Chapter 7

The Internet

a massive network that connect computers all over the world and allows them to communicate with one another

Digital divide

A worldwide gap giving advantage to those with access to technology

*Benefits & Challenges of a Connected World

Benefits of a connected world are plentiful. Before networks, transferring data between computers was time-consuming and labor-intensive. People had to physically copy data from machine to machine using a disk. Resource sharing makes all applications, equipment (such as a high-volume printer), and data available to anyone on the network, without regard to the physical location of the resource or the user. Perhaps even more important than sharing physical resource is sharing data. Most companies, regardless of size, depend not just on their customer records, inventories, accounts receivable, financial statements, and tax information, but also on their ability to share these, especially with operations in remote locations. Challenges of a connected world also exits. Four categories of issues that are prevalent are Security, Ethical, and Political Issues. Networks are a tempting target for mischief and fraud. A company must ensure that their data stays within their own network, and that because of the massive amount of data sharing that goes on, their information does not get into the wrong hands. In terms of social, ethical, and political issues, one should remember only a small fraction of the world's population has access to the internet, creating a digital divide, a worldwide gap giving advantage to those with access to technology. Issues can also arise when sensitive political, religious, or sexual information is shared, that could stir problems with people who find it aggressive or offensive. (You should be able to explain the ability to innovate and compete enabled by inexpensive, reliable, and cheap connectivity, and understand how the playing field has been leveled for small companies to have access to resources not possible in the recent past which enables them to innovate and compete in very different ways. You should be able to discuss the added complexities that come from a connected world such as continuous 24/7/365 operations and added security vulnerabilities/the difficulty protecting key digital assets.)

*Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)

Connect to a LAN Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) is a means by which portable devices can connect wirelessly to a local area network, using access points that send and receive data via radio waves. Wi-Fi has a maximum range of about 1,000 feet in open areas such as a city park and 250 to 400 feet in closed areas such as an office building. Wi-Fi infrastructure includes the inner workings of a Wi-Fi service or utility, including the signal transmitters, towers, or poles, along with additional equipment required to send out a Wi-Fi signal. This technology allows for wireless devices, like laptops, tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches to get access to the internet, without the use of any wires. (You should be able to describe this means by which portable devices can connect wirelessly to a local area network, using access points that send and receive data via radio waves.)

*Protocols

Protocols are standards that specify the format of data as well as the rules to be followed during transmission. Protocols have significantly contributed to the success of the internet in creating a connected world, by essentially developing a language of data sharing that everyone must use. There is are protocols for file transferring, transmission, dynamic host configuration, internet TV, and encryption and secure identification on internet servers. In simpler terms, the reason protocols are so important is that they ensure everybody using the internet does things in the same way, so that no matter the purpose, technology, location, size, etc. there is uniformity across all actions on the internet. Everybody shares files the same way, everybody transmits information the same way, everyone makes domains the same way, and everyone can encrypt and secure public information the same way. (You should be able to explain the usefulness of an accepted or established code of procedure or behavior in any group, organization, or situation and how protocols have contributed to the success of the Internet in creating a connected world.)

*Network Categories

The three main network categories are Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). A LAN connects a group of computers in proximity, such as in an office building, school, or home. A WAN spans a large geographic area such as a state, province, our country (anything bigger than a LAN is a WAN). A MAN is a large computer network usually spanning a city. To have these networks work, you need components from the four following Networking Elements: Network Providers, Network Access Technologies, Network Protocols, and Network Convergence. The three different types of networks have helped to give all different types of people and organizations access to the internet. Whether it be a LAN within your own house, a WAN spreading across a college campus such as Miami University, or a LAN providing an office building with connectivity, all three types of networks are connected to allow for people at home, at school, and at work to communicate regardless of their geographic location. (You should be able to provide an overview of the main types of typical computer networks including the hardware and software needed to for these networks to operate successfully. You should be able to compare and contrast how the categories have blended into the connectivity infrastructure that business is built upon today, how they relate to the Internet.)

Mobile application management (MAM)

The tools and services responsible for distributing and controlling access to apps. Also called application control.

*Business Value of a Wireless World

There is an infinite value to business in a wireless world. The untethered connectivity, anytime, anywhere, has fueled a major market and technology disruption, which has permeated almost every consumer market worldwide. Three of the most game-changing wireless Business Applications are Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). RFID uses electronic tags and labels to identify objects wirelessly over short distances. GPS is a satellite-based navigation system providing extremely accurate position, time, and speed information. GIS stores, views, and analyzes geographic data, creating multidimensional charts or maps. The "Domino Effect" that has occurred because of the development of a wireless world has resulted in a unique opportunity for innovation and creativity in technology, marketing, and business strategy. The only way companies can get ahead in this day and age is to utilize wireless technology in newer, more innovative ways (things their competitors have not ever done). (You should be able to explain that untethered connectivity, anytime, anywhere, has fueled a major market and technology disruption, which has permeated almost every consumer market worldwide. The student will further expound that the "domino effect" of the success of wireless technology has resulted in a unique opportunity for innovation and creativity in technology, marketing, and business strategy.)

Voice over IP (VoIP)

Uses IP technology to transmit telephone calls

Broadband

a high speed internet connection that is always connected

Packet

a small piece of an electronic message that has been divided into chunks

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

allows dynamic IP address allocation so users do not have a pre configured IP address to use the network

Telecommuting (virtual workforce)

allows users to work from remote locations such as home, hotel, using high speed internet to access business apps and data

Location-based service (LBS)

applications that use location information to provide a service

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

companies can establish direct private network links among themselves or create private, secure Internet access, in effect a "private tunnel" within the Internet

Local area network (LAN)

connects group of computers in close proximity, such as school or office

Domain name system (DNS)

converts IP addresses into domains or identifying labels that use a variety of recognizable naming conventions

Extranet

extension of an intranet that is available only to authorized outsiders such as customers, partners, and suppliers

Metropolitan area network (MAN)

large computer network usually spanning a city

Asset tracking

occurs when a company places active or semi-passive RFID tags on expensive products or assets to gather data on the items' locations with little or no manual intervention

Digital subscriber line (DSL)

provides high-speed digital data transmission over standard telephone lines using broadband modem technology, allowing both Internet and telephone services to work over the same phone lines

Intranet

restricted network that relies on Internet technologies to provide an internet-like environment within the company for information sharing, communications, collaboration, web publishing, and the support of business processes

Wide area network (WAN)

spans a large geographic area such as a state, province, or country

Geographic information system (GIS)

system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data

Unified communications (UC)

the integration of communication channels into a single service

Bandwidth

the maximum amount of data that can pass from one point to another in a unit of time

IP address

unique number that identifies where computers are located on a network

Radio-frequency identification (RFID)

uses electronic tags and labels to identify objects wirelessly over short distances

Bluetooth

wireless PAN technology that transmits signals over short distances between cell phones, computers, and other devices