What is a network topology?
Answer
A network topology describes the physical or logical arrangement of devices and connections in a network. Bus topology: all devices connect to a single shared cable — simple but a single break disrupts the entire network. Star topology: all devices connect to a central switch/hub — most common today; one device failure does not affect others, but the central switch is a single point of failure. Ring topology: devices connect in a circular chain — data travels in one direction; failure of one device can disrupt the network (dual-ring adds redundancy). Mesh topology: every device connects to every other — maximum redundancy but expensive; used in critical infrastructure and WANs. Tree (hierarchical) topology: star networks connected to a central backbone — scalable for enterprises. Hybrid topology: combination of topologies. Most enterprise networks use a hierarchical star topology.