The infrastructure of the Internet is a collection of remote hardware and software that function to send and receive information to and from various systems. Every instance of a page loaded in a computer’s web browser, a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed transmitted to a reader, or a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call made represents this complex Internet infrastructure. Its basic components include data centers, networks, servers, storage devices, and server applications. The hardware may be located in specific countries, but the network infrastructure crosses international borders to make the Internet a global phenomenon available in any region that has a localized network in operation.
An ADSL modem, one of the ways to connect to the Internet.
The home of the Internet infrastructure is the data center, a secure building that houses computer equipment and network connectivity devices. It is operated by a team of full-time operators and is equipped with enough power to run and cool the equipment. It also has systems to regulate the climate, suppress fires and prevent unauthorized access.
A network hub.
A network of processors and storage devices in a data center is the second component of the Internet infrastructure. Measured in megabits per second (mbps), the network allows data to be transferred between processors and storage devices in the data center and to other data centers. The ultimate goal is for the information to reach the end user’s computer or device.
The third component, servers, are state-of-the-art computers that resemble a desktop PC, but with much greater processing and storage capacity. Servers are measured in units of processing power and RAM storage capacity and must be connected to a power supply, or multiple power supplies, as well as network and an installed operating system. A server can consist of a single computer, a group of computers, or even a group of groups.
Data that appears on an end user’s device must be stored somewhere, so the fourth component of the Internet’s infrastructure is storage devices. Storage capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). Storage devices can be local, that is, on the hard drives of the servers themselves, or remote, connected to one or more servers through a network.
The fifth component of the Internet infrastructure is the operating software for servers or server applications. To function, a server must have an operating system such as Linux or Windows, a web server application such as Apache or Microsoft IIS, and a database such as MySQL or Oracle. Once a server is equipped with this software, the user can install any other subsidiary web applications that are required. All the components work together to form the infrastructure of the Internet, which transmits information around the world.
The hardware may be located in specific countries, but the network infrastructure crosses international borders to make the Internet a worldwide phenomenon.
