Question? History of the Internet.

Internet history starts in the 1960s. In 1962, MIT computer scientist J.C.R. Licklider comes up
with the idea for a global computer network. He later shares his idea with colleagues at the U.S.
Department of Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). Work by Leonard Klein
Rock, Thomas Merrill and Lawrence G. Roberts on packet-switching theory pioneers the way to
the world’s first wide-area computer network. Roberts later goes on to publish a plan for the
ARPANET, an ARPA-funded computer network that becomes a reality in 1969.

In 1973, Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf collaborate to develop a protocol for linking multiple
networks together. This later becomes the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
(TCP/IP), a technology that links multiple networks together such that, if one network is brought
down, the others do not collapse. Robert Metcalfe also develop a system using cables that allows
transfer of more data over a network. He names this system Alto Aloha, but it later becomes
known as Ethernet. Over the next few years, Ted Nelson proposes using hypertext to organize
network information, and Unix becomes popular for TCP/IP networks. Tom Truscott and Steve
Bellovin develop a Unix-based system for transferring data over phone lines through a dial-up
connection. This system becomes USENET.

Dave Farber reveals a project to build an inexpensive network using dial-up phone lines. In
1982, the Phone Net system was established and was connected to ARPANET and the first
commercial network, Telenet. This broadens access to the internet and allows for email
communication between multiple nations of the world. In 1981, Metcalfe’s company 3Com
announces Ethernet products for both computer workstations and personal computers; this allows
the establishment of local area networks (LANs). Paul Mockapetris, Jon Postel and Craig
Partridge create the Domain Name system, which uses domain names to manage the increasing
number of users on the internet. In 1985, the first domain is registered: symbolics.com, a domain
belonging to a computer manufacturer.

In 1990, ARPANET is decommissioned. Tim Berners-Lee and his colleagues at CERN develop
hypertext markup language (HTML) and the uniform resource locator (URL), giving birth to the
first incarnation of the World Wide Web. A watershed year for the internet comes in 1995:
Microsoft launches Windows 95; Amazon, Yahoo and eBay all launch; Internet Explorer
launches; and Java is created, allowing for animation on websites and creating a new flurry of
internet activity. In 1996, Congress passes the Communications Decency Act in an effort
to combat the growing amount of objectionable material on the internet. John Perry
Barlow responds with an essay, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. Google is
founded in 1998. In 1999, the music and video piracy controversy intensifies with the launch of
Napster. The first internet virus capable of copying and sending itself to a user’s address book is
discovered in 1999.
2000 sees the rise and burst of the dotcom bubble. While myriad internet-based businesses
become present in everyday life, the Dow Jones industrial average also sees its biggest one-day
drop in history up to that point. By 2001, most publicly traded dotcom companies are gone. It’s
not all bad news, though; the 2000s see Google’s meteoric rise to domination of the search
engine market. This decade also sees the rise and proliferation of Wi-Fi wireless internet
communication — as well as mobile internet devices like smartphones and, in 2005, the first-
ever internet cat video.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Since its inception, the internet has changed significantly; every indication exists that it will
continue to change in ways that are difficult to predict. As a result, it’s necessary for
professionals to get ahead of the trend to maximize their potential in their future career. One of
the best ways to understand the current and future digital landscape is to learn more about it in
the classroom. Jefferson’s online B.S. in Business Management will help you launch your career
and anticipate new technological breakthroughs in our dynamic and fluid economy. The fully
online, flexible program can accommodate any schedule. Learn more about the program today.

Following are the benefits or advantages of Websockets over HTTP:

➨It supports duplex communication.
➨Using websockets, one can send and receive data immediately faster than
HTTP. Moreover they are faster than AJAX.
➨Cross origin communication (however this poses security risks).
➨Cross platform compatibility (web, desktop, mobile)
➨HTTP takes upto 2000 bytes of overhead where as websocket takes only 2
bytes.
➨Replace long polling
➨Websockets are data typed but AJAX calls can only send string datatypes.
Drawbacks or disadvantages of Websockets
Following are the drawbacks or disadvantages of Websockets:
➨Web browser must be fully HTML5 compliant.
➨Websockets has no success functions like AJAX.
➨Intermediary/Edge caching is not possible with websockets unlike HTTP.
➨To build even simple protocol of your own, one can not be able to use friendly
 HTTP statuses, body etc.
➨If application does not require a lot of dynamic interaction, HTTP is much
simpler to implement.

What is HTTP/2?
HTTP/2 is the next version of HTTP and is based on Google’s SPDY Protocol
(originally designed to speed up the serving of web pages). It was released in
2015 by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

It is important to note that HTTP/2 is not a replacement for HTTP. It is merely

an extension, with all the core concepts such as HTTP methods, Status Codes,
URIs, and Header Fields remaining the same.

The key differences HTTP/2 has to HTTP/1.x are as follows:

 It is binary instead of textual

 It is fully multiplexed, instead of ordered and blocking
 It can use one connection for parallelism
 It uses header compression to reduce overhead
 It allows Server Pushing to add responses proactively into the Browser cache.
The advantages of HTTP 2.0 over HTTP 1.1 are :-

 Multiplexing - HTTP/1.1 loads resources one after the other, so if one resource
cannot be loaded, it blocks all the other resources behind it. In contrast, HTTP/2
is able to use a single TCP connection to send multiple streams of data at once
so that no one resource blocks any other resource. HTTP/2 does this by splitting
data into binary-code messages and numbering these messages so that the
client knows which stream each binary message belongs to.
  Server push - Typically, a server only serves content to a client device if the
client asks for it. However, this approach is not always practical for modern
webpages, which often involve several dozen separate resources that the client
must request. HTTP/2 solves this problem by allowing a server to "push" content
to a client before the client asks for it. The server also sends a message letting
the client know what pushed content to expect – like if Bob had sent Alice a
Table of Contents of his novel before sending the whole thing.

 Header compression - Small files load more quickly than large ones. To speed
up web performance, both HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 compress HTTP messages to
make them smaller. However, HTTP/2 uses a more advanced compression
method called HPACK that eliminates redundant information in HTTP header
packets. This eliminates a few bytes from every HTTP packet. Given the volume
of HTTP packets involved in loading even a single webpage, those bytes add up
quickly, resulting in faster loading.

HTTP/2 offers several advantages over HTTP 1.1, including improved performance and
efficiency. Some of the key benefits of HTTP/2 include:

1. Multiplexing: HTTP/2 allows multiple requests and responses to be sent and

received simultaneously over a single connection, reducing the number of round
trips required and improving the overall speed of communication.
2. Header compression: HTTP/2 uses a more efficient method for encoding headers,
which reduces the size of the data that needs to be transferred and improves the
overall performance of the protocol.
3. Server push: HTTP/2 allows servers to preemptively send data to clients without
first waiting for a request, which can improve the loading times of web pages by
reducing the amount of time that clients need to wait for resources.
4. Priority and dependencies: HTTP/2 allows clients and servers to specify the priority
and dependencies of different requests, which can improve the overall
performance of the protocol by ensuring that important resources are loaded first.
5. Improved security: HTTP/2 includes several enhancements to improve the security
of the protocol, such as encrypted connections and support for certificate
authentication.

Related

How we can describe the key advantages of HTTP/2 as compared with HTTP 1.1?
HTTP/1.1 was the major version of HTTP network protocol which was implemented across
clients and servers on the World Wide Web and this worked well for so many years but with the
evolution of modern day applications and websites demanding more data to be loaded on a single
page, it became apparent that HTTP/1.1 was no longer sufficient.

1. HTTP/2, the relatively new protocol/upgrade of HTTP/1.1 addresses the

shortcomings, speeds up page load significantly and is widely supported by all major
browsers and servers.
2. While HTTP/1.1 practically allows only one outstanding request per TCP connection HTTP/2
is multiplexed, and allows using same TCP connection for multiple parallel requests.
3. HTTP/1.1 duplicates data across requests (cookies and other headers) causing too much data
redundancy and thus impacting performance. HTTP/2 on the other implements compression
of headers to reduce data redundancy and thus improve performance.
4. HTTPS/2, rather than waiting for clients to make requests, will implements server push of
resources/assets like JS and CSS, when it believes these will be required and in this way
avoids round tripping and improves performance.
5. Finally, HTTP/2 is implemented only over TLS and it is the reason you must move your assets
to HTTPS to enjoy the full benefit of HTTP/2

CDN

A CDN is a network of servers that distributes content from an “origin”

server throughout the world by caching content close to where each
end user is accessing the internet via a web-enabled device. The
content they request is first stored on the origin server and is then
replicated and stored elsewhere as needed.

Cloud versus CDN

The modern digital experience has expanded how companies deploy
their content. CDNs and cloud computing were developed to address
challenges the demand for web content and applications create in
terms of performance and scalability. But how are they different?

