FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER NETWORKS

Computer Networks: A collection of autonomous computers interconnected by a single technology to facilitate data communication. Two computers are said to be interconnected if they are able to exchange information. The connection need not be via a copper wire; fiber optics, microwaves, infrared, and communication satellites can also be of used.The computers are autonomous, which are not forcibly started, stopped or controlled by other one.A system with one control unit and more than one slave is not a computer network.Computer network consists of end systems or nodes which are capable of transmitting information and which communicate through a transit system interconnected them. The transit system also called as interconnection subsystem or subnetwork. The nodes in the computer network comprise the computer, terminals, software and peripherals forming an autonomous system capable of performing information processing. End system has an interface or interaction through which it is physically connected with subnet. The interaction point has an address by which end system is identified.