COMPUTER NETWORK A computer network is a collection of interconnected devices and

communication channels that allow the sharing of resources, information, and services.
These networks enable devices, such as computers, servers, smart phones, and other devices, to communicate
with each other and collaborate.
Computer networks are a fundamental aspect of modern technology and have become an integral part of both
personal and professional lives.
Computing devices include everything from a mobile phone to a server.
These devices are connected using physical wires such as fiber optics, but they can also be wireless.
In a communication network, each device that is a part of a network and that can receive, create, store or
send data to different network routes is called a node. In the context of data communication, a node can be a
device such as a modem, hub, bridge, switch, router, digital telephone handset, a printer, a computer or a
server. Interconnectivity of computing devices in a network allows us to exchange information
simultaneously with many parties through email, websites, audio/video calls, etc
Some of the examples of network in our everyday life include:
 Social network
 Mobile network
 Network of computers
 Airlines, railway, banks, hospitals networks

Networking
Device

a computer network

Evolution Of Networking:- In the 1960s a research project was commissioned by Advanced

The first message was communicated between the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and
Stanford Research Institute (SRI).

Slowly but gradually, more and more organizations joined the ARPANET, and many independent
smaller networks were formed.

The main objective of ARPANET was to develop in network they could continue to function
efficiently even in the event of nuclear attack .
 Timeline showing evolution of networking

Evolution Of Networking Is Described Below

1… ARPANET:-

 The Advanced Research Projects Agency NETwork (ARPANET) was the world's first
operational packet switching network.
 The U.S department of defence sponsored a project named ARPANET, whose goal was to
connect computers at different universities and U.S defence.
 In 1969, the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of California and the
University of Utah were connected as the beginning of the ARPANET using 50 Kbits circuits.
 In mid 80's, the National Science Foundation created a new network called NSF net, which was
more capable than ARPANET.
 ARPANET expanded rapidly, connecting more research institutions and universities across the
United States.
 ARPANET used packet switching, a fundamental technology that allowed data to be broken
into small packets and sent independently over the network, then reassembled at the destination.
 ARPANET's legacy is significant. It laid the groundwork for the development of the modern
internet, demonstrating the feasibility and potential of interconnected computer networks.

2…WWW:-

 The World Wide Web (WWW), often referred to as the web, is a system of interconnected
documents and resources, linked together by hyperlinks and URLs (Uniform Resource
Locators), and accessible via the internet. It is one of the most prominent and widely used
services on the internet, allowing users to access and interacts with a vast array of information,
multimedia content, and applications.
 The World Wide Web was invented by British computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee in 1989
while he was working at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in
Switzerland.
  Web browsers are software applications that allow users to access and view web pages. The first
web browser, called "WorldWideWeb," was also created by Tim Berners-Lee.
 URLs are web addresses used to locate and access specific web pages or resources. They
consist of a protocol identifier (e.g., "[Link] or "[Link] a domain name (e.g.,
"[Link]"), and a specific path or resource identifier.
 Users enter search queries, and search engines return relevant results based on their algorithms.

3…Internet (INTER connection NET work):- The Internet is a network of the interlinked computer
networking worldwide, which is accessible to the general public. Internet is a huge network of several
different interlinked networks relating to the business, government, academic and even smaller
domestic networks. Therefore, Internet is known as the network of all the other networks.

These networks enable the Internet to be used for various important functions, which include the
several means of communications like the file transfer, the online chat and even the sharing of the
documents and websites on the WWW or the World Wide Web.

4…Interspace:- It is a client/server program that allows multiple users to communicate online with
real-time audio, video and text char in dynamic 3D environments.

The Interspace provides the most advanced form of communication available on the Internet today.

The Interspace is a future vision of what the Internet will become tomorrow, when users cross-correlate
the information of multiple sources. It will be an application environment for interconnecting spaces to
manipulate information like Internet.

5…Intranet:- An intranet is a network that connects the computers and networks within an
organisation that is based on Internet technology.

It uses the TCP/IP protocols, server and browser software used for the Internet. With an intranet, the
basic services of the Internet like E-mail, FTP, etc. are used.

NSFNET:- The National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET) was a pioneering computer
network that played a pivotal role in the development and expansion of the internet in the United States.

It was created and operated by the National Science Foundation (NSF), a U.S. government agency
responsible for supporting scientific and technological research.

NSFNET was established in the mid-1980s as a result of the National Science Foundation's desire to
provide networking capabilities to the research and academic communities across the United States.

NSFNET served as the backbone of the internet in the United States during its initial stages of
development. It provided high-speed, dedicated network connections to various regional and local
networks, creating a national network infrastructure.

NSFNET initially operated with a T1 (1.544 Mbps) backbone, which was upgraded to a T3 (45 Mbps)
backbone in 1991 to accommodate the growing demand for network capacity.

Benefits of Networking
a) File Sharing: - Networking of computer helps the user to share data files.
b) Hardware Sharing: - Users can share devices such as printers, scanners, CD-ROM drives,
hard drives, etc. in a computer network.
c) Application Sharing: - Applications can be shared over the network and this allows
implementation of client/server applications.
d) User Communication: - This allows users to communicate using E-mail newsgroups, video
conferencing within the network.
e) Access to Remote Database: - This allows users to access remote database, e.g. airline
reservation database may be accessed for ticket booking.