Network topology is the way a network is arranged, including the physical or logical description of how links and nodes are set up to relate to each other.

The configuration or topology of a network plays an important role in its performance. There are many possible ways for arranging a network, and all come with different advantages and disadvantages. However, the decision of choosing a network topology must fit the size and scale of the business it is serving, as well as its goals, and budget.

The tasks that network topology management includes are:

• configuration management
• visual mapping
• general performance monitoring

The configuration, or topology, of a network, is key to determining its performance. Network topology is the way a network is arranged, including the physical or logical description of how links and nodes are set up to relate to each other.

There are two approaches to network topology: physical and logical.

Physical network topology refers to the physical connections and interconnections between nodes and the network.

Logical network topology is a little more abstract and strategic, referring to the conceptual understanding of how and why the network is arranged the way it is, and how data moves through it.

In the following section, we will describe the six most common network topologies and how they work.