1 Introducing Basic

Network Concepts

Here we will learn N etworks are everywhere—or so it seems. You can hardly do anything w
how to:
data that does not involve a network. Like the human networks that we are
■ Identify human and computer all part of, computer networks let us share information and resources. In busines
networks
the reliance on networks is even more pervasive than in homes or schools.
■ Describe the benefits of networks
Networks help individuals and businesses alike save money, but they also help
■ Distinguish between the different
types of networks create income.

Here, you’ll begin by relating networks to situations and concepts

you already know. Once you have a basic understanding of what networks are
and what they can do, it helps if you can actually begin working with them.

■ Understanding Networks

• A network connects members of a family together.

Human Networks
In its broadest sense, a network consists of two or more entities, or objects, sharing resources and information. Although
this book is about computer networks, there are networks that don’t involve computers, and those networks are everywhere.
You have grown accustomed to working with them, possibly without even knowing it.
It may not matter to you that, in a basic sense, sharing (giving or getting) is a fundamental aspect of networking. You
just know that you do it.

Family Network
Most people belong to a family network in which related people share their resources and information. This sharing is bi-
directional because even the youngest family members share information of some sort. As the family grows, so does the
network.
Peer Network
Outside the family, there is a community that offers a wider array of re-sources than the typical family can provide.
Naturally, it makes sense to connect the family to this community to take advantage of the wealth of re-sources available
around town. This type of information/resource sharing can be as simple as loaning a hammer to a neighbor, car-pooling
with work associates, or helping a friend with his or her homework. All of these activi-ties involve sharing, or trading,
resources. This kind of network is repre-sented by a two-way relationship, a give and take among equals or peers.

• The family network connects with the greater community.

Restaurant Network: The Client and the Server

So, in any type of human network, there’s a lot of giving and taking. You’re already more accustomed to the
client/server perspective in networking than you realize. For instance, when you go to dinner at a restaurant, you
be-come a customer, or client, enjoying the food and drink prepared and served to you by the restaurant. On the
other hand, the waiter works as a server, controlling and providing his customers with access to resources in the
form of placing orders for and delivering food items. The server knows that re-quests will be made of him (access
is sought when an order is placed) and that he will service those making the requests (access is granted when the
order is delivered).

• In a dining situation, it is easy to know whether you are supposed to be serving or being served.

Contact Network
Anyone who has looked for a job knows that one of the best ways to find a job is to network. That is, create a list of
friends and associates who will help you find the perfect job. The more people you meet and get to know, the better
your chances of obtaining work. As you develop and nurture your ca-reer, this contact network will serve you best
because your role in it will change as you gain more experience. Soon, you may be able to help the people who
helped you. And as your personal and professional networks grow, so do your opportunities.
These examples of human networks should help you under-stand that networking is common between people
and is not just an activity restricted to computers.

Computer Networks
A computer network consists of two• The more people in your network, the better your
or more computing devices that are chances of finding that perfect job.
connected in order to share the components of your network (its resources) and the information you store there, as
shown in Figure 1.1. The most basic computer network (which consists of just two connected computers) can
expand and become more usable when additional computers join and add their resources to those being shared.

The first computer, yours, is commonly referred to as your local com-puter. It is more likely to be used as a location
where you do work, a work-station, than as a storage or controlling location, a server. As more and more computers are
connected to a network and share their resources, the net-work becomes a more powerful tool, because employees using a
network with more information and more capability are able to accomplish more through those added computers or
additional resources.
The real power of networking computers becomes apparent if you envi-sion your own network growing and then
connecting it with other distinct networks, enabling communication and resource sharing across both net-works. That is, one
network can be connected to another network and be-come a more powerful tool because of the greater resources. For
example,

• Fig 1.1 A computer network can be as simple as two or more

computers communicating.

you and your classmates develop for this course to similarly constructed networks from other introductory
networking classes if you wanted them to share your information and networked resources. Those classes could
be within your own institution, or they could be anywhere in the world. Wherever that newly joined network is,
the communication and resource sharing activities in that new network could then be shared with anyone
connected to your network. All you have to do is join that new network’s community or allow its members to
join yours. In addition, a company’s cost of doing business can be reduced as a connected to your network. All
you have to do is join that new network’s community or allow its members to join yours.
In addition, a company’s cost of doing business can be reduced as a result of sharing data (defined as a piece or
pieces of information) and re-sources. Instead of having individual copies of the data at several locations around
the company, and needing to keep all of them similarly updated, a company using a network can have just one
shared copy of that data and share it, needing to keep only that one set of data updated. Furthermore, sharing
networked resources (like printers) means that more people can use a particular resource and a wider variety of
resources (like different printers) can be used by each network user. Any time a company can do more with less,
or buy fewer items to do the same job, its total costs are reduced, and it is able to make more money in ref. to the
money spent.

