Chapter 19 - Why The Internet Works Well
- Introduction
- The Internet Works Well
- IP Provides Flexibility [uses "layered protocol" approach]
The Internet Protocol accommodates many types of hardware because it makes almost no assumptions about the underlying network hardware.
Because TCP/IP standards documents specify the exact way to send IP datagrams on a given type of network, computers and routers from multiple vendors always agree on the details.
- TCP Provides Reliabilty
Because it constantly monitors conditions on the Internet and automatically adapts, TCP makes reliable communication possible even when the Internet experiences temporary congestion.
- TCP/IP Software Was Engineered For Efficiency
- TCP/IP Research Emphaisized Practical Results
- The Formula For Success
- TCP/IP protocol software and the Internet were designed by talented, dedicated people.
- The Internet was a dream that inspired and challenged the research team.
- Researchers were allowed to experiment, even when there was no short-term economic payoff. Indeed, Internet research often used new, innovative technologies that were expensive compared to existing technologies.
- Instead of dreaming about a system that solved all problems, researchers built the Internet to operate efficiently.
- Researchers insisted that each part of the Internet work well in practice before they adopted it as a standard.
- Internet technology solves an important, practical problem, the problem occurs whenever an organization has multiple networks.
Terms
- OSI Model
- TCP/IP standards documents
- rough consensus and working code