• Physical connections to all attached devices
  
• Logical communications between those devices.

Physical connections are the necessary equipment needed to attach hardware together. Wire, network interface cards, file servers, workstations and routers are a few examples. Logical communications can be described as the software needed to allow the connected devices to communicate or speak to one another. Network operating systems, electronic mail, emulation software and protocols are a few examples.

It is important to understand that before we can achieve connectivity, all attached devices must share the same communication language. Much like making an international telephone call, both parties must be able to understand the conversation. Unless both parties speak the same language, neither can effectively share ideas, conversation or data. Networking follows the same simple requirements.

In todays office environment, the workstation has become the cornerstone of integration. The local area network is its foundation for on-going communications among multiple users and diverse computing architectures.

The Foundation
Local area networks have matured over the last several years. Organizations can now have them installed and depend on them to provide effective communications and support for a variety of applications that increase job performance. With the acceptance of the LAN, organizations have found many features which make networking very attractive in todays business world.

File Sharing
Intel based workstations, Macintosh, OS/2 and other computers can effectively share hard drive storage areas on the network. This means users can share files, and groupware applications such as calendaring and word processing.

Printer Sharing
With the ability to share network attached printers, groups of users can allocate the cost associated with the more expensive peripheral devices like color printers, laser printers and plotters.

Electronic Mail
Electronic mail has become the required method of communicating vital information across a companys operating locations. As our business environment continues to move into the global marketplace, electronic mail allows users to project themselves across space and time.

Remote Computing
As the business community expands itself to the virtual office model, access to corporate information and applications requires portable or mobile communications. The network provides the entry point into corporate computing resources.

Host Communications
No other introduced technology has had the dynamic affect on the way business is performed than the mainframe. Almost every organization relies on a host computer to process the millions of transactions required to effectively operate and manage their business. The network provides access to these computers in the most cost-effective manner. From a single physical connection, hundreds of workstations can utilize the resources found on these powerful machines.

Software Distribution
The LAN allows organizations to cost-effectively distribute, monitor and control applications. Without the LAN, organizations would be required to purchase individual copies of each application. In addition, it would be virtually impossible for the organization to maintain current release levels of these distributed applications.

Client/Server Computing
The network also provides the foundation for client/server computing. This emerging computing architecture provides a method of higher productivity through increases in processing capabilities. Additionally, the client/server computing model allows software developers to develop, test and deliver new or enhanced applications in far less time than ever before.