Network Topology

Computer Network

A collection of interconnected computing devices that share resources and communicate using standardised protocols.

TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol — the fundamental communication protocol suite powering the internet.

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol — the application-layer protocol for transmitting hypermedia documents on the World Wide Web.

HTTPS

HTTP Secure — an encrypted version of HTTP using TLS for secure communication over the internet.

DNS

Domain Name System — the hierarchical system that translates human-readable domain names into numerical IP addresses.

IP Address

A unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network for identification and routing.

IPv6

The most recent version of the Internet Protocol, providing a vastly larger address space than IPv4.

Subnet

A logical subdivision of an IP network that improves security and performance by segmenting traffic.

Software-Defined Networking

An approach to networking that uses software-based controllers to manage network behaviour centrally.

Wi-Fi 6

The sixth generation of Wi-Fi technology offering improved speed, capacity, and performance in dense environments.

Network Latency

The time delay between sending and receiving data across a network, measured in milliseconds.

Bandwidth

The maximum rate of data transfer across a network path, typically measured in bits per second.

The actual rate of successful data transfer across a network in a given time period.

The fifth generation of mobile network technology offering higher speeds, lower latency, and massive device connectivity.

Network management techniques that prioritise certain types of traffic to ensure consistent performance.

Replacing dedicated network hardware with software running on commodity servers.

Mutual Transport Layer Security — a protocol where both client and server authenticate each other using certificates.

The practice of continuously observing a computer network for slow or failing components.

The process of capturing and analysing data packets travelling across a network for monitoring or troubleshooting.

Border Gateway Protocol — the routing protocol that manages how packets are routed across the internet between autonomous systems.