Overview of Internetworking MN503

This research report presents an analysis of human-centric design aspects in networking such as the layered approach in networking, an explanation of the current-day technologies used on the internet with a brief discussion of the main internet protocols. Lastly, the paper with present the future if computer networks such as the introduction of Software Defined Networking, Intelligent networking, and cloud computing.

ASSIGNMENT 1: OVERVIEW OF INTERNETWORKING MN503
Name
Instructor
Institution
Course
City
Date

OVERVIEW OF INTERNETWORKING
Introduction
Internetworking is a term which has been used widely by BBN, Cisco and other providers of
communication services and networks. According to these providers internetworking allows computers
and people to communicate across different networks. Internetworking initially started as a way to
connect disparate types of what was known as networking technology but after a period of time, it
became widespread across the world via developing need of local area network (LAN). Initially,
internetworks were referred to as castanets which was composed of two main words which were ‘inter’
and ‘network’. The current definition of interworking includes connection of different types of networks
such as Local Area Network, Personal Area Network, and Wide Area Network. This research report will
present an analysis of human-centric design aspects in networking such as the layered approach in
networking, an explanation of the current-day technologies used on the internet with a brief discussion
of the main internet protocols. Lastly, the paper with present the future if computer networks such as
the introduction of Software Defined Networking, Intelligent networking, and cloud computing.
Chronological development
From as early as mid-1960s people recognized the need to connect computers. The early
computer connection was a point to point i.e. computers would connect directly to another by using
either a modem or a line. Figure one below shows point to point connection of computers in the mid-
1960s
Figure 1: Point to Point Connection [1]
Point to Point arrangement began to change in the 1970s where the US military was needed to connect
a large number of computers for the purposes of their national defense. This requirement resulted in a
development by Advance Research Programs Networks (ARPA) which would allow connection of a large
number of computers [2]. One of the connections which made it possible is the Multi-Point connection

which was also known as Multi-Point Connection. Figure 2 shows a sample connection of Multi-
connection.
Figure 2: Multi-point Connection [1]
Another technology in the 1970s that meet the need of the US military department was the
Local Area Network technology which is commonly known as Ethernet. LAN technology allowed lots of
computers which are located within very few yards to connect via a physical cable. Each computer has
its own unique address which enables it to send a message from one computer to another. Two major
types of LAN architectures emerged which were circuit board to circuit board and bus and ring
architectures.
A need of connecting computers which are far apart then emerged in the US military. This
resulted in the emergence of Wide Area Network (WAN). This was done in the mid-1970s and early
1980s. It first started with interconnecting of what was widely known as leased circuits using the T1s and
then later T3s [3]. Other WAN architectures then emerged such as site to site communication, pass
through routing, telephone-based, and dedicated computers.
From the mid-1980s it then began the proliferation of incompatible LANs and WANs which led to the
development of the internet as it is known today. The Internet is a connection of LANs, WANs, PANs,
MANs, and any form of single logical network. The point of connection between any of these two
networks is a router.
Human-centric design approach
The human-centered design aims at bridging the gap between human activities and the design
and implementation of computing systems. In internetworking, this concept began in the late 1970s
which were overseen by the International Telegraph and International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) organizations. The two organizations developed a document independently which defined
networking models. Later in 1983 the documents were merged and formed what was widely known as

the basic reference model or the OSI reference model. The OSI model has two major parts which are the
abstract model and a set of specific protocols. Table 1 below summarizes the seven layers of the OSI
model [4]
Table 1: The seven layers of the OSI model
OSI model Layers Description
Application This layer provides services to the application
Presentation The layer converts the information
Session Handles issues which are not communication issues
Transport This layer provides end to end communication
Network Network routers information in the network
Data Link The layer provides error control
Physical The layer connects the outside entity to the transmission
media
TCP/IP model was another consideration in internetworking. TCP/IP is a suite of a
communication protocol which is used to interconnect network devices on the internet. It specifies how
data can be exchanged over the internet by providing what is known as end-to-end communication. The
DAPRA, a US department research created the TCP/IP model in the mid-1970s. It was designed for use in
ARPANET and UNIX operating system but it was later implanted into other operating systems. Table 2
summarizes the TCP/IP model [5].
Table 2: TCP/IP model
TCP/IP model
layer
Description Example of protocols
Application The layer provides application
with a standardized data
exchange
SMTP, SNMP, POP3, and HTTP
Transport Maintains end to end
communication across networks
TCP and UDP

