2/6/2023

Internet Architecture and What is a Network?

Protocols

What is a Network? What is a Network?

What is a Network?
What is a Network?

• A system of lines/channels that are

interconnected with each other.

• What is a Computer Network?

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What is a Computer Network? What is a Computer Network?

• A set of computers which
are connected together.
• This can mean two
computers cabled together
on the same desk, or
thousands of computers
across the world.
• The connections can be
cables or wireless.

Definitions Advantages of Computer Networks

• A network is a set of devices (often
• Enables users to share hardware like
referred to as nodes) connected by
scanners and printers. This reduces
communication links.
costs by reducing the number of
• A node can be a host (such as a computer, hardware items bought.
a laptop, a smart phone etc.) or a network
• Allows users access to data stored on
device (such as a switch, a router, etc.).
others' computers. This keeps everyone
• A link is a communication pathway that up-to-date on the latest data
transfer data from one device to another.
• Can share access to the Internet.

Advantages of Computer Networks Importance of Networks:

• Can even let users run programs that

Easy access and sharing of information
are not installed on their own computers  Sharing of expensive devices and network
resources
but are installed elsewhere in the
network.  Modern Technologies (IP telephony, Video
Conferencing, ….etc)
⮚ reduces the effort for networks
administrators to keep programs configured
correctly and saves a lot of storage space.

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Networks Support the way we live The Internet: a “nuts and bolts” view
Billions of connected mobile network
computing devices: national or global ISP
 hosts = end systems
 running network apps at
Internet’s “edge”

Packet switches: forward

local or
packets (chunks of data) Internet
regional ISP
 routers, switches
home network content
Communication links provider
network datacenter
 fiber, copper, radio, satellite network

 transmission rate: bandwidth

Networks enterprise
 collection of devices, routers, network
links: managed by an organization

“Fun” Internet-connected devices The Internet: a “nuts and bolts” view

Tweet-a-watt:
monitor energy use mobile network
4G
bikes  Internet: “network of networks” national or global ISP

Pacemaker & Monitor • Interconnected ISPs

Amazon Echo
 protocols are everywhere Skype
IP
Streaming
video
Web-enabled toaster +
IP picture frame
weather forecaster
• control sending, receiving of
Internet
messages local or
regional ISP
refrigerator • e.g., HTTP (Web), streaming video,
Slingbox: remote cars Skype, TCP, IP, WiFi, 4G, Ethernet home network content
control cable TV provider
Security Camera HTTP network datacenter
AR devices  Internet standards network

sensorized, scooters Ethernet

bed
• RFC: Request for Comments
mattress • IETF: Internet Engineering Task TCP

Gaming devices
Others? Force
enterprise
network
Internet phones Fitbit WiFi

The Internet: a “services” view What’s a protocol?

 Infrastructure that provides mobile network
Human protocols: Network protocols:
services to applications: national or global ISP
 “what’s the time?”  computers (devices) rather than humans
• Web, streaming video, multimedia
teleconferencing, email, games, e- Streaming
 “I have a question”  all communication activity in Internet
commerce, social media, inter- Skype video  introductions governed by protocols
connected appliances, … local or
regional ISP
 provides programming interface Rules for:
to distributed applications: home network content
Protocols define the format, order of
provider … specific messages sent messages sent and received among
• “hooks” allowing sending/receiving HTTP network datacenter

apps to “connect” to, use Internet

network
… specific actions taken network entities, and actions taken
transport service when message received,
or other events on message transmission, receipt
• provides service options, analogous enterprise
to postal service network

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What’s a protocol? A closer look at Internet structure

A human protocol and a computer network protocol: mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

