from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
network
computer network
networking
<networking> Hardware and software data communication systems.
The {OSI} seven layer model attempts to provide a way of
partitioning any computer network into independent modules
from the lowest (physical) layer to the highest (application)
layer. Many different specifications exist at each of these
layers.
Networks are often also classified according to their
geographical extent: {local area network} (LAN), {metropolitan
area network} (MAN), {wide area network} (WAN) and also
according to the {protocols} used.
See {BITNET}, {Ethernet}, {Internet}, {Novell}, {PSTN},
{network, the}.
[Tanenbaum, A., "Computer Networks; 2nd ed.", Prentice Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1989.]
(1995-03-10)