You have already seen that you have been involved in networks for a
long time and that computer networks are important tools for businesses.
Use what you have learned as you answer the following questions:

1. Which basic human network best represents the interaction

between you and your classmates in a discussion about your
homework assignments?
2. If your lab had only stand-alone computers, what would be
needed to convert it to a networked classroom?

Network Plan
Networking computers first and tracking the connections later can quickly
become confusing and unmanageable as you try to find which computer
communicates with and shares resources with which other computers. In your
human network, do you share everything with your friends? In your family
network, would you want your parents or guardians to know your every thought?
You have your information-sharing plan in your head, and it is important to keep
track of it so you don’t make a mistake and share something where it was not
intended.
Similar concerns must be considered while designing a computer network.
Before you even connect your first computers together, you should have a plan. A
network plan, therefore, is a formally created product that shows all the
network’s components and the planned connections between them. Such a plan is
also used to manage the various types of information. Your plan should show
what types of information are stored where, and who is allowed to use each type.

Information Management
Your network plan should help you manage the information gathered, stored, and
shared between your users. If you were given an empty three-drawer filing
cabinet and told to use it to organize your company’s in-formation, you would
have an excellent (although manual) example of a fil-ing system that needs a plan.
Having an overall guide that tells you who will be allowed access to the three
drawers will help determine what you store in each one. Once you have that part
of the plan, you could put the least-used information in the bottom drawer, the
more-used in the middle drawer, and the most-used in the top drawer so that it is
easier for your users to access their information. Knowing who needs to know
what, and its corollary— who does not need to know what—lets you determine
whether to lock a par-ticular drawer, too.
 Even when we discuss implementing a three-drawer manual filing sys-tem, the importance of having a network plan
ahead of time becomes evi-dent. If you put the limited-access material in a drawer open to all employees, how do you keep it
secure? Additional security measures (like adding a lock to a drawer, or moving the secure information somewhere else)
may be required later.

A networking plan could tell you that as specific types of sensitive data (like medical, personal, or payroll information)
are gathered or grouped, they should be stored higher in the hierarchical structure (ranked from most sensitive to least
sensitive), and this can save you time in the end. That plan should specify that the access requirements are stricter for
sensitive data and reduce the number of people able to use specific types of information.
The distribution side of the networking plan, as opposed to the accumu-lation side of the plan discussed above, should
spell out that the more an in-dividual has access to the data in storage, the less they should be able to share groups of
information entrusted to them. For example, you may not mind sharing your first name, but you would probably object to an
instruc-tor openly distributing all information in your school records to anyone re-questing it.

Information’s Importance
If you think about the manual filing system we discussed using a filing cabi-net, an important computing concept is easy to
recognize. Some informa-tion is more important or more sensitive than the rest. It is usually obvious in real filing cabinet
systems, because the top drawer is usu-ally where the most sensitive information is stored, and it is locked.
Few people in an organization have access to that information. For example, credit card or Social Security numbers
are information that should be given the highest level of security—access to that information is given only to a
limited number of people in a company. On the other hand, some information, such as Web pages, newsletters, and
product information, is created for everyone to see, even outside a company. Figure 1.2 shows how this kind of
information is organized into a hierarchy of information, where the most detailed infor-

mation is found at the top and the more general, less secure information is located at the bottom.
How much information would you be willing to pro-vide about yourself to a perfect stranger? Coun-
try of birth? Sure. State of residence? Why not?
But you might have second thoughts about advertising your street address or phone number
to a stranger.

