How has networking evolved?

Answer 1

To begin we have to define "networking" Websters dictionary defines "networking" as: : the establishment or use of a computer network.

Basically, communication of data between two or more computers. In the early days of computers, local area networking was handled primarily through the use of serial communications. Token Ring, AppleTalk and Arcnet were some of the earlier protocols used for local area networking. With the introduction of "ethernet" cabling around 1975, and the development of TCP/IP, speeds increased and we now have local area networks capable of speeds exceeding 10Gbs.

Historically, wide area networking (Networks between computers not physically close to each other) was usually handled by modems over telephone lines. Although, in industrial applications point to point "high speed" circuits were made available at great expense. Some of these protocols include T-1 and T-3 connections and ISDN systems. With the invention of the internet and it's wide acceptance, and the introduction of "high speed" internet connections such as DSL, Cable and Fiber in the Home, networking began to use TCP/IP protocols for wide area networks more and more, with the majority of interconnected computers now using TCP/IP for both LAN and WAN applications.

Over the coming years we'll see networking evolve even further with the adoption of IPv6. Currently the majority of networks are using IPv4 which has a maximum of just over 4.2 billion unique addresses. Whereas IPv6 is capable of approximatley 340 Trillion unique addresses. Other innovations that we'll see in the world of networking will include wide area fiber optic connections, new transmission protocols that will raise current internet connection speeds from an average of around 3Mbs in 2010 to a speeds in excess of 100mb in the coming decades.

Networking is exciting. My first LAN was a Token ring network running on coaxial cable with a 4 Mbs speed and latency that was practically measured in seconds. Now I'm in charge of an ethernet network that is comprise primarily of Gigabit connections with a few 100Mbs connections and a couple of 10Gbs connections. My first WAN was a 300 baud modem that I used to dial up a connection with my buddy across town, now I have a 20Mbs internet connection running on fiber optic lines. We'll see how networking evolves in the future, but it looks to be extremely promising.