Chapter 2: Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) PDF

CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS AN ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEM (1/2) ========================================================= TRANSCRIPT VIDEO "ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEMS (EIS)" ------------------------------------------------------- Imagine a cave filled with one hundred statues of all shapes and sizes...

CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS AN ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEM (1/2) ========================================================= TRANSCRIPT VIDEO "ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEMS (EIS)" ------------------------------------------------------- Imagine a cave filled with one hundred statues of all shapes and sizes. Nothing ever changes in this cave. The statues have NO goals, and they don't ever do anything. Except for a wind that blows into the cave from time to time, we're looking at a very static environment. The type of environment that does not have -- nor need -- an information system. Now, let's mix things up a little bit. We'll replace the cave with a building. And then, we'll replace the hundred statues with one hundred human beings. Abracadabra! We'll also give these hundred human beings a mutual goal. It might be "earn a million euro", or "save the planet", or "fly to Mars". It doesn't matter what the goal is, as long as it unites the hundred people. In fact, the goal I'm going to assign to this Group with my magic wand is: "Build a two-story house within two years". How do groups of human beings strive towards any goal? Well most of the time, they'll begin by communicating with each other. After they've generated a first few set of ideas, they'll also start communicating with people outSIDE of the Group. Maybe because they need specific information that they don't HAVE yet. Or because they want to transmit information to other stakeholders that are important to their goal. In theory, our Group could carry out all this communication without any types of rules or guidelines. But if they DO this, then the Group is probably going to move towards its goal incredibly slowly -- if at all. The reason is all the 'white noise' that will arise. With no guidelines or standards, it's quite possible that for every sentence of information that is goal-relevant, twenty-five sentences that are not goal-relevant will also pop up. And what's more: there will be no guidelines on who to say these 25 sentences to. So it's quite probable that most of the Group's communication will be addressed to the wrong Group members. That's a homegrown recipe for lots and lots of waiting and confusion. Since our Group is clever, it decides to set a few communication standards. First of all, it identifies all the communication that is relevant to its goal of building a house. And by the way, from now on I'm going to start saying "information" instead of "communication". Because when you think about it, what the Group really needs in order to reach its goal is information. The "communication" is simply the packaging that this information comes in. So what types of information play a role in building a house? Probably things like 'construction blue prints', 'building material requirements', 'building material prices', 'legal requirements', 'contact details of suppliers', 'time and date Availability of each of our Group members', etcetera. If we wanted to, we could probably extend this list to thousands of pieces of information. Which the Group does, by the way. So now that the Group has an understanding of the types of information it will need in order to reach its goal, it becomes a lot easier to filter out information that is relevant to the goal from information that isn't. That's already a huge accomplishment in itself. But the Group goes a few steps further. It decides on how information that the Group doesn't have yet will be **collected** from the outside world -- and by whom. And let's be honest: in our daily lives, we don't only get information from the rest of the world that we've actively looked for: we also receive lots and lots of information passively that we never ever asked for. In emails, in phone calls, in media articles, at meetings, on advertising banners that we see while we're looking out the window of a bus, and so on. So the Group decides on how to filter all this incoming information in a way that highlights that subset of information that actually matters to the Group's goal. Now that the Group has made decisions on how and what information will flow into the Group, it makes decisions on what to do with this information. As a starting point, it wants to store all this information somewhere, so that it's not forgotten. And since our Group has no computers, it decides that all incoming information that is goal-relevant will be written down on individual pieces of paper. After, these pieces of paper will be stored in various folders. And each folder will be dedicated to a specific function that is needed in order to build a house. So far, so good. But how will all this information be **shared**? that's something the Group gives thought to, as well. For example, will all hundred members of the Group each have access to absolutely ALL the