The collection and proper manipulation of many seemingly unimportant pieces of information,and the effective
tracking of them, makes information management on networks so important, just as when you are maintaining a
manual filing system. A single piece of information in a data field, such as your first name, can seem
unimportant. However, by combining your first • Figure 1.2 The hierarchy of information—The more specific the information
name with other pieces of related information, like your becomes, the more restricted it should be. What kind of data
would you be willing to give to a stranger?
last name, address, age, gender, and phone number (stored in
other data fields), the pieces can be
put together to create a data record, which can accurately describe something (or someone) that is important—
like you. Finally, combining similar records (such as records describing all your class mates) creates a file that,
because it contains sensitive information from more than one source, is more sensitive than a single record.
Information sharing, therefore, has serious security issues to be considered, and network access to data must be
evaluated carefully so that only those who need it can access it.
 ■ Identifying the
Benefits of Networks
• Figure 1.3 Stand-alone computers are operated independently.

1973 1974 1975 1976

Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn design Apple Computer founded by

TCP/IP, today’s most widely Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
used network protocol. ■
■
BBN creates TELENET, the first
packet-switched network.
■
Intel releases the
8088 processor.
MITS Altair 8800 is introduced
in Popular Electronics.
■
PARC creates the Altos, the first Bell Labs releases UNIX version 6. The Apple I computer is
PC with a GUI, laser printer, and ■ released.
a connection to the first Ethernet Bill Gates and Paul Allen write a
network. programming language called

stantly communicate over the network. All employees send elec-tronic mail, have Internet
access, and keep current with company policies because they use their network’s capabilities
fully.

• Te floppy disk, which was

used to transfer data between
computers that were not
networked.

Inside
Information
Computers
Assist
Communication
Without computers, TEACH
per-sonnel would have a
difficult time keeping up with
all that is going on in the
company. Even though they
are in close proximity to each
other, the executive section
and the training section con-
 information to share but also someone on the other end with whom to
Once share it. Companies don’t benefit by creating sheer volumes of output
computers were —they benefit when the in-creased output helps them make better
connected by decisions or increases the likelihood of increased income. Having your
networks, computers networked allows you to do both with your newfound
information increases.
sharing in- The initial reason for developing most computer networks was to
creased assist users with sharing their increased output, especially between
dramatically. computers in the same general vicinity. However, users wanted not
People found only to share information with others, they wanted to communicate
that more data about that information after someone else had it, too. In addition to
helped them trans-mitting the user’s original information, computer networks
make better enabled those users to discuss what was being transmitted, and this
decisions, and resulted in even more communication. Additional network
companies communications techniques thus
started saving came into being, such as e-mail and video conferencing. Furthermore,
money. Many with the increases in the sizes of networks, sharing no longer had to be
original concerned with proximity. The use of networks has effectively erased
networks were distance and
designed to
facilitate
communication,
but they were
quickly
expanded as
businesses
noticed
increased
productivity and
reduced costs.

Sharing
Information
Computers
increase your
ability to
communicate.
Once you begin
working with a
computer, you
are likely to
become more
productive.
However, what
do you do with
that increased
productivity if
you are not
connected to
any-one?
Communication
requires not only
someone with
 The ability of networks to be
joined together to form larger
networks has resulted in what is
• Figure 1.4 Computer communication—Two computers in the same general called the Internet—a worldwide
vicinity should be able to communicate. collection of connected comput-
ers able to communicate with
time constraints. You can communicate almost instantly to anywhere in the world each other.
that is connected to your network.
Networks are an effective way to communicate. Using networks, com-panies
can send the same information to large numbers of employees or cus-tomers
quickly and efficiently. Examples include company newsletters and
announcements for employees, as well as advertisements and purchase in-
formation for customers. Also, individual employees are more likely to
communicate with larger numbers of individuals both inside and outside the
You should be aware that
company using e-mail, an electronic means of communicating that is similar to there is next to no privacy when
mail but done on computers, usually over the Internet, over net-works. E-mail is sending e-mail. Your electronic
the most commonly used feature of the Internet, and its use is growing message can not only be inter-
dramatically. In fact, e-mail is fast becoming the primary choice for much of our cepted and read anywhere along
its route to your ultimate recipi-ent,
daily communication.
but it can later be forwarded,
without your permission, to any
number of additional recipients.
Sharing Resources You should, therefore, use care in
In the earliert era, users spent huge amounts of time attempting to share their what you say as well as how you
say it.
resources. They had to physically distribute files that others needed. Expenditures
for printers and other attached computer components rose
 rapidly while the individual components themselves were not being
used to their full capacity. On top of that, the hard disk storage on
each local computer began filling up, partly because everyone had
a copy of every document. One copy of that data, and even the
applications that produced it, could more efficiently be stored in a
single location and shared over a network.
The ability to share resources was another reason networks
were created, and it is still one of the main purposes for using
networks. The inevitable technology creep (the continuing need for
additional investment in technology that is required to stay current)
extends the computer user’s involvement in technology because
companies expect employees to learn new systems as they are
installed. Companies also look for ways to make the best use of
their investments by sharing the purchased resources among
multiple de-partments. Let’s look at some of the resources that are
commonly shared over computer networks.

