Electronic Commerce

Tenth Edition

Chapter 2
Technology Infrastructure: The Internet
and the World Wide Web
 Learning Objectives

In this chapter, you will learn:

• About the origin, growth, and current structure of the
Internet
• How packet-switched networks are combined to
form the Internet
• How Internet, e-mail, and Web protocols work
• About Internet addressing and how Web domain
names are constructed

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 Learning Objectives (cont’d.)
• About the history and use of markup languages on
the Web
• How HTML tags and links work
• About technologies people and businesses use to
connect to the Internet
• About Internet2 and the Semantic Web

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 The Internet and the World Wide Web
• Computer network
– Technology allowing people to connect computers
– Internet
• Interconnected global computer networks (capital “I”)
• internet (small “i”): group of interconnected computer
networks
• Basic technology structure
– Supports networks, the Internet, and e-commerce
• World Wide Web (Web)
– Subset of Internet computers
– Includes easy-to-use interfaces

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 Origins of the Internet
• Early 1960s
– Defense Department nuclear attack concerns
– Used powerful computers (large mainframes)
– Used leased telephone company lines
• Single connection
– Single connection risk solution
• Communicate using multiple channels (packets)
• 1969 Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)
– Packet network connected four computers
• ARPANET: earliest network (became the Internet)
• Academic research use (1970s and 1980s)

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 New Uses for the Internet
• Defense Department network use was original goal
– Control weapons systems, transfer research files
• 1970s: other uses
– E-mail (1972)
– Networking technology
• Remote file transfer and computer access
– Mailing lists
• E-mail address forwards message to subscribed users
• 1979: Usenet (User’s News Network)
– Read and post articles
– Newsgroups (topic areas)

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 New Uses for the Internet (cont’d.)
• Limited Internet use
– Research and academic communities
• 1979 – 1989
– Network applications improved and tested
– Defense Department’s networking software
• Gained wider academic and research institution use
• Common communications network benefit recognized
– Security problems recognized
• 1980s: personal computer use explosion
– Academic and research networks merged

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 Commercial Use of the Internet
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
– Provided funding
– Prohibited commercial network traffic
• Businesses turned to commercial e-mail providers
• Larger firms built networks (leased telephone lines)
• 1989: NSF permitted two commercial e-mail
services
– MCI Mail and CompuServe
• Commercial enterprises could send e-mail
• Research, education communities sent e-mail directly
to MCI Mail and CompuServe
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 Growth of the Internet
• 1991
– Further easing of commercial Internet activity
restrictions
• 1995: privatization of the Internet
– Operations turned over to privately owned companies
• Internet based on four network access points (NAPs)
• Network access providers
– Sell Internet access rights directly to larger customers
– Use Internet service providers (ISPs)
• Sell to smaller firms and individuals

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 FIGURE 2-1 Growth of the Internet

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 Growth of the Internet (cont’d.)
• Internet hosts: directly connected computers
• Internet growth
– One of the most significant technological and social
accomplishments of last millennium
– Nearly every country involved
– Used by millions of people
– Billions of dollars change hands yearly

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 Packet-Switched Networks
• Local area network (LAN)
– Network of computers located close together
• Wide area networks (WANs)
– Networks of computers connected over greater
distances
• Circuit
– Combination of telephone lines and closed switches
connecting them to each other
• Circuit switching
– Centrally controlled, single-connection model
• Single electrical path between caller and receiver

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 Packet-Switched Networks (cont’d.)
• Circuit switching (cont’d.)
– Works well for telephone calls
– Does not work as well for:
• Sending data across large WAN and interconnected
network (Internet)
• Circuit-switched network problem
– Connected circuit failure
• Causes interrupted connection and data loss
• Solution
– Packet switching: move data between two points

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 Packet-Switched Networks (cont’d.)
• Packet-switched network
– Packets
• Small pieces labeled electronically (origin, sequence,
and destination address)
• Travel along interconnected networks
• Can take different paths
• May arrive out of order
– Destination computer
• Collects packets
• Reassembles original file or e-mail message