information that's stored in the folders? Or will specific members of the Group be given access to specific types of information? And connected with this: how will the information in the folders be made available to Group members? Will it simply be a matter of looking through all the folders whenever you need something? or will there be a system where -- whenever a person needs a specific type of information -- they simply ask for it, and then a 'Folder Specialist' finds what they're looking for? This might save time, because the Folder Specialist will immediately know where to look for the information, whereas the average Group member won't. Let's say the Group chooses the second option. They assign one person to be the 'Folder Specialist'. And whenever anybody else needs information, they have to make a request to the Folder Specialist. How will the Folder Specialist pass on the information that they find? Will they simply forward it to everyone in the Group -- even to the people that don't need this particular piece of information? that would probably get very irritating for people who are working on entirely different tasks. So maybe it would be better to set up a few guidelines that specify who gets what types of information. Sometimes information that was stored in the past is used to create brand new information. Or it needs to be modified. For example, the Group knows that it will need 100,000 bricks to build the house. It also knows that each brick will currently cost 70 cents. It combines this information and calculates that the total costs for all the bricks needed will be around 70,000 euro. And of course, It's going to store this NEW information on a piece of paper and place it in the appropriate folder. But who will be responsible for creating new information like this internally? And how and WHERE will it be stored? These are all also decisions that the Group has to make. Let's move on to a final area. Our Group has made wise decisions on how to collect, filter, store, and use information that is relevant to its goal. But that's not enough. Frequently, members of the Group will have to pass ON information to the outside world again. For example, if the Group appoints an external architect and building contractor, it will have to give them regular updates on the Group's wishes and decisions. Similarly, anybody that builds a house will need the permission of various local government agencies. And these government agencies will need regular information related to the progress in the house building process. Once again, it's probably not the best idea to pass on every single piece of information the Group has stored in its folders to every single person or organization in the outside world. So the Group wisely decides upon guidelines and procedures related to who will pass what types of information to whom -- and how! Whether the Group is aware of it or not, by deciding on all these guidelines, rules, procedures, and protocols, it has just designed an "Enterprise Information System". An Enterprise Information System is basically the sum of all the rules and resources that determine how information flows into an organization, how it is stored and used by that organization, and how it flows back out of the organization. So if we think about it a little bit, an Enterprise Information System needs to include the following five components: It begins with the rules, guidelines, and protocols concerning information flow that an organization has decided upon -- so basically, everything we've just talked about in this video. Second, it includes all the information -- or 'data' -- that is collected, stored, used, and disseminated by the organization. Third, it includes all the human beings that are involved in collecting, storing, using, and/or disseminating the organization's information. Fourth, an Enterprise Information System consists of all the hardware that is needed to collect, store, use, and/or disseminate the organization's information. Being that we live in the 21^st^ Century, we automatically associate "hardware" with computers or other digital devices. But that doesn't need to be the case. In our group's example, the most important hardware were the folders, papers, and pencils, that were used to store data. And this has been true for the vast majority of human civilization. Even the earliest Sumerian merchants had their own Information Systems. And these information systems included hardware. This hardware took the form of sticks and clay tablets, but it was hardware nonetheless. So when you think of your organization's own information system, don't limit yourself to only the high-tech elements. More often than you might think, Enterprise Information Systems involve a lot of very low-tech hardware. Even in the 21^st^ Century. Fifth and last, a modern-day Enterprise Information system consists of all the **software** an organization uses to collect, store, use, and disseminate the organization's information. And unlike hardware, this really IS a purely digital component of an information system. In closing, I'd like to emphasize YOUR role in your organization's Information System. The way that we've just described an Enterprise Information System, you might think that it's created purely "Top Down" by the CEO or the general manager of your organization. And