Networking Basics: The Internet

A protocol is a set of rules governing the exchange or transmission of data between devices over a network.

Packet switching divides data into packets which are sent independently, while circuit switching establishes a dedicated communication path for the entire duration of the transmission.

Servers provide resources or services to clients and are often located in data centers.

<p>Wired and wireless communication links; wired networks provide stable connections, while wireless networks offer mobility and convenience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Throughput refers to the rate at which data is successfully transmitted over a network in a given time period.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Data centers house servers that store and manage a vast amount of information, enabling efficient access to data and services.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The hierarchical structure allows for scalability, efficient routing, and management of large amounts of data traffic across diverse networks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Network performance can be affected by data loss due to errors in transmission and delay, which is the time taken for data to travel from the source to the destination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The 'network edge' refers to the hosts or end systems that run network applications and interface with the access network and physical media.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The two key functions are routing and forwarding; routing determines the path packets take, while forwarding moves packets to the appropriate output link based on a forwarding table.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Packet switching transmits data in small packets over a shared network, while circuit switching establishes a dedicated communication path for the duration of the connection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Packet-switching involves breaking application-layer messages into packets that are then forwarded from one router to the next until reaching the destination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A router uses the destination address in the packet's header and consults its forwarding table to determine the appropriate output link.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Two key components are loss and delay, which impact the overall efficiency and reliability of data transmission.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Routers direct data packets between networks, while switches connect devices within a single network, managing data traffic efficiently.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The routing algorithm is crucial as it determines the best paths for data packets to travel from source to destination across a network.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The physical media is essential for facilitating the transmission of data between hosts and the access network.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Common communication links include fiber optics, copper cables, radio waves, and satellite connections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Throughput measures the rate at which data is successfully delivered over a network, impacting overall network efficiency and user experience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bandwidth refers to the maximum transmission rate of a network link, influencing the speed and capacity of data transfer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Protocol layers structure communication into manageable sections, allowing interoperability between different network services and technologies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>One significant security concern is the vulnerability to packet sniffing, where unauthorized users can intercept and read data packets during transmission.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Local actions pertain to moving packets within a router, while global actions involve determining paths for packets across the entire network.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A computer network's core includes packet switches, which forward data packets towards their destination efficiently.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The asterisk (*) indicates a lost probe or a router that is not responding.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Delay measurements indicate the time it takes for packets to travel between routers, affecting network efficiency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The delays show an increasing trend, ranging from 113 ms to 135 ms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Conducting traceroutes from various locations helps assess the performance and reliability of the internet globally.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Packet switching requires additional protocols to manage reliability and congestion, as shared resources can lead to packet loss and delays that are not a concern in circuit switching.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Dedicated resources in circuit switching ensure that each call has a reserved channel, preventing sharing and guaranteeing consistent performance without interference.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>FDM allocates distinct frequency bands for each call, while TDM divides time into slots for calls to use intermittently for transmission.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>In circuit-switching, a fixed number of users can be supported simultaneously, while packet switching can accommodate more users due to its resource-sharing nature, provided active usage occurs infrequently.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Packet switching can suffer from excessive congestion, leading to delays and loss of packets, necessitating robust protocols for reliable data transfer and congestion control.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Circuit switching is akin to reserving a dedicated lane for each vehicle, ensuring that all resources are exclusively available to the user for the duration of the call.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Packet switching is advantageous for 'bursty' data applications where data transmissions are intermittent, as it allows for resource sharing and more efficient bandwidth utilization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The statistic indicating that with 35 users, the probability of more than 10 being active at the same time is less than 0.0004 highlights the efficiency and scalability of packet-switched networks compared to circuit-switched systems.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p><code>traceroute</code> is used to determine the path that packets take from one host to another, revealing routing and latency information.</p> Signup and view all the answers