Lecture 3: INTERNET TECHNOLOGY

Week 4 Students learning objectives

1) Know what Internet is

2) Explain various terminologies used in internet

3) Understand various services provided by internet

4) Know the the terms that are commonly used with internet

5) Understand what is cloud computing , use , advantages and disadvantages

Topics
 Introduction to Internet.
 Web concepts
 Network links
 Web operations
 Cloud computing

Introduction
A computer network or data network is a telecommunications network which allows computers
to exchange data. In a computer networks, computing devices pass data via network links
established using either cable media or wireless media. The best-known computer network in the
world is the Internet which is modifying in a radical way how individuals, organizations and
governments interact and share information.

So what is Internet
In 1969, the U.S. Defence Department funded a project to develop a robust network for military
use. This project was known as ARPANET. The proposed network was not supposed to have a
central control. Ten years of research brought Local Area Ethernet Networks (LANs) and
workstations were developed to get connected to LAN. These workstations and LANs were then
connected to the ARPANET. For next decade the ARPANET grew and its decentralized features
helped its rapid expansion. Computers got connected to ARPANET using some standard called
NCP (National Control Protocol) for communication.
During this time, other networks including university networks also came into existence.
Different organizations were connected to different networks. This led to a problem, the
networks could not talk to each other. Each network used its own proprietary language, or
protocol to send information back and forth. This problem was solved by the invention of
transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP). TCP/IP was designed to allow
networks running on different protocols to have an intermediary protocol that would allow them
to communicate. The different networks are connected by gateways that effectively remove
barriers so that one type of network can “talk” to a different type of network.
TCP converts messages into streams of packets at the source, and get reassembled back into
messages at the destination. IP handles the dispatch of these packets through unique addressing
method which makes sure that a packet reaches its destination through multiple nodes and even
across multiple networks with multiple standards. This flexibility of TCP/IP to handle multiple
networks with multiple protocols encouraged other networks to get connected to ARPANET.
Slowly the ARPANET became a massive global system of inter-networked computers called
Internet culminating into what is commonly know as web- technology.

The Web Concepts

The Web was developed to be a pool of human knowledge, and human culture, which would
allow collaborators in remote sites to share information. The Web consists of a vast assortment
of related files and documents that are stored in computers and written in some form of Hyper
Text Markup Language (HTML) that tells web browsers how to display the information. The
computers that store the files are called Web servers because they can serve requests from many
users at the same time. Users access these HTML files and documents via applications called
browsers. The main Web concepts are:

Web Page: This is a space of information or simple digital document on the Internet that presents
information about a particular person, business, or organization or cause usually written in in
hypertext language and identified using Uniform resource locator (URL).
Web Site: Web site can be defined as a collection of web pages which are grouped together and
usually connected together in various ways. Generally there are two types of website styles,
Static and Dynamic website . Static website is one that has web pages stored on the server in the
same form as the user will view them while dynamic website is one that does not have web pages
stored on the server in the same form as the user will view them. Instead, the web page content
changes automatically and/or frequently based on certain criteria.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): Is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the Internet.
It is also referred to as a web address. URLs consist of a protocol and domain name that tells a
web browser how and where to retrieve the resource.
Web hosting: After we create a website, it is necessary to store it in a place where it is always
available for users. We use Web hosting services/companies for this purpose. They own web
servers that have the ability to store content. Search engine allow us to search in the Internet for
information, images and other types of files stored in various locations available throughout the
network.
FTP(File Transfer Protocol): FTP is used to upload and download files between computers on
the Internet. In other words, this protocol is responsible for file transfers on the Internet.
Internet Service Provider (ISP):Is an organization that provides individuals and other companies’
access to the Internet and other related services such as email.
Web Server: Is a computer server optimised to run special server software. That software
"serves" HTML pages and the files associated with those pages when requested by a client,
usually a Web browser.
Web Browsers: A web browser is a software application or program for retrieving, displaying,
and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is
identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and may be a web page, image, video, or other
piece of information
HTTP : Stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. HTTP is based on the client-server architecture
model and a stateless request/response protocol that operates by exchanging messages across a
reliable TCP/IP connection. An HTTP "client" is a program (Web browser) that establishes a
connection to a server for the purpose of sending one or more HTTP request messages. An
HTTP "server" is a program (generally a web server like Apache Web Server) that accepts
connections in order to serve HTTP requests by sending HTTP response messages

Web Operations
The Web works on client- server approach. The following steps explains how the web works:
1. User enters the URL of the web page in the address bar of web browser.
2. Then browser requests the Domain Name Server for the IP address corresponding to to the
URL
3. After receiving IP address, the browser sends the request for web page to the web server using
HTTP protocol which specifies the way the browser and web server communicates.
4. Then web server receives request using HTTP protocol and checks its search for the requested
web page. If found it returns it back to the web browser and close the HTTP connection.
5. Now the web browser receives the web page, it interprets it and display the contents of web
page in web browser’s window.

Network links
The transmission media used to link devices to form a computer network makes use of electrical
cable/wired technologies and wireless networking.