I'm sure that's the way they'd like it to be, too. But the reality is that the Top Management can only design the overall structure of an Information System. The ones that really bring it to LIFE are the employees of the organization, with thousands upon thousands of little decisions that they make regarding information every single day. So don't underestimate your own role in this. An Enterprise Information System is a living, breathing entity, and it's shaped every day by every single employee that that collects information, filters incoming information, STORES information, uses information or passes on information. And you can either do this WISELY -- so in a way that promotes your organization's overall mission, business model, and goals -- or you can do it unwisely. Think about that the next time you click on a "send" button! THE ELEMENTS OF AN ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEM (EIS) ------------------------------------------------------ **Every Enterprise Information System consists of FIVE components:** 1. **PROCESSES, RULES, and PROTOCOLS** 2. **PEOPLE** 3. **HARDWARE** 4. **SOFTWARE** 5. **DATA** **\ ** TRANSCRIPT VIDEO "EIS COMPONENT \#1: PROCESSES, RULES AND PROTOCOLS" -------------------------------------------------------------------- In this video, we're going to look at the FIRST component of any Enterprise Information System: Processes, Rules and Protocols. Every organization consists of dozens of processes that continually repeat themselves. A good is manufactured. A sales lead is generated. A new employee is onboarded in the company. In order to make sure that such processes are always carried out in the best-possible manner from an organization's point of view, they are either completely or at least partially standardized by setting Rules and Protocols for them. **[What are Rules?]** **Rules** are broad principles that regulate how an employee makes decisions in the context of a process. You can think of rules as the \"WHAT\" of organizational behavior. Here are five typical rules you will find in nearly every EIS: 1. **Password Policies**: First are password policies. This rule might require complex passwords changed every 90 days. It might also require passwords to include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. And users may not be allowed to reuse their last five passwords. 2. **Access Control:** Next are access controls. This rule limits system access based on job roles. For instance, employees are typically only allowed to access systems and data that are related to their specific job functions. 3. **Data Handling:** A data handling rule mandates encryption for sensitive data, both in transit and at rest. 4. **Acceptable Use:** An acceptable use rule restricts personal internet use during work hours and specifies that company email accounts are for business purposes only. It might also prohibit the installation of unauthorized software. 5. **Incident Reporting**: Incident reporting rules require immediate reporting of suspected data breaches or security incidents. For example, employees must report any suspected breach to the IT department within one hour of discovery. **[What are Protocols?]** Now, let\'s move on to protocols. **Protocols** are precise sets of steps that detail HOW entities should communicate or interact within the system. They STANDARDIZE how parts of a process must be carried out, and how entities should communicate or interact within the system. Here are five typical protocols you might encounter in an EIS: 1. Data Backup and Recovery: A data backup and recovery protocol might specify nightly full backups of critical systems, with backups stored both on-site and off-site using encryption. It would also include procedures for quarterly recovery testing to make sure data can be restored within acceptable timeframes. 2. Software Development and Deployment: The software development and deployment protocol could outline a comprehensive process including mandatory CODE reviews (where all code changes must be reviewed and approved by at least one other developer before being merged), a series of TESTING phases (such as unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests), and specific deployment steps. 3. Incident Response: An incident response protocol would detail steps for detecting, responding to, and minimizing security issues. It might include using automated tools to monitor and detect anomalies, for example. 4. Data Handling and Protection: A data handling and protection protocol could specify methods for transferring sensitive data outside the organization (such as using SFTP or HTTPS), and procedures for securely deleting data when it\'s no longer needed. 