Key Concepts of Internet and Computing Networks

Internet

a computer network consisting of interconnected networks that use standardized, open (non-proprietary) communication protocols.

Bandwidth

the maximum amount of data that can be sent in a fixed amount of time, usually measured in bits per second.

Computing Device

a machine that can run a program, including computers, tablets, servers, routers, and smart sensors.

Computing Network

a group of interconnected computing devices capable of sending or receiving data.

IP Address

The unique number assigned to each device on the Internet.

Internet Protocol (IP)

a protocol for sending data across the Internet that assigns unique numbers (IP addresses) to each connected device.

Open Protocol

The protocols used in the Internet are open, which allows users to easily connect additional computing devices to the Internet.

Path

the series of connections between computing devices on a network starting with a sender and ending with a receiver.

Protocol

An agreed-upon set of rules that specify the behavior of a system.

Router

A type of computer that forwards data across a network.

Routing

the process of finding a path from sender to receiver.

Redundancy

the inclusion of extra components so that a system can continue to work even if individual components fail, for example by having more than one path between any two connected devices in a network.

Fault Tolerant

Can continue to function even in the event of individual component failures. This is important because elements of complex systems like a computer network fail at unexpected times, often in groups.

Data Stream

contains chunks of data, which are encapsulated in packets. Information is passed through the Internet as a data stream.

Packet

A chunk of data sent over a network. Larger messages are divided into packets that may arrive at the destination in order, out-of-order, or not at all.

Packet Metadata

Data added to packets to help route them through the network and reassemble the original message.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

A protocol for sending packets that does error-checking to ensure all packets are received and properly ordered.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

A protocol for sending packets quickly with minimal error-checking and no resending of dropped packets.

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol - the protocol used for transmitting web pages over the Internet.

World Wide Web

a system of linked pages, programs, and files.

Scalability

the capacity for the system to change in size and scale to meet new demands; the Internet was designed to be scalable.

Sequential computing

a computational model in which operations are performed in order one at a time.

Parallel computing

a computational model where the program is broken into multiple smaller sequential computing operations, some of which are performed simultaneously.

Distributed computing

a computational model in which multiple devices are used to run a program.

Speedup of a parallel solution

measured in the time it took to complete the task sequentially divided by the time it took to complete the task when done in parallel.