computer topology

The physical and logical structure of a network. Physical topology refers to the physical layout of a network, specifically the physical positioning of the nodes and the circuits that interconnect them. Logical topology refers to the manner in which devices logically interconnect in a network, and may differ considerably from the physical topology. For example, an Ethernet LAN segment may comprise a number of workstations and peripheral devices that interconnect through a hub, with each device connecting directly to a hub port.The physical topology is that of a star, but the logical topology is that of a bus.That is to say that, although the devices connect to the hub over circuits that emanate from the hub like the rays of a star, they interconnect through a collapsed bus, or common electrical path, housed within the hub. LAN and WAN topologies variously include bus, mesh, partial mesh, ring, star, and tree. See also bus, Ethernet, hub, LAN, logical, mesh topology, physical, ring, segment, star topology, tree, and WAN.