5. Communication: A communication protocol might designate specific tools and methods for internal and external communications. For example, it could mandate the use of encrypted email or secure messaging platforms for sensitive external communications and outline a crisis communication plan for emergencies. **[The Relationship Between Rules and Protocols]** Within an EIS, it's best to think of rules and protocols as having a complementary nature. Rules tell you what you can and can\'t do, while protocols show you the steps of HOW to do what those rules allow you to do. **[Scope of Rules and Protocols]** As you can imagine, an organization consists of countless Rules and Protocols. Are they ALL also part of the organization's EIS? It turns out that this is a subjective decision that each organization must make for itself. There are always \'Must Haves\'. ALL rules and protocols that apply DIRECTLY to digital operations within the company are part of the organization's EIS. This is basically the "MINIMUM" scope, and many organizations define their EIS Rules and Protocols based exactly on this narrow definition. The Rules and Protocols we have cited as examples in this video would ALL fall into this 'Minimum Scope'. However, there are also countless rules and protocols in most organizations that may not directly regulate digital activities, but certainly have an indirect effect on them. For example, a company policy on work hours might indirectly affect system access times- Or a protocol for in-person meetings might influence how video conferencing tools are used. Some organizations formally classify such indirectly related rules and protocols as part of their EIS as well. Typical questions that should be regulated by **Rules** in your EIS are: +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **I. DATA FROM THE OUTSIDE** | | | | ***TYPE A: ACTIVELY COLLECTED DATA*** | | | | - What type of data do we actively want to collect from outside the | | organization? | | | | - How will we collect the data? | | | | - Who will be responsible for collecting these data? | | | | ***TYPE B: PASSIVELY RECEIVED DATA*** | | | | - What type of data will we (as passive recipients) allow into our | | organizations? | | | | - How will we minimize the inflow of types of data that we do not | | want? | | | | **II. FILTERING INCOMING DATA** | | | | - On what criteria will we separate "valuable" incoming data from | | "irrelevant" incoming data? | | | | - How will we filter incoming data into these two categories? | | | | - How will the valuable data be 'cleaned up' (to make it | | comparable)? | | | | - How will we make sure that the valuable data meets our standards | | for accuracy, completeness, and ethics? | | | | - How will the valuable data be stored? | | | | - Who will be responsible for filtering, cleaning, verifying, and | | storing the data? | | | | **III. USING THE DATA** | | | | - Who will receive access to the data? | | | | - How will they be able to access the data? | | | | - How should they use the data? | | | | - How will the data be protected from people who have no right to | | access it? | | | | - How will data privacy be ensured? | | | | - Who will be responsible for ensuring data protection and privacy? | | | | **IV. DATA TO THE OUTSIDE** | | | | - What types of data will we distribute to stakeholders outside the | | organization? | | | | - Which stakeholders will receive access to our data? | | | | - How will they receive access to our data? | | | | - Who will be responsible for distributing our data? | | | | - How will the data be protected from people who have no right to | | access it? | | | | - How will data privacy be ensured? | | | | - Who will be responsible for ensuring data protection and privacy? | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ **\ ** TRANSCRIPT VIDEO "EIS COMPONENT \#2: PEOPLE" -------------------------------------------- This video focuses on the second of the five components of an Enterprise Information System: People. Just as we saw with Processes, Rules and Protocols in a previous video, organizations often define the scope of \"People\" in their EIS differently. This scope can range from a very narrow focus to a much broader perspective, depending on the organization\'s size, industry, and philosophical approach. **[The Narrowest View]** At its narrowest, the \"People\" component includes only those internal jobs directly connected to the IT element of the Enterprise Information System. These are the \"Must Haves\" for any EIS, and might include: 1. **Chief Information Officer (CIO):** The CIO is responsible for making sure that an organization's IT strategy supports the overall business goals. Ultimately, the CIO is the person that is responsible for IT operations in the organization. 2. **Network Administrator:** The Network Administrator role involves managing the organization\'s computer networks, and making sure they connect with each other, perform accordingly, and are secure. 3. **Database Administrator (DBA):** DBAs design, implement, and maintain the company\'s databases. 4. **Information Security Analyst:** An Information Security Analyst is responsible for protecting an organization\'s digital assets from cyber threats, and making sure that an EIS complies with all security protocols. 5. **Data Privacy Officer:** With increasing regulation around data protection, a Data Privacy Officer ensures that the organization complies with laws like the EU General Data Protection Regulation. 6. **Systems Analyst**: A Systems Analyst is a kind of 'translator' between a company's business needs and its technical solutions. The Systems Analyst starts by analyzing an organization's business goals and its processes. Based on these insights, they then design blueprints for the type of information systems that will make it easier to reach these goals. 