[06] WHAT IS THE ARPANET AND INTERNETWORKING?
An internet describes just what it sounds like, an INTERconnected
NETwork of networks. The word itself is an adjective. There is
no INTERNET as an entity to speak of. What mass media calls "The
INTERNET" was actually started in the late 1960's by the U.S. Defense
Dept. Advanced Research Project Agency or DARPA. There is a great
history surrounding the concept of internetworking and the initial 36bit
computing systems involved that is sadly over looked these days.
Here is what could be said about internetworking today:
The concept of Internetworking allows us to realise an all-encompassing
global network that links together hundreds, even thousands of privately
owned networks. Through this shared resource of private networks, it is
possible to send data across the network in the matter of seconds.
Branching off from these networks are slower dedicated lines, packet
switching, DIALNET and UUCP sites.
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