star topology

Definitions of star topology on the Web:

• the topology of a network whose components are connected to a hub
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• One of the three principal topologies used in LANs. All devices are connected to a central hub. Star networks are relatively easy to install and manage, but bottlenecks can occur because all data must pass through the hub. See also bus topology and ring topology.
  www.visionael.com/services/glossary/index.html
• This is also known as a bush. Effectively there is no successive splitting of lineages, rather, all lineages split at the same time, resulting in a topology with a single origin where all external branches radiate from the centre.
  www.dbbm.fiocruz.br/james/GlossaryS.html
• In star topology the transmission stations are connected in a star shape to a central node. Star topologies can only exchange data indirectly via the central node. There is a difference between active and passive star systems. ...
  ourinstrumentationgroup.com/IndustrialEthernetGlossary.htm
• A LAN configured such that all nodes are connected individually to one common point or hub.
  www.computer-crafts.com.hk/glossary/Glossary.html

In star topology a number of workstations (or nodes) are directly linked to a central node (see, Fig. 4.3). Any communication between stations on a star LAN must pass through the central node. There is bi-directionalcommunication between various nodes. The central node controls all the activities of the nodes. The advantages of the star topology are:

• It offers flexibility of adding or deleting of workstations from the network.
• Breakdown of one station does not affect any other device on the network.

The major disadvantage of star topology is that failure of the central node disables communication throughout the whole network.

Star Topology

Advantages of Star Topology
Due to its centralized nature, the topology offers simplicity of operation.
It also achieves an isolation of each device in the network.

Disadvantage of Star Topology
The network operation depends on the functioning of the central hub. Hence, the failure of the central hub leads to the failure of the entire network.

For a detailed description of the various network topologies, you must go through the different types of network topologies.