Peripherals
Many companies start with multiple stand-alone computers. Not
too long after the initial computer purchase, however, additional
components that attach to a computer, called peripherals, like
printers, scanners, and speak-ers, are purchased and are connected
to that computer to expand its use (see Figure 1.5). When there are
multiple users and computers, it soon becomes ap-parent that the
peripheral devices are seldom fully utilized. Money can be saved if
some of these peripherals are shared, instead of having to purchase
a separate set for each computer. Networking enables the sharing of
peripherals.
The ability to share printers was very often enough of a cost
savings for companies to invest in implementing and supporting a
simple network. The company could then also realize additional
cost savings as it shared additional

• Figure 1.5 Common network peripherals

peripheral devices, such as faxes, modems, scanners, plotters, and virtually any
other device that connects to computers. Sharing peripherals often ends up
producing significant cost savings and more than justifies the expense of adding a
network.

Storage
Data was being loaded on the computers of every fledgling network user as they
expanded their network use. Users quickly ran out of space on their own local
computers, so the people in charge of the networks began devis-ing ways to store
data centrally so that it was accessible to any user who needed it. Large amounts
of storage capacity, usually in fast, very powerful computers, were set up to act as
storage locations for this data where access to it could be controlled by the person
storing the data.

Applications
Cost and space savings are achieved when computer users can centrally store their
software applications—the computer programs (organized sets of computer
instructions) that make a user’s computer do what needs to be done. Applications,
such as those used for preparing taxes, creating text documents, or playing
computer games, have grown in complexity and size and often take up
considerable local storage. Installing an application once on a network and then
sharing it cuts down on the storage space required when multiple users need the
same application.
Unfortunately, there are still several problems with this type of arrange-ment.
Some applications work fine with different setups for each user (dif-ferent
choices for screen settings and other custom features), but normally all such
settings must be the same for all users. Sometimes, applications still function
better when installed on a user’s local computer.

Assisting Collaboration
Once you have digital information and the ability to share it instantly with oth-ers
over networks, you can have multiple people working on the same process
collectively. Much of the initial communication about computer-produced
products that occurred during and immediately after the sneakernet era dealt
with coworker collaboration, with coworkers discussing each other’s work or possibly even exchanging opinions
about what other users had created. Those early computer users found that once they created something and sent it
out for review, the comments returned often led to important adjust-ments that would improve the original product.
Such collaboration assisted the widespread use of computers because it provided a tangible benefit that businesses
could associate with the increased costs of installing computers in the first place.

Many software makers took this early form of collaboration into consid-eration and added that feature to the capabilities
of their software. The new-est versions of the applications included in Microsoft’s Office suite (such as Word, Access,
Excel,
and PowerPoint) allow multiple users to access and make changes to the same document at the same time. That way, all
users
can work together on the original document, and changes made by any col-laborating member are immediately posted within
the document. A more powerful implementation of this concept can be found in an application designed to facilitate
collaboration,
such as Microsoft’s Terminal Server

Facilitating Centralized Management

Just connecting computers to a network meant that some sort of similarity existed among them (or else the computers would
not be able to communicate), and a maintenance capability may have been available in the early networks. However, it
wasn’t until much later (in the mid ’90s) that maintenance per-sonnel started using networks to assist with the management
tasks associated with the network’s operation and maintenance.
It came about as a direct result of standardization and interoperability, which meant computers worked the same way and
could work with each other. This was a drastic change to the original networks, where all the dif-ferent networked
components had different computer programs, or soft-ware (a set of instructions that control the operation of a computer)
running them. Having more similarities meant lower support costs. These savings were usually due to economies of scale
brought about by buying more simi-lar computers and obtaining a lower per-unit cost. Companies soon began

directing technicians to purchase similar equipment to obtain the benefit of those savings. Once that happened, the network
could be used to help main-tain those similar components, and this further increased efficiency and re-duced the total amount
companies would spend on a particular component over that equipment’s usable lifetime, called total cost of ownership
(TCO).
Managing Software
Using the network helped reduce software costs. Savings occurred when all users on a network used the same software
and when software was bought in bulk quantities for a discount. Centralizing the installation of that soft-ware also reduced
operation costs because the installations could be accom-plished remotely—over the network. The computer programs that
were needed to perform the installations were stored on servers and made accessible over the network. The maintenance
personnel would then simply log on to the network from a client computer and install the needed applications us-ing
the installation software stored on the server.
Within the past few years, even more savings have been achieved by having the centralized server initiate the software
installations or updates on the client computers without the need for maintenance personnel to actually visit any of the
clients.

