Task 4: Internet Infrastructure

Internet Infrastructure.

Definition:
 According to (Bitepipe),its the physical hardware, transmission media, and software used to interconnect computers and users on the Internet. Includes Internet Servers, Web Servers, Internet Storage, Internet Network Equipment, and Infrastructure Software


1. The first layer, the telecommunication infrastructure, facilitates Internet traffic flows. Internet data can travel over a diverse range of communication media: telephone wires, fibre-optic cables, satellites, microwaves, and wireless links. Most of the telecommunication infrastructure is owned by private companies. To what extent can the principle of network neutrality apply to the telecommunication infrastructure? Should telecom companies be requested to treat all digital traffic equally?

2. On the second layer, Internet technical standards and services, the Internet comes into existence through various protocols and services (such as TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol; DNS: Domain Name Services; SSL: Secure Sockets Layer). Most of the current network neutrality debate, including this paper, focuses on this layer.

3. The third layer, content and application standards (e.g. HTML: HyperText Markup Language; XML: eXtensible Markup Language) makes the Internet fully functional by enabling various uses of the Internet, such as the World Wide Web. The emerging debate on network neutrality on this layer focuses on the risk of locking Internet users into the ‘walled’ Internet developed by companies such as Apple and Facebook.

4. Apart from ‘layered’ discussion, some issues cross different layers. For example, Google and Verizon primarily address network neutrality on the second layer (Internet traffic), but they also influence the first layer by suggesting differences in treating wired and wireless Internet traffic.

A technical and comprehensive approach to the question of network neutrality should focus on the three main layers that enables the Internet, as it is presented in this illustration.

References
Accessed on 29/October/2012.
Available on: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9185222755265928474#editor/target=post;postID=3646530346962161048

Accessed on 6/November/2012.
Available on: http://www.bitpipe.com/tlist/Internet-Infrastructure.html