In our daily life, we use computers to browse the Internet, send/receive emails, play online games, watch online videos, download music, take online courses, read daily newspapers, etc. All such activities require a computer connected to some other computer to make a computer network. They can be linked through a wire or wirelessly. A communication channel is another name for the medium used to connect multiple computers.
Overview of computer network
Typically, there are two ways to measure a system’s performance:
What is a Computer network?
- A network= is a combination of Software and Hardware that sends data from one computer location to another computer location.
- The hardware consists of physical devices that carry signals from one point of the network to another.
- The software contains instructions that enable the services we expect from a network.
- Network= consists of at least two devices connected by links.
Computer Network criteria
Performance
Typically, there are two ways to measure a system’s performance:
- Transit time.
- Response or reply time.
Network performance depends on several factors:
- The number of users.
- Type of transmission medium.
- Connected hardware capabilities.
- Software performance.
Reliability
It is possible to evaluate reliability by:
- Frequency of failure.
- Time to bounce back from failure.
- Network resilience in a disaster.
- Earthquake, fire, flood, theft
Security
Security issues or problems are involved:
- Protecting data from unauthorized access, loss, and alteration.
- Implementing policies and procedures to recover from breaches and data losses.
- sensitive data
- Protection at multiples levels
- Lower level case: User ID codes & passwords
- Upper-Level case: Encryption
Importance of computer networks in our daily life
In order to share resources, a computer network is set up. Below are some examples of resource sharing.
File Sharing:-
Networking of computers helps a network user to share files. For example, if you need the date sheet of your University Exam, you can get the file through the Internet, without visiting the university office.
Similarly, a Virtual university requires your picture and your bio-data for the admission form. They can get all these files over a network. So, file sharing is helpful for completing a task systematically as shown in Figure.
For example, if all of your university professors decide to use computers to prepare a combined result, they can share files over a network at their institution or the internet.
Furthermore, sharing files with people who reside in another city or even another nation is also very helpful and is carried out in the same way.
Hardware Sharing:
Users can share devices such as Scanners, printers, hard disks, CD- ROM drives, etc.
For example, in an office, usually, there are fewer number printers and scanners than the available number of computers as shown in Figure.
Using a network, these resources are shared to get a cost-efficient solution.
Sharing of applications:
Over the network, applications can be shared. This means that multiple users may utilize the same application.
For example, in a bank, the same network-based application is used by managers, cashiers, and automated teller machines. Any time the bank balance is updated, it is immediately updated across all branches.
Sharing a single Internet Connection
We can share a single Internet connection between multiple users at home or at the office by using a network.
When we use a network at home, for example, we buy a connection from PTCL and if there are five people in our house, we use a modem to give internet to all these users. A single Internet connection provides Internet access to all users.
User communication
Networks provide user interaction through email, newsgroups, online video conferencing, etc. Thus, the network makes it possible to communicate with numerous individuals who are seated in various areas.
An example would be a video conference, which consists of the technology for people to receive and send audio-visual signals from various locations.
I provide a fantastic video conference and video chat example. For example, during the COVID-19 shutdown, teachers began conducting Skype classes from their homes to keep the educational process continuing. Zoom meetings were held every day, continuing the pupils’ education.
Increasing storage capacity
Storage capacity means the limit to storing data in a computer. If we connect our computer to another computer having more storage, then we can also use the disk space of that computer. In this way, we can store and access files stored remotely. The computer accessing the storage space in this configuration is referred to as a workstation, and the computer delivering the storage is known as a file server.
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