Networks and the Internet

Networks and the Internet

1. The Internet

   • The internet is a global network of computers that any computer can join. It is a WAN - which is a series of connected LANs.
   • to connect to the internet you need:
   • Every device on the internet has a unique IP address. The IP address is included in a data packet. IP addresses are either 32-bit or 128-bit numbers.

2. Networks

   • Advantages
     • Communication – it is easy (and often free) to communicate using email, text messages, voice calls and video calls.
     • Roaming – if information is stored on a network, it means users are not fixed to one place. They can use computers anywhere in the world to access their information.
     • Sharing resources – it is easy to share resources such as printers. Twenty computers in a room could share one printer over a network.
     • Sharing software – it is possible to stream software using web applications. This avoids needing to download and store the whole software file.
   • network topologies
     • Bus
     • Ring
     • Star
   • Area networks
     • local area network
     • wide area network
   • Every piece of hardware on a network has a unique MAC address. This is embedded in the hardware when the product is made in the factory, and the user cannot change it. On a computer, the MAC address is a unique code built into a NIC.
   • Network policies
     • a procedure by which a system automatically transfers control to a duplicate system when it detects a fault or failure.
     • Disaster recovery is the area of security planning that deals with protecting an organization from the effects of significant negative events.
     • transfer data to a less frequently used storage medium such as magnetic tape.
     • a copy of a file or other item of data made in case the original is lost or damaged.

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