Communication Standards (5.2)
Communication standards are required in all aspects of human communications. For example, when addressing an envelope, there is a standard regarding the placement of the sender’s address, the destination address, and the stamp. Network communication also requires standards to ensure that all the devices in the network are using the same rules to send and receive information.
Video—Devices in a Bubble (5.2.1)
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The Internet and Standards (5.2.2)
With the increasing number of new devices and technologies coming online, how is it possible to manage all the changes and still reliably deliver services such as email? The answer is Internet standards.
A standard is a set of rules that determines how something must be done. Networking and Internet standards ensure that all devices connecting to the network implement the same set of rules or protocols in the same manner. Using standards enables different types of devices to send information to each other over the Internet. For example, the way in which an email is formatted, forwarded, and received by all devices is done according to a standard. If one person sends an email via a personal computer, another person can use a mobile phone to receive and read the email as long as the mobile phone uses the same standards as the personal computer.
Network Standards Organizations (5.2.3)
An Internet standard is the end result of a comprehensive cycle of discussion, problem solving, and testing. These different standards are developed, published, and maintained by a variety of organizations. When a new standard is proposed, each stage of the development and approval process is recorded in a numbered Request for Comments (RFC) document so that the evolution of the standard is tracked. RFCs for Internet standards are published and managed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The logos of IETF and other standards organizations that support the Internet are shown in Figure 5-4.
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Figure 5-4 Internet Standards Organizations