How many physical duplex links and I/O ports per device are required to connect 10 computers in a fully connected Mesh topology?
For n devices in a mesh topology, number of physical duplex links = n(n-1)/2 = 10*9/2 = 45. Number of I/O ports per device = n - 1 = 9.
In a Star topology with n hosts connected to a central hub, what is the total number of point-to-point links required?
In a star topology, each host connects directly to the central switch/hub via a dedicated point-to-point link. Thus, n hosts require exactly n links.
Which transmission mode allows communication in both directions simultaneously across the same physical channel?
Full-Duplex mode allows simultaneous two-way transmission (e.g., telephone call, full-duplex Ethernet). Half-duplex allows both ways but not at the same time (e.g., walkie-talkie). Simplex is strictly one-way.
Which OSI layer manages session establishment, dialog control, and synchronization between communicating applications?
The Session Layer manages sessions, dialog control, and synchronization checkpoints between applications.
Which OSI layer performs data encryption, decryption, compression, and format translation (such as ASCII to EBCDIC)?
The Presentation Layer (Layer 6) deals with the syntax and semantics of transmitted information, performing data formatting, encryption/decryption, and compression.