After reading this post you’ll be able to understand the advantages of hybrid topology. A hybrid topology is one that combines two or more topologies. It can include any combination of bus, star, ring, and mesh topologies.
One type of transmission media may not be appropriate for a specific situation. Some hybrid topologies use only two types of media: star-bus and ring-star-bus are the most well-known.
Other combinations have over two types added to the mix, such as tree-ring–bus or tree-ring–star. These hybrid topologies are very common in wired LANs.
Advantages of Hybrid Topology
Hybrid topology has the benefits of both mesh and linear routing and combines them to provide redundancy in a network.
If one connection is lost, it retransmitted data through another one. A few benefits of Hybrid Topology are here:
1. Scalability
The hybrid Topology is scalable. Someone can expand easily it to increase the number of users on the network using hubs, switches, or bridges. It is possible to build a larger backbone using repeaters and signal amplifiers.
2. Flexibility
We can change a hybrid network to any other available topology when needed.
For example, if a cable breaks in a star topology, the entire network will be affected and cannot operate unless the cable is repaired.
In a hybrid topology, this problem can easily be overcome by reconfiguring the connection to use other transmission media.
3. Security
A hybrid network is more secure than stand-alone networks because it adds layers of security. Using hubs or switches, we transmit data from one computer to all other computers on the network.
A star-ring network can be secured similarly but is not as well protected against unauthorized access as a bus topology.
4. Interoperability
One advantage of a hybrid topology is that it enables computers to communicate with each other regardless of their make or type.
This means that your internet-connected printer or scanner can be accessed on another network with no problems, just by using its IP address.
This is important because this allows users to connect to their network from anywhere with a working internet connection.
5. Effectiveness
Hybrid topologies are more effective than other networks because they do not consume energy during transmission when some data is not being transmitted.
The strength of the topologies makes it possible to share more data faster in a single transmission than in a sequence of transmissions.
This results in using hybrid topologies that are easy to use and maintain.
6. Reliability
The network’s reliability needs to acquire and use the channel. For example, if the network has a path interruption or is not used properly by the nodes, this will fail.
Hybrid topologies can be used because they are stable and reliable. In case of a failure, a few devices are used to re-route the data, either toward a backup node or directly toward the destination.
7. Ease of Installation
Some hybrid networks are easy to install because they are already designed. Other hybrid topologies require more complex installation because of the need to add extra parts like bridges or hubs.
This results in using hybrid topologies that are easy to use and maintain.
8. Troubleshooting
Hybrid topologies are easy to troubleshoot, as they can be accessed only by using hardware attached to the network.
When troubleshooting, it is important that you can detect and isolate problems more quickly than other topologies such as bus and star.
Features of Hybrid Topology
- Combination of multiple basic topologies
- Improved reliability and fault tolerance
- Scalability to accommodate growth
- Enhanced network performance
- Flexible design based on specific requirements
- Isolation of network segments for enhanced security
- Cost-efficiency through strategic topology selection
- Easy troubleshooting and problem isolation
- Customization for fulfilling specific needs
- Redundancy and load balancing for optimal operation
What is Hybrid Topology Examples?
Here are some examples of hybrid topology:
- Star-bus topology: A star-bus topology is a hybrid topology that combines a star topology with a bus topology. In a star-bus topology, it connected each device to a central hub or switch, which is then connected to a bus. We often use this topology in small to medium-sized networks, as it is relatively easy to install and manage.
- Star-ring topology: A star-ring topology is a hybrid topology that combines a star topology with a ring topology. In a star-ring topology, it connects each device to a central hub or switch, which is then connected to a ring. We often use this topology in larger networks, as it is more scalable and reliable than a star-bus topology.
Kinds of hybrid topology
There are different hybrid network topologies. The most common is the star networks topology, starring networks topology:
- Star Bus Network Topology
- Star Ring Network Topology
1. Star-bus network topology
Star network’s Topology can be easily extended using hubs, switches, or bridges. The star topology is good when many computers need to access shared resources such as printers and other devices.
If a hub or switch breaks down, only the computers connected directly to that hub or switch are affected. Unlike a bus network, any computer on the ring can send messages and see the transmitted messages. Therefore, the Star is a better choice for busy networks.
2. Star-Ring network topology
We can easily extend ring network topology with hubs or switches. Rings act like hubs; they are a combination of switches and hubs.
Since the devices are interchangeable (switches and hubs), each device in the ring is used at one time to protect other devices that don’t have a hub or switch-like feature.
When is Hybrid Topology Used?
We use hybrid Topology in complex network situations where one type of Topology would be difficult to implement. An example of this might be a mesh network where all the switches have star and ring ports.
Here, the mesh network would be easier to set up if it used only one type of Topologies such as star or ring but used both simultaneously.
Large companies and organizations are more likely to use hybrid Topology because of the complexity of their networks. Two common types of hybrid topologies that are used include star bus topology and star topology.
Both are most likely to be implemented in large enterprises. These types of hybrid topologies can also be called pipe topologies.
Pipe topology refers to the fact that a media (like a pipe) will bring messages from one point on the network, and another type will take statements from that first type and bring them to another point on the web.
Conclusion
With all the advantages of hybrid topology, it is one of the most reliable and stable network topologies. In conclusion, they can use it in many networks to fix problems and keep using a lot of devices for other purposes.
In this article, I explained the advantages of hybrid topology. Hope you like the article and please don’t forget to comment below with your views or any suggestions. Thank You.
list of top 10 Advantages of mesh topology
Top 10 Best Advantages Of Bus Topology