Network Transports network packets
across the various network
boundaries
ICMP
Physical Connects hosts or nodes in the
network
Ethernet and ARPs
Lastly networking accessories such as GUI, keyboards, and mouse have been taken into account
when computer scientist discuss internetworking. Initially was the command based interface which was
used in the 1950s and emerged graphical user interface. Command based interfaced used keyboards
while GUI employed the use of keyboard shortcuts and mouse. GUI is used in many internetworking
devices such as routers and switches.
A brief discussion of the present day technology
The internet has continued to grow in the mid-1990s at a very first-rate. The most important
recent development is the emergence of the World Wide Web. In the early 1990s, World Wide Web
began as internet application which allowed atomic and nuclear scientists at several international sites.
Other recent developments are the routing protocols. Static and dynamic routing is currently being used
in the current networks. Static routing is specifically used to implement small networks while dynamic
routing is used to manage large networks or those networks which consist of several routers [6]. Other
protocols are the Routing Information Protocol (RIP) which is a forceful protocol that is used in LANs and
WANs. Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP) is used to exchange routing data in an independent
system. EIGRP is a distance-vector routing protocol wh9ich lessens routing unsteadiness incurred after a
topology alteration. BGP is aimed at routing protocol of the internet and is responsible for maintaining a
table of internet protocols [7].
Internet Speed and comparison over the years
Internet Speed has continued to grow to speed with ever-faster need. Cisco Company
highlighted that worldwide network traffic reached 20 exabytes per month by 2010. This showed a high
growth in internet speed. Internet speed has grown with the development of cables table 3 has
summarized the growth the growth of internet speed since the inception of internetworking.
Table 3: Internet speed over the years
Year Internet speed

The 1970s The Internet began operating at 50 Kbs
circuits
1986 National Science’s Internet backbone
(NSFNET) went online at a speed of 56 Kbps
1994 NSFNET was connected at 145 Mbps
2010 After the emergence of the world wide web
internet speed reached 20 exabytes per
month
2013 Google launched what it referred to as
Google fiber where internet speed reached
10MB per second
2017 After the emergence of Fiber optic cable
internet speed has been very fast even up
200MB per second
Present human-centric aspects
As highlighted from the previous section it is evident that internetworking has grown. CPUs have
grown from large CPUs to portable CPUs. This has made it easy for networking of CPUs to easier.
Computer screens have been developed for portable monitors of 17 inches. Currently, there is also the
availability of touch screens. Mobile apps are also at the peak of their development. All this
development have resulted in various networking topologies such as client-server, peer to peer
topology, mesh topology and others. These networking topologies the sitting arrangement of CPUs
The future of computer networks
Part of this rapid development in computer networks is traced back in 1993 after the first
graphical and point and click browsers of web pages. In the future, we look forward to seeing further
developments in computer networks. One of the technology people are waiting is the Internet of Things
(IoT). As it is highlighted IoT is that connection of physical devices such as home appliances, actuators,
sensors, and vehicles to the current wide area network. This creates chances for direct integration with
the current physical world. Other computer networks under development are cloud computing and
Software Defined networking [8].

The future of computer networking technologies
Cloud computing technology is one of the many technologies people are eagerly waiting. It enables
ubiquitous access of configurable computer system resources. With cloud computing networking
technology it enables organizations and companies to consume resources like an application as a utility.
Rather than having to maintain and build computing infrastructures in-house organizations will be able
to consume them just like electricity [9]. An illustration of a sample cloud computing is as shown in
figure 3 below
Figure 2: Cloud computing illustration [10]
Conclusion
This report has given an overview of internetworking. The report has highlighted the
development of inter-networking since its inception to the current day. Also, the report has presented
computer network technologies and given an in-depth overview of the internet. Two major future
computer technologies that need to monitored closely are cloud computing and IoT. As we from the
report future development are forth-coming and more is coming in inter-networking.

References
[1] "Line Configuration in Computer Networks," Study Tonight, n.d. [Online]. Available:
https://www.studytonight.com/computer-networks/line-configuration. [Accessed 31st August
2018].
[2] UniversityOfNorthCarolina, "Internet Chronology," University of North Carolina, n.d. [Online].
Available: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~jbs/resources/Internet/internet-chron/chronology1.html.
[Accessed 31st August 2018].
[3] J. Dickey, "The evolution of private WANs: LANs and WANs converge," Talari Networks, 10th April
2014. [Online]. Available: https://www.talari.com/blog/history-of-wan-part-2/. [Accessed 31st
August 2018].
[4] SANSInstitute, "The OSI Model: An Overview," Computer networks, vol. III, no. 3, pp. 23-69, 2017.
[5] Fall, TCP/IP illustrated Volume 1, addison-Wesley, 2011.
[6] CiscoNetworkingAcademy, "Cisco Networking Academy's Introduction to Routing Dynamically,"
Cisco Networking Academy, 24th March 2014. [Online]. Available:
http://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=2180210&seqNum=5. [Accessed 31st August
2018].
[7] "Routing Protocols Types (RIP, IGRP, OSPF, EGP, EIGRP, BGP, IS-IS)," FreeWimaxInfo, 2017. [Online].
Available: http://freewimaxinfo.com/routing-protocol-types.html. [Accessed 31st August 2018].
[8] J. R. B. S. M. a. M. P. Gubbi, "Internet of Things (IoT): A vision, architectural elements, and future

directions," Future generation computer systems, pp. 1645-1660, 2013.
[9] W. J. W. B. J. B. E. a. P. E. Cardoso, "igital manufacturing, industry 4.0, clould computing and thing
internet: Brazilian contextualization and reality.," Independent Journal of Management &
Production, pp. 459-473, 2017.
[10] C. Doukas, "Bringing IoT and Cloud Computing towards Pervasive Healthcare," Research Gate, p.
1002, July 2012.