Major communications/network hardware components and network architectures relevant to LAS

Communications/network hardware

• Modems
• Network Hardware
  • Network Interface Cards
  • Routers, Bridges, Hubs, brouters, and other similar devices
    • These route information between networks and parts of networks.

Network architectures

• Direct Connections (physically, permanently wired together)
  • San Jose State's Innopac Catalog (Mainframe/Terminal-based)
• Leased lines
  • OCLC at Foothill
    • The cataloger's computer has a permanent, leased telephone line to OCLC.
• Local area networks
  • Foothill's Sirsi catalog
• Phone lines (modem connections)
  • These are dial-in connections (over the telephone)
  • Examples:
    • Santa Clara County Library
    • RLIN, MELVYL
• Value-Added Carriers
  • Tymnet
• Metropolitan and Wide Area Networks
  • MELVYL (satellite-based)
  • Santa Clara County Library
• Internet
  • Internet Search Engines

Network communications software

• This transports multiple and varied communications signals across the physical communications medium in formats compliant with various standards or "protocols."
  • Examples:
    • TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
    • HTTP
    • Novell NetWare LAN software
    • Windows NT (which is both LAN software and a computer operating system)
    • Telnet

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