Hiding in Plain Sight
Networks exist in many places, although you may not know it.
The calls we make on our cell phones employ them, the instant messages we create on our laptops ride on them, and even content providers like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Netflix run on top of them. The fact is that in a technology-based society like ours, networks hold a significant place in our lives. So, why doesn't everyone know it? The fact is that we focus more on the benefits they provide (like phone calls, messages, and movies) rather than the technology that allows us to receive those benefits.
What is a Network?
A network is a group of devices and/or computers (also known as nodes) connected to each other in some fashion, that can exchange information with each other. For example, the Instant Teller at your local bank branch is part of a network. They can contain as little as 2 nodes, or as many as several thousand. In one special case (the Internet), there are several billion nodes spread all over the world. The primary purpose of a network is to facilitate communication within the member nodes. For cell phone calls digitized voice is exchanged, for instant messages text is exchanged, and for websites like YouTube, it's content.