Describe the star topology and its advantages and disadvantages.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The physical layout of the star topology consists of multiple nodes attached to a central device, such as a workstations and server connected to a switch. Typically the central device is a hub, switch, or router that joins single cable segments or individual LANs into one network.
The start-up costs for the star topology are lower today than those for a traditional bus network.  The costs are lower because the prices for network equipment and cable have gone down because so many people use this design.  The star is easier to manage than the traditional bus network because malfunctioning nodes can be identified quickly. If a node or a cable run is damaged, it can be easily isolated from the network by the network equipment, and service to the other nodes is not affected. The star is easier to expand by connecting additional nodes or networks. It also offers the best options for expansion into high-speed networking.
A disadvantage is that the central hub, switch, or router is a single point of failure; if it fails, all connected nodes are unable to communicate (unless there is redundancy built into the hub or switch to include backup measures). Another disadvantage is that the star requires more cable than does the bus; however, cabling and connectors for the star topology are less expensive than cabling for the bus.