The internet protocol

One of the most important characteristics of the information revolution is the way services have become structured and delivered. The most dramatic and dominant example of both the complexity and the impact of technical infrastructure supporting information services is the Internet. Its huge size and pervasive impact mean that government roles and policies must be managed as part of a broader technology-based economic growth strategy. The most critical part of this infrastructure is the Internet Protocol, which is a collection of integrated standards that govern all functions of this infrastructure. Like any standard, it must periodically undergo major modifications. However, the process of managing this critical information technology infrastructure over time is extremely challenging. Therefore, this chapter describes the range of issues in managing periodic upgrades, as a case study in the functional maintenance of complex standards systems that support the entire technology-based economy.