With so much choice of products and services now available from both traditional and new providers, the security marketplace is awash with solutions for what seems an infinite number of applications and uses.
But for the uninitiated, the first question usually asked is "What is IP and how does it work?" Whilst many within the industry are moving forward at a pace with IP technology and its possibilities, consideration needs to be made for those who have not yet been able to investigate it or those who are new, like end-users and customers, who need to know the basics.
This brief 'guide' will hopefully help those new to IP technology.
Introduction
Firstly, the term 'IP' means Internet Protocol, which is a network and transport protocol used for the transfer of data over the Internet. A network is basically a connection between two or a number of computers, providing them with the opportunity to share information or data.
Most networks include a great number of computers, however they all use the same 'rules' for sharing information and we take for granted the technology behind their ability to connect and communicate with each other. This protocol, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) encompasses the acknowledged methods or standards used by the computers (and other appliances such as routers) to manage, send, direct and deliver information over the Internet. To achieve this, each device is given its own IP address which is a series of numbers that act in a similar way to a postcode.
LANs and WANs
A network basically consists of two fundamental elements, nodes and links. A 'node' is a global term for a communication device, a computer for instance. These nodes communicate with each other through 'links' which are simply the cables. The two most commonly known types of networks are LAN and WAN. Local area networks are used to connect a group of computers within a single company office, building or site whereas a Wide Area Network operates over a communication system such as telephone lines and links up a number of LANs or remote computers.
Within the network, there are two methods of communication between computers, the circuit-switched network and the packet-switched network. The circuit-switched method is used for telephone calls where it establishes a dedicated connection between the 'nodes' and provides a constant communication using all the capacity of the 'link' for the time of the call. If the connection fails, then transmission is lost and a new connection needs to be made.
The packet-switched network is used for IP-based communication and provides a far more efficient use of the 'link'. The data or information to be sent is first divided into 'packets' which each contain some of the data along with the destination and source addresses. These packets are then individually forwarded through the network via the intermediate nodes and routers to the final destination. The packets do not have to follow the same route through the network as they are all individually addressed and therefore can be re-routed around malfunctioning or broken links or nodes, making the system both efficient and flexible.
Digital data
Unlike analog information, which is continuous, digital messages consist of a sequence of 'bits'. This binary data (ones or zeros) allows the initial information to be measured and reproduced as digital data.
Therefore, the information, which could be pictures, audio or text, in the format of digital data can be transmitted with no corruption or loss of quality, which occurs in the case of analog information.
Another benefit is that the digital data can be compressed for speedier onward transmission and encrypted to make those transmissions secure.
IP applications
There is no doubt that the IP-based architecture described above offers tremendous opportunity for security applications. The main benefits of an IP-based system are the operational improvements that can be obtained as well as the cost savings that can be achieved. Through convergence, further benefits are possible with new applications and a broadening scope of possible applications and uses.
To grasp a basic understanding of the technology provides a start point for beginners and customers alike, but that understanding is an essential tool if they are to fully appreciate the vast array of ground breaking products and services which have become available through IP technology within the security industry.
Source: IP User Group, www.ipusergroup.com
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