Large-Scale IP Network Solutions (CCIE Professional Development)

Evolution of the Internet

Socially, economically, culturally, and technologically, for many of us the Internet already has changed our lives dramatically. For many more of us, it soon will. Along with telephones, televisions, and automobiles, Internet connectivity is rapidly becoming a commodity in every home. Yet, as dramatic as the changes have been, it is worth remembering that—initially, at least—the Internet grew at a considerably slower pace than the telephone network (although some would argue that this is merely because the former is dependent on the latter).

In the 1960s, the idea of a ubiquitous communication network was not new, but the angle of using the network for more than just personal communications—and, in particular, for ...