What is Network ? Network Criteria

In short we can say that network is interconnection of devices that can communicate.

Distributed Processing

Most networks use distributed processing, in which a task is divided among multiple computers. Instead of one single large machine being responsible for all aspects of a process, separate computers (usually a personal computer or workstation) handle a subset.

Computer Network Criteria

1. Performance
2. Reliability
3. Security

A network must be able to meet a certain number of criteria. The most important of these are performance, reliability, and security.

1. Performance:-Performance is often evaluated by two networking metrics: throughput and delay. We often need more throughput and less delay. However, these two criteria are often contradictory. If we try to send more data to the network, we may increase throughput but we increase the delay because of traffic congestion in the network.
2. Reliability:- In addition to accuracy of delivery, network reliability is measured by the frequency of failure, the time it takes a link to recover from a failure and the network’s robustness in a catastrophe.
3. Security:- Network security issues include protecting data from unauthorized access, protecting data from damage and development, and implementing policies and procedures for recovery from breaches and data losses.

Advantages of Computer Network

There are many advantages of computer network and benefits of computer networking, some of them are File sharing, Resource sharing, Better connectivity and communications is briefly explained below.

• File sharing: Fundamental goals of a computer network is to allow file sharing and remote file access.
  
• Server-Client model: Client-server model is a distributed application framework. The server is a master system which stores the data and provides the processing service. A client is a user system which accesses the data from the server and can perform processing in its system or in a server system.
  
• Resource sharing: All the resources such as printers, modems, scanners and fax machines etc can be shared by all the system in a computer network.
  
• Better connectivity and communications: A computer network allows all the user or computers at a different location to communicate easily, widely used example is email, video conference etc.

Disadvantages of Computer Network

There are many disadvantages of computer network of computer networking, some of them are Lack of data security and privacy, Independence, Robustness is briefly explained below.

• Lack of data security and privacy due to the huge number of the user accessing the internet from every corner of the earth, handling data is a challenging task and data can be stolen which violate the privacy of the user.
  
• Presence of computer viruses and the malware: A virus can easily spread through an interconnected workstation or over the internet which can damage or steal the data from the computer system in a computer network.
  
• Lack of Independence: In most cases, the client is dependent on the centralized server and client user lack any freedom whatsoever. the centralized server can make hinder in the decision making of the user system.
  
• Lack of Robustness: As a client is dependent on the centralized server, if the centralized server breaks down, the entire system of networks would be useless and also if any of the links between the end system fail then the network will standstill.
  
• Need an efficient handler: As a computer network consisting of many devices and software, so to handle the smooth functioning of the transmission of information, it requires high technical skills and knows- how its administration and its operations.