The Importance of Computer Networks in Business
Computer networks connect computers and other devices together to share resources, information, and services. They can be wireless or wired and configured in various network topologies. Nowadays, networks are crucial to the business. They enable us to communicate more effectively, collaborate with others and perform more efficiently. They also help with access to data and security.
Computer networking is a broad field that involves the creation, maintenance, and architecture of communication networks. It is a blend of computer science and electrical engineering.
The Internet is the most famous computer network with billions of users to connect and share the same resources at the same time. The network utilizes a packet switching model to direct data traffic over an almost unlimited number of possible connections and pathways. Each packet contains control information and user information. The control information contains the destination and source network address, error detection codes, and sequencing information. The data part of a packet includes the payload.
In the typical business network there is an central server that holds data and manages access to essential resources like photocopiers, printers and files. The server is secured by firewalls and a multifactor authentication to ensure that only authorized users have access to access the network. Centralizing all data on servers also helps administrators to conduct regular backups of data and to enforce strict network security policies. Additionally, it permits employees to access corporate applications and services regardless of locations, such as video-calling, document-sharing and other software.