Cloud

Cloud computing environments store information on internet servers

instead of on your computer’s hard drive. For end users, this can be a
convenient and reliable means for things like web-based email, file
storage, file sharing, and backing up data. It’s also how people readily
 access web applications like social media platforms. Cloud
environments consist of hundreds of PoPs with servers centralized in
regional locations.

A content delivery network (CDN) is a group of geographically

distributed servers that speed up the delivery of web content by
bringing it closer to where users are. Data centers across the globe
use caching, a process that temporarily stores copies of files, so that
you can access internet content from a web-enabled device or browser
more quickly through a server near you. CDNs cache content like web
pages, images, and video in proxy servers near to your physical
location. This allows you to do things like watch a movie, download
software, check your bank balance, post on social media, or make
purchases, without having to wait for content to load.

A proxy server is a system or router that provides a gateway between users and the
internet. Therefore, it helps prevent cyber attackers from entering a private network. It is a
server, referred to as an “intermediary” because it goes between end-users and the web
pages they visit online.

How to use a proxy? Some people use proxies for personal purposes, such as hiding their
location while watching movies online, for example. For a company, however, they can be
used to accomplish several key tasks such as:

1. Improve security
2. Secure employees’ internet activity from people trying to snoop on them
3. Balance internet traffic to prevent crashes
4. Control the websites employees and staff access in the office
5. Save bandwidth by caching files or compressing incoming traffic

Proxies come with several benefits that can give your business an advantage:
1. Enhanced security: Can act like a firewall between your systems and the internet. Without
them, hackers have easy access to your IP address, which they can use to infiltrate your
computer or network.
2. Private browsing, watching, listening, and shopping: Use different proxies to help you
avoid getting inundated with unwanted ads or the collection of IP-specific data. With a
proxy, site browsing is well-protected and impossible to track.
3. Access to location-specific content: You can designate a proxy server with an address
associated with another country. You can, in effect, make it look like you are in that country
and gain full access to all the content computers in that country are allowed to interact with.
For example, the technology can allow you to open location-restricted websites by using
local IP addresses of the location you want to appear to be in.
4. Prevent employees from browsing inappropriate or distracting sites: You can use it to
block access to websites that run contrary to your organization’s principles. Also, you can
block sites that typically end up distracting employees from important tasks. Some
organizations block social media sites like Facebook and others to remove time-wasting
temptations.

Types of Proxy Servers

While all proxy servers give users an alternate address with which to use the internet, there
are several different kinds—each with its own features. Understanding the details behind
the list of proxy types will help you make a choice based on your use case and specific
needs.
Forward Proxy

A forward proxy sits in front of clients and is used to get data to groups of users within an
internal network. When a request is sent, the proxy server examines it to decide whether it
should proceed with making a connection.

A forward proxy is best suited for internal networks that need a single point of entry. It
provides IP address security for those in the network and allows for straightforward
administrative control. However, a forward proxy may limit an organization’s ability to cater
to the needs of individual end-users.
Transparent Proxy

A transparent proxy can give users an experience identical to what they would have if they
were using their home computer. In that way, it is “transparent.” They can also be “forced”
on users, meaning they are connected without knowing it.

Transparent proxies are well-suited for companies that want to make use of a proxy without
making employees aware they are using one. It carries the advantage of providing a
seamless user experience. On the other hand, transparent proxies are more susceptible to
certain security threats, such as SYN-flood denial-of-service attacks.
Anonymous Proxy
An anonymous proxy focuses on making internet activity untraceable. It works by accessing
the internet on behalf of the user while hiding their identity and computer information.

A anonymous proxy is best suited for users who want to have full anonymity while
accessing the internet. While anonymous proxies provide some of the best identity
protection possible, they are not without drawbacks. Many view the use of anonymous
proxies as underhanded, and users sometimes face pushback or discrimination as a result.
High Anonymity Proxy

A high anonymity proxy is an anonymous proxy that takes anonymity one step further. It
works by erasing your information before the proxy attempts to connect to the target site.

The server is best suited for users for whom anonymity is an absolute necessity, such as
employees who do not want their activity traced back to the organization. On the downside,
some of them, particularly the free ones, are decoys set up to trap users in order to access
their personal information or data.
Distorting Proxy

A distorting proxy identifies itself as a proxy to a website but hides its own identity. It does
this by changing its IP address to an incorrect one.

Distorting proxies are a good choice for people who want to hide their location while
accessing the internet. This type of proxy can make it look like you are browsing from a
specific country and give you the advantage of hiding not just your identity but that of the
proxy, too. This means even if you are associated with the proxy, your identity is still secure.
However, some websites automatically block distorting proxies, which could keep an end-
user from accessing sites they need.
Data Center Proxy

Data center proxies are not affiliated with an internet service provider (ISP) but are provided
by another corporation through a data center. The proxy server exists in a physical data
center, and the user’s requests are routed through that server.

Data center proxies are a good choice for people who need quick response times and an
inexpensive solution. They are therefore a good choice for people who need to gather
intelligence on a person or organization very quickly. They carry the benefit of giving users
the power to swiftly and inexpensively harvest data. On the other hand, they do not offer the
highest level of anonymity, which may put users’ information or identity at risk.
Residential Proxy

A residential proxy gives you an IP address that belongs to a specific, physical device. All
requests are then channeled through that device.

Residential proxies are well-suited for users who need to verify the ads that go on their
website, so you can block cookies, suspicious or unwanted ads from competitors or bad
actors. Residential proxies are more trustworthy than other proxy options. However, they
often cost more money to use, so users should carefully analyze whether the benefits are
worth the extra investment.
Public Proxy

A public proxy is accessible by anyone free of charge. It works by giving users access to its
IP address, hiding their identity as they visit sites.

Public proxies are best suited for users for whom cost is a major concern and security and
speed are not. Although they are free and easily accessible, they are often slow because
they get bogged down with free users. When you use a public proxy, you also run an
increased risk of having your information accessed by others on the internet.
Shared Proxy

Shared proxies are used by more than one user at once. They give you access to an IP
address that may be shared by other people, and then you can surf the internet while
appearing to browse from a location of your choice.

Shared proxies are a solid option for people who do not have a lot of money to spend and
do not necessarily need a fast connection. The main advantage of a shared proxy is its low
cost. Because they are shared by others, you may get blamed for someone else’s bad
decisions, which could get you banned from a site.
SSL Proxy

A secure sockets layer (SSL) proxy provides decryption between the client and the server.
As the data is encrypted in both directions, the proxy hides its existence from both the client
and the server.

These proxies are best suited for organizations that need enhanced protection against
threats that the SSL protocol reveals and stops. Because Google prefers servers that use
SSL, an SSL proxy, when used in connection with a website, may help its search engine
ranking. On the downside, content encrypted on an SSL proxy cannot be cached, so when
visiting websites multiple times, you may experience slower performance than you would
otherwise.
Rotating Proxy

A rotating proxy assigns a different IP address to each user that connects to it. As users
connect, they are given an address that is unique from the device that connected before it.

Rotating proxies are ideal for users who need to do a lot of high-volume, continuous web
scraping. They allow you to return to the same website again and again anonymously.
However, you have to be careful when choosing rotating proxy services. Some of them
contain public or shared proxies that could expose your data.
Reverse Proxy
Unlike a forward proxy, which sits in front of clients, a reverse proxy is positioned in front of
web servers and forwards requests from a browser to the web servers. It works by
intercepting requests from the user at the network edge of the web server. It then sends the
requests to and receives replies from the origin server.

Reverse proxies are a strong option for popular websites that need to balance the load of
many incoming requests. They can help an organization reduce bandwidth load because
they act like another web server managing incoming requests. The downside is reverse
proxies can potentially expose the HTTP server architecture if an attacker is able to
penetrate it. This means network administrators may have to beef up or reposition their
firewall if they are using a reverse proxy.

What is reverse proxy? A reverse proxy refers to a server positioned in front of web servers.
It forwards requests sent by a user’s browser to the web servers the proxy is in front of. A
reverse proxy is placed at the edge of an organization’s network, and in this position, it is
able to intercept user’s requests and then forward them to the intended origin server.

When the origin server sends a reply, the reverse proxy takes that reply and sends it on to
the user. In this way, a reverse proxy serves as a “middleman” between users and the sites
they are visiting.

An organization can use a reverse proxy to enact load balancing, as well as shield users
from undesirable content and outcomes. Therefore, a reverse proxy can be an integral part
of a company’s security posture and make the organization’s network more stable and
reliable.
What is a Reverse Proxy Server?
A reverse proxy server is a server positioned before web servers and has the task of
forwarding requests that come from the client, or web browser, to the web servers it is
positioned in front of. This is typically done to enhance the performance, security, and
reliability of the network.
Reverse Proxy vs. Forward Proxy
While a reverse proxy sits in front of web servers, a forward proxy sits in front of clients. A
client typically refers to an application, and in the context of proxy servers, the application is
a web browser. With a forward proxy, the proxy is positioned in front of the client, protecting
it and its user. With a reverse proxy, the proxy sits in front of the origin server. This may
seem like the same thing because both proxies are in between the client and the origin
server. However, there are some important differences.

