Advantages of computer network

Advantages of computer network

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A computer network has following advantages; File sharing Resource sharing Time sharing Increased storage capacity Increased cost efficiency >>> Short description of above points <<< 1).File sharing The major advantage of computer network is that it allows file sharing and remote file access. For example, a person sitting at one workstation of a network can easily see the files present on the other workstation provided, he is authorized to do so. 2). Resource sharing In a networked environment, each computer in a network may access each computer and use hardware resources on the network. Such as printing a document on a shared network printer. 3). Time sharing It shares the time which is wasted in copying a file from one system to another by using storage device. In addition to that many people can access or update the information stored in a database, making it up to date and accurate. 4). Increased storage capacity As there is more than one computer on a network which can easily share files, the issues of storage capacity gets resolved to a great extent. A standalone computer might falls short of storage memory, but when many computers are on a network, memory of different computers can be used in such case. One can also design a storage server on the network in order to have huge storage capacity. 5). Increased cost efficiency There are many software available on the market which are costly and take time for installation. Computer network resolve this issue as the software can be stored or installed on a server computer and can be used by different users or clients.

Disadvantages of Computer Network

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A computer network has following disadvantages; Security issues Rapid spread of computer viruses  Expensive setup Depending on the main file server >>> Short description of above points <<< 1).Security issue  One of the major drawbacks of computer network is the security issue involved. If a computer is a standalone, physical access becomes necessary for any kind of data theft. However, if a computer is on a network, a computer hacker can get unauthorized access. 2). Rapid spread of computer viruses Viruses get spread on a network easily because of the interconnectivity of workstations. Such spread can be dangerous if the computers have important database which can corrupted by the virus. 3). Expensive Setup The initial setup cost of a computer network can be high depending on the number of computers to be connected. Costly devices like routers, switches, hubs, etc can add up to the bills of person trying to install a computer network. He will also have to buy NIC, network cables, RJ-45 connector, etc. for each of the workstations 4). Dependency on the main file server In case of the main file server of the computer network breaks down the system becomes useless. In case of big networks, the file server should be a powerful computer which often makes it expensive.