ITE2513 – Internet & E-Commerce - Chapter 2 - PDF

ITE2513 – INTERNET & E-COMMERCE Chapter 2 E-Commerce Infrastructure CLO2 : Analyze the needs of technology infrastructure and e-commerce...

ITE2513 – INTERNET & E-COMMERCE Chapter 2 E-Commerce Infrastructure CLO2 : Analyze the needs of technology infrastructure and e-commerce development for Online business environment. * Lecture Note Updated: 08 August 2022 * For Internal Circulation Only The Internet: Technology Background Internet - An interconnected network of thousands of networks and millions of computers linking businesses, educational institutions, government agencies, and individuals. World Wide Web (Web) - One of the Internet’s most popular services, providing access to billions, possibly trillions, of Web pages. Web pages, which are documents created in a programming language called HTML (hypertext markup language) that can contain text, graphics, audio, video and other objects, as well as “hyperlinks” that permit users to jump easily from one page to another. Web pages are navigated using browser software. 2 The Evolution of the Internet 1961—The Present The history of the internet can be segmented into three phases: Figure 2.1 3 The Evolution of the Internet 1961-The Present (Summary) The history of the internet can be segmented into three phases: 4 Innovation Phase, 1961 – 1974 In the first phase, the fundamental building blocks of the internet were conceptualized and then realized in actual hardware and software. The basic building blocks are packet-switching hardware, a communications protocol called TCP/IP and client/server computing. The original purpose of the internet, when it was conceived in the 1960s was to link large mainframe computers on different collage campuses. This kind of one-to-one communication between campuses was previously only possible through the telephone system or private networks owned by the large computer manufacturers. 5 Institutionalization Phase, 1975 – 1995 In the second phase, large institutions such as the U.S Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) provided funding and legitimization for the fledging invention called the internet. Once the concepts behind the internet had been proven in several government-supported demonstration project, the DoD further develop into a robust military communications system that could with stand nuclear war. This effort created what was then called ARPANET (Advanced Research Project Agency Network). In 1986, the NSF assumed responsibility for development of civilian Internet (then called NSFNET) and began expansion program. 6 Commercialization Phase, 1995 – present In the third phase, government agencies encouraged private corporations to take over and expand both internet backbone and local service to ordinary citizens-families and individuals across the world who were not students on campuses. By 2000, the internet’s use had expanded well beyond military and research universities. 7 Packet Switching Packet switching is a method of slicing digital messages into packets, sending the packets along different communication paths as they become available and then reassembles packets once they arrive at destination. In packed-switched networks, messages are first broken down into packets. Packets mean the discrete units into which digital messages are sliced for transmission over the internet. Appended to each packet are digital codes that indicate a source address and a destination address, as well as sequencing information and error control information for the packet. 8  In packet switching, the advantage does it offer over circuit switching is lower latency for real-time communication. Low latency describes a computer network that is optimized to process a very high volume of data messages with minimal delay (latency). https://afzalbadshah.com/index.php/2023/11/16/circuit-switching-and-packet- switching-in-computer-networks/  A router is a special purpose computer that interconnects the different computer networks that make up the internet and routes packets along to their ultimate destination as they travel. To ensure that packets take the best available path toward their destination, routers use a computer program called a routing algorithm. 10 Figure 2.2 11 Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) has become the core communications protocol for the internet. TCP establishes connections among sending and receiving web computers and handles the assembly of packets at the point of transmission and their reassembly at the receiving end. Internet Protocol (IP) provides the Internet’s addressing scheme and is responsible for the actual delivery of the packets. TCP/IP is divided into four separate layers: Network Interface Layer, Internet Layer, Transport Layer and Application Layer. 12 The TCP/IP Architecture and Protocol Suite 13 Internet (IP) Addresses There are two versions of IP currently in use: IPv4 and IPv6. An IPv4 is a 32-bit number that appears as a series of four separate numbers marked off by periods such as 64.49.254.91. Each of the four numbers can range from 0-255. This “dotted quad” addressing scheme supports up to about 4 billion addresses. In a typical Class C network, the first three sets of numbers identify the network (in the preceding example, 64.49.254 is the local area network identification) and the last number (91) identifies a specific computer. 14  New version: IPv6 has 128-bit addresses, able to handle up to 1 quadrillion addresses (IPv4 can only handle 4 billion) Figure 2.3 illustrates how TCP/IP and packet switching work together to send data over the internet 13 Domain Names, DNS, and URL Most people cannot remember 32-bit numbers. An IP address can be represented by a natural language convention called a domain name. The domain name system (DNS) allows numeric IP addresses to be expressed in natural language such as Cnet.com (cnet.com’s numeric IP is 216.239.113.101). Uniform resource locator (URL) is the address used by web browser to identify location of content on the Web, also uses a domain name as part of the URL. E.g. http://www.mara.gov.my/ 16 Client/Server Computing Client/server computing is a model of computing in which powerful personal computers and other internet devices called clients are connected in a network to one or more server computers. These clients are sufficiently powerful to accomplish complex task such as displaying rich graphics, storing large files and processing graphics and sound files, all on a local desktop or handheld device. Servers are networked computers dedicated to common functions that the client computers on the network need, such as file storage, software applications, utility programs that provide web connections and printers. 