(TWN) DevOps Prerequisite: Computer Networking Essentials

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Computer networks are fundamental to modern computing. Computer networks allow us to share/pool resources such as sharing of printer or servers for those in a network. 



As a DevOps engineer, understanding computer networks enhances our ability to build, deploy, and maintain scalable, secure, and efficient systems.

In this blog post, we will look at:

How do Computer Networks work? How do computers connect to the internet? What is an IP address?What is DNS?

What is a Local Area Network (LAN) ?

Local Area Network (LAN):

- Collection of devices connected together in a physical location.

- Each device has a unique IP address.

- Devices communicate via their IP addresses.

IP (Internet Protocol): Can range from D.O.D.O (0.0.0.0) to 255.255.255.255.

How do devices know each other's IP addresses?

Switch:

- Links all the devices to their IP addresses.

- Facilitates the communication of all devices within the LAN.

Router:

- Connects outside the LAN.

- Sits between LAN and Wide Area Networks (WAN).

Important Note: The IP address of the router is called a gateway. Router & Network gateway are the same thing.

What is a subnet?

- Logical subdivision of an IP set network.

- Splits a network into 2 or more networks.

What is a subnet Mask?

Defines how many bits in the IP address are fixed and makes the rest flexible.

Questions to consider:

When to assign an IP address or range?

18 IP addresses → 192.168.0.1

Subnet Mask → 255.255.255.0

The subnet mask basically tells us the range of IP addresses that are available.

Examples:

For 192.168.0.0/10:

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 (fixed)

Flexible part: variable

For 192.168.0.0/24:

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 (fixed)

Flexible part: variable

Any device needs 3 pieces of data for communication:

1. IP Address

2. Subnet

3. Gateway

What is a Network Address Translation (NAT)?

NAT is described as a function (or process) performed by a device.

Public IP → Communication with the outside internet

Private IP → Communication within your local network

Firewall:

A system that prevents unwanted access from outside a private network. It controls which IP addresses can access your server.

Ports and Services

What is a port?

Each device has a set of ports.

You can allow specific ports (doors). Different applications listen on specific ports:

Standard ports for many applications:

Web browsers → Port 80

Databases → Port 3306

For every application, you need a port. Each port is unique on a device.

Additional Concepts

Firewall Configuration: Allows a specific combination of device IP addresses and ports to be accessed.

Port Forwarding Configuration: Ensures that specific ports are accessible.

Domain Name Service (DNS): Maps IP addresses to names. Translates domain names to IP addresses.

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