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What are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Ring Topology?

by Bhumika

A Ring topology resembles that of a bus, but with connected ends. The node that gets the message from the previous computer will retransmit the message to the next node. The data is unidirectional, which means it can only go in one direction.

Data continuously flowed in a single loop, sometimes known as an infinite loop. It has no terminated ends, meaning each node is connected to the next and there is no point of termination.

Benefits :

  • Data can only flow in one direction with this technology, which reduces the possibility of packet collisions.
  • Additional workstations can be added later without affecting network performance in this design.
  • Access to resources is provided on an equal basis.
  • There is no need for a server to handle the connectivity between the nodes in the topology.
  • It is inexpensive to set up and expand.
  • There should be as little collision as possible.
  • In this sort of topology, the data transfer speed is extremely fast.
  • Under heavy traffic, ring topology performs better than bus topology due to the presence of token passing.
  • It’s simple to use.
  • The Ring network is incredibly well-organised, with each device having access to the token and hence the ability to send data.

Drawbacks :

  • A data packet (token) must traverse across all nodes due to the Unidirectional Ring.
  • When a single workstation or node goes down, the entire network goes down with it.
  • When compared to the bus topology, it performs slower.
  • It’s a bit pricey.
  • It’s tough to add and remove nodes from a network, which could cause issues with network operations.
  • The ring is difficult to debug.
  • In order for computers to communicate with one another, they all turned on.
  • Total reliance on a single cable.
  • They couldn’t scale.

Significant Features Of The Ring topology :

  • Because each node in the network functions as a repeater, it is extremely reliable for long-distance communication. As a result, the signal maintains its strength.
  • In a ring topology, the built-in acknowledgment device is only released when the network has completed communication.
  • Because only one device controls the network and two devices can interact at the same time, the usage of tokens eliminates the possibility of cross-communication or collisions.
  • Furthermore, Ring Topology can be utilised to improve the fidelity of communication networks. If one of the links fails, the other is ready to communicate.

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