Computer Networks and Their Benefits

A computer network is a group of two or more computers and other devices connected together — by cables or wirelessly — so that they can communicate with one another and share resources. The computers in a network can exchange data, send messages, and jointly use hardware such as printers and storage, and software such as programs and files.

Why do we build networks? The main goals of networking are:

1. Resource sharing. A single printer, scanner, or storage device can be shared by many computers, saving cost. Software and files can also be shared so that everyone works from the same up-to-date copy.
2. Communication. Users on a network can send e-mail and instant messages, hold video calls, and work together on the same document, quickly and cheaply, whether they sit in the same room or in different cities.
3. Data sharing and central storage. Important data can be kept on one central computer (a server) so that all users get the same information and it can be backed up and protected in one place.
4. Reliability. If one computer fails, the work can often continue on another, because data and programs are shared across the network.

Some basic terms. In many networks one powerful computer, the server, provides services and shared resources, while the other computers, the clients, request and use them — this is the client–server model. In a smaller peer-to-peer network, every computer is equal and can both share and use resources, with no central server. …