| bandwidth | The maximum amount of data that can be sent in a fixed amount of time, typically measured in bits per second. |
| communication protocols | Standardized rules that govern how data is transmitted and received between computing devices on a network. |
| computer network | A group of interconnected computing devices capable of sending or receiving data. |
| computing device | A physical artifact that can run a program, such as computers, tablets, servers, routers, and smart sensors. |
| computing system | A group of computing devices and programs working together for a common purpose. |
| data reassembly | The process of reconstructing the original data from packets that may arrive out of order or incompletely. |
| data stream | A continuous flow of information passed through the Internet, composed of chunks of data organized into packets. |
| dynamic routing | A routing method where the path data takes across a network is determined in real-time rather than being specified in advance. |
| HTTP | A protocol used by the World Wide Web to transmit and receive data between web browsers and servers. |
| interconnected networks | Multiple separate networks that are connected together to form a larger network system, such as the Internet. |
| Internet | A computer network consisting of interconnected networks that use standardized, open communication protocols to enable global communication and data exchange. |
| IP | Internet Protocol; a common protocol used on the Internet for routing packets between devices. |
| metadata | Data that describes other data, such as the date of creation or file size of an image, used for finding, organizing, and managing information. |
| nonproprietary | Not owned or controlled by a single company; publicly available and accessible to all users. |
| open protocols | Non-proprietary communication protocols that are publicly available and allow users to easily connect additional devices to a network. |
| packets | Chunks of data that are encapsulated with metadata and sent through the Internet from an origin to a destination. |
| path | A sequence of directly connected computing devices that begins at a sender and ends at a receiver on a computer network. |
| protocol | An agreed-upon set of rules that specify the behavior of a system and enable devices to communicate with each other. |
| receiver | The computing device that receives data sent from a sender in a network communication. |
| routing | The process of finding a path from sender to receiver on a computer network. |
| scalability | The ability of a solution to maintain or improve performance as the problem size or computational resources increase. |
| sender | The computing device that initiates the sending of data in a network communication. |
| TCP | Transmission Control Protocol; a common protocol used on the Internet that ensures reliable, ordered delivery of data packets. |
| UDP | User Datagram Protocol; a common protocol used on the Internet for faster but less reliable data transmission compared to TCP. |
| World Wide Web | A system of linked pages, programs, and files that operates on top of the Internet using HTTP protocol. |