With a forward proxy, the proxy server makes sure that no origin servers ever have the
ability to directly communicate with the client. That means that, regardless of the website, it
can never send any data directly to the client.
On the other hand, with a reverse proxy, the proxy, positioned in front of the origin server,
makes sure that no client, regardless of where it is or who owns it, has the ability to
communicate with the origin server.

It is similar to having a bodyguard that also passes messages to the person they are
working for. A forward proxy is like a bodyguard that passes messages to the client, while a
reverse proxy is like one that passes messages to the origin server. A forward proxy is
solely focused on vetting messages for the client. A reverse proxy is solely focused on
vetting messages for the origin server. Even though they are both positioned between the
client and the origin server, they perform very different jobs.

A reverse proxy can be used to accomplish several objectives, each pertaining to the safety
of a network or the way in which it functions.
1. Load Balancing

Reverse proxies can decide where and how they route Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
sessions. In this way, the reverse proxy can be used to distribute the load in a manner that
maximizes the experience of the end user. Load balancing also produces a more efficient,
useful network. It can prevent servers from getting overworked, thereby limiting the number
of bottlenecks a site experiences and ensuring smoother operation.

This may be particularly helpful during busier times of the year when a large amount of
HTTP sessions attempt to interact with your origin server all at the same time. As the
reverse proxy balances the load of the work that has to be performed, it eases the burden
on your network.
2. Protection From Attacks

With a reverse proxy, you can hide your origin server’s Internet Protocol (IP) address. If a
hacker knows the IP address of your origin server, they can check one very big item off their
attack checklist. Having a reverse proxy prevents malicious actors from directly targeting
your origin server using its IP address because they do not know what it is. Also, because a
reverse proxy is positioned in front of your origin server, any communication coming from
the outside has to go through the reverse proxy first.

Therefore, threats like distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are harder to execute
because the reverse proxy can be set up to detect these kinds of attacks. A reverse proxy
can also be used to detect malware attacks. It can identify malicious content within the
request coming from the client. Once harmful content has been spotted, the reverse proxy
can drop the server’s request. Consequently, the dangerous data does not even reach your
origin server.
3. Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB)

Global server load balancing (GSLB) is load balancing that is distributed around the world
by way of a reverse proxy. With GSLB, the requests going to a website can be distributed
using the geographic locations of the clients trying to access it. As a result, requests do not
have to travel as far. For the end user, this means the content they have requested is able
to load faster.
4. Caching

Without a reverse proxy, caching may have to be handled solely by backend servers.
However, with a reverse proxy, the caching responsibilities can be assumed by the reverse
proxy itself. Because the cache will be immediately available to the end user, their content
can load significantly faster than if the request had to go all the way to the origin server and
back.
5. SSL Encryption

Secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption can be a costly endeavor, particularly because there
are so many communications that need to be encrypted and decrypted as they stream in
from various clients. However, with a reverse proxy, all SSL encryption can happen on the
reverse proxy itself.
6. Live Activity Monitoring and Logging

A reverse proxy can monitor all the requests that get passed through it. This means that,
regardless of where the request comes from, it can be checked and logged. This enables
an IT team to carefully analyze where requests are coming from and how their origin server
is responding to them. With this information, you can see how your site addresses different
requests. You can then use that insight to make any adjustments to optimize your site’s
performance.

For example, suppose you have an ecommerce site, and it gets a lot of hits during a certain
holiday. You are concerned that it may not be able to manage all the requests efficiently
enough, thereby negatively affecting the end user’s purchasing or shopping experience.
With a reverse proxy, you can deduce performance statistics according to date and time,
and see whether your site’s infrastructure is up to the task.
How To Implement a Reverse Proxy?
Implementing a reverse proxy begins with figuring out what you want it to do. You will want
to write down your hopes for the reverse proxy before contacting a service provider. Then,
you will want to make sure your site and the reverse proxy are both hosted by a single
provider. The next step is to reach out to your provider and present what you want the
reverse proxy to do.

Because an HTTP reverse proxy can be used for several different things, you will want to
be specific regarding your goals. Your provider will then take the objectives you presented
and use them to configure your reverse proxy. This is accomplished through the design and
implementation of rules. Each rule tells the reverse proxy what to do, when, and in the
context of specific situations.
How Fortinet Can Help
A Fortinet reverse proxy enables you to enact load balancing, security, and scalability. Each
of these features can make your site perform better and safer. The way a Fortinet reverse
proxy works is you place a FortiGate unit in front of your origin server. You then configure
FortiGate to run in reverse proxy mode. The FortiGate solution can analyze each and
 every Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) packet that passes through it. Then it
can:

1. Route the request using preprogrammed rules, such as those that enable load balancing.
2. Check each packet of information for threats. If a threat is detected, your FortiGate reverse
proxy can discard the data packet, protecting your origin server from a potentially costly
attack.
3. Respond to requests using cached data. Instead of your origin server being inundated with
requests, the FortiGate reverse proxy can use cached information to handle requests. This
makes the experience of the end user more seamless.
4. 4Manage requests for dynamic and static content from your origin server.
5. Perform SSL encryption and decryption.

What is the difference between a proxy and reverse proxy?

While a reverse proxy sits in front of web servers, a forward proxy sits in front of clients. A
client typically refers to an application, and in the context of proxy servers, the application is
a web browser. With a forward proxy, the proxy is positioned in front of the client, protecting
it and its user. With a reverse proxy, the proxy sits in front of the origin server.

With a forward proxy, the proxy server makes sure that no origin servers ever have the
ability to directly communicate with the client. That means that, regardless of the website, it
can never send any data directly to the client. On the other hand, with a reverse proxy, the
proxy, positioned in front of the origin server, makes sure that no client, regardless of where
it is or who owns it, has the ability to communicate with the origin server.
What is a reverse proxy used for?

A reverse proxy is used for load balancing, protection from attacks, global server load
balancing (GSLB), caching, secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption, and live activity
monitoring and logging.
What are the benefits of reverse proxy?

The benefits of a reverse proxy include concurrency, resiliency, scalability, Layer 7 routing,
and caching.
Is a load balancer a reverse proxy?

No, a load balancer is not a reverse proxy. A load balancer is most necessary when you
have multiple servers supporting your site. It can then apportion the workload among those
servers to produce a better experience for the end user. A reverse proxy can do this as well,
but it also has security functions and provides for enhanced flexibility and scalability in ways
that a load balancer cannot. Therefore, a reverse proxy is useful even if you have just one
server supporting your site.
 The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) is an international organization that creates
standards for the World Wide Web. The WC3 is committed to improving the web by
setting and promoting web-based standards.

The W3C's goal is to create technical standards and guidelines for web technologies
worldwide. These standards are intended to keep a consistent level of technical quality
and compatibility concerning the World Wide Web. Developers who create web
applications can have confidence in the tools they're using, as web applications using
these standards have been vetted by experts. An example of a W3C standard is web
browsers. Most use W3C standards, which enables them to interpret code such as
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

Key Differences Between Firewall And VPN

A firewall is a network security system that controls traffic based on
predetermined rules. A VPN is a private network that encrypts traffic and
routes it through a public network. The key difference between firewalls
and VPNs is that firewalls only block access to the network, while VPNs
encrypt all data that passes through the network. This means that VPNs
provide a higher level of security than firewalls. However, VPNs can be
more expensive to implement than firewalls

Firewalls are typically used to protect a network from external threats,

while VPNs are used to create a secure connection between two
networks. Another difference between firewalls and VPNs is that
1. Firewall is a network security system that is designed to protect an entire network
2. Firewall is a stand-alone security device and only allows access to certain ports
3. A firewall is a device that filters and monitors data sent between networks
4. A VPN creates a secure tunnel between two hosts (e.g., two branch offices)

Firewall vs. VPN Similarities

 A firewall is a system that helps to protect your network from
unauthorized access. A VPN is a system that helps to encrypt your traffic
and keep your data safe. Both systems help to keep your information
safe and secure.

1. VPN and firewall both protect your network from intruders

2. They both help you to access the internet in a secure way
3. They both offer a secure and private channel for internet traffic
4. They both work by encrypting the data and routing it through a different network

Firewall vs. VPN Pros and Cons

Firewall Pros & Cons
Firewall Pros
A firewall is a system that provides network security by filtering incoming
and outgoing traffic. Firewalls can be hardware- or software-based, and
they are often used in conjunction with other security measures, such as
anti-virus software.

Accuracy vs. Precision: What’s The Difference Between Accuracy and Precision?

The advantages of using a firewall include:

1. Improved performance – by blocking unwanted traffic, firewalls can help to improve network
performance by reducing congestion and freeing up bandwidth
2. Serves as a barrier between untrusted internal networks and untrusted external networks
3. It offers protection from unauthorised users, viruses, and malware
4. It makes local networks secure
5. Firewall allow only specified people to access network, files, and other information and
applications on the network
6. Firewall prevents other people from viewing, accessing or using your information
7. Firewall provides security to your data
 Firewall Cons
While firewalls can be effective in protecting networks from many types
of malicious activity, they can also create some disadvantages and
drawbacks, such as:
1. Firewalls can mistakenly block legitimate traffic, such as when a rule is incorrectly configured
2. Firewalls cannot secure encrypted traffic
3. Firewall can block your access to certain websites
4. They can be complex to configure and manage, especially if you have a large network
5. They can slow down your network as they inspect all traffic passing through it
6. They can be bypassed if an attacker knows how to do it
7. Firewall needs to be updated regularly
8. Firewall can only protect a single network

VPN Pros
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a private network that encrypts and
tunnels Internet traffic through a public server. A VPN can be used to
secure your connection to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, to anonymize your
web browsing, and to protect your online identity.

There are many advantages to using a VPN, including the following:

1. A VPN can help to improve your online security and privacy since your data is encrypted and
your IP address is hidden
2. A VPN can also help to bypass Internet censorship and restrictions, as well as access geo-
blocked websites and content
3. A VPN can also improve your online speeds by bypassing throttling from your ISP
4. A VPN can also offer a more reliable and stable connection, especially if you are using a public
Wi-Fi network
5. Prevent hacking and protect your online activity
6. VPN provides anonymity

Afferent vs. Efferent: What’s The Difference Between Afferent And Efferent?
 VPN Cons
A virtual private network (VPN) is a private network that uses a public
network infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide secure and
encrypted connections for remote users and sites. VPNs are used to
protect confidential data, such as corporate information, and to extend
private network services while maintaining security.
However, there are also several disadvantages to using a VPN, which
include:

1. You can’t use the VPN for watching a video on streaming sites
2. The VPN slows the speed of your internet connection
3. The VPN doesn’t encrypt the traffic
4. Security risks: because your data is being routed through a third-party server, there is always
the potential for security breaches
5. The VPN cannot access some websites
6. VPN is unreliable
7.

Conclusion
The Firewall and VPN both provide security by allowing only authorized
users access to a network. However, the main difference is the access
they create. A firewall only controls traffic coming to and from a network.
A VPN creates a secure tunnel between a source and a destination. The
firewall is a small piece of hardware that is installed between the Internet
router and the computer. The VPN is software that is installed on the
computer and establishes a virtual network path using the Internet.

What is a function of a DNS server?

 It maps IP addresses to physical addresses.
 It assigns logical address information to host computers.
 It determines the IP address that is associated with a specific host domain name.
 It translates private IP addresses to public IP addresses.
Explanation: Hosts are assigned with IP addresses in order to
communicate over the network. Hosts are registered with
domain names so people can remember and recognize them
easily. However, computers are connected through their IP
addresses. DNS provides the service to map the domain name to
its IP address.
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the phonebook of the Internet. When users

type domain names such as ‘google.com’ or ‘nytimes.com’ into web browsers, DNS is

responsible for finding the correct IP address for those sites. Browsers then use those

addresses to communicate with origin servers or CDN edge servers to access website

information.

DNS servers translate requests for specific domains into IP addresses, controlling which

server users with access when they enter the domain name into their browser.

The Roles of DNS

When you want to call someone, you typically load up your contact list, tap
their name, and hit call. You know that behind the scenes, this associates a
phone number with the contact, and your cellular connection initiates a phone
call. DNS is your internet phonebook. It lets you tell your browser to fetch a
domain name and automatically know the physical IP address, without you
ever having to do more than hit the enter key and wait. Let's talk about this in
more detail.

DNS Function

DNS relies on two major parts: a nameserver and DNS records. The
purpose of a nameserver is to explicitly store information on how to find the
DNS records. When your browser makes its request for a domain, the
nameserver it uses provides a location to find details about the DNS records.
Without too much detail, a DNS record is what actually converts a URL into an
IP address.
Let's take a look at the below example. First, you enter google.com into your
browser. Next, your browser reaches out to the root nameservers for
any .com domain names from Verisign (the root) and finds the nameserver for
google.com. That nameserver is ns1.google.com. Now, that nameserver
points you to the DNS manager for the domain, google.com. Upon checking,
the DNS manager provides 172.217.9.238 as the DNS record for
google.com. Your browser then lands at the above IP address showing
google.com's site content. A visual example of this process follows.

1. Electronic mail
At least 85% of the inhabitants of cyberspace send and receive e-mail. Some 20 million e-mail
messages cross the Internet every week.

2. Research
3. Downloading files
4. Discussion groups
These include public groups, such as those on Usenet, and the private mailing lists that ListServ
manages.

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5. Interactive games
Who hasn’t tried to hunt down at least one game?

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6. Education and self-improvement
On-line courses and workshops have found yet another outlet.

7. Friendship and dating

You may be surprised at the number of electronic “personals” that you can find on the World
Wide Web.

8. Electronic newspapers and magazines

This category includes late-breaking news, weather, and sports. We’re likely to see this category
leap to the top five in the next several years.

9. Job-hunting
Classified ads are in abundance, but most are for technical positions.
10. Shopping
It’s difficult to believe that this category even ranks. It appears that “cybermalls” are more for
curious than serious shoppers.

The survey TCP/IP PROTOCOL SUITE

Communications between computers on a network is done through protocol suits. The
most widely used and most widely available protocol suite is TCP/IP protocol suite. A
protocol suit consists of a layered architecture where each layer depicts some
functionality which can be carried out by a protocol. Each layer usually has more than
one protocol options to carry out the responsibility that the layer adheres to. TCP/IP is
normally considered to be a 4 layer system. The 4 layers are as follows :

1. Application layer
2. Transport layer
3. Network layer
4. Data link layer

1. Application layer
This is the top layer of TCP/IP protocol suite. This layer includes applications or
processes that use transport layer protocols to deliver the data to destination computers.

At each layer there are certain protocol options to carry out the task designated to that
particular layer. So, application layer also has various protocols that applications use to
communicate with the second layer, the transport layer. Some of the popular application
layer protocols are :

 HTTP (Hypertext transfer protocol)

 FTP (File transfer protocol)
 SMTP (Simple mail transfer protocol)
 SNMP (Simple network management protocol) etc

2. Transport Layer
This layer provides backbone to data flow between two hosts. This layer receives data
from the application layer above it. There are many protocols that work at this layer but
the two most commonly used protocols at transport layer are TCP and UDP.

TCP is used where a reliable connection is required while UDP is used in case of
unreliable connections.
TCP divides the data(coming from the application layer) into proper sized chunks and
then passes these chunks onto the network. It acknowledges received packets, waits for
the acknowledgments of the packets it sent and sets timeout to resend the packets if
acknowledgements are not received in time. The term ‘reliable connection’ is used where
it is not desired to loose any information that is being transferred over the network
through this connection. So, the protocol used for this type of connection must provide
the mechanism to achieve this desired characteristic. For example, while downloading a
file, it is not desired to loose any information(bytes) as it may lead to corruption of
downloaded content.
UDP provides a comparatively simpler but unreliable service by sending packets from
one host to another. UDP does not take any extra measures to ensure that the data sent
is received by the target host or not. The term ‘unreliable connection’ are used where
loss of some information does not hamper the task being fulfilled through this
connection. For example while streaming a video, loss of few bytes of information due to
some reason is acceptable as this does not harm the user experience much.

3. Network Layer
This layer is also known as Internet layer. The main purpose of this layer is to organize
or handle the movement of data on network. By movement of data, we generally mean
routing of data over the network. The main protocol used at this layer is IP. While
ICMP(used by popular ‘ping’ command) and IGMP are also used at this layer.

4. Data Link Layer

This layer is also known as network interface layer. This layer normally consists of
device drivers in the OS and the network interface card attached to the system. Both the
device drivers and the network interface card take care of the communication details
with the media being used to transfer the data over the network. In most of the cases,
this media is in the form of cables. Some of the famous protocols that are used at this
layer include ARP(Address resolution protocol), PPP(Point to point protocol) etc.

TCP/IP CONCEPT EXAMPLE

One thing which is worth taking note is that the interaction between two computers over
the network through TCP/IP protocol suite takes place in the form of a client server
architecture.

Client requests for a service while the server processes the request for client.

Now, since we have discussed the underlying layers which help that data flow from host
to target over a network. Lets take a very simple example to make the concept more
clear.
Consider the data flow when you open a website.
As seen in the above figure, the information flows downward through each layer on the
host machine. At the first layer, since http protocol is being used, so an HTTP request is
formed and sent to the transport layer.

