How Much Support Will the Manufacturer
Give You?
Often, if software comes with a computer, the software house will buck you back to the computer manufacturer if you have a question or problem.
And that may or may not be true with network systems.
If the network is built into the computer, you might want to see if you can also get direct support from the company responsible for the networking system.
It works the other way, too. If you buy a network from an independent manufacturer, is the firm familiar enough with your computer to make sure the system works well with it? Know exactly who will do the servicing and consider a service contract, which usually costs 1-2 percent of the hardware costs per month.
In shopping around, you shouldn’t worry about jargon so much as you do about the performance of the network as you perceive it.
Below, however, are some necessary terms to master. We’ll begin with three kinds of topology—the word for the way a network is laid out: