Inter-networking

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Contents:

Introduction

Requirements of internetworking

Devices used for internetworking

Components of internetworking

Introduction

Internetworking is the process or technique of connecting different networks by using intermediary

devices such as routers or gateway devices.

The standard reference model for internetworking is Open System Interconnection (OSI)

Any interconnection among or between public, private, commercial, industrial, or governmental

computer networks may also be defined as an internetwork or “Internetworking”.

Internetworking ensures data communication among networks owned and operated by different
entities using a common data communication and the Internet Routing Protocol.

The Internet is the largest pool of networks geographically located throughout the world but these
networks are interconnected using the same protocol stack, TCP/IP.

Internetworking is only possible when all the connected networks use the same protocol stack or
communication methodologies.

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Requirements for internetworking

Provide a link between networks. At minimum, a physical and link control connection is needed.

Provide the routing for delivery of data between processes on different networks.

Provide an accounting services that keeps track of the use of the various networks and routers and
maintains status information.

Provide the services just listed without requiring modification to the networking architecture of
constitute networks.

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Devices used for internetworking

Routers

Bridges

Repeaters

Gateways

Components of an internetwork

Campus network: locally connected users in a building or group of buildings. It generally uses LAN
technologies.

Wide area network (WANs): distant campuses connected together usually through connection
providers such as a telephone company.

Remote connections: linking branch offices and mobile users to a corporate campus. They are
generally dial-up links or low bandwidth dedicated WAN links.