It utilizes the high speed of the server machine to do number crunching and complex operations. A topology defines how they are connected together. The four types are Ring, Star, Bus and Mesh. Mesh topologies are used for networks which must be highly redundant and capable of withstanding failure. This is why telephone companies interconnect their telephone exchanges in a mesh type arrangement.
Bus networks use a common cable which is shared by all devices.
In token passing networks, a free or empty token is passed from each device to the next device on the ring. A device wanted to send data waits for the arrival of a free token then fills it with the data it wants to send. In a polled network, a master device queries each other device in the network at regular intervals to see if that device has any data it wants to send. A Local Area Network connects a number of computers and devices together in the same office or building. It allows users to share resources like files, data, and printers.