文档介绍：How Infrastructure Works
by Jeff Tyson
One of the greatest things about the is that nobody really owns it. It is a global collection
works, both big and small. works connect together in many different ways to form
the single entity that we know as the . In fact, the very es from this idea of
works.
Since its beginning in 1969, the has grown from four puter systems to tens of
millions. However, just because nobody owns the , it doesn't mean it is not monitored and
maintained in different ways. The Society, a non-profit group established in 1992,
oversees the formation of the policies and protocols that define how we use and interact with the
.
In this edition of HowStuffWorks, you will learn about the basic underlying structure of the
. You will learn about domain name servers, network access points and backbones. But
first you will learn about how puter connects to others.
A Hierarchy works
puter that is connected to the is part of work, even the one in your home.
For example, you may use a modem and dial a local number to connect to an Service
Provider (ISP). At work, you may be part of a local work (LAN), but you most likely still
connect to the using an ISP that pany has contracted with. When you connect
to your ISP, you e part of work. The ISP may then connect to a work and
e part of work. The is simply work works.
Most pa