Hi TCP connection  hosts: clients and servers

request
Hi  servers often in data centers
TCP connection
local or
response regional ISP
Got the
time? GET http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross
home network content
2:00 provider
<file> network datacenter
network
time

enterprise
Q: other human protocols? network

A closer look at Internet structure A closer look at Internet structure

mobile network mobile network

Network edge: national or global ISP

Network edge: national or global ISP

 hosts: clients and servers  hosts: clients and servers

 servers often in data centers  servers often in data centers
local or local or
Access networks, physical media: regional ISP
Access networks, physical media: regional ISP

wired, wireless communication links home network content

provider
wired, wireless communication links home network content
provider
network datacenter network datacenter
network
Network core: network

 interconnected routers
enterprise
network  network of networks enterprise
network

Access networks and physical media Access networks: cable-based access

cable headend
Q: How to connect end systems mobile network
…
national or global ISP
to edge router?
cable splitter
 residential access nets modem
 institutional access networks (school,
company)
local or
 mobile access networks (WiFi, 4G/5G) regional ISP
C
O
V V V V V V N
home network content I I I I I I D D T
provider D D D D D D A A R
E E E E E E T T O
network datacenter O O O O O O A A L
network
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Channels

enterprise
network frequency division multiplexing (FDM): different channels transmitted in
different frequency bands

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Access networks: cable-based access Access networks: digital subscriber line (DSL)
cable headend
central office telephone
… network

cable splitter cable modem DSL splitter

modem CMTS termination system modem DSLAM
data, TV transmitted at different
frequencies over shared cable ISP ISP
distribution network voice, data transmitted
at different frequencies over DSL access
dedicated line to central office multiplexer

 HFC: hybrid fiber coax

 use existing telephone line to central office DSLAM
• asymmetric: up to 40 Mbps – 1.2 Gbps downstream transmission rate, 30-100 Mbps
• data over DSL phone line goes to Internet
upstream transmission rate
• voice over DSL phone line goes to telephone net
 network of cable, fiber attaches homes to ISP router
 24-52 Mbps dedicated downstream transmission rate
• homes share access network to cable headend
 3.5-16 Mbps dedicated upstream transmission rate

Access networks: home networks Wireless access networks

Shared wireless access network connects end system to router
Wireless and wired  via base station aka “access point”
devices
Wireless local area networks Wide-area cellular access networks
(WLANs)  provided by mobile, cellular network
 typically within or around operator (10’s km)
to/from headend or building (~100 ft)  10’s Mbps
central office  802.11b/g/n (WiFi): 11, 54, 450  4G cellular networks (5G coming)
often combined Mbps transmission rate
in single box

cable or DSL modem

WiFi wireless access router, firewall, NAT

point (54, 450 Mbps) to Internet
wired Ethernet (1 Gbps) to Internet

Access networks: enterprise networks Access networks: data center networks

mobile network
 high-bandwidth links (10s to 100s national or global ISP
Enterprise link to Gbps) connect hundreds to thousands
ISP (Internet)
institutional router of servers together, and to Internet
Ethernet institutional mail,
switch web servers
local or
regional ISP

 companies, universities, etc. home network content

 mix of wired, wireless link technologies, connecting a mix of switches provider
network datacenter

and routers (we’ll cover differences shortly) network

 Ethernet: wired access at 100Mbps, 1Gbps, 10Gbps

 WiFi: wireless access points at 11, 54, 450 Mbps Courtesy: Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing
Center (mghpcc.org)
enterprise
network

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Host: sends packets of data Links: physical media

host sending function:
 takes application message  bit: propagates between Twisted pair (TP)
transmitter/receiver pairs
 breaks into smaller chunks, two packets,  two insulated copper wires
L bits each  physical link: what lies • Category 5: 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps Ethernet
known as packets, of length L bits between transmitter & • Category 6: 10Gbps Ethernet
 transmits packet into access receiver
network at transmission rate R 2 1
 guided media:
• link transmission rate, aka link host
• signals propagate in solid
capacity, aka link bandwidth R: link transmission rate media: copper, fiber, coax
 unguided media:
packet time needed to L (bits) • signals propagate freely,
transmission = transmit L-bit = e.g., radio
delay packet into link R (bits/sec)

