Networks: The Internet

Basics of Internet

The Internet is a global network of computers that are connected and communicate with each other.
It enables the exchange of information between computers across the globe.
The Internet is not owned or controlled by any one entity or organisation.

The Internet works based on a tiered system, where Tier 1 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) form the backbone and are linked to lower tier ISPs.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are companies who provide access to the Internet.
The World Wide Web (WWW) is an information system on the Internet where documents and other web resources are identified by URLs and can be accessed via Browsers.

Protocols are sets of rules that define how data should be transferred on the Internet. Some common ones include HTTP, FTP, and TCP/IP.
Every device connected to the Internet is assigned a unique IP Address. This serves as the ‘address’ of the device and enables other devices to locate and communicate with it.
Domain Name System (DNS) translates domain names to IP addresses allowing users to access websites using easy-to-remember names instead of numeric IP addresses.

Various measures are taken to ensure the security of the Internet such as the use of firewalls, anti-virus software, and secure protocols like HTTPS.
Encryption is used to secure sensitive data that is transmitted over the Internet.

The Cloud refers to data centres accessible over the Internet that are used to store and process data.
Many services like email, file storage, and databases are now provided as cloud services.

Websites are collections of web pages, images, videos and other digital assets that are hosted on one or several web servers, accessible via the Internet.
A browser is a software application used to access and view websites. Common browsers include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple’s Safari.