7. **Software Developer/Programmer:** Developers write the code that powers the organization\'s applications and systems, turning parts of the designs that System Analysts have created into functional software. These roles form the core of the IT team, directly responsible for managing and maintaining the EIS. In addition roles like IT Project Managers, Quality Assurance Specialists, and User Experience (UX) Designers play crucial roles in an EIS. However, limiting the scope to just these roles would be a VERY narrow view of the \'People\' component. **[A Broader Perspective]** You'll find that most organizations adopt a broader perspective, including all their employees under the \"People\" component of their EIS. This approach recognizes that nearly every employee interacts with the information system in some capacity. For example: - Marketing teams use customer relationship management (CRM) systems - Finance departments rely on enterprise resource planning (ERP) software - Human resources utilize applicant tracking and employee management systems - Operations teams interact with supply chain management tools By including all employees in the \'People\' component, organizations acknowledge the interconnected nature of modern business processes. **[The Broadest View]** But the most comprehensive perspective extends beyond employees to include all external users of the organization\'s EIS, for instance: - Customers interact with e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, and customer service portals - Suppliers might have access to inventory management systems for just-in-time restocking - Regulatory bodies and external auditors may have direct access to compliance reporting systems - Investors and financial institutions might use dedicated portals to access real-time financial data This broad view acknowledges that an organization\'s EIS is part of a larger ecosystem, with various stakeholders contributing to and benefiting from the system. **[The Importance of Users]** Naturally, the most critical group in any EIS is that of the users. Whether they\'re employees, customers, or external stakeholders, the success of an information system ultimately depends on its users\' ability to interact effectively with it. This is why roles like Help Desk Analysts and Technical Support Specialists are so crucial---they ensure that all users can effectively utilize the EIS, troubleshooting issues and providing training where necessary. A system that users find difficult or confusing is unlikely to succeed, no matter how technologically advanced it might be. This underscores the importance of user-centered design in EIS development and the need for ongoing training and support. **\ ** EXERCISE: WHAT JOBS ARE CENTRAL TO AN EIS? ------------------------------------------ Here is an overview of typical job roles that are relevant on the IT-side of an Enterprise Information System. - **DATA ADMINISTRATOR**: - **DATA PROTECTION OFFICER**: - **BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE ANALYST**: - **IT PROJECT MANAGER**: - **DATA SCIENTIST**: - **ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT**: - **NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR**: - **BUSINESS ANALYST**: - **SOFTWARE DEVELOPER**: - **INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGER**: - **IT DIRECTOR**: - **CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER** **(CIO)**: **\ ** TRANSCRIPT VIDEO "EIS COMPONENT \#3: HARDWARE" ---------------------------------------------- Let's turn to the third component of an Enterprise Information System: **Hardware.** As we\'ll see, defining what constitutes hardware in an EIS isn\'t as straightforward as you might think, and it can vary significantly depending on an organization\'s perspective and business model. **[Overview of Physical Assets]** We'll begin by considering the vast array of physical assets an organization might use. These can range from highly sophisticated robotics and complex heating and cooling systems to everyday office equipment like computers, laptops, and printers. But it doesn\'t stop there! Organizations also use very analog physical assets like hammers, saws, and even toasters in their day-to-day operations. Now, here\'s a question for you to ponder: *Which of these diverse physical assets actually constitute the Hardware of an EIS?* **[Defining Hardware in an EIS]** Before we answer that, let\'s establish a general definition of \"Hardware\" in the context of an EIS. Hardware in an EIS refers to **the physical, tangible components that support the processing, storage, communication, and interaction of data and applications within an organization**. Put in more simple terms, that means that Hardware is anything that we can TOUCH and that is used in order to STORE, to USE, to CHANGE, and to SEND Data and/or Software. **[Spectrum of Hardware Scope]** As with the Rules and Protocols and the People components we discussed in previous videos, there isn\'t a single standard that defines the scope of an EIS\'s hardware. Instead, organizations often choose from a spectrum of definitions, ranging from narrow to broad -- similarly to the People component. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. **[Tailoring the Hardware Scope to Your Business Model]** When defining the scope of your own EIS hardware, we recommend that you base your decision on your overall business model. For example: 1. A consulting agency might have a stove in its employee kitchen for heating lunches. In this case, we wouldn\'t include the stove as part of the EIS hardware, simply because it\'s not integral to the core business processes or data management of the consulting agency. 2. On the other hand, consider a pastry shop whose main business is baking and selling pastries. In this case, we absolutely would include ovens, mixers, and even refrigerators as part of the EIS hardware. Why? Because these pieces of equipment, even if they\'re not \"smart\" or connected, are crucial to the core business processes. They require and generate important data - like 'baking times', 'temperatures', or 'ingredient usage' - that feed into the overall information system of the bakery. The key is to consider how important each piece of equipment is to your core business processes and data management needs. **\ ** THE TYPICAL HARDWARE OF AN EIS ------------------------------ Here is an overview of typical hardware that can play a role in an organization's Enterprise Information System. - **WORKSTATIONS**: - **LAPTOPS, TABLETS & PHONES:** - **TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM:** - **SECURITY SYSTEMS:** - **CONVEYOR BELTS:** - **PRINTERS AND SCANNERS:** - **SERVER AND OTHER NETWORK DEVICES:** - **INDUSTRIAL DRONES:** - **INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS:** - **HEATING & COOLING DEVICES:** - **WEARABLE TECH:** - **AUDIO AND VIDEO EQUIPMENT:** - **BIOMETRIC DEVICES:** - **TELEPHONE SYSTEMS:** - **CASH REGISTERS:** - **BARCODE SCANNERS:** **[\ ]** EXERCISE: BUILD A PC -------------------- - **PC Case**: responsible for housing and protecting all the other PC components. - **Motherboard**: the main circuit board of a computer that connects all the other components together and allows them to communicate with each other. - **CPU (Central Processing Unit)**: a chip that acts as the brain of a computer. It carries out arithmetic, logical, and other tasks. - **CPU Cooler:** the device that regulates the CPU's temperature so that it doesn't get too hot while carrying out its tasks. - **Random Access Memory (RAM)**: memory chips that are installed directly on the motherboard. RAM is the fastest memory type. But unlike SSDs and HDDs, it 'forgets' its data once the computer's power is turned off. This is why RAM is only used to temporarily store the data a computer needs at that very moment. - **Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)**: the chip that is responsible for making images, videos, and other graphics visible on the screen. - **Solid State Drive (SSD)**: Unlike RAM (which is short-term memory), SSD is a type of long-term memory that uses flash memory chips to store data. It is faster than the other type of long-term memory - the Hard Disk Drive - but more expensive. It's used to store only the data that a computer will need frequently. - **Hard Disk Drive (HDD)**: Like an SDD, A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is a type of long-term memory. It is cheaper than an SDD - but also slower. This is why it is typically used to store larger amounts of data that are not needed ongoingly (or as quickly). - **Sound Card**: the hardware component that allows a computer to play, record, and manipulate audio signals. - **Power Supply**: responsible for distributing electricity to all the other components of the computer. **\ ** EXERCISE: BUILD A NETWORK ------------------------- If you work in an organization, the chances are high that the hardware of that organization's EIS will not consist of only one computer. It's more likely that your organization will have SEVERAL computers -- maybe thousands. The people that work on these computers (i.e. "**workstations**"): - must regularly share files with each other. - use many of the same devices (e.g. a printer, a physical firewall, a router through which to access the internet); - must access & update a lot of the same data (e.g. inventory data that is stored in a database); How can dozens -- or thousands -- of computers do all these things? One way would be to assign each workstation an individual internet connection. Then it could simply connect to whatever device it needs. But most organizations prefer a different option. They set up a **Private Network**. Such a network **[connects only the computers (and other digital devices) of the organization with each other]**, allowing them to share data directly with each other instead of through a public internet connection. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Organizations prefer private networks over the internet for the | | following reasons: | | | | - **Security**: A company\'s network is more secure than the public | | internet because it allows the company to control who has access | | to its data and systems; | | | | - **Reliability**: A company\'s network is more reliable than the | | public internet because it is usually designed to have \"plan B\" | | options in case the internet is down (or too slow for critical | | activities); | | | | - **Performance**: A company\'s network can provide faster and more | | consistent network performance than the public internet. | | | | - **Cost**: Companies can tailor their network infrastructure to | | meet their specific needs and avoid paying for unnecessary | | services or features; | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ - **Server:** a central computer that provides data or services to all the other computers or devices in a network. - **Client Workstations:** a device (e.g. a PC, a laptop) that accesses data or services from a centralized server on a network. - **Peer Workstations**: a computer that shares resources and communicates directly with other computers on the network (i.e. without going through a server). - **Network Interface Card (NIC)**: a hardware component that allows a device\ (e.g. computer) to connect to a network and to communicate with other devices in that network. - **Gateway**: a device used to connect one network with (one or more) other network(s). - **Router**: a device that acts as a "traffic controller" and forwards data between\ (and within) networks efficiently. - **Physical "Firewall"**: a physical device that filters network traffic to prevent unauthorized access. *Keep in mind that that there is also software (i.e. digital firewalls) that perform the same function.* - **Switch**: a device that connects a sub-group of network devices with each other **\ ** TRANSCRIPT VIDEO "HOW DOES THE INTERNET WORK?" ---------------------------------------------- All roads lead to Rome, they say. It\'s a saying you\'re probably familiar with, and for a good part of classical antiquity, it accurately described the state of that period\'s communication networks. Nowadays, however, these exact same roads, or at least the fiber optics buried beneath them, lead not to Rome, but rather to the domain name server of your choice. Now, that\'s not nearly as evocative. What are fiber optics, and what the heck is a domain name server? These, and a lot of other very technical sounding devices, are what the internet is actually made of. Paradoxically, if you ask the internet itself what it\'s made of, you will likely, and incorrectly, be informed that it\'s made up of cats, trolls, and memes. Now, one does not simply attempt to explain the internet based solely upon its content. That would be like trying to explain how a television set creates its visuals by describing the romantic relationships in your favorite soap opera. We must first separate the technology from the content. When we want to know more about some topic, we\'re often told to just check the nets, or look on the web. These two statements refer, of course, to the internet and the world wide web. These two terms are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. To be on the nets or to be on the web is taken to mean the same thing. But technically, they represent two very different things. On the one hand, you have the world wide web. This web, abbreviated www at the beginning of many of the addresses you type into your browser, is similar to all the soap operas, the news channels, the movies, and the questionable reality shows you watch on your TV. So, the content. The world wide web is the sum of millions of interconnected web pages, providing you with all the information or entertainment you\'re looking for. The internet, on the other hand, is closer to what the television set in our little example would represent. An actual network of physical devices connected to each other by real cables or by satellite signals. These physical devices all exchange information with each other, in some creating a massive, world-encompassing physical labyrinth or network. In other words, the internet can be described as a global network of interconnected servers, computers, data centers, and network protocols, all of which serve as the basis and infrastructure for all the information which is hosted on it and which travels across it through copper wires, fiber optics, satellite connections. Effectively, the internet\'s roads. We\'re going to look at what each of these components are and how they\'re connected, but it might help to start with a tiny bit of history. In the second half of the 1960s, the Cold War was at its height. Both America and the Soviet Union owned a bucket full of nuclear weapons, ready to be launched at the press of a button. The thing about nuclear weapons is, when they blow up in your backyard, the telephone lines usually don\'t work so good anymore. Even if you\'re the U.S. Army. So the U.S. decided to build a communication network that would work even if a nuclear bomb detonated within its borders. It created an entire network of nodes of different centers around America that all the other communication devices are connected to. They then pass it on to other devices. The advantage of the system from a nuclear war perspective is that it\'s decentralized. Even if a nuke lands directly on top of one of these nodes and blows it up, the data from the other communication devices can instantly be rerouted to a different node, one that hasn\'t been blown up yet. The first such decentralized network was called ARPANET, and it opened for business in 1969. It only had four nodes in the form of universities. But over the following decades, more and more nodes and participants were added. Universities, private companies, and finally even ordinary people like you and me were able to participate in this huge network. Soon enough, this network extended beyond the USA and covered most of the planet. And this brings us to this very moment