Links: physical media Links: physical media

Coaxial cable: Fiber optic cable: Wireless radio Radio link types:
 two concentric copper conductors  glass fiber carrying light pulses, each  signal carried in various  Wireless LAN (WiFi)
pulse a bit “bands” in electromagnetic
 bidirectional • 10-100’s Mbps; 10’s of meters
 high-speed operation: spectrum
 broadband: • high-speed point-to-point
 wide-area (e.g., 4G cellular)
• multiple frequency channels on cable
 no physical “wire” • 10’s Mbps over ~10 Km
transmission (10’s-100’s Gbps)
• 100’s Mbps per channel  low error rate:  broadcast, “half-duplex”  Bluetooth: cable replacement
(sender to receiver)
• repeaters spaced far apart • short distances, limited rates
 propagation environment
• immune to electromagnetic noise
effects:  terrestrial microwave
• reflection • point-to-point; 45 Mbps channels
• obstruction by objects  satellite
• Interference/noise • up to 45 Mbps per channel
• 270 msec end-end delay

The network core Two key network-core functions

 mesh of interconnected routers mobile network
national or global ISP routing algorithm Routing:
 packet-switching: hosts break
application-layer messages into Forwarding: local
local forwarding
forwarding table
table
 global action:
packets header value output link determine source-
 aka “switching”
• network forwards packets from one
0100 3
destination paths
 local action:
0101 2
local or
router to the next, across links on regional ISP
move arriving
0111
1001
2
1 taken by packets
path from source to destination home network content packets from  routing algorithms
provider
network
router’s input link 1
datacenter
network to appropriate
router output link 3 2

enterprise
network
destination address in arriving
packet’s header

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forwarding
forwarding
routing

Packet-switching: store-and-forward Packet-switching: queueing

R = 100 Mb/s
A C
L bits
per packet
D
3 2 1 B R = 1.5 Mb/s
source destination E
R bps R bps queue of packets
waiting for transmission
over output link

 packet transmission delay: takes L/R seconds to One-hop numerical example: Queueing occurs when work arrives faster than it can be serviced:
transmit (push out) L-bit packet into link at R bps  L = 10 Kbits
 store and forward: entire packet must arrive at  R = 100 Mbps
router before it can be transmitted on next link  one-hop transmission delay
= 0.1 msec

Packet-switching: queueing Alternative to packet switching: circuit switching

R = 100 Mb/s
A C end-end resources allocated to,
reserved for “call” between source
R = 1.5 Mb/s
D and destination
B
E  in diagram, each link has four circuits.
queue of packets
waiting for transmission • call gets 2nd circuit in top link and 1st
over output link circuit in right link.
 dedicated resources: no sharing
Packet queuing and loss: if arrival rate (in bps) to link exceeds • circuit-like (guaranteed) performance
transmission rate (bps) of link for some period of time:  circuit segment idle if not used by call (no
 packets will queue, waiting to be transmitted on output link sharing)
 commonly used in traditional telephone networks
 packets can be dropped (lost) if memory (buffer) in router fills up
* Check out the online interactive exercises for more examples: http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross/interactive

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Circuit switching: FDM and TDM Packet switching versus circuit switching
Frequency Division Multiplexing example:
(FDM) 4 users  1 Gb/s link
N
 each user:

frequency
 optical, electromagnetic frequencies users 1 Gbps link
divided into (narrow) frequency • 100 Mb/s when “active”
• active 10% of time
bands
 each call allocated its own band, can Q: how many users can use this network under circuit-switching and packet switching?
transmit at max rate of that narrow time
band
 circuit-switching: 10 users
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
frequency

 packet switching: with 35 users,

 time divided into slots probability > 10 active at same time
 each call allocated periodic slot(s), can is less than .0004 *
transmit at maximum rate of (wider) time
frequency band (only) during its time
slot(s)

