicious behavior.
 Simplicity: This topology is easy to understand, establish, and navigate. Its simplicity
obviates the need for complex routing or message passing protocols. Also, as noted
earlier, the isolation and centralization it allows simplify fault detection, as each link or
device can be probed individually.
 Easy to install and wire.
 Easy to detect faults and to remove parts.

 No disruptions to the network when connecting or removing devices.

[edit] Disadvantages

 High dependence of the system on the functioning of the central hub

 Failure of the central hub renders the network inoperable

 The performance and scalability of the network depends on the capabilities of the hub

 Network size is limited by the number of connections that can be made to the hub

 Other nodes may see a performance drop if traffic to another node occupies a significant
portion of the central node's processing capability or throughput.
 Wiring up of the system can be very expensive.
 BUS
 Advantages:                                                                                                                           
                Failure of one of the station does not affect others.

 Good compromise over the other two topologies as it allows relatively high rate of data
tansmittion.

 Well suited for temporary networks that must be set up in a hurry.

 Easy to implement and extend.

  

 Disadvantage:                                                                                                                        
         Require a network to detect when two nodes are transmitting at the same time.

 Does not cope well with heavy traffic rates

 Difficult to administer/troubleshoot.

 Limited cable length and number of stations.

  A cable brake can disable the entire network; no redundancy.

 Maintenance cost may be higher in the long run.

 Performance degrade as additional computers are added.


Advantages

 Easy to implement and extend.

 Easy to install.
 Well-suited for temporary or small networks not requiring high speeds (quick setup), resulting in
faster networks.
 Cheaper than other topologies (But in recent years has became less important due to devices
like a switch)
 Cost effective; only a single cable is used.
 Easy identification of cable faults.
 Reduced weight due to fewer wires.

[edit] Disadvantages

 Limited cable length and number of stations.

 If there is a problem with the cable, the entire network breaks down.
 Maintenance costs may be higher in the long run.
 Performance degrades as additional computers are added or on heavy traffic (shared
bandwidth).
 Proper termination is required (loop must be in closed path).
 Significant Capacitive Load (each bus transaction must be able to stretch to most distant link).
 It works best with limited number of nodes.
 Commonly has a slower data transfer rate than other topologies.
 Only one packet can remain on the bus during one clock pulse.