What network hardware and software would exist inside a small LAN office?

Question

Pretty soon I'm going to have job interviews and one of the questions they will ask me is What network hardware and software would exist inside a small LAN office. Can you help me on what to say please.

Thanks!!

Answer 1

For hardware:
* Some LAN switches
* Router and modem for connecting to the internet
* The firewall can be in bundled with the router or they might have SOHO hardware firewall
* The wiring closet itself
* The servers & PCs hardware

For Software/Application:
* Domain Controller/File sharing (WIndows, Linux, Novell)
* E-mail server (Exchange, Lotus Notes, Postfix, etc)
* Printer server (HP, Epson, D-Link, etc)
* Database server (MS SQL, MySQL)

Answer 2

The network combines in software. Anyhow, remember LAN Card is a Hardware, A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a small physical area (Within 1 KM), like a home, office, or small group of buildings, such as a school, or an airport. The defining characteristics of LANs, in contrast to wide-area networks (WANs), include their usually higher data-transfer rates, smaller geographic place, and lack of a need for leased telecommunication lines.

Answer 3

Software wise, a small company might just use the basic networking support that is part of Windows. They might run Windows XP (or 2000) Server, which provides certain services to the computers on the network - particularly for printing, and accessing a common storage area. You will also find some kind of email software such as Outlook (not Outlook Express) or Lotus Notes. This manages both internal emails (between different people in the company) and external emails too.
Some companies still run Novell Networking software but this is getting less popular these days.

Answer 4

Let's assume the LAN is so small that there is no server- just a peer to peer network.

All pcs have network connections and cabling to a network switch which is where all the LAN units come together.

If you have Internet access, a router interfaces with the Internet and is plugged into the network switch also. With a router the pcs obtain LAN IP address automaticaly with the router providing DHCP.

If you do not have a router, the lan pcs have static IP addresses