Packet switching versus circuit switching Network Criteria

Performance
 great for “bursty” data – sometimes has data to send, but at other times not – Depends on Network Elements
– Measured in terms of Delay and Throughput
• resource sharing
Reliability
• simpler, no call setup – Failure rate of network components
 excessive congestion possible: packet delay and loss due to buffer overflow – Measured in terms of availability/robustness
• protocols needed for reliable data transfer, congestion control Security
– Data protection against corruption/loss of data due to:
 Q: How to provide circuit-like behavior with packet-switching? – Errors
• “It’s complicated.” We’ll study various techniques that try to make packet – Malicious users
switching as “circuit-like” as possible.

Q: human analogies of reserved resources (circuit switching) versus

on-demand allocation (packet switching)?

Throughput
Throughput Example
• Throughput is an important network
metric which is also known as bandwidth. • A network might have a bandwidth of
• The bandwidth of a network is given by 10 million bits/second (Mbps),
the number of bits that can be transmitted meaning that it is able to deliver 10
over the network in a certain period of million bits every second.
time.
• Depends on the network technology
(hardware capabilities) and therefore is
constant.

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Delay
Delay Example
• Also known as latency.
• corresponds to how long it takes a • A transcontinental network might have
message to travel from one end of a a latency of 24 milliseconds (ms); that
network to the other. is, it takes a message 24 ms to travel
from one end of North America to the
• Latency is measured strictly in terms of
other.
time.
• Effected by number of users and hence
may change from time to time.

Reliability
Factors Affecting Performance
• Accuracy of delivery.
⮚Type of transmission media, • Measured by:
⮚Capabilities of connected hardware – Frequency of failures
and the efficiency of software. – Time it takes to recover from a failure
⮚Number of user – The network’s robustness in a catastrophe.

Security Network Configuration

• Many issues at the different layers! • There are a number of ways that
• Examples: computers can be connected together
– Protecting data from unauthorized access. to form networks.
– Protecting data from damage. • Physical attributes of a network
– Implementing policies and procedures for include:
recovery from breaches and data losses. ❖Type of connection
❖Physical topology

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Networks Models
Type of Connection
• Computer networks are created by different
• For communication to occure, two devices entities.
must be connected in someway to the same • Standards are needed so that these
link at the same time. heterogeneous networks can communicate.
• Two possible connections: • The two most know standards:
– Point-to-point
– Multipoint
– OSI model: defines a seven layer network.
– Internet model: defines a five layer network.

Network Categories Internetworking

Network category is determined by its size,
To interconnect two or more
ownership, the distance it cover and its networks, one needs a gateway or
physical architecture. router.
Host-to-host connectivity is only
possible if there’s a uniform
addressing scheme and a routing
mechanism.
Messages can be sent to a single
destination (unicast), to multiple
destinations (multicast), or to all
possible destinations (broadcast).

Internet structure: a “network of networks” Internet structure: a “network of networks”

mobile network Question: given millions of access ISPs, how to connect them together?
 hosts connect to Internet via access national or global ISP
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) access
net
access
net
access

 access ISPs in turn must be access

net
access
net

interconnected access
net
access
net

• so that any two hosts (anywhere!)

net
local or
regional ISP
can send packets to each other
 resulting network of networks is home network content
provider
access
net
access
net

very complex network datacenter

network
access

• evolution driven by economics,

net
access
net
enterprise
national policies network access
net
access
net
access access
net access net

Let’s take a stepwise approach to describe current Internet structure net

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Internet structure: a “network of networks” Internet structure: a “network of networks”

Option: connect each access ISP to one global transit ISP?
Question: given millions of access ISPs, how to connect them together?
Customer and provider ISPs have economic agreement.
access access access access
net net net net
access access
net net
access access
access net access net
net net
access access
access net access net
net net

global
access
net
access
net
access
net
ISP access
net

access access
net net
access access
net net

access access
net net
access access
net net
access access access access
net access net net access net
net net