Here the protocol TCP assigns some more information(like sequence number, source
port number, destination port number etc) to the data coming from upper layer so that
the communication remains reliable i.e, a track of sent data and received data could be
maintained.

At the next lower layer, IP adds its own information over the data coming from
transport layer. This information would help in packet travelling over the network.
Lastly, the data link layer makes sure that the data transfer to/from the physical media
is done properly. Here again the communication done at the data link layer can be
reliable or unreliable.

This information travels on the physical media (like Ethernet) and reaches the target
machine.
Now, at the target machine (which in our case is the machine at which the website is
hosted) the same series of interactions happen, but in reverse order.

The packet is first received at the data link layer. At this layer the information (that was
stuffed by the data link layer protocol of the host machine) is read and rest of the data is
passed to the upper layer.

Similarly at the Network layer, the information set by the Network layer protocol of host
machine is read and rest of the information is passed on the next upper layer. Same
happens at the transport layer and finally the HTTP request sent by the host
application(your browser) is received by the target application(Website server).

One would wonder what happens when information particular to each layer is read by
the corresponding protocols at target machine or why is it required? Well, lets
understand this by an example of TCP protocol present at transport layer. At the host
machine this protocol adds information like sequence number to each packet sent by
this layer.

At the target machine, when packet reaches at this layer, the TCP at this layer makes
note of the sequence number of the packet and sends an acknowledgement (which is
received seq number + 1).

Now, if the host TCP does not receive the acknowledgement within some specified time,
it re sends the same packet. So this way TCP makes sure that no packet gets lost. So we
see that protocol at every layer reads the information set by its counterpart to achieve
the functionality of the layer it represents.

ows that individuals, co

internet: global computer network providing a variety of information and communication

facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols
TCP/IP Reference Model is a four-layered suite of communication protocols. It was
developed by the DoD (Department of Defence) in the 1960s. It is named after the two
main protocols that are used in the model, namely, TCP and IP. TCP stands for
Transmission Control Protocol and IP stands for Internet Protocol.
The four layers in the TCP/IP protocol suite are −

 Host-to- Network Layer −It is the lowest layer that is concerned with the physical
transmission of data. TCP/IP does not specifically define any protocol here but
supports all the standard protocols.
  Internet Layer −It defines the protocols for logical transmission of data over the
network. The main protocol in this layer is Internet Protocol (IP) and it is
supported by the protocols ICMP, IGMP, RARP, and ARP.
 Transport Layer − It is responsible for error-free end-to-end delivery of data. The
protocols defined here are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User
Datagram Protocol (UDP).
 Application Layer − This is the topmost layer and defines the interface of host
programs with the transport layer services. This layer includes all high-level
protocols like Telnet, DNS, HTTP, FTP, SMTP, etc.
The following diagram shows the layers and the protocols in each of the layers −
http://www.steves-internet-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/tcp-ip-networking-model.jpg

The TCP/IP protocol suite consists of many protocols that operate at one of 4
layers.

The protocol suite is named after two of the most common protocols
– TCP (transmission Control Protocol) and IP (internet Protocol).
Router

The main role of the router is to forward packets of information to their destinations.
Routers are more intelligent than hubs or switches as they store information about the
other network devices they are connected to. Routers can play an important role in
network security, as they can be configured to serve as packet-filtering firewalls and
reference access control lists (ACLs) when forwarding packets. In addition to filtering
authorized network traffic, they also are used to divide networks into subnetworks, thus
facilitating a zero-trust architecture.

Bridge

A bridge is used to connect hosts or network segments together. As with routers, they
can be used to divide larger networks into smaller ones, by sitting between network
devices and regulating the flow of traffic. A bridge also has the ability to filter packets of
data, known as frames, before they are forwarded. Bridges are not as popular as they
once were, and are now being replaced by switches, which provide better functionality.

Gateway

A gateway device is used to facilitate interoperability between different technologies

such as Open System Interconnection (OSI) and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP). In other words, they translate each other’s messages. You could
think of a gateway as a router, but with added translation functionality.

Modem

A modem, which is short for “modulators-demodulators”, is a piece of network hardware

that is used to convert digital signals into analog signals, in order to transmit them over
analog telephone lines. When the signals arrive at the destination, another modem will
convert the analog signals back to a digital format.

Repeater

A repeater is a relatively simple network device that amplifies the signal it receives in
order to allow it to cover a longer distance. Repeaters work on the Physical layer of the
OSI model.

Access Point

An access point (AP) is a network device that is similar to a router, only it has its own
built-in antenna, transmitter and adapter. An AP can be used to connect a variety of
network devices together, including both wired and wireless devices. Access points can
be fat or thin. A fat AP must be manually configured with network and security settings,
whereas a thin AP can be configured and monitored remotely.

Hubs
Hubs are used to connect multiple network devices together. They can be used to
transmit both digital and analog information. Digital information is transmitted as
packets, whereas analog information is transmitted as a signal. Hubs also act as a
repeater, which amplifies signals that have weakened after being transmitted across a
long distance. Hubs operate at the Physical layer of the Open Systems Interconnection
(OSI) model.

Switch

A switch is a multiport network device whose purpose is to improve network efficiency

and improve communication between hubs, routers, and other network devices.
Switches are intelligent devices that gather information from incoming packets in order
to forward them to the appropriate destination. Switches generally have limited
information about the other nodes on the network.

Network Cards Network cards, also called Network Interface Cards, are devices that enable

computers to connect to the network

NIC – NIC or network interface card is a network adapter that is used to connect the computer
to the network. It is installed in the computer to establish a LAN. It has a unique id that is
written on the chip, and it has a connector to connect the cable to it. The cable acts as an
interface between the computer and the router or modem. NIC card is a layer 2 device which
means that it works on both the physical and data link layers of the network model.

Web scraping (or data scraping) is a technique used to collect

content and data from the internet.

Web scraping advantages and processes are as follows:

Save Cost
Web Scraping saves cost and time as it reduces the time involved in the data extraction
task. These tools once created can be put on automation and hence, there is less
dependency on the human workforce.

Accuracy Of Results

Web Scraping beats human data collection hands down. With automated scraping, you
get fast and reliable results that can’t be humanly possible.

Time To Market Advantage

Accurate results help businesses save time, money, and human labor. This leads to an
apparent time-to-market advantage over the competitors.

High Quality

Web Scraping provides access to clean, well-structured, and high-quality data through
scraping APIs so that fresh new data can be integrated into the systems.

Advantages of web scraping

Speed

First and foremost, the best thing about using web scraping technology is the speed it provides.
Everyone who knows about web scraping associates it with speed. When you use web scraping tools -
programs, software, or techniques - they basically put an end to the manual collection of data from
websites. Web scraping enables you to rapidly scrape many websites at the same time without having to
watch and control every single request. You can also set it up just one time and it will scrape a whole
website within an hour or much less - instead of what would have taken a week for a single person to
complete. This is the main issue web scraping is created to solve. And if you want to alter the scraping
parameters - go ahead and tailor it, scrapers are not set in stone.

Another part of the reason why web scraping is quick is not only about how fast it scans the web pages
and extracts data out of them but also about the process of incorporating web scraping into your
routine. It’s fairly easy to get started with web scrapers because you don't have to be concerned about
building, downloading, integrating, or installing them. Therefore, after going through the setup, you’re
all set to start web scraping. Now imagine what you can get done with a speedy scraper - information
from about 1,000 products from an online store in five minutes, wrapped into a neat little Excel table,
for instance. And we have dozens of those in our Apify Store, some quicker, some a bit slower, but
always efficient.

Web scraping delivers successful and dynamic future evaluation. Since data scraping can assess
consumer attitude, their needs, and desires, one can even perform an extensive predictive analysis, too.
Obtaining a thorough idea of consumer preferences is a blessing, and this promotes businesses to plan
the future effectively.

Data extraction at scale

This one is easy - humans 0, robots 1 - and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s quite difficult to imagine
dealing with data manually since there’s so much of it. Web scraping tools provide you with data at
much greater volume than you would ever be able to collect manually. If your challenge is, say, checking
the prices of your competitor’s products and services weekly, that would probably take you ages. It also
wouldn’t be too efficient, because you can’t keep that up even if you have a strong and motivated team.
Instead, you decide to work the system and run a scraper that collects all the data you need, on an
hourly basis, costs comparatively little, and never gets tired. Just to put it into perspective: with an
Amazon API scraper, you can get information about all products on Amazon (okay, maybe that use case
would take a while, as Amazon.com sells a total of 75,138,297 products as of March 2021). Now imagine
how much time and effort that would take for a human team to accomplish gathering and compiling all
that data. Not the most efficient way to do things if there’s an alternative automated solution available.
You could even go so far as to call web scraping the dawn of a new phase in the post-industrial
revolution.

