Today`s Internet

Aside from the complex physical connections that make up its infrastructure, the Internet is facilitated by bi- or multi –lateral commercial contracts and technical specifications or protocols that describe how to exchange data over the network. Indeed, the Internet has severely matured since its birth many years ago. Today almost 1.5 billion people use the Internet. That`s almost a quarter of the entire world (a lot of people).

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the authority that coordinates the assignment of unique identifiers on the Internet, including domin names, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and protocol port and parameter numbers. A globally unified namespace is essential for the Internet to function. Because the Internet is a distributed network comprising many voluntarily interconnected networks, the Internet, as such, has no governing body

Figure 2 icann headquarters

One of the most common uses people have for the Internet is the World Wide Web. Whenever you say you are “on the Internet” you are using the World Wide Web. When you are suffering the Internet through different pages you are moving through the World Wide Web. However, that is not only use for the Internet. E-mail is another very popular use for the Internet. Internet e-mail may travel and be stored unencrypted on many other networks and machines out of both the sender`s and the recipient`s control. Remote access is another very common use for the Internet. The Internet allows computer users to connect to other computers and information stores easily, wherever they may be across the world. File sharing is also popular. It allows people to send files through e-mail, FTP, peer-to-peer networks, etc

1 Various icons are used throughout the book to identify a particular perspective or functional area related to the nearby example. This icon, for example, indicates an international perspective. Refer to the preface for a listing of all of the icons.

2 Each chapter opens with an example that illustrates the applications of IT in real–world organization and the relevance of the chapter topics. The format—problem, solution, results—helps model a way to think about business problems.