where every single one of you is watching me on a device connected to this global network. So how does it work? As we\'ve said, the internet relies on hardware, software, protocols, and infrastructure to do its thing. Let\'s walk through it, starting with you at your PC. Let\'s pretend that you are located in Vienna, Austria. You want to look at the web page of a samba dance group that lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. How do we get that website from Brazil onto your screen in Austria? Before we continue with how the data of websites travels around the internet, remember that physically all data exchange happens using electrical signals in the form of bits or zeros and ones. These electrical signals travel between all the components of the internet like servers, routers, and data centers through copper cables, or as light through fiber optic cables, or as radio satellite signals, and carry your requests and data from computer to computer. The internet is just a giant network of physically connected computer systems. To understand how the internet\'s communication works, we need to look at how your data travels around this internet on the software level, since that\'s what brings the internet to life. Let\'s use an application you already know, like a browser. **Step One.** You type in the web address of the website which you want to visit, known as the URL or Uniform Resource Locator, into your browser. It looks something like this. You can think of the URL as a unique street address of a house, or like a specific telephone number which your browser needs if it wants to reach some website. And here\'s an important thing you need to know about how URLs work. In your phone, you have a contacts list which has all the telephone numbers of your friends, right? Why do you need such a contacts list? Well, because you simply can\'t remember all those long strings of numbers by heart. It\'s much simpler to just remember the name of your friend, and your phone automatically dials the telephone number associated with it without you having to remember it. And it\'s exactly the same with the web addresses. The sambadanceparty.com in the is what we call the domain name. And it has exactly the same function as the name of your friend in your phone contacts list. It\'s easy to remember. And like your contacts list, this domain name also has a sort of telephone number associated with it. This number is the real address of the website. It\'s called the IP address, which stands for Internet Protocol Address. So, step two. **Step Two.** After you enter the URL into your browser, it first needs to find out this real IP address of sambadanceparty.com before it can take you there. Your browser doesn\'t know all the IP addresses in the world, so it needs to ask someone who does. **Step Three.** In the form of electric zeros and ones sent through an internet cable, your browser sends out a special request to your ISP or internet service provider. Your ISP is the company which connects your computer to the internet. The request your browser sends is, "please connect me with someone who knows the IP address of sambadanceparty.com". Your ISP obliges and connects your browser with what amounts to a gigantic contacts list for the entire internet. **Step Four:** The Domain Name System or DNS. The DNS looks up the IP address which corresponds with your website\'s name in its huge list and sends that information back to your browser. It says the IP address of sambadanceparty.com is 142-250-189-174. Your browser now again contacts your ISP, but this time it tells it, please connect me with the web page which has this exact IP address. **Step Five.** Your ISP now sends your data to this destination IP address, but it\'s not a simple direct connection. Before your browser can finally talk with sambadanceparty.com, it has to travel through many other parts of the internet. Your data travels from your PC to your ISP over copper fiber optic cables. From there to other servers which direct your signals along many other nodes and routers. It arrives at a data center somewhere on the western shore of Europe where it is then sent along huge undersea internet cables across the world to the final destination. **Step Six.** Your browser\'s request for connection has finally reached the website you were looking for. Specifically, it has reached the server or the computer on which all the website data is stored. There, your browser is introduced like a guest to the website. In our case, sambadanceparty.com says, "hello visitor, what can I do for you?" Your browser replies with a request. My user would like to see your front page so I would like to request all the text images and the design style so that I can display it on her screen. **Step seven.** The website sends all the requested data back to your computer. Again, along a complex system of cables, networks, and servers. Where browser receives it and instructs the graphics card on how to display it on your screen with all the correct pictures and formatting. Your computer remains connected to the website and anytime you click on one of its links or videos with your mouse, your browser sends another request for more of that website data which the website again sends back to you. Back and forth across half the world in an eye blink.