The Use of Social Media and Community - Essay Example

NETWORK АNАLYSIS RЕРОRT Name: Institution: Date: Task 1 Introduction The first computers were built during the 1940s. They were isolated and expensive, however, after two decades and their prices having been gradually reduced, experiments on how to connect them were conducted. By the 1970s, many telecommunication industries had already been interested in using computer networks with the x25 being the first telecommunication network (Peterson and Davie, 2011). However, the computer industry approach was slightly different with the development of Local Area Network (LAN). The LAN technology was the Ethernet. However, the need to have more computers interconnected led some computer vendors to design their different suite of the interconnecting protocols (Peterson and Davie, 2011). For instance, Xerox came up with the ZNS while IBM came up with SNA. By the end of the 1980s, many computer companies had their form of computer networking systems with identifiable suite protocols (Peterson and Davie, 2011). Basic Network A computer network is made up of a collection of several computers, printers, as well other equipment that gets connected with the intention of getting the computers to communicate together. In small organizations, the computer networking is commonly referred to as peer-to-peer networks. All the computers maintain the same status, hence the peer description. The communication is also maintained at an equal footing. The computer users can share files such as word document or spreadsheet in the network. The computers on the LAN network should also be able to share printers and scanners that may be connected to any computer. However, in large networks, for instance, networks that carry more than ten computers, a central computer, often referred to as a server is used as a storage location for applications and files shared on the network. The computer designated as the server is often of higher performance. The server is also used to control the other computers access to each other. These computers are client computers to the server. For instance, in a typical school setting, the students, and their teachers use the client computers to accomplish their work with only the administrator having the right to access the server. Local Area Network Diagram The diagram shows how the local area network is configured with the computers and other devices communicating to each other through the router. The router is the central device in the network. All the devices are connected to the router through a cable that terminates at the network ports. The network can also be connected to another network, for instance, to the head office. The connection is mainly achieved through the internet. Network Components The hardware components that make a network are the hosts or servers, clients, and circuits. The server is the storage facility or host computer which stores software and data that is accessible to the client computers. It is possible to have several servers co-exist on the same network; however, the servers would be providing different services (Peterson and Davie, 2011). For instance, a server may be dedicated to the storage of files that the client computers can access to while a print server would be dedicated to managing the printing tasks requested by the client computers. Another server may be dedicated to the management of the web activities by storing images, documents, video clips, and other web related services. The server allows the client computers to requests for web browsers services. Depending on the messages being sent, the server and the client computers may be either the sender or the recipient of the message. Both computers have the ability to encode the message being sent or decode the messages being received. The computers also have the ability to check if the messages have been altered during transmission. The pathway through which the data travels through is called the circuit. Often, the circuit is made up of copper wire. It is, however, to find other media being used such as the fiber-optic cable or a wireless transmission. In practice, though, the circuit may also include specialized devices such as routers, switches, and hubs (Peterson and Davie, 2011). The local area network has several software protocols that are implemented in the server computer or, in some situations, in other devices that are connected to the network. The software controls the transmission of data or information from one device to another through the hardware network elements (Peterson and Davie, 2011). The protocols function at several levels including low-level transmission protocols to advanced application protocols. Description of Key Components The server interface Hardware for the local area network has two parts one is network oriented that handles the transmission control functions of the activities that are handled in the network. The second part is server-specific and handles the controls of the data exchange between the server and the rest of the network interface. For a local area network, the cabling can be made of either category 5 or category 5e cables. Category 5 cables are available in two types, unshielded twisted pair or screened twisted pair. The screened twisted pair offers extra protection, especially against interference. The cables in category five are described as stranded or solid (Peterson and Davie, 2011). The solid cables are more rigid and are the preferred cable where data is being transmitted over long distances. The stranded category five cables, however, is very flexible and is often used as the patch cable. The category 5e or category five enhanced cables offer a higher standard of data or information transmission. The category 5e has replaced category 5 in new installations because of its versatility and the ability to handle high data transfer. The cable is made of four unshielded twisted pairs (UTP) wire that is terminated with RJ45 connectors. It differs from Category 5 by offering stricter specifications such as Near-End Crosstalk. Close talk is the interference within the wires in the cable. The cable can supports 1000Mbps speed; hence