Introduction
Communication has evolved greatly. Traditional communication methods such as mail have been overtaken by more sophisticated forms. Electronic Communication methods offer higher speeds; more efficiency, reliability, integrity, security; scale across larger geographical areas and require less resources to use. Tools and services such as e-mail, blogs, podcasts, instant messaging, and social networks among other multimedia methods have changed the way we communicate to a great extent.
In this chapter, we give an overview of the world of networks: we will discuss the following:
- The role of networks in our lives
- Explain the qualities and elements of a network
- Define key terms and diagrams used in this course
- Explain what a converged network is
- Give a brief history of computer networks