5Signal lines, access points

In terms of the focus of this chapter, the concept of network infrastructure is a key concept.

Network Infrastructure:

  • provides communication and data exchange between two communicating systems
  • allows sharing of resources/network devices on a large scale
  • provides single service sharing for multiple devices/clients such as file server, database software, client authentication
  • connects hardware products and their software to one local area network (LAN)
  • allows you to connect multiple local LANs across geographically large WANs, such as the Internet

Signal lines are essential for data exchange / communication:

The network infrastructure can be further subdivided into individual elements:

  1. passive elements - cables, racks, patch panels, optical tubs and other installation material
  2. active elements
    1. Switch - allows you to create individual segments of the local area network, optionally also enables PoE / PoE+ (Power over Ethernet) local power management, L2/L3 management, cloud management
    2. Router - connects multiple LANs or interconnects two or more geographically distant networks, provides routing between these networks using a static or dynamic routing table, creating secure communication tunnels (e.g. IPsec VPN (Internet Protocol Security Virtual Private Network)), allows filtering of traffic (antispam, antivirus, firewall)
    3. Access Point - suitable for building access networks or for connecting client devices to the local LAN, it can operate in Access Point/Client/Repeater mode; implementation of MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) and MU-MIMO (Multi User MIMO) versions of 2×2:2, 3×3:3 and 4×4:3, in order to achieve maximum throughput, the same standards must support both the access point and the client

Current forms of solutions for network infrastructure connection:

  • On-Premise - all network infrastructure assets are physically managed by the company
  • Cloud - all network infrastructure assets are managed by a service provider, the company only uses services from the offer
  • Hybrid - some parts of network infrastructure assets are under company management, some parts of network infrastructure resources are under the management of a provider