In a ring network, every device has exactly two neighbors for communication purposes. All messages travel through a ring in the same direction. A failure in any cable or device breaks the loop and can take down the entire network. To implement a ring network we use the Token Ring technology A token, or small data packet, is continuously passed around the network. When a device needs to transmit, it reserves the token for the next trip around, then attaches its data packet to it.
Advantages of Ring Topology
- Very orderly network where every device has access to the token and the opportunity to transmit.
- Easier to Mange than a Bus Network
- Good Communication over long distances
- Handles high volume of traffic
Disadvantages of Ring Topology
- The failure of a single node of the network can cause the entire network to fail.
- The movement or changes made to network nodes affects the performance of the entire network.
4. Mesh Topology
In this topology, each node is connected to every other node in them network. Implementing the mesh topology is expensive and difficult. In this type of network, each node may send message to destination through multiple paths. While the data is travelling on the Mesh Network it is automatically configured to reach the destination by taking the shortest route which means the least number of hops.
Advantages of Mesh Topology
- No traffic problem as there are dedicated links.
- It has multiple links, so if one route is blocked then other routes can be used for data communication.
- Points to point links make fault identification easy.
Disdvantages of Mesh Topology
- There is mesh of wiring which can be difficult to manage.
- Installation is complex as each node is connected to every node.
- Cabling cost is high.