Here's how the investment industry benefits from web scraping. Hedge funds occasionally use the web
scraping technique to collect alternate data in order to avoid flops. It helps in the detection of
unexpected threats as well as prospective investment opportunities. Investment decisions are
complicated since they normally entail a series of steps from developing a hypothetical thesis to
experimenting and studying before making a smart decision. Historical data research is the most
effective technique to assess an investing concept. It enables you to acquire insight into the
fundamental reason for prior failures or achievements, avoidable mistakes, and potential future
investment returns.

Web scraping is a method for extracting historical data more effectively, which may then be fed into a
machine learning database for model training. As a result, investment organizations that use big data
increase the accuracy of their analysis results, allowing them to make better decisions. You can check
out more cases of using web scraping for real estate and investment opportunities here.

Cost-effective

One of the best things about web scraping is that it’s a complicated service provided at a rather low
cost. A simple scraper can often do the whole job, so you won’t need to invest in building up a complex
system or hiring extra staff. Time is money, with the evolution and increasing speed of the web, without
the automation of repetitive tasks, a professional data extraction project would be impossible. For
example, you could employ a temporary worker to run analyses, check websites, carry out mundane
tasks, but all of this can be automated with simple scripts (and, by the way, run on the Apify platform
tirelessly and repetitively). When choosing how to execute a web scraping project, using a web scraping
tool is always a more viable option than outsourcing the whole process. People have better things to do
than collecting data from the web like digital librarians.

Another thing is that, once the core mechanism for extracting data is up and running, you get the
opportunity to crawl the whole domain and not just one or several pages. So the returns of that one-
time investment into making a scraper are pretty high and these tools have the potential to save you a
lot of money. Overall, choosing a web scraping API has significant advantages over outsourcing web
scraping projects, which can get expensive. Making or ordering APIs may not be the cheapest option,
but in terms of the benefits they provide to developers and businesses, they are still on the less
expensive side. Prices vary based on the number of API requests, the scale, and the capacity you need.
However, the return on investment makes web scraping APIs an invaluable investment into an
increasingly automated future.

Web scraping can make even sentiment analysis a more affordable task: as we know, thousands of
consumers publish their product and service experiences on online review sites every day. This massive
amount of data is open to the public and may be simply scraped for information about businesses,
rivals, possible opportunities, and trends. Web scraping combined with NLP (Natural Language
Processing) may also reveal how customers react to their products and services, as well as what their
feedback is on campaigns and products.

Flexibility and systematic approach

This advantage is the only one able to compete with the speed that scraping data provides since
scrapers are intrinsically in flux. Web scraping scripts - APIs - are not hard-coded solutions. For that
reason, they are highly modifiable, open, and compatible with other scripts. So here’s the drill: create a
scraper for one big task and reshape it to fit many different tasks by making only tiny changes to the
core. You can set up a scraper, a deduplication actor, a monitoring actor as well as an app integration -
all within one system. This all will be collaborating together with no limitations, extra cost, or any new
platform needed to be implemented.

Here’s an example of a workflow built out of four different APIs if you want to scrape all available
monitors from Amazon and compare them with the ones you have in your online store. The first step is
data collection with a scraper, the next is to have another actor for data upload into your database,
another could be a scraper to check the price differences, and the API chain can go as far as your
workflow needs go.

This approach forms an ecosystem of well-tuned APIs that just fit into your workflow. What does this
mean to users and businesses? It means that a single investment provides a non-rigid, adaptable
solution that collects as much data as you need. The web scraping API empowers users to customize the
data collection and analysis process, and take full advantage of its features to fulfill all their web
scraping ambitions. And those could be anything: from email notifications and price drop alerts to
contact detail collection and tailored scrapers.

Performance reliability and robustness

Web scraping is a process in and of itself that guarantees data accuracy. Just set up your scraper
correctly once and it will accurately collect data directly from websites, with a very low chance of errors.
How does that work? Well, monotonous and repetitive tasks often lead to errors because they are
simply boring for humans. If you’re dealing with financials, pricing, time-sensitive data, or good old sales
- inaccuracies and mistakes can cost quite a lot of time and resources to be found and fixed, and if not
found - the issues just snowball from that point on. That concerns any kind of data, so it is of the utmost
importance to not only be able to collect data but also have it in a readable and clean format. In the
 modern world, this is not a task for a human, but for a machine. Robots will only make errors that are
prewritten by humans in the code. If you write the script correctly, you can to a large extent eliminate
the factor of human error and ensure that the information and data you get is of better quality, every
single time you collect it. This is the only guarantee for that information to be seamlessly integrated with
other databases and used in data analysis tools.

Low maintenance costs

This advantage is a spillover from the flexibility. As with anything that evolves, websites change over
time with new designs, categories, and page layouts. Most of the changes need to be reflected in the
way the scraper does its job. The cost of reflecting those changes is one of the things that is severely
underestimated when introducing a new SaaS. Oftentimes people think about it in sort of an old-school
way - as if once you install something, the updates will somehow appear and happen automatically, and
there’s no need to keep an eye on them. But our fast-paced internet world requires adaptive solutions
so it comes as no wonder that on average, the maintenance and servicing costs can make the budget
skyrocket. Luckily, there’s no need to worry about maintenance expenses with web scraping software. If
necessary, all of these changes can be implemented in the scraper by slightly tweaking it. In such a way,
there is a. no need to develop any other tools for a new website every time, b. any change can be fixed
in a reasonable time, and c. affordably priced.

Not only is scraping the web for lead generation or overall search queries an extreme time saver for B2B
businesses, but it also can kick start your success online. Finding contact info for businesses in a
geographic area or niche in an automated way cuts down on human error and makes lead generation
quick and easy. Scraping the web for content topics will improve your SEO ranking if data is used
properly, saving you a lot of time-consuming manual work. You can use data scraping to get in touch
with local and nationwide brands to help boost their presence online.

Automatic delivery of structured data

This one may sound a bit more tricky, but well-scraped data arrives in a machine-readable format by
default, so simple values can often immediately be used in other databases and programs. This fact
alone - effortless API integration with other applications - is one of its most likeable features for pros
and non-pros alike. You are in charge of defining the format, depth, and structure of the output dataset.
In that way, it can be easily linked to your next program or tool. All you need for that is a set of
credentials and a basic understanding of the API documentation. That makes web scraping just the first
(albeit important) step to focus on in your data analysis workflow involving other built-in solutions - for
example, data visualization tools. On top of that, using automated software and programs to store
scraped data ensures that your information remains secure.
The major disadvantages of web scraping services are explained in the following points.
 Difficult to analyze – For anybody who is not an expert, the scraping processes are confusing to
understand. Although this is not a major problem, but some errors could be fixed faster if it was
easier to understand for more software developers.
 Data analysis – The data that has been extracted will first need to be treated so that they can be
easily understood. In certain cases, this might take a long time and a lot of energy to complete.
 Time – It is common for new data extraction applications to take some time in the beginning as the
software often has a learning curve. Sometimes web scraping services take time to become
 familiar with the core application and need to adjust to the scrapping language. This means that
such services can take some days before they are up and running at full speed.
 Speed and protection policies – Most web scrapping services are slower than API calls and
another problem is the websites that do not allow screen scrapping. In such cases web scrapping
services are rendered useless. Also, if the developer of the website decides to introduce some
changes in the code, the scrapping service might stop working.

 Advantages of Web Scraping

 Let’s discuss some main advantages of web scraping services
 Automation web Bots
 Robust web scraping services allow you to extract data from the numbers of websites
automatically, which ultimately saves your time and increases productivity in the data
gathering task.