it is faster than Category 5 cables. Category 5e Cable Figure 1: an image of Category 5e cable, summit source.com Different Categories Figure 2: images of different Category cabling, Planetechusa.com Although the organization uses the local area network, the need for a Wi-Fi networking protocol for connectivity since the advance in technology has availed devices that may not always be connected to the fixed or cabled internet connectivity. The Wi-Fi has been found to work well in a fixed data location and because of the increased use of Smartphone and tablets; the Wi-Fi offers easy and convenient internet connectivity for mobile utility (Peterson and Davie, 2011). The Wi-Fi enabled devices are equipped with both a transmitter and a receiver that enables them to either send or receive wireless signals. However, the table top computers are best served by the fixed cable internet network since such systems offer better data integrity. Network Protection With the continued growth of the internet, and as business applications grow exponentially on the internet, and its benefits accrued by the users, nevertheless, the network-based services can also pose security risks to the data sources of the organizations. The Data and Information, like other assets of an organization, are important and must be protected. Without the necessary protection the organization risk losing the information through malicious computer viruses (Peterson and Davie, 2011). Thus, network security has been developed to protect digital information and data. Essentially, the network security goals are to offer protection of confidentiality, maintenance of integrity, and maintain availability. It is, therefore, imperative that protection is provided against threats and vulnerability if an organization is to achieve full potentiality. The threats and vulnerabilities occur when the network software and hardware are not well configured, poorly designed networks, technological weakness, carelessness, or end-user intentional malice. One of the widely used networks security systems is the firewall. Firewall is a hardware or software device that enforces the access control between various networks. In the computing industry, a firewall is described as a network security system that both monitors and controls the outgoing and incoming data traffic through predetermined security measures (University of Missouri, 2008). Ideally, the firewall created a barrier between secure and trusted internal network and outside networks, including the Internet, that are viewed as not being trusted or secure. Firewalls come in two types, host-based firewalls or network firewalls (Peterson and Davie, 2011). A network firewall is a software-based appliance that runs on general hardware with the explicit purpose of filtering data traffic between networks. A server-based firewall controls data traffic for that specific server. Network-Based Applications The network under review commonly uses the email, video conferencing, and web browsing applications. Email An E-mail or an electronic mail is an application that allows the exchange of digitally stored data through telecommunication. Most E-mail data is encoded in ASCII text. However, it is also possible to send information that is in a non-text format or files including sound and graphic images files, often as attachments in binary streams (Chan, 2006). Although E-mail was the first usage of the internet, it is still the most widely used application and composes the largest traffic over the internet. The organization under review uses the Messaging Application Program Interface (MAPI) which is a Microsoft Window application interface that allows the employees to send E-mail through attaching documents on an E-mail note. The advantage of the MAPI program is the ability to send mail both on the internet and off the net. Video Conferencing Video conferencing is used to communicate with people who may not be in the same location or room. The video conferencing application allows participants to see, hear, as well as use meeting tools irrespective of their location or site. The meeting participants may be widely dispersed across the world. It has become a significant tool in the corporate world as many corporations expand their operations due to globalization. Video conferencing is a live connection between individuals who are in separate locations but brought together for the purpose of communication. At the basic level, video conferencing allows the delivery of static text and images, however, with the growth of technology, it has become sophisticated, and it can now provide the transmission or delivery of live images with quality audio between several locations. Web Browsing In a world of internet interconnectedness, the use of the World Wide Web is essential. To access the web, an individual needs to have access to a browser. The browser is often a software application that is used to retrieve, present, and transverse information and data resources (Chan, 2006). The information may be in the form of images, videos, and other forms of content. The most significant navigational tool is the hyperlink because it enables the resources consumers to easily navigate the browser to the associated resources. Data Transmission Protocols Computers communicate with each other through standard methods of processing information often referred to as protocols. The protocols are established through international agreement. There exist a variety of protocols designed for different functions and the processing of varied information. The E-mail applications have several rules that are used for send or receive mail. The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is the common protocol used for sending mail while the protocol that is used for receiving mail for most personal computers is the Post Office Protocol (POP). The internet, on the other hand, uses the Internet Control Messaging Protocol (ICMP) (Chan, 2006). The video conferencing applications offered on a telephone network rely on the Video and Voice over Internet Protocol (VVOIP); however modern video conferencing protocol is the Internet Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). In