What is a network and what benefits does it provide?
The dictionary defines a network as a "group of computers and associated devices that are connected by communications facilities."
Thus, a network can be anything from two computers connected by a serial cable to thousands of computers connected by high-speed data communication links
dispersed throughout the world.A network provides two principle benefits:
the ability to communicate and the ability to share.
A network supports communication among users in ways that other media cannot. E-mail, the most popular form of network communication, provides low-cost, printable correspondence with the capability for forwarding, acknowledgment, storage, retrieval, and attachments.
Sharing involves not only information (database records, e-mail, graphics, etc.), but also resources (applications, printers, modems, disk space, scanners, etc.) Through its ability to share, a network promotes collaboration. This is the main attraction of popular software called "groupware" that is designed to allow multiple users to hold electronic meetings and work concurrently on projects.