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Windows 7 Workgroup Consultation

Network Infrastructure Design

Introduction

Networking is a process that links two or more computers together in order to transfer data. Networks are constructed with a combination of computer hardware and software. Network infrastructure design is a kind of system design that relates to the transferring of data. Network communication occurs through the exchange of messages (requests and replies). Within an On-Chip Network, the messages are sent between chip components. A request message is sent from one of the on-chip components requesting information located at an address on another component. The receiving component composes the data and sends a reply (Marescaux, 2007).

This paper discusses the general networking concepts, major elements of a network design and the advantages and pitfalls of a network infrastructure design.

Major Elements of a Network

The elements that require to create a network include routing and arbitration, packets, nodes, switching techniques and links.

Routing and Arbitration

On-chip packet switching networks share pathways between the different source and destination components. The structure of the shared pathways within the network structure is commonly referred to as the network topology whether it is an on-chip network or a worldwide WAN network. Proper delivery of messages between network components requires a mechanism properly accepted correct pathways. This refers to as routing, which can be done in a centralized manner common to shared media networks or a decentralized manner at the switch level common in packet switched networks (Palesi, 2006).

Packets

The maximum length of a packet is limited by the buffering requirements of packet switches and the packet delay requirements. It is common in most generic network implementations for packets to be stored on the switch buffer until completely received by the switch before they are forwarded on to the adjacent switch. Error checking and flow control protocol operations are also performed on a link by link basis between every packet switch in the path. Packet switching is connection oriented and uses virtual circuits instead of dedicated circuit switching paths to transport information (Marescaux, 2007). With virtual circuits, the connection paths can change with each new message or packet and last only as long as the current packet.

Switching Techniques

Switching defines how connections are established in the network. Ideally switches, creates pathways before the packet arrives and only maintains the pathway as long as needed maximizing network efficiency and bandwidth. A slow or inefficient switching system, wastes time by increasing ...