Office networks

For many businesses, the first computer network they need will be confined to a single building. This type of network is called a local area network (LAN). There are two common kinds of LAN - peer-to-peer and client/server.

Peer-to-peer networks connect two or more computers directly, allowing them to share files or programs. They are particularly suitable for collaborative work, fairly straightforward and relatively cheap to create.However, peer-to-peer networks can be much slower than server-based networks and are unsuitable for very complex networks. Also, peer-to-peer systems connect users through other users' computers, so a failure at one point in the network will affect every computer connected to that network.

Client/server networks use one computer as a server - where shared files and programs are kept - which other PCs connect to. This central machine can be a normal PC, although it is best to use a powerful computer or a purpose-built server computer.

Client/server networks have a number of advantages. As files are stored centrally, these systems are more efficient at backing up and handling data. For example, users cannot modify files simultaneously. You can also link to different types of computer, and support more users more reliably than you can with a peer-to-peer network.Unlike peer-to-peer systems, a failure at a single point in a client/server network will not affect other computers on the network, as long as the server remains intact.