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 Routing Packets
• Routing computers
– Decide how best to forward each packet
– Also known as:
• Router computers, routers, gateway computers,
border routers
– Gateway from LAN or WAN to Internet
– Border routers between organization and the Internet
• Routing algorithms
– Programs on routing computers
• Determine best path for packet

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 Routing Packets (cont’d.)
• Routing algorithms applied to routing table
(configuration table) information
• Routing table (configuration table) information
– Includes lists of connections
– Includes rules for:
• Specifying connection to use first
• Handling heavy packet traffic and network congestion
• Variety of rules and standards for creating packets
• Hubs, switches, and bridges
– Devices that move packets

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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-3 Router-based architecture of the Internet

• Routers connect networks

– Translate packets into standard format
– Internet backbone consists of backbone routers and
telecommunication lines
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 Public and Private Networks
• Public network
– Public availability
• Private network
– Private, leased-line connection
– Physically connects intranets to one another
• Leased line
– Permanent telephone connection between two points
– Advantage: security
– Drawback: costs
• Scaling problem: adding companies

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 Virtual Private Network (VPN)
• Connection via public networks and protocols
– Sends sensitive data
– Uses IP tunneling (encapsulation) system
• Private passageway through public Internet
• Secure transmission
– Encapsulation
• Encrypts packet content, places inside another packet
• IP wrapper: outer packet
– VPN software installed on both computers
• “Virtual” since connection seems permanent
– Actually a temporary connection

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 Intranets and Extranets
• Intranet
– An internet within the boundaries of the organization
– Interconnected private networks
• Extranet
– An internet that extends beyond the organization and
incorporates networks of outside entities
• Technologies (public networks, private networks, or
VPNs)
– Independent of organizational boundaries

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 Internet Protocols
• Protocol: collection of network data rules
– Includes transmission rules
– Computers must use same protocol
• ARPANET: Network Control Protocol (NCP)
• Proprietary architecture (closed architecture)
– Manufacturer creates own protocol
• Open architecture (Internet core)
– Uses common protocol
– Four key message-handling rules
– Contributed to the Internet’s success

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 TCP/IP
• Internet protocols
– Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
• Controls message or file disassembly into packets
before Internet transmission
• Controls packet reassembly into original formats at
destinations
– Internet Protocol (IP)
• Specifies addressing details for each packet
• Labels packet with origination and destination
addresses
• TCP/IP refers to both protocols
– Used today (replaced ARPANET NCP)

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 IP Addressing
• Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4)
– Used for past 20 years
• IP address
– 32-bit number identifying computers
• Base 2 (binary) number system
– Computers use for internal calculations
– Digit: 0 or a 1 (on or off condition)
– Four billion different addresses (232 = 4,294,967,296)
• Router breaks message into packets
– Contains source and destination IP address

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 IP Addressing (cont’d.)
• Dotted decimal notation
– Four numbers separated by periods
• IP addresses range: 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255
• Byte (8-bit number)
– Called an octet (networking applications)
• Binary values: 00000000 to 11111111
• Decimal equivalents: 0 to 255
• Three organizations assign IP addresses
• ARIN Whois server
– Returns IP address list owned by an organization

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 IP Addressing (cont’d.)
• New devices creating high demand for IP addresses
• Subnetting
– Use reserved private IP LAN (WAN) addresses
• Provide additional address space
• Private IP addresses
– IP numbers not permitted on Internet packets
• Network Address Translation (NAT) device
– Converts private IP addresses into normal IP
addresses

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 IP Addressing (cont’d.)
• Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)
– Replaces IPv4 (future)
• IPv4 and IPv6 not directly compatible
– Advantages
• 128-bit number for addresses
• 228 addresses: 34 followed by 37 zeros
• Packet format change eliminates unnecessary fields
• Adds fields for security, other optional information
– Shorthand notation system for expressing addresses
(complex eight groups of 16 bits)
• Colon hexadecimal or colon hex
Note: hexadecimal = base 16

