Local area network

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Local Area Networks is a very important topic, as almost anyone who has used a computer has most likely used a local area network (LAN) whether they are aware of it or not. LAN's can be found almost everywhere whether it be in schools, at the work place, or possibily in one's own house. Because of this fact, it is quite interesting to learn just how a LAN works, when they are used, and just how the whole idea was started.

History

The whole idea of a Local Area Network is relatively recent, as it wasn't until May 22nd, 1973 at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) that the world's very first LAN was set up. Bob Metcalf and David Boggs were the computer scientists involved in this research, and by using an ethernet cable they were able to transfer there first packet of data between two computers on this very day. Both Metcalf and Boggs spent the next several years working on the idea of a LAN, and by 1976 they were able to connect and transfer information between over 100 computers. This is where our modern idea of a local area network was started. This relatively simple idea was the foundation of how many businesses are set up to this day, as they can easily transmit data between any computer in a building. [1]

However, as great of an idea as Metcalf and Boggs had created the rest of the 1970's went by without any mainstream or commercial use. A LAN idea was still kept within the Xerox laboratories. It wasn't until 1979 that Gordon Bell of Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) contacted Metcalf with the idea of bringing a product to the public that used ethernet cables to create LAN's. It was decided that DEC would design and build the hardware while Intel was responsible for supplying the computer chips used in the network interface cards. [3]

This seemed like a great idea, unfortunately they were worried about becoming a monopoly, so instead of keeping this idea to themselves, they instead decided to create an open industry standard for ethernet. The three companys; Intel, DEX, and Xerox worked in partnership with the Institute of Electronics, and Electrial Engineers (IEEE) on this project. [1]

By 1981, after Metcalf founded 3Com Corp, the very first ethernet hardware was shipping to the general public. By 1982 the first ethernet hardware for a home computer was created for the Apple Box, while a year later the very first ethernet internal card, known as the EtherLink ISA was created for the IBM PC. This internal card used very small ethernet cables, which is still predominantly used today. [1]

In 1983, Xerox gave all of its patents for ethernet technology over to IEEE. IEEE allowed any company to manufacture ethernet hardware for a simple fee of $1000. This action used by Xerox was the many reason why ethernets became the most commonly used local area network technology. [1]

Over the next couple of decades the ethernet technology began to grow, and become more powerful, and is still to this day the most widely used technology found within every local area network. All sorts of institutes and businesses have Metcalf and Boggs to thank for creating the very idea that all local area networks are founded upon.