Networking

A network of computers is defined as two or more computer systems connected to each other, in order to communicate and share data. Networks may be a simple linking of computers found close together (in one's home, school, or in the same building), or they may span a relatively large geographical area. A wide-area network (known as a WAN) consists of two or more local-area networks (known as LANs). The largest WAN in existence is the Internet, an interconnected system of networks, which has been expanding rapidly around the world over the last couple of decades. There are millions of websites on the Internet today. This rapid expansion is blurring the definition of networks since a few simple clicks can connect a user to hundreds of different computers within a few seconds.

There are many benefits for networking computers together. The most basic benefit is for sharing and communicating data. The Internet and the World Wide Web have grown exponentially, providing an efficient exchange of information that is unprecedented - a worldwide information highway. Another feature of networking that is becoming popular is called thin client - this exists when a computer (client) in a client-server network has little or no hardware or software on it. The client's computer depends primarily on the centralized and managed host server for processing activities.