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Unit 1 Notes

The document outlines the evolution of ARPANET and NSFNET, highlighting their significance in the development of modern networking and the internet. ARPANET, initiated in the 1960s, introduced key concepts like packet switching and TCP/IP, while NSFNET expanded internet accessibility in the 1980s and 1990s. Both networks laid the groundwork for today's internet infrastructure and facilitated global communication.

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5 views5 pages

Unit 1 Notes

The document outlines the evolution of ARPANET and NSFNET, highlighting their significance in the development of modern networking and the internet. ARPANET, initiated in the 1960s, introduced key concepts like packet switching and TCP/IP, while NSFNET expanded internet accessibility in the 1980s and 1990s. Both networks laid the groundwork for today's internet infrastructure and facilitated global communication.

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Senthil Kumar
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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UNIT-1

Evolution :ARPANET

The evolution of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) marks a


pivotal chapter in the history of modern networking and the foundation of the internet. Below is
an explanation of its evolution:

1. Origins (1960s)

 ARPANET was initiated by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research


Projects Agency (ARPA) in the late 1960s.
 Its primary goal was to create a robust, fault-tolerant communication system that could
maintain connections between computers in case of a network failure.
 The concept was heavily influenced by the idea of packet switching, proposed by
researchers like Leonard Kleinrock, Paul Baran, and Donald Davies, which allowed
data to be broken into packets for efficient transmission.

2. First Deployment (1969)

 The initial version of ARPANET connected four institutions:


1. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
2. Stanford Research Institute (SRI)
3. University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
4. University of Utah
 These nodes used Interface Message Processors (IMPs), which were early packet-
switching devices.
3. Technological Innovations

 Packet Switching: This method of transmitting data in small packets, rather than a
continuous stream, allowed efficient and reliable communication across the network.
 Protocol Development:
o In the early 1970s, the Network Control Protocol (NCP) was developed as the
first host-to-host communication protocol.
o By the late 1970s, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
replaced NCP, becoming the standard for ARPANET and laying the groundwork
for the modern internet.

4. Expansion and Milestones

 1971: The network expanded to 15 nodes and 23 host computers.


 1972: ARPANET was publicly demonstrated at the International Computer
Communication Conference (ICCC), marking its first major exposure.
 1973: The first international connections were established with nodes in Norway and the
United Kingdom, showcasing ARPANET's global potential.
 1978: The ARPANET split into two networks:
o ARPANET: Focused on academic and research purposes.
o MILNET: A separate network for military communications.

5. Transition to the Internet (1980s)

 By 1983, ARPANET officially adopted TCP/IP as its communication protocol, enabling


interoperability with other networks.
 The development of DNS (Domain Name System) in 1984 simplified addressing,
replacing numeric IP addresses with human-readable domain names.
 Throughout the 1980s, ARPANET's role as the backbone of research diminished as other
networks, like NSFNET, grew and provided faster, more expansive connectivity.

6. Decommissioning (1990)

 ARPANET was officially decommissioned in 1990. By this time, the internet had
emerged as a global system of interconnected networks.
 The principles and technologies developed for ARPANET—packet switching, distributed
networks, and TCP/IP—became the foundation of the modern internet.
Significance

 ARPANET demonstrated the feasibility of connecting geographically dispersed


computers to share resources and information.
 It catalyzed the development of protocols and technologies that underpin today's internet,
influencing fields such as distributed computing, cybersecurity, and global
communication.

NSFNET

The NSFNET (National Science Foundation Network) was a significant milestone in the
development of the modern internet. It was a high-speed digital network funded and managed by
the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States, which played a key role in
expanding internet accessibility during the 1980s and 1990s. Here is an explanation of its
evolution and significance
NAP (Network Access Point) The point from which an Internet service provider (ISP) drops
down its lines and establishes a peering arrangement to provide Internet connectivity to
customers.

1. Background and Purpose

 In the early 1980s, the ARPANET was primarily used by military, government, and a
limited number of academic institutions. However, there was a growing demand for a
more widely accessible research network.
 The NSF launched NSFNET in 1985 to:
o Provide researchers at U.S. academic institutions with broader access to
supercomputing resources.
o Facilitate communication and data sharing among academic, government, and
eventually commercial entities.

2. Initial Design (1985-1987)

 The initial NSFNET was a 56 kbps network connecting five national supercomputing
centers:
1. Cornell University
2. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3. Princeton University
4. University of California, San Diego
5. Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center
 These centers were linked to regional networks, enabling institutions nationwide to
connect to NSFNET.

3. The Second Generation (1988 Upgrade)

 Recognizing the need for higher capacity, NSFNET was upgraded in 1988 to a backbone
network with a speed of T1 (1.544 Mbps), which was 25 times faster than the original
network.
 The backbone connected regional networks across the U.S., providing a robust
infrastructure for data transfer.

4. Growth and Commercialization


 T3 Backbone: By 1991, the backbone was further upgraded to T3 (45 Mbps) to handle
increasing traffic demands.
 Collaboration with Private Companies: The network's success attracted interest from
commercial entities, leading to partnerships with private telecommunications and
networking companies for maintenance and operation.
 Global Reach: NSFNET facilitated international connections, helping to expand internet
access globally.

5. NSFNET and the Internet

 NSFNET became the backbone of the early internet, enabling institutions, researchers,
and eventually private users to communicate and share data across the globe.
 It adopted TCP/IP, the protocol suite that allowed interoperability among diverse
networks, fostering the development of a unified global network.

6. Transition and Decommissioning (1995)

 By the mid-1990s, the commercial sector had developed its own internet infrastructure,
and the demand for NSFNET diminished.
 In 1995, NSFNET was decommissioned and replaced by a more decentralized structure,
with commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) taking over the role of providing
internet connectivity.

Significance of NSFNET

 Catalyst for the Modern Internet: NSFNET laid the groundwork for today's internet by
establishing a scalable and widely accessible network infrastructure.
 Expansion of Accessibility: It democratized access to networking, making it available to
educational institutions and, eventually, the public.
 Technological Advances: The network pushed forward innovations in routing,
protocols, and network management, which remain foundational in modern networking.
 Commercial Internet Emergence: The transition from NSFNET to commercial ISPs
marked the beginning of the internet's commercialization and global adoption.

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