Advantages of the Star Topology

1. Ease of service. The star topology has a number of concentration points (where connections are joined). These provide easy access for service or reconfiguration of the network.
2. One device per connection. Connection points in any network are inherently prone to failure. In the star topology, failure of a single connection typically involves disconnecting one node from an otherwise fully functional network.
3. Centralized control/problem diagnosis. The fact that the central node is connected directly to every other node in the network means that faults are easily detected and isolated. It is a simple matter to disconnect failing nodes from the system.
4. Simple access protocols. Any given connection in a star network involves only the central node. In this situation, contention for who has control of the medium for the transmission purposes is easily solved. Thus in a star network, access protocols are very simple.
Disadvantages of the Star Topology
1. Long cable length. Because each node is directly connected to the center, the star topology necessitates a large quantity of cable. Whilst the cost of cable is often small, congestion in cable ducts and maintenance and installation problems can increase cost considerably.
2. Difficult to expand. The addition of a new node to a star network involves a connection all the way to the central node.
3. Central node dependency. If the central node in a star network fails, the entire network is rendered inoperable. This introduces heavy reliability and redundancy constraints on this node.
The star topology has found extensive application in areas where intelligence in the network is concentrated at the central node.