Wired technologies
 Coaxial cable is widely used for cable television systems, office buildings, and other
work-sites for local area networks. The cables consist of copper or aluminum wire
surrounded by an insulating layer
 Twisted pair wire is the most widely used medium for all telecommunication. Twisted-
pair cabling consist of copper wires that are twisted into pairs. Twisted pair cabling comes
in two forms: unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and shielded twisted-pair (STP). Each form
comes in several category ratings, designed for use in various scenarios.
 Optical fiber is a glass fiber. It carries pulses of light that represent data. Some
advantages of optical fibers over metal wires are very low transmission loss and immunity
from electrical interference. Optical fibers can simultaneously carry multiple wavelengths
of light, which greatly increases the rate that data can be sent, and helps enable data rates
 of up to trillions of bits per second. Optic fibers can be used for long runs of cable carrying
very high data rates, and are used for undersea cables to interconnect continents.
Price is the main factor distinguishing wired- and wireless-technology options in a business.
Wireless options command a price premium.

Wireless technologies
 Terrestrial microwave – Terrestrial microwave communication uses Earth-based
transmitters and receivers resembling satellite dishes. Terrestrial microwaves limits all
communications to line-of-sight. Relay stations are spaced approximately 48 km (30 mi)
apart.
 Communications satellites – Satellites communicate via microwave radio waves, which
are not deflected by the Earth’s atmosphere. The satellites are stationed in space and are
capable of receiving and relaying voice, data, and TV signals.
 Cellular and PCS systems- This use several radio communications technologies. The
systems divide the region covered into multiple geographic areas. Each area has a low-
power transmitter or radio relay antenna device to relay calls from one area to the next area.
 Radio and spread spectrum technologies – Wireless local area networks use a high-
frequency radio technology similar to digital cellular and a low-frequency radio
technology. Wireless LANs use spread spectrum technology to enable communication
between multiple devices in a limited area. Example is Wifi technology.
 Free-space optical communication uses visible or invisible light for communications. In
most cases, line-of-sight propagation is used, which limits the physical positioning of
communicating devices.

Organizational scope
Networks are typically managed by the organizations that own them. Private enterprise networks
may use a combination of intranets and extranets. They may also provide network access to the
Internet
Intranets: An intranet is a set of networks that are under the control of a single administrative
entity. The intranet uses the IP protocol and IP-based tools such as web browsers and file transfer
applications. The administrative entity limits use of the intranet to its authorized users. The most
commonl intranet is the internal LAN of an organization. A large intranet typically has at least
one web server to provide users with organizational information. An intranet is also anything
behind the router on a local area network.
Extranet : An extranet is a network that is also under the administrative control of a single
organization, but supports a limited connection to a specific external network. For example, an
organization may provide access to some aspects of its intranet to share data with its business
partners or customers. These other entities are not necessarily trusted from a security standpoint.
Network connection to an extranet is often, but not always, implemented via WAN technology.
Internetwork: An internetwork is the connection of multiple computer networks via a common
routing technology using routers. The Internet is the largest example of an internetwork. It is a
global system of interconnected governmental, academic, corporate, public, and private
computer networks.

Routing
Routing is the process of selecting optimal network paths to carry network traffic. The process is
accomplished by a set of routers which are devices that connect sub-networks. They select
optimal network paths using special routing algorithms.

Wireless networking
Today we are used to being able to access the Internet wherever we go. Our smartphones can
access the Internet. These wireless technologies have made Internet access more convenient and
have made devices such as tablets and laptops much more functional.
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) : Is a technology that takes an Internet signal and converts it into radio
waves. These radio waves can be picked up within a radius of approximately 45 meters by
devices with a wireless adapter. The network’s central point is the access point, which is a
router with transmitting antennas which route the transfer of data. Obstructions in the path of a
Wi-Fi signal will limit its range. In addition, maximum speeds are only attainable in locations
close to the base station. As the signal quality decreases, so will the maximum speed.

Cloud Computing
Historically, for software to run on a computer, an individual copy of the software had to be
installed on the computer, either from a disk or, more recently, after being downloaded from the
Internet. The concept of “cloud” computing has changed this. To understand cloud computing,
we first have to understand what the cloud is. “The cloud” refers to applications, services, and
data storage on the Internet. These service providers rely on massive storage devices that are
connected via Internet protocols. Cloud computing is the use of these services by individuals and
organizations.
You probably already use cloud computing in some forms. For example, if you access your e-
mail via your web browser, you are using a form of cloud computing. If you use Google Drive’s
applications, you are using cloud computing. While these are free versions of cloud computing,
there is big business in providing applications and data storage over the web. Cloud computing
is not limited to web applications it can also be used for services such as phone or video
streaming.

Advantages of cloud computing

 No software to install or upgrades to maintain.
 Available from any computer that has access to the Internet.
 Can scale to a large number of users easily.
 New applications can be up and running very quickly.
 Services can be leased for a limited time on an as-needed basis.
 Your information is not lost if your hard disk crashes or your laptop is stolen.
 You are not limited by the available memory or disk space on your computer.

Disadvantages of cloud computing

 Your information is stored on someone else’s computer therefore safety may not be
guaranteed?
 You must have Internet access to use it.
 You are relying on a third-party to provide these services.

Cloud computing has the ability to really impact how organizations manage technology.
Many organizations are understandably nervous about giving up control of their data and some
of their applications by using cloud computing. But they also see the value in reducing the need
for installing software and adding disk storage to local computers. A solution to this problem lies
in the concept of a private cloud. While there are various models of a private cloud, the basic
idea is for the cloud service provider to section off web server space for a specific organization.
The organization has full control over that server space while still gaining some of the benefits of
cloud computing.