Peer-to-Peer networks represent a new and entirely different
concept in networking than client-server networks. Rather than giving
every computer on the network a central storage ground, Peer-to-Peer
networking connects a group of totally independent computers. Each
computer generally keeps its applications on its own hared disk so that
if something happens to the network, it simply breaks down into a group
of individual yet functional computers. If one work station goes down,
life can go on for the rest of the network if all users keep their
needed files at their down, life can go on for the rest of the network
if all network enables very workstation to lead a double life: to be a
workstation and file server.
Peer-to-Peer Network
Peer-to-Peer networks give their users many of the same
capabilities that client server networks do. Each user decides what
capabilities and peripheral devices he or she will share with the rest
of the network and then shares them. You can share things selectively,
saying perhaps, "Accounting gets to use the C drive and personnel gets
to use the printer," and you can attach passwords to your resources so
that unauthorized people can't access them. On the subject of sharing
resources, remember that because important information on a Peer-to-Peer
LAN is distributed throughout the network, you 'll have to leave
networked machines on and logged on to the network as long as anyone is
working who needs the information on those machines.
Peer-to-Peer to networks is a form of micro
Computer based network in the sense that the entire computer in network
is peer, equal "buddies". All of them can act as a network resource,
providing file, printer and even disk storage to the others, At the same
time, all are also capable of working on their own, because thy have
internal resources-disk storage, sufficient memory and processing power
to act as stand alone computers.
Peer-to-Peer to network are recommended for small groups of five to
ten workstation located in the same area, as in small office. Although
they do not offer the complication of large networks in terms of
security and centralized management. Peer-to-Peer to networks offset
their limitations with ease installation, relatively low cost and ease
of administration.
In
a Peer-to-Peer network, there is no central authority figure, no network
administration who handles security, user accounts, password,
management and so on. Although there might well be one individual who
knows more about networked computer than anyone else and so becomes the
network counselor through either design or default. The main advantage
is that Peer-to-Peer network are not inexpensive, but they are also easy
to implement. Each computer in the network simply needs a network card
that enables it to communicate with the other, TV type coaxial or
telephone type twisted pair wiring to link it with its peer, and an
operating system such as Windows '98 or Windows NT workstation, that has
been built to support peer to peer networking. Disadvantage of
peer-to-peer networks are limited in size and scope and they are not
designed with security in mind. Each user must responsibility for the
security and management of his or her own machine.
