The Internet and Management Information Systems

2. History of the Internet

History of the Internet

The Internet's development began in the 1960s with ARPANET by the U.S. Department of Defense. The 1970s saw the introduction of TCP/IP protocols, followed by the expansion of academic and research networks in the 1980s. The 1990s marked the commercialization of the Internet and the birth of the World Wide Web (WWW). The 2000s brought broadband adoption, mobile Internet, and social media, while the 2010s saw the rise of cloud computing, IoT (Internet of Things), and 5G.

Internet Architecture

The Internet operates on a layered model:

• Application Layer: Provides network services directly to end-users (e.g., HTTP, FTP, SMTP).
• Transport Layer: Ensures data transfer between hosts (e.g., TCP, UDP).
• Internet Layer: Handles addressing and routing (e.g., IP).
• Link Layer: Manages data frames and physical connections (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi).

Key components include routers that direct data packets between networks, switches that connect devices within a local network, servers that host and deliver content and services, and clients like computers and smartphones that request and consume services.