Network Sales and Services Handbook (Cisco Press Networking Technology)

The Internet is a computer network made up of thousands of such computer networks worldwide, with each computer communicating by using TCP/IP suite. The Internet provides a home for the Web, a system of Internet servers interconnected across the world. The Web provides a single interface for accessing Internet services, such as e-mail, file sharing, etc.

Almost every protocol type available on the Internet is accessible via the Web; these include the following:

• E-mail

• Telnet

• FTP

• Usenet

• HTTP

• Chat and Instant Messaging

Web services are accessed via the URL. The URL specifies the Internet address of a file stored on a host computer connected to the Internet.

Web capabilities and services have been extended through the use of several programming languages:

• CGI

• ASP

• Java/Java Applets

• VRML

• XML

There are eleven major interconnection points: four official NAPs, three historical NAPs (CIX, FIX-EAST, FIX-West), and four de facto NAPs (MAEs). Any national backbone network service provider that has a peer connection at one or more of these interconnects is connected to the public Internet. Most of the national service providers are connected to all four official NAPs and most of the MAEs with some establishing their own private peering arrangements.