Internet means the interconnection of computer networks. The word “computer network” here represents a group of computers connected together in a given area. This small group of computers connect to other groups of computers to form a global network of computers in the world is known as internet. These computers can be personal computers or servers. Personal computers are typically any computer used by a person to perform computing tasks. In general terms, it includes all devices that have the ability to compute, process, and store or transmit/receive data. Servers are computers that are designed to serve certain applications in a network.
For a computer to join the internet, it needs to be connected through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) whose job is to link all the networks of computers within its domain to other computer networks all over the world. This linkages are implemented using two major types of media for transport of data; wireless and wired media.
For a computer to join the network, it needs to be assigned a number called Internet Protocol (IP) address which acts as an identifier for the computer as it communicates with other computers on the network. The ISP assigns a globally unique IP address to a computer or network through which it becomes linked to other computers on the internet for reach-ability.
Once a computer joins the internet, it will be able to access all information stored by other computers which are also connected to internet; so far those computers made those information accessible to others. Examples of such computers are web servers. Web servers are specialized form of computers that store web pages and other information about a web site. An example of a web site is www.google.com.
Computers are typically used to create, process/modify, store, transmit, or receive data. A computer can execute these tasks on data within its own hardware or on another computer somewhere else so far they are connected over a network such as internet.
The world of today is powered by data. This data majorly exist in digital form which can be created, stored or transported from one device or location to the other through electronic devices.
Within these electronic devices, the data occur only in two forms; a ‘1’ or a ‘0’ otherwise called bits. This can also be translated as an ON and an OFF pulse. This is quite different from the other form called the analogue data. Analogue data is represented by a continuous variation of electrical signal over time as it flows through an electronic device.
The advent of digital data has transformed the way human beings live their life on planet-earth.
Data created by one computer can be transported over the internet to other computers across the globe. This makes the internet the most powerful tool created by mankind in the recent time.
Data is transported in blocks called packets. Each packet carries data and other information necessary for a successful delivery of the data to the destination. One of the basic information in the packet is the IP address which helps to identify the sending and the receiving computer to ensure that a successful delivery of the data is achieved.
Let us assume that Bob boots up his PC, connects to the network and attempts to join a virtual class held on ZOOM, his computer creates some data which is transported as packets through his local network to the ISP to internet and finally to the ZOOM.com web server for processing. The zoom web server processes the data and sends replies back to Bob’s computer in the reverse order and the information flow begins enabling Bob to enjoy his EMBA classes at the comfort of his home over the internet.