Maintaining the Network

Purchasing similar equipment for use on the network meant that network maintenance costs were reduced
because there were fewer dissimilar components. Maintenance workers no longer had to attend numerous
training sessions on many different components, which meant they could spend more time maintaining the actual
components.
Backing Up Data
Along those same lines, a network minimizes the time spent backing up (saving
extra copies, called backups) of necessary files. In the event of a hardware or
software failure that causes information or applications to be lost, vital
information and necessary applications can be restored if sufficient backups exist.
The backup process is normally a regular activity in a company,
and all transactions between scheduled backups are recorded so that the files can be restored as completely as possible.
Technicians can access the backup files and recorded transactions from a central location without hav-ing to physically
visit the source computers.

■ Distinguishing Between
Network Classifications
Classifying Networks by Their Geography
Networks are frequently classified according to the geographical boundaries the network spans.
Two basic geographical designations for networks—local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN)—
are the most common. A third designation, metropolitan area network (MAN), is also used, although its use has
become clouded (because it might not be a clear-cut classification anymore) as networks continue connecting to the Internet.
These three classifications, unlike the other methods used to describe networks, are based upon the specific levels
of technology they use when going from one level to the other. The three geographical classifications are discussed
next because the geographical concepts and the increased empha-sis they place on technology as you go from one level
to the next still apply.
Local Area Network (LAN)
If the network is contained within a relatively small area, such as a class-room,
school, or single building, as shown in Figure 1.6, it is commonly re-ferred to as a
local area network (LAN). This type of network has the lowest cost and least
overall capability of the three geographic classifications. Be-cause the pieces of
equipment in a LAN are in relatively close proximity, LANs are inexpensive to
install. Despite their decreased capability, how-ever, their closeness and resultant
low costs typically result in the use of the fastest technology on a LAN. Thus, this
network classification usually has the highest speed components and fastest
communications equipment be-fore the other network classifications see such
equipment using the same speeds. This is because it takes less overall investment
to get the smaller net-work running the faster equipment. LANs, therefore, are
commonly consid-ered the building blocks for creating larger networks.
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
As the computers get further apart, a LAN becomes more difficult to install, and
additional measures such as additional communications equipment may need to
be employed. When the network spans the distance of a typical met-ropolitan city,
as shown in Figure 1.7, it can be referred to as a metropolitan area network
(MAN). Although this term is beginning to lose its popular use, the concept of the
network outgrowing its local confines and requiring addi-tional resources still
applies. Much of the same technology, such as the fast networking components
and communications equipment used in LANs, can be used in MANs, but more
are required, so this classification is not quite as technologically advanced as are
LANs. Although the speeds achieved in a MAN are typically as high as in a LAN,
it requires high-speed connections, such as fiber optics. Increasing the distance
and the technology levels increases the relative installation and operation costs of
MANs.

• Figure 1.6 A LAN covers a relatively small distance.

 • Figure 1.7 The MAN covers a somewhat wider area than a LAN.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

The MAN outgrows its usefulness when the network must expand beyond the confines of the typical metropolitan area.
When the network spans a larger area, as shown in Figure 1.8, it is classified as a wide area network (WAN).
Because of the extensive distances over which WANs communicate, they use long-distance telecommunications
networks
for their connections, which increases the costs of the network. The Internet is just a giant WAN

Classifying Networks by Component Roles

Another method used to classify networks focuses on the roles the networked
computers play in the network’s operation, and more specifically on which
computer
controls that operation. There are two basic types of role classifica-tions for
networks—peer-to-peer networks and server-based networks. The difference
between the two revolves around which computer is in charge of the network.
A third classification, client-based networks, has come into existence
because of the increased capabilities of the typical client computer.

