Essentials of Management Information Systems - Chapter 7: Telecommunications, the Internet, and Wireless Technology

Learning Objectives

• 7.1: Principal components of telecommunications networks and key technologies.
• 7.2: Different types of networks.
• 7.3: Internet technology and its support for communication and e-business.
• 7.4: Technologies and standards for wireless networking, communication, and internet access.

Networking and Communication Trends

• Convergence: Telephone and computer networks merging into a single digital network.
• Broadband: Most U.S. households have broadband access.
• Broadband Wireless: Voice and data exclusively on broadband platforms.

Computer Network Components

• Definition: Two or more connected computers.
• Key components:
  • Client and server computers
  • Network Interface Cards (NICs)
  • Connection medium
  • Network Operating System (NOS)
  • Hubs, switches, routers
• Software-Defined Networking (SDN): Central management for switch/router functions.

Digital Networking Technologies

1. Client/Server Computing: Distributed model connecting clients via a network server.
   • Replaces centralized mainframe computing.
2. Packet Switching: Slicing messages into packets for more efficient transmission.
3. TCP/IP: Standard protocols for internet communication; structured in a four-layer architecture:
   • Application Layer
   • Transport Layer
   • Internet Layer
   • Network Interface Layer

Types of Networks

• LANs: Local Area Networks; e.g., Ethernet.
• WANs: Wide Area Networks.
• MANs: Metropolitan Area Networks.
• CANs: Campus Area Networks.
• Digital and Analog Signals: Modems translate between formats.

Transmission Media and Speed

• Physical Transmission Media: Twisted pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber optics, wireless.
• Transmission Speed Measurements: Bits per second (bps), Hertz, bandwidth.

The Internet

• Definition: World’s most extensive network.
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Provide access (e.g., DSL, cable, satellite).
• IP Addressing: Each device has a unique 32-bit IP address;
  • DNS: Converts IP addresses to domain names.

Internet Architecture and Governance

• Infrastructure owned by network service providers.
• Standards established by organizations like IAB, ICANN, W3C.
• IPv6: New addressing scheme providing more addresses; incompatibility with IPv5.

Internet Services and Tools

• Email, Chat, FTP, Web: Essential services for communication.
• VoIP and Unified Communications: Integrates various communication types.
• VPNs: Securely connect private networks over the internet.

The Web

• Hypertext: Uses HTML and HTTP for formatting and transferring webpages.
• Search Engines: Evolved from keyword indexing to algorithms that understand user intent; semantic and predictive searching capabilities.
• Web 2.0: Supports collaboration and sharing through blogs, wikis, and social networking sites.

Cellular Systems and Wireless Technology

• Evolution from 3G (144 kbps) to 5G (gigabit capacity).
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi: Standards for personal and wireless local area networks.
• RFID: Technology for tracking items using embedded tags.

Summary of Information Sharing on the Web

• Web 2.0 Characteristics: Users create and share content.
• Increased mobile search and social networking impact on information dissemination.