A computer network with a star networktopology, in its simplest form, consists of one central, or hub computer which acts
as a router to transmit messages between connected computers by a store-and-forward or switching
system. A hierarchical extension of the star topology allows each node connected by a hub to in turn
play the role of a hub for a disjoint set of leaf nodes. In this case multiple routes may
exist between any two given nodes of the network.