areas of improvement, the computer network can be enhanced by being interfaced with a Virtual capability to give it the ability to communicate with remote sites. Perhaps, a hypothetical device is the installation of a Vsat device to link up with the remote sites. The company’s operations are scattered across the country and, therefore, there is need for good connectivity. It also needs to be upgraded so as to accommodate more users. The network can also be enhanced by the addition of WI-FI net work to support the tablets and Smartphone that are used in the office for ease of communication (hypothetical devices). The WI-FI can also enhance the internet connectivity in the event of the cabled access failure. References Chan, W.C., 2006. Performance analysis of telecommunications and local area networks (Vol. 533). Springer Science & Business Media. Dharmaraju, V., 2008. Throughput Optimization in Wireless Local Area Networks. ProQuest. Peterson, Larry L., and Bruce S. Davie. Computer networks: a systems approach. Elsevier, 2007. Task 2: (Argumentative Essay) What impacts are tools like Facebook having on our society and our relationships given that modern networks and devices allow almost constant access? The social media networking tools such as Facebook have both positive and negative impacts on the society and particularly on human relationships. The accessibility of the social networking sites allows individuals constant access making it a pervasive part of the daily life for many individuals, especially the young adults. Most research on the impacts of social media, however, has concentrated on the negative impacts; nevertheless, social networking has positive uses and can build individuals as well as allow for healthy communication among the users. The social networking sites offer a re-creation of face-to-face communication and interactions on the internet which allow individuals to communicate, either privately or publicly. Individuals may, therefore, result in the social networks as a mean of keeping in touch. Other people may use the new technology to find new connections and relationship. Therefore, one of the benefits of social media is allowing individuals to develop and sustain relationships with friends, family, and new acquaintances at the click of a button (Baym et al. 2006). While maintaining a relationship online may be challenging, it can also be appreciated that relationship building is a process which is taken one step to the next while allowing the relationship to develop from being acquaintances to friendship. However, there is a strong argument that such relationships still need a face-to-face interaction if they are to flourish. However, it is acknowledged that the social media tools have significantly altered the manner people develop relationships. Consequently, the potential connection between social media and intimate relationship cannot be disregarded. Nevertheless, the social media phenomenon has the potentiality of changing how people interact due to the fascination and absorption with its many sources of interactive information. Social media has turned communication into a social discourse with the young generation forming the largest demography of users. By 2010, the young generation had outnumbered the older generation in the use of social media. It is estimated that 90% of the young adults were on one social network or another, with a sizeable majority subscribing to multiple sites (Konnikova, 2013). It has also been observed that social networking is the major use of the internet with the numbers of users growing every day. Consequently, many people are becoming dependent on social networking. The outcome has been mixed. For instance, it is argued that people are more connected now than any other time because of the development of the social networking technology. Individuals are connecting and engaging in social interactions with people who are in far-flung areas in real time. Social media is made up of internet-based applications built on the technological foundation provided by web 2.0. The media allows the generation and exchange of content. Web. 2.0 is an interactive, participatory, and collaborative web experience for users. The landscape provided by the web 2.0 technology gives the user the ability to generate their content and share it with friends on the social sites (Baym et al. 2006). Some of the social sites are Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram. Obviously, there are many more sites that serve a unique purpose for individual users. The end user is the individual using the social networking sites to benefit from the personalized communication. Many users of the social media are on it due to the anonymity it offers. The increased adoption of the new technology has led many people to view the phenomenon as a technological revolution. The revolution has introduced many useful devices and tools that allow people to have great access not only to information but also unhampered interaction and communication albeit virtually. The ease of accessibility of the new technology, however, has been found to make individuals dependent or addicted, with many users spending significant time on the internet chatting with virtual friends. Social media dependency is the degree of Internet usage by individuals which results with the compulsive usage of the internet either to share content or to find out what other people are up to. However, according to Konnikova (2013), whereas some researchers have found negative issues regarding the use of social media, there are others who have found positive influences. The author observes that some researchers have established that social media does not only make people unhappy but also makes them envious. Some studies went further and claimed that the internet makes some users lonely and feel alienated and further opined that internet use has a significant detrimental effect on individual's well-being and can cause problems in relationships, for instance, by creating jealousy (Drussell, 2012). Given that communication is central to personal relationships and relationships are by and large assessed on the social communication skills of other