October 6th Reading Notes

Computer Network
- A collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communications channels that allow sharing of resources and information.
- Communication protocols define the rules and data formats for exchanging information.
- Today, computer networks are the core of modern communication.
- Computer networks can facilitate communications: Using a network people can communicate efficiently and easily.
- Communications protocol defines the formats and rules for exchanging information via a network.
- Many different types of networks including LAN, PAN.
- Networks are typically managed by organizations which own them. Depending on the owner's point of view, determines whether it is an intranet or extranet.
- Internet has no single owner and is a special case of a network.
- Network security consists of the provisions and policies adopted by the network administrator to prevent and monitor unauthorized access.

Local Area Network 
- Computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, or computer lab.
- Characteristics of LANs: higher data-transfer rates, smaller geographic area, and lack of a need for leased telecommunication lines.
- Increasing demand and use of computers in universities and research labs in the late 1960s provided the need for high-speed interconnections between computer system.
- LANs may have connections with other LANs via leased lines, leased services, or by tunneling across the Internet via virtual private network technologies.

Management of RFID in Libraries
- Radio frequency identifier: Consists of a computer chip and an antenna, often printed on paper or some other flexible medium.
- RFID tag does not have to be visible to be read.
- Because of privacy issues some librarians aren't sure if RFIDs should be used.
- RFID systems can read multiple tags at once, allowing you to check out a stack of books with a single transaction.