 Also, it brings the possibility for you to create classy web bots to automate the online
activities with either web scraping software or incorporating a programming language like
javascript, go or php, and python.
 Business Intelligence with correct data
 The web scraping services are not only serving faster, they are precise too. Some simple
flaws in data extraction may cause crucial mistakes later on. Perfect extraction of any kind of
data is thus very crucial. In websites that deal with sales prices, pricing data, tender price,
call center, and real estate contact numbers or any type of financial information, the
correctness is really significant. Hence, you could take the right decision for a business plan
and budget.
 Unique and huge datasets
 This application helps you get a huge amount of image, text, video, and numerical data and
can access millions of pages at a time. But, all it depends upon your objectives, and relevant
websites can be obtained accordingly.
 For illustration, If you’re interested in European football and want to know more about the
sports market in-depth, you can gather information with the use of web scraping technology.
 Cheaper service
 Web scraping services facilitate a significant data extraction service at a cheaper price. It is
vital that information is collected back from websites and scrutinized so that the internet
functions on a daily basis. Web scraping performs the job in a well-organized and affordable
approach.
 Less maintenance
 One more benefit is while installing new services is the low maintenance cost. Long-term
maintenance costs can result in the project budget to curve out of control. Fortunately, web
scraping applications require very little to no maintenance over a long time until there are
any big changes in Operating systems.
 Easier implementation
 Once a web scraping gets deployed the proper method easily to extract information, you are
confident that you are not only accessing data from a single web page but from the whole
domain. This refers to just a onetime investment, huge information can be gathered within a
few seconds.
 Higher speed
  Another most valuable feature that must also be notified is the speed with which web
scraping services often perform their task in a time-saving manner. A task that needs week
time could be accomplished in a few hours.
 Disadvantages of Web Scraping service
 The users also need to know all the disadvantages of web scrapping services to avoid any
unexpected issues. Some major disadvantages of web scraping are narrated as follows.
 Complex to analyze
 The people who are not enough experts will be completely confused about scraping
processes. Even though it’s not a big issue, but some errors could be sorted out faster if it
was easily understandable by the developers.
 Time management
 Generally, the new data extraction apps take some more time in the beginning stage as the
software needs to be learnt by the users thoroughly. Sometimes, the web scraping takes
more time to achieve familiarity with the core application. This means that the new apps can
take a few days before they are fully used and running speedily.
 Data analysis
 The extracted data need to be handled so that they can be understood easily. In some
cases, it might take a long period and a lot of effort to get completed.
 Protection policies and speed issues
 Often, most web scrapping services are slower than the API calls and another issue is the
websites that restrict screen scraping. In these cases web scrapping services become
useless. Also, if the developer of the website implements some changes in the source code,
the scrapping service might become non-functional.

What is web scraping?

Web scraping is the process of extracting data from websites and converting it into
structured format. This is done by sending HTTP requests to a website's server, downloading
the HTML content, and parsing it to extract the desired information. Web scraping is
performed using automated scripts or programs and can efficiently gather large amounts of
data. It can provide access to valuable data not easily available through other means.

Advantages of Web Scraping:

1. Data Collection: Web scraping enables the automatic collection of large amounts
of data from websites, saving time and effort compared to manual data collection
methods.
2. Cost-Effective: Web scraping is often a cost-effective solution for acquiring data,
as it eliminates the need for purchasing expensive data sets or subscribing to paid
services.
3. Real-time Data: Web scraping can provide real-time data, making it possible to
get up-to-date information on a particular subject or market.
4. Access to Unstructured Data: Web scraping provides access to unstructured
data, such as text and images, that can be difficult to obtain through other
methods.
 5. Versatility: Web scraping can be applied to a wide range of data sources,
including online marketplaces, news websites, social media, and more.
Disadvantages of Web Scraping:

1. Legal Implications: Some websites explicitly prohibit the use of web scraping, and
the legality of web scraping can be unclear in some cases.
2. Technical Challenges: Web scraping can be technically challenging, as websites
often use technologies to block or limit automated scraping, and the structure and
content of websites can change frequently.
3. Data Quality: The quality of the data obtained through web scraping can be
uncertain, as the data may be incomplete, inaccurate, or outdated.
4. Performance Issues: Web scraping can be resource-intensive and can slow down
a website or network, leading to performance issues.
5. Ethical Considerations: Web scraping can raise ethical questions, such as the
unauthorized use of someone else's content and the potential privacy implications
of collecting and using personal data from websites.

What is ecommerce?
Ecommerce or electronic commerce is the trading of goods
and services on the internet. It is your bustling city center or
brick-and-mortar shop translated into zeroes and ones on the
internet superhighway. This year, an estimated 2.14 billion people
worldwide will buy goods and services online, and the number
of Prime members shopping Amazon stores now tops 150
million.

Types of Ecommerce
Depending on the goods, services, and organization of an ecommerce
company, the business can opt to operate several different ways. Here are
several of the popular business models.

Business to Consumer (B2C)

B2C ecommerce companies sell directly to the product end-user. Instead of

distributing goods to an intermediary, a B2C company performs transactions
with the consumer that will ultimately use the good. This type of business
model may be used to sell products (i.e. your local sporting goods store's
website) or services (i.e. a lawncare mobile app to reserve landscaping
services). This is the most common business model and is likely the concept
most people think about when they hear ecommerce.
Business to Business (B2B)

Similar to B2C, an ecommerce business can directly sell goods to a user.

However, instead of being a consumer, that user may be another company.
B2B transactions are often entail larger quantities, greater specifications, and
longer lead times. The company placing the order may also have a need to
set recurring goods if the purchase is for recurring manufacturing processes.

Business to Government (B2G)

Some entities specialize as government contractors providing goods or

services to agencies or administrations. Similar to a B2B relationship, the
business produces items of value and remits those items to an entity. B2G
ecommerce companies must often meet government requests for proposal
requirements, solicit bids for projects, and meet very specific product or
service criteria. In addition, there may be joint government endeavors to
solicit a single contract through a government-wide acquisition contract .

Consumer to Consumer (C2C)

Established companies are the only entities that can sell things. Ecommerce
platforms such as digital marketplaces connect consumers with other
consumers who can list their own products and execute their own sales.
These C2C platforms may be auction-style listings (i.e. eBay auctions) or
may warrant further discussion regarding the item or service being provided
(i.e. Craigslist postings). Enabled by technology, C2C ecommerce platforms
empower consumers to both buy and sell without the need of companies.

Consumer to Business (C2B)

Modern platforms have allowed consumers to more easily engage with

companies and offer their services, especially related to short-term contracts,
gigs, or freelance opportunities. For example, consider listings on Upwork. A
consumer may solicit bids or interact with companies that need particular jobs
done. In this way, the ecommerce platform connects businessess
with freelancers to enable consumers greater power to achieve pricing,
scheduling, and employment demands.

Consumer to Government (C2G)

Less of a traditional ecommerce relationship, consumers can interact with

administrations, agencies, or governments through C2G partnerships. These
partnerships are often not in the exchange of service but rather the
transaction of obligation. For example, uploading your Federal tax return to
the IRS digital website is an ecommerce transaction regarding an exchange
of information. Alternatively, you may pay your tuition to your university online
or remit property tax assessments to your county assessor.

Web application

It is a type of computer program that usually runs with the help of a web browser and
also uses many web technologies to perform various tasks on the internet.

A web application can be developed for several uses, which can be used by anyone like
it can be used as an individual or as a whole organization for several reasons.

Difference Between Website and Web Application: The Website and Web application are able runs in browsers,
they require access to the internet, and they both use the same programming languages for the front end and a back
end. The main difference between Website and Web application is that a Web application is a piece of software
which is accessed by the browser and the browser is an application which is used for browsing the internet, whereas
a Website is a collection of related web pages. The Website contains images, text, audio, video, etc. It can consist of
n number of pages.

Here, we will first briefly describe the Website and Web application and then we will see the complete list and
elaborate on the difference between the Website and Web application. We are going to explain the differences in
several parameters below.

Difference Between a Website and a Web Application

As we have seen a fleeting introduction to a Website and Web application. Now we will study the difference between
a Website and a Web application. The notable differences between these two software are described in the table
provided below:

Key Differences Between Website and Web Application

Website Web application

It basically contains static content. It is designed for interaction with end-users.
The user of the website only can read the content of the The user of the web applications is able to read th
website but is unable to manipulate it. application and can also manipulate the data.
This does not need to be precompiled. This site should be precompiled before the deploy
The website’s function is quite simple. The web application’s function is quite complex.
The website is not interactive for users. The web application is interactive for users.
The browser capabilities included with the website are high. The browser capabilities included with a web app
Authentication is not necessary on the website. Mostly Web application requires authentication.
For web applications, Integration is complex beca
For the website, Integration is simpler.
functionality.
Examples of websites:- Breaking News, Aktu website, etc. Examples of web applications:- Amazon, Faceboo

What is a Website?
A website is a combination of related web pages that contains images, audio, video, text, etc. A website can consist
of n number of pages. It provides visual and text content that end users can view and read.

A browser is required for running and viewing a website like Chrome, Firefox, etc. There are many types of websites
like Archive websites, Blog, Community websites, Domain websites, government websites etc. We can also check
the difference between blog and website here to have a deeper understanding of the website.

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Example of a Website: A government’s web page where you can view the government exam details, employ of
operation, etc.

What is a Web Application?

A piece of software that can be accessed by the browser is called a Web application. A Browser is an application that
we use to browse the internet. The web application requires authentication. It uses combined server-side scripts and
client-side scripts to present information. The web application also requires a server to handle requests from the
users.

Examples of Web applications: Google Apps, Amazon, YouTube, google pay etc.

Check out some important top

A web browser is a type of software that allows you to find and view
websites on the Internet. Even if you didn't know it, you're using a
web browser right now to read this page! There are many different
web browsers, but some of the most common ones include Google
Chrome, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox.A web browser is a type of
software that allows you to find and view websites on the Internet.
Even if you didn't know it, you're using a web browser right now to
read this page! There are many different web browsers, but some of
the most common ones include Google Chrome, Safari, and Mozilla
Firefox.