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 Electronic Mail Protocols
• Electronic mail (e-mail)
– Formatted according to common set of rules
– Client/server structure
• E-mail server
– Computer devoted to e-mail handling
– Stores, forwards e-mail messages
• E-mail client software
– Reads and sends e-mail
– Communicates with e-mail server software
• Standardization and rules very important

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 Electronic Mail Protocols (cont’d.)
• Two common protocols
– Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
• Specifies mail message format
• Describes mail administration e-mail server
• Describes mail transmission on the Internet
– Post Office Protocol (POP)
• Sends mail to user’s computer; deletes from server
• Sends mail to user’s computer; does not delete
• Asks if new mail arrived

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 Electronic Mail Protocols (cont’d.)
• Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)
– Set of rules for handling binary files
• Interactive Mail Access Protocol (IMAP)
– Newer e-mail protocol
• Same basic POP functions
• Additional features that support user access to email
from any computer
– IMPAP Disadvantage: storage of e-mail messages on
e-mail server

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 Web Page Request and Delivery
Protocols
• Web client computers
– Web client software (Web browser software)
• Sends Web page file requests to other computers (Web
servers)
• Web server computer
– Web server software
• Receives requests from many different Web clients
• Client/server architecture
– Combination: client computers, server computers

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 Web Page Request and Delivery
Protocols (cont’d.)
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
– Internet Web page file delivery rules
• Web page request using Web browser
– User types protocol name
• Followed by “//:” characters before the domain name
– Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
• Combination: protocol name, domain name
• Locates resources (Web page) on another computer
(Web server)

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 Emergence of the World Wide Web
• Web
– Software running on Internet-connected computers
– Generates network traffic
• Web software: largest single traffic category
• Outpaces: e-mail, file transfers, and other data
transmission traffic
– Web resulted from new ways of thinking about
information storage and retrieval
• Key technological Web elements
– Hypertext
– Graphical user interfaces
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 The Development of Hypertext
• 1945: Vannevar Bush: The Atlantic Monthly article
– Visionary ideas: future technology uses (Memex)
• 1960s: Ted Nelson described hypertext
– Page-linking system
– Douglas Engelbart: experimental hypertext system
• 1987: Nelson published Literary Machines
– Outlined project Xanadu global system
– Online hypertext publishing and commerce

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 The Development of Hypertext (cont’d.)
• 1989: Tim Berners-Lee
– Proposed hypertext development project
– Provided data-sharing functionality
– Developed hypertext server program code
• Hypertext server
– Stores Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files
– Computers connect and read files
• Web servers (today)
– Hypertext servers used on the Web

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 The Development of Hypertext (cont’d.)
• HTML
– Set of codes (tags) attached to text
– Describes relationships among text elements
• Hypertext link (hyperlink)
– Points to another location
– Same or another HTML document

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 Graphical Interfaces for Hypertext
• Web browser
– Software, e.g., Mozilla Firefox or MS Internet Explorer
– Users read (browse) HTML documents
– Move from one HTML document to another
– Text formatted with hypertext link tags in file
• HTML document
– No specification of text element appearance
• Graphical user interface (GUI)
– Presents program control functions, output to users,
and input from users
– Pictures, icons, and other graphical elements
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 The World Wide Web (cont’d.)
• World Wide Web: Berners-Lee’s name for system of
hyperlinked HTML documents
• Quick acceptance in scientific research community
• 1993: first GUI program (Mosaic)
– Read HTML
– Used HTML hyperlinks for page-to-page navigation
– First Web browser widely available for personal
computers

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 The World Wide Web (cont’d.)
• Easy way to access Internet information
– Provided by functional system of pages connected by
hypertext links
– Profit-making potential
• Netscape Communications founded in 1994
– Netscape Navigator Web browser (based on Mosaic)
– Microsoft: Internet Explorer (most widely used)
– Mozilla Firefox: Netscape Navigator descendant
• Number of Web sites
– More rapid growth than the Internet itself

