Networks - Computer Busses - page 418

computers now run their application programs over a network, which makes the administra-
tion of the application software must simpler, and also allows users to share their resources.
The topology of a network is all-important, as it can severely effect the performance of
the network, and can also be used to find network faults. I have run a network for many
years and know the problems that can occur if a network grows without any long-term strat-
egy. Many users (especially managers) perceive that a network can be expanded to an infi-
nite degree. Many also think that new users can simply be added to the network without a
thought on the amount of traffic that they are likely to generate, and its effect on other users.
It is thus important for network managers to have a short-term, a medium-term and a long-
term plan for the network.
So, what are the basic elements of a network. I would say:
• IP addresses/domain names (but only if the network connects to the Internet or uses
TCP/IP).
• A network operating system (such as Microsoft Windows, Novell NetWare, UNIX and
Linux). Many companies run more than one type of network operating system, which
causes many problems, but has the advantage of being able to migrate from one network
operating system to another. One type of network operating system can also have advan-
tages over other types. For example, UNIX is a very robust networking operating system
which has good network security and directly supports TCP/IP for all network traffic.
• The cables (twisted-pair, fibre optic or coaxial cables). These directly affect the bit rate
of the network, its reliability and the ease of upgrade of the network.
• Network servers, client/server connections and peer-to-peer connections.
• Bridges, routers and repeaters. These help to isolate traffic from one network segment to
another. Routers and bridges are always a good long-term investment and help to isolate
network traffic and can also isolate segment faults.
The networking topology of the future is likely to evolve around a client/server architecture.
With this, server machines run special programs which wait for connections from client ma-
chines. These server programs typically respond to networked applications, such as elec-
tronic mail, WWW, file transfer, remote login, date/time servers, and so on.
Many application programs are currently run over local area networks, but in the future
many could be run over wide area networks, or even over the Internet. This means that com-
puters would require the minimum amount of configuration and allows the standardisation
of programs at a single point (this also helps with bug fixes and updates). There may also be
a time when software licensing is charged by the amount of time that a user actually uses the
package. This requires applications to be run from a central source (the server).
The Internet, networks and increased computing power will have great effects on all ar-
eas of life, whether they are in commerce, in industry or in home life. The standardisation of
networking technology has allowed for the standardisation of systems, especially in elec-
tronic mail, and remote working. The key of this success is the worldwide acceptance of the
TCP/IP protocol, which allows different computer systems over the world to communicate,
no matter their type, their architecture, or their operating system.
The Internet is likely to have a great effect on how companies do business. It is likely that
in the coming years that many companies will become reliant on electronic commerce for
much of their business, whether it is by direct sales over the Internet or the integration of
their financial operation in an electronic form.