Your browser and search engine are two different things. You’re always
using a browser to get to a search engine, but you don’t need a search
engine to view a site in your browser. A browser helps you view a specific
site, while a search engine crawls a massive database to provide you with
multiple search results.

Web browser vs search engine

Web browsers and search engines are not the same. They’re related, but they don’t do
the same things: A browser is a software program that displays web pages, whereas a
search engine is a website that finds web pages. A search engine, the service, can be
accessed through a web browser, the infrastructure. Even when you type a search query
into the address bar of your browser, your web browser is still using a separate search
engine service to return results to you.

Difference between Search Engine and Web Browser:

S.
No. Parameters Search Engine Web Browser

A search engine is used to find

the information in the World Web Browser uses the search
Wide Web and displays the engine to retrieve and view the
results at one place by returning information from web pages
1. Definition web pages available on internet. present on the web servers.

Search engine is intended to Web Browsers are intended to

gather Information regarding Display the web page of the
several URL’s and to maintain current URL available at the
2. Usage it. server.

Search Engine need not to be

installed on our system (i.e. Many Web Browsers can be
3. Installation comes as default). installed on our system.

The search engine is accessed Typically, all devices are

4. Accessibility through a web browser. supported.

The Search Indexer, Crawler, A web browser uses a

and Database are the three graphical user interface to help
essential components of a users have an interactive
5. Components search engine. online session on the Internet.
S.
No. Parameters Search Engine Web Browser

No database is required in
Web browser. It contains only
cache memory to store cookies
as well as browsing history
A search engine contains its until we remove it from our
6. Database own database. system.

A search engine is not required A browser is required to open

to open the browser. This means a search engine. This means
that the search engine is reliant that the browser is not reliant
7. Dependency on the browser. on the search engine.

Typically, search engines

Unless you actively clear this acquire information on their
data or use a private browsing users and their search queries.
mode, browsers will retain your Some search engines, such as
browsing history, cookies, and DuckDuckGo, do not gather
8. History cache in memory. user information.

The major Advantages of using

search engines are to Get the The major Advantages of
Consumer Trust, Trackable using web browser are open
Results, Generates Targeted standards, security sandbox,
Traffic, Sustainable Clicks and Robust GUI and Simple
9. Advantages Grow Your Small Business. networking.

The disadvantages of using

search engines are difficult Of The disadvantages of using
Competitive Keywords, web browsers are slow down
Disadvantage Changing Algorithms and with the new version and no-
10. s Results are Not Guarantee. add on support.

Example of famous search Some of the widely used web

engines are: Google, Yahoo, browsers are: Mozilla Firefox,
Bing, DuckDuckgo, Baidu Netscape Navigator, and
11. Examples Internet Explorer. Google Chrome.
Web Server is a computer program that uses HTTP and other protocols to run websites and
deliver web content as per the client’s request. Each web server has a unique name and IP
address. The main role of a web server is to store, process, and transfer the requested web
pages to the client. These can be images, files, text, videos, etc. It is a client and server
model that supports other protocols like SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and FTP (File
Transfer Protocol) as well for storage and transferring files. Web servers are easy to
configure and often used in web hosting and applications. Apache HTTP Server, Nginx, Sun
Java System Web Server, Resin, etc., are a few web servers.

1. Choose the Right Hosting Provider

Every hosting provider offers a different baseline performance out of the box.
Moreover, you usually can’t compare the performance of a web host’s shared
plans with more advanced offerings such as dedicated servers.

Ideally, you want to use a web host that offers excellent performance across
the board. Every web hosting provider will tell you that it’s the fastest, so it’s
your job to compare features and prices and to read as many reviews as
possible before you make a decision.

You can always change web hosting providers down the line, but that tends
to be a hassle. If you choose the right service and hosting plan, your
WordPress website should be blazing fast from the start.

Related: How to Choose a Web Hosting Provider — 15-Point Checklist

2. Leverage Browser Caching

Caching is one of the most critical steps to improving your site’s loading
times. By enabling browser caching, you tell your visitors’ browsers to store
some (or all) of your site’s static files on their computers temporarily.

Since those visitors won’t need to reload your site fully every time they
return, loading times should be much faster on subsequent visits. There are
 plenty of ways to leverage browser caching in WordPress, and if you haven’t
set it up yet, now is the perfect time to do so.
3. Enable Keep-Alive On Your Web Server
Usually, when you visit a website, your browser establishes a connection to
its server and uses that to transfer the files it needs to fetch. However, if your
server isn’t properly configured, users might need to establish new
connections for every single file they want to transfer.

Naturally, that’s not an efficient way to load modern websites with dozens
and sometimes hundreds of files. To avoid that situation, you want to
configure your webserver to use what’s called a “keep-alive” HTTP header or
persistent connection.

Here you can find instructions on how to do that for the two most commonly
used web server software options:

1. How to enable keep-alive for Apache

2. How to enable persistent connections for NGINX
By default, most Apache and NGINX setups should use persistent
connections. However, if you’re not sure how your server is configured, it
doesn’t hurt to double-check.
4. Enable GZIP Compression
As its name implies, GZIP is a compression method that enables you to
reduce the file sizes for several elements within your website. In some cases,
simply enabling GZIP compression can reduce the weight of your pages by
up to 70%.
The smaller a page is, the faster it will generally load. Many web hosts
(including us here at DreamHost) enable GZIP compression for almost all
plans out of the box. If yours doesn’t, you can easily add this function to your
WordPress site by following our step-by-step tutorial.
 5. Avoid Landing Page Redirects Whenever Possible
In the past, many people recommended that you set up a mobile-friendly
version of your WordPress website, both for Search Engine Optimization
(SEO) purposes and to keep users happy. For that approach to work, you had
to implement landing page redirects that sent mobile users towards the
“appropriate” version of your site and make them cacheable to speed things
up further.
Now, since mobile devices have overtaken desktop browsers when it comes
to overall traffic, it doesn’t make much sense to design multiple versions of
your website. Instead, you want a single, mobile-friendly design that scales
across all
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid redirects whenever possible. Each
redirect is another hoop that users have to jump through, and by reducing
them, you can improve your site’s loading times.

6. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

On most types of hosting (except cloud hosting), your website resides in a
single server with a specific location. Every visitor needs to connect to that
server in order to load your website, which can lead to bottlenecks.

CDNs are clusters of servers around the world that store copies of websites.
That means, for example, your site can be hosted in the US but use a CDN
with servers in Latin America, Europe, and the rest of the world. If someone
from Brazil tries to visit your site, that CDN will serve your site from its
Latin American servers.
This setup provides you with two advantages:

1. It reduces the load on your servers.

2. It translates to lower loading times for international visitors.
 There are a lot of great CDN solutions for WordPress. As you might expect,
most of those services don’t come for free. However, if you run a popular
website, spending a bit of money on a CDN can significantly impact that
site’s loading times.
7. Disable Query Strings for Static Resources
Query strings are the suffixes that you sometimes see at the ends of URLs,
starting with special characters such as question marks or ampersands. Here’s
a quick example of an URL with a query string, and one without:

 yourwebsite.com/style.css?ver=2
 yourwebsite.com/style.css
The goal of query strings is to enable you to identify specific versions of an
asset or get around caching restrictions. You can use query strings to “bust”
the cache and force your browser to load the latest version of a file.

That sounds great in practice, but query strings usually don’t play nicely with
CDNs or custom caching solutions (both of which you should be using, as
discussed earlier). Ideally, your website should be configured to serve the
latest versions of any files that it instructs users to cache.
That, in a nutshell, should remove the need for query strings. The good news
is that there are numerous ways to disable query strings for your website,
whether you’re using WordPress or another solution. If you implement
caching on your site, then you’ll want to make sure to tick off this box as
well.
8. Specify a Character Set
Character sets are groups of numbers that include representations for every
text element you see on the web. For example, UTF-8 — which is the most
popular set for websites — includes unique numbers for over 10,000
characters.
Email or electronic mail is the method of sending messages/mails saved on a
computer/mobile device from one user to one or more users via the Internet.

The basic difference between SMTP and FTP are listed below:
 FTP stands for file transfer protocol, SMTP stands for simple mail transfer protocol.
 FTP is used for the transfer files while the SMTP is used for E-mail
 FTP is a stateful protocol, SMTP is a stateless protocol.
 FTP can be used in the command line while SMTP cannot use the command line.
 FTP uses TCP port number 20 and 21, while SMTP used port number 25.
 FTP and SMTP are not really related to each other, so you cannot use one instead of each other.
 If you want to download the files, you should use the FTP, if you want to send an e-mail then you
should use SMTP.
 FTP is out of band, SMTP is a band.
 Both are connection-oriented services.
 The data connection is non-persistent in FTP, while the SMTP is persistent in SMTP.