The Internet is something we tend to take for granted, but an understanding of its mechanics is essential to a broader understanding of technology.

The Internet is a network of networks that uses standardised communication protocols, and is engineered to ensure that data always finds its way to the intended destination. We generally use the Internet to consume web services, which are designed and deployed by web service providers. The Internet is used to intermediate the production and consumption of these services.

At the heart of the Internet is the idea that data is packaged up into addressed “packets” and these are then “routed” to their appropriate destination using “packet switching” technology. These technologies – along with line, cable and satellite infrastructure - are deployed by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). ISPs co-operate to exchange internet data traffic with one another using common communication protocols. Here are some of the key Internet protocols:

TCP - Transmission Control Protocol defines how to establish and maintain a network conversation between programs

IP - Internet Protocol, the Internet’s addressing system

HTTP - Hypertext Transport (or Transfer) Protocol is the data transfer protocol used on the World Wide Web

The World Wide Web – a system that uses web browsers for the delivery of content and services

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), Javascript and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) - the three principle methods for coding web pages and content

Figure 8. The Internet with the IoT, simplified

IoT (Internet of Things) is a network of physical devices based on sensors and actuators, applied to vehicles, home appliances and industrial processes, connected via the Internet or private networks.

Cloud Computing is the practice of using remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, to supplement and extend the capabilities of devices. For example, booking a train on a mobile phone involves some local processing on the phone itself, but most of the processing – e.g. database search – is done in the Cloud where more processing power and more data can be deployed.

Figure 9. Cloud Computing - connecting computing and data

Cloud Computing represented a significant shift in the IT world –