Internet and IEEE Network Management Standards

The Internet is a computer network made up to thousands of networks worldwide. All computers on the Internet communicate with one another using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol suite, abbreviated to TCP/IP. Computers on the Internet use a client/server architecture. This means that the remote server machine provides files and services to the user's local client machine. Software can be installed on a client computer to take advantage of the latest access technology.

The Internet consists primarily of variety of access protocols. Many of these protocols feature programs that allow users to search for and retrieve material made available by the protocol. An Internet user has access to a wide variety of services: electronic mail, file transfer, vast information resources, interest group membership, interactive collaboration, multimedia displays, real-time broadcasting, shopping opportunities, breaking news and much more.

The World Wide Web (abbreviated as the Web or WWW) is a system of Internet servers that supports hypertext to access several Internet protocols on a single interface Almost every protocol type available on the Internet is accessible on the Web. This include e-mail, FTP, Telnet, and Usenet News. In addition to these, the World Wide Web has its own protocol: HyperText Transfer Protocol, or HTTP.

The World Wide Web provides a single interface for accessing all these protocols. This creates a convenient and user-friendly environment. It is no longer necessary to be conversant in these protocols within separate, command-level environments. The Web gathers together thse protocols into a single system. Because of this feature, and because of the Web's ability to work with multimedia and advanced programming languages, the World Wide Web is the fastest-growing component of the Internet.

IEEE has developed a set of network standards. They include:

IEEE 802.1 - Specifies Network Management Standards.

IEEE 802.2 - Specifies the General standard for the OSI Reference Model data link layer.

IEEE 802.3 - Defines the Media Access Control layer for bus networks that use CSMA/CD.

IEEE 802.4 - Defines the Media Access Control layer for bus networks that use a token-passing mechanism.

IEEE 802.5 - Defines the MAC layer for token Ringh Network.

IEEE 802.6 - Defines MAN's (Metropolitan Area Network) Standard.

IEEE 802.7 - Broadband Technical advisory group.

IEEE 802.8 - Fibre Optic Technical advisory group.

IEEE 802.9 - ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network).

IEEE 802.10 - Specifies Network Security Standards.

IEEE 802.11 - Specifies Wireless Network Standards.

IEEE 802.12 - Specifies 100 VG Any LAN Standards.

IEEE 802.14 - Specifies Cable Modem Standards.