|
|
Over the past few decades, many things have changed. With the growth of the Internet, life has been altered in so many ways because of the information superhighway. Anything from candies to cars can be purchased over the internet. The range of information available to people is practically limitless. I can research computer networking while reading an article on the gubernatorial race in the New York Times, listen to a speech by world-renowned speaker Tom Hopkins, and download “500 miles” by Peter, Paul, and Mary all at the same time from the comfort of my bedroom. Now, with that in mind, what kind of doors does that open up to the serious world? More than personal things, what about the business world? Instead of simply dealing with local or regional matters through conventional means of communication (e.g. “snail mail”, telephone and video conferencing, etc.), many businesses today have to consider national and international markets and the logistics that go into a network of that type (Tyson). As the popularity of the Internet grew, businesses started to use it as a means of extending their own networks. First came intranets, which are password-protected sites designed for use only by authorized users (e.g. company employees). Now, many companies are creating their own VPN, or Virtual Private Network, to accommodate the needs of remote employees and distant offices.
|
