You could use the word "system" to fill in the blank in your definition of
network technology.
I like your definition of topology as being the "arrangement of the
network's links or amount of connectivity between the routers on the
network." It's a bit awkward, but it gets the point across. ;-) I suppose
it should say "routers and switches."
It's important to think about the "logical topology" and not just the
physical arrangement. So in your OSPF example, all routers on the broadcast
Ethernet would actually not be connected logically because they only form
an adjacency with the designated router. This is specific to OSPF, of
course, but sometimes the topology must be taken in context with the
protocol or technology in discussion.
In my book I define topology as the geometry of the network. It's not
necessarily geographical or physical. It's a logical depiction of the
network to help you understand its functionality, scalability, and all
those other great "ility" words. If anyone studied math in college, they
could give us a real definition of topology. It's an actual mathematical
field of study.
Sorry, I'm in too much of a rush to give a detailed, philosophical answer!
I'm on my way out the door. Thanks for starting this discussion, though.
It's a good one.
Priscilla
At 02:08 PM 5/24/2000 +0200, Cthulu, CCIE Candidate wrote:
>Hi, all
>
>At the risk of touching off a word war here, I wanted to see if I could
>get some verification from the group. This is sort of a Howard B.
>question in that it has philosophical undertones. What I am trying to
>accomplish is to cement my understanding of the terms below.
>
>I have been studying OSPF very heavily, and as you know, OSPF can pretty
>much work over anything. It is the MIRACLE routing protocol, if you ask
>me. However, OSPF can be confounding in that it can treat the
>underlying network as something that it is not. For example, OSPF can
>run on a broadcast network as it the broadcast network were actually a
>point to multipoint network by executing the command ip ospf network
>point-to-multipoint. This brings me to the point of my post:
>
>
>What is the topology in my example? Broadcast? Point to multipoint?
>Bus?
>
>What is the network technology? Broadcast (such as Ethernet).
>
>What is the OSPF network type? Point to multipoint (as set by me).
>
>
>Would it be accurate to say that term, "network topology" describes the
>arrangement of the network's links or amount of connectivity between the
>routers on the network? On a broadcast network, what is the topology?
>Would I consider it to be fully meshed as each router on a broadcast
>network such as Ethernet would have a link to every other router? Or
>does network topology describe an integration of the links and the
>network technology?
>
>
>Network technology is an easy one to define, so I think. It is the
>complete _____________ compromising access methods, packet formation,
>transmission methods, and so on. I am not sure what would fill in the
>blank best: protocol? suite? means? mechanism?
>
>
>OSPF network types are OSPF's description of what it or you describe the
>network as. It does NOT have to match the actual topology of the
>network.
>
>
>Full mesh vs. partial mesh are somewhat easy to understand (amount of
>connectivity between network devices on a network). Would it be fair to
>say that the amount of meshing defines the topology?
>
>
>I feel better after sharing my muddled thoughts with the group. Am I
>overthinking this?
>
>
>Flames to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>
>Somewhere on the tank range...
>
>Charles
>
>
>
>
>
>
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__________________________________
Priscilla Oppenheimer
Phone 541-482-5685
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Web http://www.priscilla.com
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