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 FIGURE 2-2 Growth of the World Wide Web
– More than 250 million Web sites/50 billion Web pages
– Commercial business Web use increasing
– 2010 to 2011: number of Web sites doubled
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 The Deep Web
• Non-permanent Web pages can be created based
on customized response to user’s search
– Example: search for “online business” book on
Amazon.com
• Deep Web: information that is stored in databases
and is accessible to users through Web interfaces
– Potentially trillions of Web pages available using deep
Web

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 Domain Names
• Dotted decimal notation difficult to remember
• Domain names
– Sets of words assigned to specific IP addresses
– Example: www.sandiego.edu
• Contains three parts separated by periods
• Top-level domain (TLD): rightmost part
• Generic top-level domains (gTLDs)
• Sponsored top-level domains (sTLD)
– Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN)
• Manages addition of gTLDs: less stringent in recent
years
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 FIGURE 2-4 Commonly used domain names
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 Markup Languages and the Web
• Text markup language
– Specifies set of tags inserted into text
• Markup tags (tags)
– Formatting instructions Web client understands
• HTML
– Web markup language
• Most commonly used
– Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)
subset
• Older, more complex text markup language
• Meta language: used to define other languages

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 Markup Languages and the Web
(cont’d.)
• Extensible Markup Language (XML)
– Derived from SGML
– Mark up shared information
– Meta language
• User creates markup elements extending XML
usefulness
• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
– Maintains Web standards
• Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML)
– HTML version 4.0 reformulation as XML application

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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-5 Development of markup languages

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 Markup Languages
• Generalized Markup Language (GML)
– Creates standard electronic document formatting
styles
• SGML: version of GML
– Adopted by International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
• System of marking up documents
• Software application independent
• Nonproprietary; platform-independent
• Offers user-defined tags
• Not suited to rapid Web page development; costly to
maintain; requires expensive tools; hard to learn

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 Hypertext Markup Language
• Hypertext elements
– Text elements related to each other
• HTML
– Prevalent markup language to create Web documents
– W3C HTML Working Group page
• Detailed HTML versions; related topic information
• HTML extensions
– Features that work in specific Web browsers
• Draft HTML version 5.0
– Includes audio and video features within the markup
language itself

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 Hypertext Markup Language (cont’d.)
• HTML tags
– Interpreted by Web browser
– Format text display
– Enclosed in angle brackets (<>)
• Opening tag and closing tag
– Format text between them
• Closing tag
– Preceded by slash within angle brackets (</>)
• User may customize tag interpretations
• Tags: generally written in lowercase letters

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 Hypertext Markup Language (cont’d.)
• One-sided tags
– Require opening tag only
• Two-sided tags
– Optional closing tag
– Closing tag position very important
• Opening tag may contain one or more property
modifiers
– Further refine tag operation
• Other frequently used HTML tags
– Graphics and tables

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FIGURE 2-6 Text marked up with HTML tags

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 FIGURE 2-7 Text marked up with HTML tags as it appears in a Web browser
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 Hypertext Markup Language (cont’d.)
• HTML links
– Hyperlinks on interlinked pages form a “web”
• Linear hyperlink structure
– Reads Web page in serial fashion
– Works well when customer fills out form
• Hierarchical hyperlink structure
– Uses an introductory page (home page, start page)
linking to other pages
– Site map often available for hierarchical sites
• Anchor tags used to specify document’s remote or
local address
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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-8 Linear vs. nonlinear paths through documents

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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-9 Three common Web page organization structures

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 Hypertext Markup Language (cont’d.)
• Scripting languages and style sheets
• HTML version released (after 1997)
– Object tag
• Embeds scripting language code on HTML pages
– Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
• Provide more control over displayed page format
– Style sheet
• Instructions stored in separate file
• Referenced using HTML style tag
• May be included in Web page’s HTML file

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 Extensible Markup Language (XML)
• Web design tool
– For presenting or maintaining information lists, data
• Includes data-management capabilities
– HTML cannot provide
• See Figures 2-10 and 2-11
– Illustrate HTML shortcomings in presenting lists
• XML different from HTML
– XML: not a markup language with defined tags
– XML: tags do not specify text appearance on page

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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-10 Country list data marked up with HTML tags
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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-11 Country list data as it appears in a Web browser
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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-12 Country list data marked up with XML tags
– Figures 2-12 and 2-13
– Advantages of XML list presentation
• More effectively communicates the meaning of data
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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-13 Country list data marked up with XML tags as it
would appear in Internet Explorer

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 Extensible Markup Language (XML)
(cont’d.)
• Strength of XML
– Users may define their own tags (weakness as well)
• Solution to user tag definitions
– Common XML tags standards
• Data-type definitions (DTDs) or XML schemas
– 2001: W3C released set of rules for XML documents
– XML vocabulary: set of XML tag definitions
• XML files not intended to display in browser
– Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL)
• Contains formatting instructions
– XML parsers: format XML file for device screen

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 © Cengage Learning 2013
FIGURE 2-14 Processing requests for Web pages from an XML database

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 HTML and XML Editors
• HTML document creation
– General-purpose text editor or word processor
– Special-purpose HTML editors available
– Web site design tools
• Create and manage complete Web sites
• Upload entire site from PC to Web server
• Example: Adobe Dreamweaver
• XML files
– Created with text editor or programs

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 Internet Connection Options
• Internet
– Set of interconnected networks
• Organizations connect computers using a network
• Internet access providers (IAPs) or ISPs
– Provide Internet access to:
• Individuals, businesses, other organizations
– Offer several connection options

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 Connectivity Overview
• Common connection options
– Voice-grade telephone lines, various types of
broadband connections, leased lines, wireless
• Distinguishing factor
– Bandwidth
• Amount of data traveling through communication line
per unit of time
• Net bandwidth
– Actual speed information travels
• Symmetric connections
– Provide same bandwidth in both directions

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 Connectivity Overview (cont’d.)
• Asymmetric connections
– Provide different bandwidths for each direction
• Upstream bandwidth (upload bandwidth)
– Amount of information from user to the Internet in a
given amount of time
• Downstream bandwidth (download, downlink
bandwidth)
– Amount of information from the Internet to user in a
given amount of time

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 Voice-Grade Telephone Connections
• Local telephone service provider
– Most common way for an individual to connect to ISP
• Plain old telephone service (POTS)
– Uses existing telephone lines, analog modem
• Bandwidth between 28 and 56 Kbps
• Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) protocol
– Higher grade of service
– Use DSL modem (type of network switch)
• Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
– First technology developed using DSL protocol suite

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 Broadband Connections
• Broadband: connection speeds > 200 Kbps
– Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)
• DSL protocol providing broadband range service
– High-speed DSL (HDSL)
• More than 768 Kbps symmetric bandwidth
– Cable modems
• Transmission speeds to server: 300 Kbps to 1 Mbps
• Connection bandwidths vary
• Subscribers compete for shared resource
– DSL: Private line with no competing traffic
• Rural connection option issues: voice-grade lines
• Data-grade lines in most urban and suburban locations
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 Leased-Line Connections
• More expensive technologies
– Classified by equivalent number of telephone lines
included
• DS0 (digital signal zero)
– Carries one digital signal (56 Kbps)
• T1 line (DS1)
– Carries 24 DS0 lines (1.544 Mbps)
• T3 (DS3): 44.736 Mbps

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 Leased-Line Connections (cont’d.)
• Large organizations require very high bandwidth
• NAPs use T1 and T3 lines
• NAPs and Internet backbone routing computers
– Frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)
– Optical fiber (instead of copper wire)
• Bandwidth determined by fiber-optic cable class
• OC3 (optical carrier 3): 156 Mbps
• OC12: 622 Mbps
• OC48: 2.5 Gbps
• OC192: 10 Gbps

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 Wireless Connections
• Previous satellite microwave transmissions
– Download speeds of 500 Kbps
– Upload handled by POTS modem connection
• Today: POTS modem connection not required
– Use microwave transmitter for uploads (150 Kbps)
– Costs and accuracy improving
• Many wireless network types now available
– Internet-capable mobile phones, smart phones, game
consoles, and notebook computers
– More than half of U.S. Internet users used a wireless
device for Internet access
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 Wireless Connections (cont’d.)
• Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband (UWB)
• Bluetooth design for use over short distances
– Low-bandwidth technology (722 Kbps)
– Personal area networks (PANs) or piconets
• Small Bluetooth networks
– Advantages:
• Devices consume very little power
• Devices can discover one another and exchange
information automatically

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 Wireless Connections (cont’d.)
• Ultra Wideband (UWB)
– Provides bandwidth up to 480 Mbps
– Connections over short distances (30 to 100 feet)
– Future personal area networking applications
• Wireless Ethernet (Wi-Fi)
– Wi-Fi (wireless Ethernet, 802.11b)
– Wireless access point (WAP)
• Transmits packets between Wi-Fi-equipped computers
and other devices within range
– 802.11b (11 Mbps): range of about 300 feet

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 Wireless Connections (cont’d.)
• Wireless Ethernet (Wi-Fi) (cont’d.)
– 802.11a (54 Mbps): not 802.11b compatible
– 802.11g (54 Mbps): 802.11b compatible
– 802.11n: “Draft-N” (300 to 450 Mbps range)
• Finalized specification: predicted for 2010
– Roaming
• Shifting from one WAP to another
• No user intervention
– Hot spots
• WAPs open to public

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 Wireless Connections (cont’d.)
• Fixed-point wireless
– System of repeaters
• Forward radio signal from ISP to customers
– Repeaters
• Transmitter-receiver devices (transceivers)
– Uses mesh routing
• Directly transmits Wi-Fi packets through short-range
transceivers (hundreds or thousands)
• Located close to each other

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 Wireless Connections (cont’d.)
• Mobile telephone networks
– Broadcast signals to/receive signals from antennas
• Three miles apart in grid
– Short message service (SMS) protocol
• Send and receive short text messages
– Also used for netbooks and tablet devices
– Third-generation (3G) wireless technology
• 2 Mbps download/800 Kbps upload speeds
– Fourth-generation (4G) technology
• Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)
– Significance in Mobile commerce or m-commerce
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 FIGURE 2-15 Internet connection options

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 Internet2 and the Semantic Web
• Internet2
– Replacement for original ARPANET laboratory
– Experimental networking technologies test bed
– High end of the bandwidth spectrum (10 Gbps)
– Used by universities, medical schools, CERN
– Focus
• Mainly technology development

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 Internet2 and the Semantic Web
(cont’d.)
• Semantic Web project (next-generation Web)
– Goal: blending technologies and information into a
next-generation Web
• Have words on Web pages tagged (using XML) with
their meanings
– Uses software agents (intelligent programs)
• Read XML tags, determine meaning of words in their
contexts
– Resource description framework (RDF)
• Set of XML syntax standards
– Development of Semantic Web will take many years
• Start with ontologies for specific subjects

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 Summary
• History of the Internet and the Web
– Began from research and evolved to become
framework for electronic commerce
• Networking technologies
– Intranets and extranets
• Public network, private network, virtual private network

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 Summary (cont’d.)
• Technologies supporting the Internet and World
Wide Web
– Protocols, programs, languages, architectures
– TCP/IP
– HTML, SGML, XML
• HTML defines structure and content of Web pages
• Extensible Markup Language (XML)
– Uses markup tags to describe the meaning or
semantics of text

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 Summary (cont’d.)
• Internet service provider connection types
– Basic telephone connections, broadband cable,
satellite microwave transmission, DSL, wireless
(fixed-point, mobile)
• Internet2 experimental test bed
– Creating, perfecting future high-speed networking
technologies
• Semantic Web project
– Goal of making research data widely available
– May enable Web interaction using intelligent software
agents

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