Figure 1.8 The WAN covers an extremely wide area and involves numerous transmission technologies.
Peer-to-Peer Networks
A peer is considered an equal. All computers on a peer-to-peer net-work can be considered equals,
as shown in Figure 1.9. That is to say, no one computer is in charge of the network’s operation.
Each computer controls its own infor-mation and is capable of function-ing as either a client or a server
depending on which is needed at the time.

Peer-to-peer networks are popular as home networks and for use in small
companies because they are inexpensive and easy to install. Most operating
systems (the software that runs the basic computer functionality) come with
peer-to-peer networking ca-pability built in. The only other cost involved with
setting up a peer-to-peer network comes into play if a computer does not have a
network interface card, or NIC (the de-vice that physically connects your
computer to your network’s cabling), al-ready installed.
Typical initial peer-to-peer networking involves no security measures. Rather,
each peer simply shares its resources and allows others open access to them. In
fact, a peer-to-peer network becomes difficult to manage when more and more
security is added to the resources. This is because users con-trol their own
security by adding password protection to each share they create. Shares are any
resources users control on their computers, such as document folders, printers,
and other peripherals. Each shared resource can actually have its own password.
Someone wanting access to numerous shared resources has to remember many
passwords. Security on a peer-to-peer network can quickly become complex and
confusing.

• Figure 1.9 A peer-to-peer network. Peer-to-peer networks have no centralized control.

While peer-to-peer networks are inexpensive to set up, they are ex-tremely limited in scope. The accepted maximum
number of peers that can operate on a peer-to-peer network is ten. They are, therefore, not appropriate for larger, more secure
networks.

Server-Based Networks
Unlike peer-to-peer networks that operate without central control and are difficult to secure, a server-based network
offers centralized control and is designed for secured operations, as shown in Figure 1.10. While there are still both clients
and servers on a server-based network, a dedicated server controls the network. A dedicated server is one that, for all
practical pur-poses, operates solely as a server.
A dedicated server on a server-based network services its network clients by storing data, applications, and other
resources, and then providing access to those resources when called for by a client. When a client requests a resource such as
a document, the server sends the whole resource (the document) over the network to the client, where it is processed and later
returned to the server for continued storage.
Dedicated servers can also control the entire network’s security from one central location or share that control with other
specially configured servers. This central network control also contributes to the economies of scale discussed under the
“Facilitating Centralized Management” section earlier in this chapter (using similar equipment results in cheaper equipment
prices and fewer training costs) and makes the server-based network the dominant networking model used in networks today.
 • Figure 1.10 A server-based network. Server-based networks involve centralized control.

Client-Based Networks
Client-based networks are a further refinement to the concept of a server-
based network that relieves the heavy burden on the network’s capacity re-sulting
from frequent server-performed transactions. A client-based net-work takes better
advantage of the server’s powerful processors and of the increasingly powerful
computers used in typical workstations. A client-based network utilizes a client
workstation’s power in processing some functions locally while requesting
additional processing from a server whenever it is needed for increased speed.

Client-based network servers process requests from clients and return just the
results, rather than sending the original resource to the client to be processed and
returned after computations are complete. Client-based net-works, therefore, take
advantage of the powerful processing capabilities of both the client and the server,
as shown in Figure 1.11. This type of arrange-ment may include application
servers (where entire computer programs are shared from the server) and
communications servers (where e-mail and other communications media are
operated).

• Figure 1.11 A client-based network. A client-based network takes advantage

of the power of both the server and the client alike.
 Identify Human and Computer Networks
Describe the Benefits of Networks
Distinguish Between the Different Types of Networks

1. A(n)____________________ consists of two or more entities, or objects, sharing resources and information.
2. A(n) ___________________ controls and provides access to resources.
3. The ____________________ is the plan used when controlling data access in the higher levels of accumulated data storage.
4. When strict requirements are placed on the order and structure of how data is entered, that information’s ____________________
is said to be important.
5. A computer operating independently from other computers is called a(n) ____________________.
6. The process of physically carrying data from one computer and entering it into another computer came to be known as a(n)
____________________.
7. Additional components attached to a computer to expand its use are called ____________________.
8. A user’s own computer is commonly referred to as a(n)____________________.
9. The lowest geographical network classification, also considered the building block when creating larger networks, is the
____________________.
10. The role-based network classification where all computers can be considered equal and no one computer is in charge of the
network’s operation is a(n) ____________________.