The Internet is the world’s largest computer network. With networks size counts– the larger a network is, the more information it has to offer. The Internet is often referred to as an “ocean” or “cloud” because of its enormity and power. Some people are said to ‘surf,’ ‘ride,’ or ‘navigate’ the net.
The Internet is a series of computer networks linked to one another around the world, communicating almost instantaneously with one another. A single network of computers, for example, might be all the computers linked to one another within an office or school building. A larger network might be all the computers connected within an entire school district. The Internet is many tens of thousands of these networks communicating with one another, like a big net or web. University networks connected to government networks connected to business networks connected to private networks – this is the Internet! These computer networks are physically linked to one another with telephone, radio, and fiber optic cable lines or via satellite. Networks from other continents are interconnected by the large, intercontinental fiber optic communication lines that run beneath the ocean floor. Fiber maps assimilated in geographic information systems (GIS) software is the main method used to map all the interconnected networks.
Nobody knows for sure how big the Internet is, or how many networks are actually linked, however being able to view these networks using fiber maps or fiber optic maps, it is estimated that there are approximately thirty to thirty-eight million people that are online, with sites on every continent. New user sites are continually being added. In fact, the Internet has grown at an exponential rate since its beginning. It is the largest network of computers in the world and is growing at about ten percent each month.
The internet is mapped using “GIS” which stands for Geographic Information System. It is a computer system or software used to store, edit, analyze and display geographically referenced information. Using GIS to map out where fiber cables are installed and used (fiber maps); it provides valuable information to telecommunication companies about their fiber optic cable systems and allows businesses to see where they can better connect into a fiber system. Businesses and Governments rely upon fiber maps in GIS to plan and make sure this critical piece of infrastructure continues to operate effectively and efficiently, as communications is the backbone of any society.
