On Communications and Networks

Data communications has come of age. In this paper, we highlight some of the principal events that led up to the revolution in communications among information processing systems. Perhaps the most important event was the technological development of packet switching in the form of the ARPANET. We devote most of this presentation to a brief summary of the ARPANET experience, emphasizing the description, functions, analysis, design and performance measurement of packet-switching networks. We also discuss some recent advances in radio packet switching for long-haul (i.e., satellite) and terminal-access communications.