Network topology is the arrangement of the elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a communication network. It can be used to define or describe the arrangement of several forms of telecommunication networks, including command and control radio networks, industrial field busses and computer networks. It is the topological structure of a network and may be depicted physically or logically. Examples of network topologies are found in local area networks (LAN), a common computer network installation. Any given node in the LAN has one or more physical links to other devices in the network; graphically mapping these links results in a geometric shape that can be used to describe the physical topology of the network.
