MIS 4477
Network and Security Infrastructure
JAKE MESSINGER (jake@uh.edu)
Class 16

Fitzgerald/Dennis Chapter 8: Wide Area Networks

Links:
Author’s PowerPoint Presentation (Chapter 8)

Chapter 8: Wide Area Networks

Teaching Notes

(This chapter needs to be updating. The author still thinks ISDN is popular. In this country it is NOT. )

The primary goal is to have students understand the major differences between the four general categories of services and to have some familiarity with the specific services offered. In many ways, dialed services and circuit switched services are the same. Likewise, the data rates for many services are similar so most of the internal network “plumbing” uses 64 Kbps PCM circuits and this is why the data rates are similar. The primary differences are the connection features (dedicated, circuit switched, packet switched) and the way in which the services are marketed to the users.

Dedicated circuit services have remained mostly stable of the past few years, with the exception of ever increasing data rates. The book talks a lot about DSL but Cable Modem Service AND Wireless WAN networking has really cut into DSL’s footprint.

Circuit switched technologies (i.e., ISDN) is nearly dead with the exception of POTS dial up and ISDN PRI circuits. So you need to be able to know the difference between BRI and PRI. Look them up.

RBOCs rapidly deployed aDSL. Refer to an article: “ISDN: We Hardly Knew You.” Know why POTS still exist to such a large degree.

SMDS is the new stuff replacing packet switched networks and ATM. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMDS

http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/SMDS

Chapter Outline

INTRODUCTION

CIRCUIT-SWITCHED NETWORKS

Basic Architecture

Plain Old Telephone Service

ISDN

DEDICATED-CIRCUIT NETWORKS

Basic Architecture

T Carrier Services

Synchronous Optical Network

PACKET-SWITCHED NETWORKS

Basic Architecture

Asynchronous Transfer Mode

Frame Relay

Ethernet

MPLS

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS

Basic Architecture

VPN Types

How VPNs Work

THE BEST PRACTICE WAN

IMPROVING WAN PERFORMANCE

Improving Device Performance

Improving Circuit Capacity

Reducing Network Demand

IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT

Be able to answer the questions in the back of the chapter!

End of Class 16