Network Computing

What does Network Computing mean?

Network computing, also called distributed computing, is a type of computing where multiple computers or devices are connected to work together on a single task or set of tasks. The computers or devices in a network computing environment are usually connected over a network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet.

Network computing is based on the idea of dividing a task into smaller subtasks that can be executed independently on different computers or devices. This approach allows for greater efficiency and scalability than traditional computing methods, where a single computer is responsible for completing an entire task.

Network computing has many advantages over traditional computing methods, including:

• Increased efficiency: Network computing can improve efficiency by dividing a task into smaller subtasks that can be executed concurrently on different computers or devices. This approach reduces the overall time required to complete a task.
• Greater scalability: Network computing can be easily scaled to meet the needs of growing businesses or organizations. By adding more computers or devices to the network, organizations can increase the computing power and capacity of their network computing environment.
• Increased reliability: Network computing can improve reliability by providing redundancy and Failover capabilities. If one computer or device fails, another computer or device can take over its tasks without disrupting the overall operation of the network computing environment.
• Reduced costs: Network computing can reduce costs by eliminating the need for expensive Hardware and software. By sharing resources across a network, organizations can save money on hardware and software purchases and maintenance.

Applications

Network computing is used in a wide variety of applications, including:

• Enterprise computing: Network computing is used in enterprise environments to support a variety of applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and supply chain management (SCM).
• Cloud computing: Network computing is used in cloud computing environments to provide on-demand access to computing resources, such as storage, processing power, and applications.
• High-performance computing: Network computing is used in high-performance computing (HPC) environments to support complex scientific and engineering applications that require large amounts of computing power.
• Distributed systems: Network computing is used in distributed systems to support a variety of applications, such as distributed databases, distributed file systems, and distributed applications.

History

The concept of network computing was first introduced in the 1960s with the development of Time-Sharing systems. Time-sharing systems allowed multiple users to share a single Computer System at the same time. In the 1970s, the development of local area networks (LANs) made it possible to connect multiple computers together in a single location. This LED to the development of network operating systems, which allowed computers on a LAN to share resources, such as files and printers.

In the 1980s, the development of the Internet made it possible to connect computers over long distances. This led to the development of distributed computing, which allowed applications to be executed on multiple computers or devices over the Internet.

In the 1990s, the development of cloud computing made it possible to access computing resources on demand over the Internet. This led to the development of new applications, such as software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS).

Today, network computing is used in a wide variety of applications, from enterprise computing to cloud computing to high-performance computing. It is a key technology that supports the modern digital economy.