Internet structure: a “network of networks” Internet structure: a “network of networks”

But if one global ISP is viable business, there will be competitors …. But if one global ISP is viable business, there will be competitors …. who will
want to be connected
Internet exchange point
access access access access
net net net net
access access
net net
access access
access net access net
net net
access IXP access
access net access net
net ISP A net ISP A

access
net ISP B access
net
access
net
IXP ISP B access
net

access ISP C access ISP C

net net
access access
net net

access
net
access
net
peering link
access access
net net
access access access access
net access net net access net
net net

Internet structure: a “network of networks” Internet structure: a “network of networks”

… and regional networks may arise to connect access nets to ISPs … and content provider networks (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Akamai) may
run their own network, to bring services, content close to end users
access access access access
net net net net
access access
net net
access access
access net access net
net net
IXP access IXP access
access net access net
net ISP A net ISP A

Content provider network

access
net
IXP ISP B access
net
access
net
IXP ISP B access
net

access ISP C access ISP C

net net
access access
net net

access access
net
regional ISP access
net
regional ISP access
net net
access access access access
net access net net access net
net net

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Internet structure: a “network of networks” Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Tier 1 ISP Tier 1 ISP Google
• Hierarchical organization of the Internet
IXP IXP IXP includes:
– International Internet Service Providers
Regional ISP Regional ISP
– National Internet Service Providers
access access access access access access access access – Regional Internet Service Providers
ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP
– Local Internet Service Providers
At “center”: small # of well-connected large networks
 “tier-1” commercial ISPs (e.g., Level 3, Sprint, AT&T, NTT), national & international coverage
 content provider networks (e.g., Google, Facebook): private network that connects its
data centers to Internet, often bypassing tier-1, regional ISPs

internet service providers (ISPs) Internet

Network Access Point (NAP)

Internet Internet

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Internet Internet

Data Center Tiers

Data Centers
 Tier 1 = Non-redundant capacity components (single uplink and servers).
 Tier 2 = Tier 1 + Redundant capacity components.
• Enterprise/  Tier 3 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Dual-powered equipment and multiple uplinks.

University Tier 4 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Tier 3 + all components are fully fault-tolerant
including uplinks, storage, chillers, HVAC systems (heating, ventilation,
Network. and air conditioning), servers etc. Everything is dual-powered.
 Data Center Availability According To Tiers
 The levels also describes the availability of data from the hardware at a
location as follows:

 Tier 1: Guaranteeing 99.671% availability.

 Tier 2: Guaranteeing 99.741% availability.
 Tier 3: Guaranteeing 99.982% availability.
 Tier 4: Guaranteeing 99.995% availability

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Performance ATTRIBUTES OF INTERNET

Internet was developed to support

• Can be measured in many ways!

– Transmit time: the amount of time Adaptive Routing:
Adaptive routing means the traffic can take different
required for a message to travel from one Routes through the Internet depending on network
device to another. conditions.

– Response time: the elapsed time between The possible result of adaptive routing is that the
destination may receive the packets out of order.
an inquiry and a response.
Connectionless System:
• Often evaluated by two networking This means Circuits are not setup between the Users.

metrics: throughput and delay. As a result, the internet does not maintain an ongoing
knowledge of user traffic and does not build a fixed path.

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“Best effort” delivery Service:

Unicasting or Multicasting Operations:
The Internet is a “best effort” delivery network.
The term best effort means that the Internet will attempt The Internet supports either one-to-one or one-to-many means
to deliver the traffic. Multicasting operation.
But traffic discarded if problem occur (damaged bits.
Due to errors, congestion at router, etc ).

Data Applications:
This aspect of Internet describes that Internet is
not Particularly good choice for the transport of
voice traffic, because there is not “tune” for
voice or video.

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