Origins of Internet (1960s-1980s)
Learning Objectives
- You know of the origins of the internet.
- You understand the key developments that led to the modern internet.
The origins of the internet trace back to the 1960s, with efforts aimed at building functionality for time-sharing of computers. One of the objectives was to increase access to high-powered research computers and, consequently, reduce the amount of time such computers were idle. These computer resources were often geographically distant, and continuously traveling to use them was not a feasible long-term solution.
ARPANET and Packet Switching
One of the results of these efforts was ARPANET, a packet-switching network that became the predecessor of the internet. ARPANET was funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), a division of the United States Department of Defense. The concept of packet switching — breaking data into smaller packets that could be routed independently through a network — was revolutionary at the time. Unlike traditional circuit-switched networks that required a dedicated communication path for the entire duration of a connection, packet switching allowed data to travel through multiple routes simultaneously.
The first ARPANET connection was established in 1969 between computers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Over the next few years, ARPANET expanded to include more universities and research institutions, forming a network that spanned the United States.
The key feature of ARPANET was that messages could be passed through a network of intermediary computers. If one route failed, packets could be rerouted through alternative paths, ensuring continued communication.
Development of TCP/IP
As ARPANET evolved, computer scientists Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn developed the TCP/IP protocol suite in the 1970s, building upon earlier work with the Network Control Protocol (NCP) used by ARPANET. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ensured reliable, ordered delivery of data packets, while the Internet Protocol (IP) handled addressing and routing of packets between networks. This separation of concerns made the protocol suite both flexible and robust.
On January 1, 1983, ARPANET officially switched from NCP to TCP/IP. This transition is often considered the official birth of the internet as we know it. The standardization of TCP/IP through a series of documents called Request for Comments (RFC) made it possible for different types of networks — using different hardware and operating systems — to communicate with each other seamlessly.
Growth and Expansion in the 1980s
The standardization of TCP/IP made adding new networks to the existing infrastructure significantly easier, increasing access to the internet. The term “internet” itself began to refer to this interconnected network of networks, rather than any single network. Throughout the 1980s, most access points were still tied to universities and research institutions.
As the decade progressed, restrictions on commercial use of government-funded networks began to ease. Commercial companies — called internet service providers — started to emerge in the late 1980s, opening the door for private sector involvement in internet infrastructure and services.
Early Applications and Services
During this formative period, the internet was primarily used for text-based communication and running remote processes. Electronic mail (email) emerged as one of the first “killer applications.” Ray Tomlinson implemented the first email system on ARPANET in 1971, introducing the use of the ”@” symbol to separate usernames from host names — a convention still in use today. By the 1980s, email had become an essential tool for researchers and academics.
Other early services included Telnet, which allowed users to log into remote computers, and File Transfer Protocol (FTP), which enabled file sharing between computers. These text-based services required users to be familiar with command-line interfaces and technical protocols.
The Domain Name System (DNS), introduced in 1984, provided a hierarchical naming system that replaced the need to maintain manual lists of host names and IP addresses. DNS made it easier for users to access resources using memorable domain names instead of numerical IP addresses.
By the late 1980s, the internet had established its foundational technologies and infrastructure, but the graphical interfaces, web browsers, and rich multimedia content were still to come.
Summary
In summary:
- The internet’s origins are in the efforts to share computing resources through time-sharing.
- ARPANET, developed in the late 1960s, was the first packet-switching network and laid the groundwork for the internet.
- TCP/IP, developed in the 1970s and standardized in 1983, enabled different networks to communicate seamlessly.
- The 1980s saw significant expansion of the internet through the emergence of commercial internet service providers.
- Early applications such as email, Telnet, FTP, and DNS formed the basis for the range of services that the internet offers today.