What is the Internet? The simple answer is that it is a global collection of computer networks, or a network of networks. The Internet was originally developed
as a communication tool for military use. The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA was commissioned to develop an indestructable communication system, that would remain functional in the event of a nuclear war. A
centralized communication system would be the prime target in the event of a war, therefore, the underlying philosophy was to ensure that all nodes on the network functioned independantly and were equal in status.
The resulting network as called the ARPAnet. Over time, networks at other reserach facilities and educational institutions were connected to the ARPAnet, forming a network of networks
and resulting in the idea of inter-networking. This was eventually shortened to Internet. Two Views of the Internet:
- The physical level: Network of computers
- The service level: Collection of services
|
