Topologies and Client–Server Networks

A physical star connects devices to a central device. A logical bus describes communication over a shared medium or broadcast-style arrangement under the protocol. A physically star-wired network using a hub can behave like a shared logical bus.

A switched star can instead forward frames to appropriate ports using learned addressing information, reducing unnecessary delivery compared with a simple repeating hub. Do not infer identical logical behaviour from all central boxes in similar-looking diagrams. The component and protocol determine the data flow.

In peer-to-peer networking, hosts can provide and request resources without one mandatory central service hierarchy. In client–server networking, clients request services and servers provide them, such as central file access or authentication. A server is a role, not necessarily a particular shape of computer.

One physical machine can host several services, and a service can run across several machines. A peer can be a client in one exchange and a provider in another. The distinction concerns organisation of service responsibilities rather than a claim that peers never make requests.

Central management can simplify backup policy, user accounts and consistent access controls, but concentrated dependencies need redundancy and maintenance. Peer-to-peer arrangements can be simple for small ad hoc sharing but make consistent administration harder as the network grows.

In a star, one endpoint cable failing need not disconnect other endpoints, whereas failure of the central device can affect many connections. Those are physical-failure claims, distinct from whether a service is replicated. A useful comparison names both the workload and the failure or management assumption.

Attempt the task before opening its worked response. Record each change of state, explain the rule used, and check the result against the original requirements. Code examples labelled Python 3 use that language’s conventions; pseudocode states its own assumptions.