people, inability to communicate effectively may also hinder the building of strong relations among young adults (Hinduja and Patchin, 2008). Other effects of the social network sites are the growth of low-income family relationships, poor socialization, poor grades, and poor performance in the workplace. Research has also suggested that albeit the potential benefits those young adults may accrue, including the feeling that the individual is understood and appreciated by peers; the excess use of the social media has the potential of inhibiting the proper development of interpersonal skills. Social skills are essential capacities for a well-adjusted young person. Suffice to say; the personal interaction is an important function of individuals’ experiences. Before the emergence of the technological revolution including the Smartphone technology, relationships were developed and sustained through face-to-face interactions as well through verbalization. However, the coming of the information age, which is characterized by the unfettered access and sharing of information, the way the society interacts continue to transform. Many researchers have observed that the changes in the communication methods through the emergence of new technology have a significant impact on the general society (Hinduja and Patchin, 2008). According to the theory of technological determinism, media technology significantly changes how people feel, think, act, and also influences societal functionality as it immigrates from a given technological age to the next. While several theories have been promoted regarding the influence of social networks, research has established that regular use of network sites may have some potential benefits for the young adult users. Hinduja and Patchin (2008) observes that the benefits of the social media interaction are the establishment of means to learn the ability to interact and relate to other people, the acquisition of critical thinking skills, tolerate different viewpoints, and expression of feelings in a healthy manner. The researchers further opine that engaging in online activities gives the individual user the opportunity to enhance self-discovery as they explore their self-identity. Another significant benefit in the increased opportunity to contact and interact with peers and, therefore, bolsters self-esteem and well-being. The social media promotes the capacity to connect with family and friends through the sharing of stories and images irrespective of the geographical location. Most significantly, individuals with difficulties may build internet interaction as bridges to safe face-to-face relationships (Drussell, 2012). Nevertheless, there are several concerns regarding the internet use, resulting social involvement, and the user's psychological well-being. One study hypothesized that adolescent internet usage could enhance the young adults' feeling of social connection, improve their mental health, feel less lonely, and less stress, the results were astounding. Several associations were found with the use of the internet and low social involvement (Drussell, 2012). The participant reported feeling more lonely and enhanced depressive symptoms. Thus, the heavy use of the internet may have observable effects on the users. Several scholars opine that social media impoverishes the social exchange compared to the face-to-face interaction, and therefore, producing negative outcomes for the user and community. The isolating effect of the social media break bonds and creates tension among friends and family members because it hinders open communication that may express emotions and empathy. However, a significant problem which can affect ordinary and social media relationships is the online surveillance. It is easy to carry out an online surveillance because it takes less effort than normal physical surveillance. Thus, individuals with insecurity issues often would view the online activities of their partner as a flaw and consequently may diminish the satisfaction factor (Farrugia, 2013). The surveillance of the social media can cause anxiety, jealousy, mistrust, and as a consequence threaten the existence of the relationship. The ease of access via social media has made individuals noisier and, hence, allows them to engage in monitoring the activities of their partners especially if there are trust issues involved (Farrugia, 2013). It is obvious that surveillance is an unintended advantage to social media users because of its anonymity. Suffice to say, the social media tools, such as Facebook are altering the way people behave and relate to family and friends. The tools offer opportunities for people to develop themselves as well as build relationships. The social media, however, has its risks and disadvantages. It is pervasive and addictive. Many social media users cannot relate with other people in a face-to-face interaction preferring the anonymity of the internet. Several scholars have opined that social media impoverishes the social exchange compared to the face-to-face interaction, and therefore, produces negative outcomes for the user and community. The isolating effects of the social media break bonds and create tension among friends and family members because it hinders open communication that may express emotions and empathy. The use of social media has also led to the breakdown of relationships due to jealousy or negative interactions on the internet. The future of the relationship is full of risks and friction. References Baym, N.K., Zhang, Y.B. and Lin, M.C., 2004. Social interactions across media interpersonal communication on the Internet, telephone and face-to-face. New Media & Society, 6 (3), pp. 299-318. Drussell, J., 2012. Social networking and interpersonal communication and conflict resolution skills among college freshmen. Farrugia, R.C., 2013. Facebook and relationships: A study of how social media use is affecting long-term relationships. Hinduja, S. and Patchin, J.W., 2008. Personal information of adolescents on the Internet: A quantitative content analysis of MySpace. Journal of Adolescence, 31(1), pp.125-146. Konnikova, M., 2013. How Facebook makes us unhappy. The New Yorker, 10. Read More