17 Figure 2.4 18 Cloud Computing Cloud computing refers to a model of computing in which firms and individuals obtain computing power and software applications over the Internet. e.g. Google Apps Cloud computing has many significant implications for e- commerce. For e-commerce firm, cloud computing radically reduces costs of building and operating Web sites because the necessary hardware infrastructure and software can be licensed as service from internet providers at a fraction of the cost of purchasing these services as products. 19 Other Internet Protocols and Utility Programs Internet protocols Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the internet protocol used to transfer web pages. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is the internet protocol used to send e-mail to a server. Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) is a protocol used by the client to retrieve mail from a internet server. Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is a more current e-mail protocol that allows users to search, organize, and filter their email prior to downloading it from the server. 20  File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is one of the original internet services that runs in TCP/IP’s application layer and permits users to transfer files from a server to their client computer and vice versa. Telnet is network protocol that also runs in TCP/IP’s application layer and is used to allow remote login on another computer. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS) are protocols that operate between the transport and application layer of TCP/IP and secure communications between the client and the server. 21  Packet InterNet Groper (Ping) is a utility program that allows you to check the connection between a client computer and TCP/IP network. Tracert is one of several route-tracing utilities that allow you to follow the path of message you send from your client to a remote computer on the internet. 22 Future Internet Infrastructure The internet can be viewed conceptually as having four layers: Network Technology Substrate Layer – layer of internet technology that is composed of telecommunications networks and protocols. Transport Services and Representation Standards Layer – layer of internet architecture that houses the TCP/IP protocol. Middleware Services Layer – is the “glue” that ties the applications to communications networks and includes such as security, authentication, addresses and storage repositories. Applications Layer – layer of internet architecture that contains client applications. 23 Internet Network Architecture Backbone – high bandwidth fiber optic cable that transports data across the internet. Private networks owned by a variety of Network Service Providers (NSPs). The backbone has been likened to a giant pipeline that transports data around the world in milliseconds. The backbone is typically composed of fiber optic cable with bandwidths ranging from 155 Mbps to 2.5 Gbps. Bandwidth – measures how much data can be transferred over a communications medium within a fixed period of time; usually expressed in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (Kbps), megabits per second (Kbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). 23  Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) – hub where the backbone intersects with local and regional networks and where backbone owners connect with one another. Campus Area Network (CAN) – generally, a local area network (LAN) operating within a single organization that leases access to the web directly from regional and national carries. 24 Internet Network Architecture 25 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) ISP is a firm that provides the lowest level of service in the multi tiered internet architecture by leasing internet access to home owners, small business and some large institutions. Types of service Narrowband (dial up) – the traditional telephone modem connection, now operating at 56.6 Kbps Broadband – refers to any communication technology that permits clients to play streaming audio and video files at acceptable speeds – generally anything above 100 Kbps T1 – an international telephone standard for digital communication that offers guaranteed delivery at 1.54 Mbps T3 - an international telephone standard for digital communication that offers guaranteed delivery at 45 Mbps Satellite – high speed broadband internet access provided via satellite 26 Intranets and Extranets Intranet Extranet TCP/IP network located within Formed when firms permit a single organization for outsiders to access their purposes of communications internal TCP/IP networks and information processing. 27 Fiber Optic Cable Fiber optic cable consist of up to hundreds of strands of glass that use light to transmit data. If often replaces existing coaxial and twisted pared cabling because it can transmit much more data at faster speed, with less interference and better data security. 28 Wi-Fi Networks 29 Web Features Email and Services Streaming Instant Media Messaging Web Services Voice Over Internet Search Engines Online Message Board 30 Web 2.0 Features Online Social and Services Networks Mixed Blogs Reality Web 2.0 Virtual Wikis Reality Augmented Reality 35  E-mail – the most used application of the Internet. Uses a series of protocols for transferring messages with text and attachments (images, sound, video clips, etc.,) from one Internet user to another. Instant Messaging - Displays words typed on a computer almost instantly, and recipients can then respond immediately in the same way. Search Engine – identifies web pages that appear to match keywords, also called queries, entered by the user and then provides a list of the best matches. 33 How Google Works 34  Online Forums – (also referred to as a message board, bulletin board, discussion board, discussion group, board or forum). Web application that enables Internet users to communicate with each other, although not in real time. Members visit Online forum to check for new posts. Streaming Media - enables video, music and other large bandwidth files to be sent to a user in a variety of ways that enable the user to play the files as they are being delivered. 35  Virtual reality (VR) – involves fully immersing user within a virtual world, typically through the use of head-mounted display (HDM) connected to headphones and others devices. Wiki – web application that allows a user to easily add and edit content on a web page. Augmented reality (AR) – involves overlaying virtual objects over the real world, via smartphones, tablets, or HDM. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – protocol that allows for transmission of voice and other forms of audio communication over the internet. 37  Online Social Networks – services that support communication within networks of friends, colleagues and entire professions. Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Blogs – personal web page that is created by an individual or corporation to communicate with readers. Mix reality – enhance version of augmented reality in which virtual images can interact with the real environments onto which they are overlaid. 36