Updated May 30, 2023
Definition of Logical Topology
Logical Topology is the arrangement of network devices and nodes to form a logical or physical structure. There are various types of network topology that can be used to arrange the network node to form the network structure. The literal meaning of topology is network structure and the nodes which are interconnected. There are two types of topologies that are logical and physical. The logical topology deals with network protocols that are used to control the data flow across the network. The ethernet protocol is the most common protocol used for logical topology.
Why Do We Use Logical Topology?
It is the type of network topology which is used to define the architecture of network which is used for data transfer across network nodes. The network nodes include switches and nodes which can be used for creating the network. The logical topology helps to define the proper channel for data transfer and maintain the network. The logical topology is used to create a path to send signals across the network. It uses the network protocols which define the path for transferring packets. The most common example of network protocols is the ethernet protocol. The ethernet protocol defines the logical path for communication of different switches and nodes present in-network and sends packets across the network. It can be used to design the network structure. It can be considered as a blueprint of network and can help to implement the network physically in physical topology. The blueprint includes all the nodes and switches which will be involved in the network and how the data will flow in the network. It is used to define the high level of representation of a network.
Types of Logical Topology
As the logical topology is used to define the network structure and gives information about how the network will look. There can be multiple types of logical topology that can be used to design the network for data communication. Some of the logical topologies are defined in below section:
1. Bus Topology
The bus topology is the type of logical topology in which all the nodes and switches are connected to only one single cable which can be also known as backbone or bus. The nodes are connected like half-duplex mode. In the bus topology, there is a host which is known as a station. The bus topology has multiple stations that have the capability to receive the network traffic and also have equal priority to transmit the network traffic in the network. And in the bus topology, the network is controlled by bus master which can be CSMA (carrier sense multiple access). In the bus topology, if any single segment goes down the whole network can be affected due to node failure.
Advantages of Bus Topology
- The bus topology is easy to create and the devices can be connected to the bus easily.
- The bus topology is very effective when the network size is small. The large network will contain a large number of nodes which can create a problem to maintain the network and can increase the chance of network failure. So the bus topology is effective for the small size of the network.
- The network created by the bus topology is very reliable and the network can be easily maintained.
- The setup cost for bus topology is very less as the length of the wire is small because all nodes are connected to the bus which decreases the network cost.
- The other network device can be easily connected to the bus like connectors and repeater. The only requirement is joining cable which will join an external device to the bus.
Disadvantages of Bus Topology
- The performance results of bus topology are least if it is compared to other network topologies.
- As all the nodes are connected to one single cable and if that single cable goes down the whole network will go down. This creates a major risk of network failure in case of bus topology.
- The packet collisions problem is there in bus topology. Due to packet collisions, the packet loss issue occurred which creates problems in data communication in a network.
2. Ring Topology
The ring topology is another type of logical topology in which all the nodes are connected in such a manner that they form a circular path. Every node in the circular path is connected to two nodes. In this type of topology, when any source node sends any data packet it gets transferred from each node until the destination node is reached. The data packets can flow in two directions in ring topology either unidirectional or bidirectional. The ring topology is mostly used in Wide Area Network (WANs) and Local Area Network (LANs).
Advantages of Ring Topology
- The ring topology is effective for heavy traffic load compares to bus topology. The network congestion is not there in a ring topology.
- Every node is responsible to transmit the data packets o adjacent nodes.
- There is no central node in the ring topology which controls the network.
Disadvantages of Network Topology
- If any node goes down the whole network is failed in the ring topology because the connection is the break.
- The new device cannot be added or removed from the network.
Importance
It helps to create the blueprint of the network. It helps to design the network and tells the structure of a network. Using the logical topology, the network can be implemented by using the physical topology. It helps to design the initial structure of the network and if any change is where it can be done before implementing the network physically.
Conclusion
It helps to design the network architecture. It includes information about nodes and switches which are placed in the network. There are majorly two types of logical topology which are bus topology and ring topology. It helps to identify the initial glitch in the network so that the network can be implemented without having any problems and data packets can be transmitted easily.
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