This project aims to describe the cutting edge technologies that are shaping the future of the Internet as well as networking in general.
The most important users of the Internet in commercial terms, and by far the most numerous, are the home users. Obviously the easier it is for these users to view and download information, the more interest they will show. Their interest can be quickly converted to Dollars (or Euros) by large Internet retailers propelling additional investment into bigger sites with yet more services.
Unfortunately, the last fifty feet to your door (metaphorically), or Local Loop, is the part of the Internet that is the most difficult to change, so changes to this last link in the chain have been slow. However there are a group of new technologies that will allow home users to get even greater connection speeds. These include using enhanced protocols and technologies like xDSL to increase the throughput of copper local loops, or bypassing the local loop completely by using Cable or switching to a Wireless Local Loop structure.
This increase in access to the commercial home user is increasing the amount of retail eBusiness. With this increase, the ever-increasing load placed on the backbone technology that makes up the Internet has to be managed. Retailers and ISPs need ways to be able to cope with this extra traffic aimed at their websites and therefore their servers. Techniques of enabling this include passing off your traffic to other available resources or Load Balancing. Another way of tackling this problem is to spread the files over a number of machines while giving the appearance of being on only one machine, using a Common File System . Server-Farms, large clusters of servers housed together, employ these techniques, allowing people to provide a wide range of services to a large number of people all at one point of contact.
The advent of wireless devices has allowed the Internet to permeate much more than just our desk and laptop computers. Bluetooth, a short-range radio system, is helping electrical devices from laptops to cameras to communicate with one another, while Telecom Developments are allowing data to be propelled across wireless networks following new Protocols .
Finally what of Internet HiFi and the much talked about Napster? Has the Internet the potential to undermine the music industry?
If you are titillated, read on.
Discusses the various ways in which the radio spectrum that was primarily designed for voice traffic can be adapted to carry mobile internet data.
Discusses the new and adapted protocols developed to assist with the delivery of internet content to wireless devices.
A cheap and powerful short-range radio system. Originally envisaged as a cable replacement technology that may due to its ubiquity become an interesting internet wireless access technology.
Discusses the various ways in which the radio spectrum that was primarily designed for voice traffic can be adapted to carry mobile internet data.
Discusses the technology to replace copper wire with a high bandwidth, easy to install alternative. This project also deals with the integration of the Local Loop with existing mobile services and the licencing laws surrounding the new technology.
Cable was once thought to be the new high-bandwidth public access conduit to the Internet. This project explains the technology, it's drawbacks and it's potential future.
With more and more business being done over the Web retailers are looking for bigger, faster more reliable servers. This project investigates the achitecture of Server-Farms and which sectors are using them to ramp up sales.
New advances in networking technology mean that the world is getting smaller. This opens up the oppurtunity to spread out critical data and sevices across the globe. Load-Sharing technology looks into how to do this quickly and robustly.
Reqests arrive at servers from many different operating systems and applictions. Common file system technology ensures that all these heterogenious requests get delt with quickly.
Discusses the legal, technical and moral issues surrounding the new boom in internet music. Incuding the pending legal battle with Napster.
The group in charge of co-ordinating all the projects and putting together the final webpage.