Körtopológiák

Körtopológiák, or circular topologies, describe network arrangements where devices are connected in a closed loop. Each device is linked to exactly two other devices, forming a ring. Data travels in one direction around the ring, passing through each intermediate device until it reaches its destination. This unidirectional flow is a defining characteristic of many circular topologies.

A primary advantage of circular topologies is their inherent simplicity in terms of cabling and expansion. Adding or removing a device requires only breaking the connection at two points and re-establishing them with the new device. However, a significant drawback is the vulnerability to single points of failure. If one device or cable segment in the ring fails, the entire network can be disrupted. This can be mitigated through the use of dual-ring topologies, where a second ring provides a backup path for data.

In a dual-ring configuration, data can flow in opposite directions on the two rings. If one ring fails, the network can reroute traffic through the secondary ring, maintaining connectivity. This redundancy enhances reliability but increases complexity and cost. While once common in certain local area networks (LANs), particularly with technologies like Token Ring, pure circular topologies are less prevalent in modern networking, often superseded by more resilient and scalable architectures like star or mesh topologies. Nevertheless, the concept of circular data flow remains relevant in some specialized networking applications and in understanding fundamental network design principles.