Designing an Internet
Why the Internet was designed to be the way it is, and how it could be different, now and in the future.

How do you design an internet? The architecture of the current Internet is the product of basic design decisions made early in its history. What would an internet look like if it were designed, today, from the ground up? In this book, MIT computer scientist David Clark explains how the Internet is actually put together, what requirements it was designed to meet, and why different design decisions would create different internets. He does not take today's Internet as a given but tries to learn from it, and from alternative proposals for what an internet might be, in order to draw some general conclusions about network architecture.

Clark discusses the history of the Internet, and how a range of potentially conflicting requirements—including longevity, security, availability, economic viability, management, and meeting the needs of society—shaped its character. He addresses both the technical aspects of the Internet and its broader social and economic contexts. He describes basic design approaches and explains, in terms accessible to nonspecialists, how networks are designed to carry out their functions. (An appendix offers a more technical discussion of network functions for readers who want the details.) He considers a range of alternative proposals for how to design an internet, examines in detail the key requirements a successful design must meet, and then imagines how to design a future internet from scratch. It's not that we should expect anyone to do this; but, perhaps, by conceiving a better future, we can push toward it.
1128382614
Designing an Internet
Why the Internet was designed to be the way it is, and how it could be different, now and in the future.

How do you design an internet? The architecture of the current Internet is the product of basic design decisions made early in its history. What would an internet look like if it were designed, today, from the ground up? In this book, MIT computer scientist David Clark explains how the Internet is actually put together, what requirements it was designed to meet, and why different design decisions would create different internets. He does not take today's Internet as a given but tries to learn from it, and from alternative proposals for what an internet might be, in order to draw some general conclusions about network architecture.

Clark discusses the history of the Internet, and how a range of potentially conflicting requirements—including longevity, security, availability, economic viability, management, and meeting the needs of society—shaped its character. He addresses both the technical aspects of the Internet and its broader social and economic contexts. He describes basic design approaches and explains, in terms accessible to nonspecialists, how networks are designed to carry out their functions. (An appendix offers a more technical discussion of network functions for readers who want the details.) He considers a range of alternative proposals for how to design an internet, examines in detail the key requirements a successful design must meet, and then imagines how to design a future internet from scratch. It's not that we should expect anyone to do this; but, perhaps, by conceiving a better future, we can push toward it.
35.0 In Stock
Designing an Internet

Designing an Internet

by David D. Clark
Designing an Internet

Designing an Internet

by David D. Clark

Paperback

$35.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    In stock. Ships in 1-2 days.
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

Why the Internet was designed to be the way it is, and how it could be different, now and in the future.

How do you design an internet? The architecture of the current Internet is the product of basic design decisions made early in its history. What would an internet look like if it were designed, today, from the ground up? In this book, MIT computer scientist David Clark explains how the Internet is actually put together, what requirements it was designed to meet, and why different design decisions would create different internets. He does not take today's Internet as a given but tries to learn from it, and from alternative proposals for what an internet might be, in order to draw some general conclusions about network architecture.

Clark discusses the history of the Internet, and how a range of potentially conflicting requirements—including longevity, security, availability, economic viability, management, and meeting the needs of society—shaped its character. He addresses both the technical aspects of the Internet and its broader social and economic contexts. He describes basic design approaches and explains, in terms accessible to nonspecialists, how networks are designed to carry out their functions. (An appendix offers a more technical discussion of network functions for readers who want the details.) He considers a range of alternative proposals for how to design an internet, examines in detail the key requirements a successful design must meet, and then imagines how to design a future internet from scratch. It's not that we should expect anyone to do this; but, perhaps, by conceiving a better future, we can push toward it.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780262547703
Publisher: MIT Press
Publication date: 04/04/2023
Series: Information Policy
Pages: 432
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

David D. Clark is a Senior Research Scientist at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab and a leader in the design of the Internet since the 1970s.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Introduction Sandra Braman ix

1 Introduction 1

2 The Basics of the Internet 5

3 Architecture and Design 31

4 Requirements 39

5 The Architecture of the Internet-A Historical Perspective 51

6 Architecture and Function 81

7 Alternative Network Architectures 105

8 Naming and Addressing 153

9 Longevity 169

10 Security 189

11 Availability 227

12 Economics 237

13 Network Management and Control 259

14 Meeting the Needs of Society 287

15 Looking to the Future 301

Appendix: Addressing and Forwarding 329

Acknowledgments 353

Glossary 357

Acronyms 365

References 369

Index 385

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Now that 'the Internet' has revolutionized communications and the world in so many ways, and with such mixed results, the time is ripe for a fundamental re-assessment of what we might want from the design of 'an internet.' No one is in a better position to do that than David Clark.

Milton Mueller, Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy, Internet Governance Project

Designing an Internet is an exciting journey through the Internet's technical history, with hard-won insights about network architectures, and the challenges of creating a global communications infrastructure that balances economic incentives, security, privacy, policy, and more. David Clark has been there through it all, so you cannot ask for a better guide.

Jennifer Rexford, Gordon Y.S. Wu Professor of Engineering, Princeton University; co-author of Web Protocols and Practice

A right masterful and scholarly volume on the design of the Internet and its possible alternatives. A key leader in the design and implementation of the Internet, Clark's insights on design are deep and satisfying. A wonderful blend of history, technology and future design thinking!

Vint Cerf, Internet Pioneer

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews