The internet is has offered services to billions of users worldwide without fail. It is a technology that reduces the world into a global village. There is therefore, need to understand it in terms of its origin, structure and functionality. This paper will seek to define the term internet, understand its type of network and explore the origin of its design. The differences between heterarchical and hierarchical networks will also be explored in details. These differences revolve around nature and their characteristics.
Introduction
The term internet can be defined as a global system of integrated computer networks that make use of standard internet protocol suite to provide services to users worldwide (Goertzel, 1997). It can also be referred to as a network of networks, which consists of billions of private, academic, public, business and governmental networks that are lined through an array of electronic, optical ad ireless networking technologies. Networks that are close in terms of geography are known as Local Area Networks (LANs). The internet is a heterarchical network that contains a lot of individual LANs. Therefore, it is not a hierarchical network.
Heterarchical and hierarchical networks
Heterarchical networks as described earlier comprises of many nodes that are integrated randomly. There is no node that is more important than the other. Networks in heterarchies share the same status of authority and power while each playing an equal role theoretically. A hierarchy on the other hand, is a lineup of elements with unequal representation on the same network. Some items are described as above, below or at the same level with each other. Therefore, a hierarchy can be defined as an ordered set or a graph that is cyclically directed. There are some nodes that are superior to others. This means that there are dominant nodes that form one network. It is logical to argue that both networks are different from each other as far as their base structure is concerned.
A heterarchical network is more of a robust network. This means that even if some nodes are removed or are not functioning, data can still be transferred between nodes. Service provision, however, cannot be stopped because the network can never be stagnant completely. The diverse users of the network across the globe are not greatly affected by system breakdown of some nodes. This is because the remaining nodes continue functioning and assume the role of the failed nodes. On the contrary, hierarchical networks do not possess robustness. They cannot be termed robust since their nodes are interconnected in a tree format with the root node at the top. This means that an interference with one node will lead to the breakdown of the entire network. The nodes are related to each other either vertically or horizontally, with direct or indirect links. Therefore, heterarchical and hierarchical networks are different in terms of their characteristics.
The overall internet design was adopted after the two network designs were ranked in terms of their efficiency and functionalism. The internet was meant to serve a vast number of users worldwide and hence there was need to adopt a network that offered the most convenient services. Heterarchical network was preferred due to its unique structure as well as its robustness. It was believed that its adoption will enable users to access information globally with limited interruptions.
Reference
Goertzel, B. (1997). From complexity to creativity: Explorations in Evolutionary, Autopoietic, and Cognitive Dynamic. London: Springer.
