CST 311 - Intro to Computer Networks - Week 2

This week in CST 311, I learned more about how the internet operates from both a technical and service perspective. I learned about the structure of the internet, where billions of computing devices are connected through communication links such as fiber, copper, and satellite. One important concept for this week is the role of protocols like TCP, IP, and HTTP in controlling how messages are sent and received between these devices. I also found it interesting how packet switching allows messages to be broken into smaller packets for more efficient transmission, even though it may result in packet loss or delay if the network becomes congested. 

Also, we learned about the importance of network protocols and the five layers of the internet protocol stack: application, transport, network, link, and physical. The application layer, for example, includes protocols like HTTP, which is important for web browsing, while the transport layer is responsible for process-to-process data transfer. The focus on network security was also introduced in this week’s topics, for example the concepts like confidentiality, integrity, and availability in the context of protecting network communication. These concepts help us understand how different layers of the internet work together to ensure data is transmitted efficiently and securely.