This map of the Internet is the nicest one that I've seen (it kinda looks like a Chakra, or energy center) but it's actually based on a research project at the Bar Ilan University, in Israel.
The Map of the Internet shown below was inspired by the notion (which the study attempts to prove) the Internet can run much faster with more peer-to-peer networking.
In fact, the study showed that many of the nodes in the middle band (blue) have the capacity to be self sufficient (can use Peer-to-Peer domain name services and don't actually need to connect to a root DNS server):
"…the Internet as consisting of a dense core of 80 or so critical nodes surrounded by an outer shell of 5,000 sparsely connected, isolated nodes that are very much dependent upon this core. Separating the core from the outer shell are approximately 15,000 peer-connected and self-sufficient nodes."
"….Take away the core, and an interesting thing happens: about 30 percent of the nodes from the outer shell become completely cut off. But the remaining 70 percent can continue communicating because the middle region has enough peer-connected nodes to bypass the core. "
Just getting this map of the Internet required distributed computing employing 5000 volunteers who were collecting up to six million measurements a day over a period of two years from thousands of observation points around the world, it was possible to reveal more connections according to Scott Kirkpatrick, a professor of computer science and engineering at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
"…To build their map of the Internet, published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers enlisted the assistance of 5,000 online volunteers who downloaded a program to help identify the connections between the 20,000 known nodes. "
In fact, the DNS (Domain Name System) might be replaced or supplemented by a newer method of interconnecting systems developed by NetAlter; according the the copy on NetAlter.com:
"…NetAlter Software has developed patent-pending technology that will radically change the way the Internet is used. It will provide state-of-the-art technology within a single framework called the NetAlter Service Browser which will categorize information in a highly organized format and provide search results that are far more relevant and targeted than those obtained today.
The NetAlter Browser will also provide integrated, Artificial Intelligent Search, Active Directory Explorer, container for deploying thin, rich and smart client applications, eCommerce and communication facilities such as Peer-to-Peer collaboration and sharing, enabling of Personal Networks, GRID Supercomputing, etc.."
What's most interesting to me is the use of Netalter to set up private social networks. However, there's nothing much to look at yet as netAlter is still being developed.
Maps are important - once a map is created of a process or system it can often lead to improvements in how that system is used. When I was a sysadmin, years back, and I walked into a new client, the first thing I always did was draw out a "logical" map of the the environment. Once I had the map, I found it much easier to maintain the systems and environment I mapped - and I came to understand, through mapping, how those systems were interrelated.
I find the same thing holds true of Web Analytics - where being able to "map" a problem often helps me solve it.
BTW, here's an offbeat idea, but I wonder if an application like NetAlter, and the idea of developing a Map of the Internet (that allows for a better use of it) would help overcome some of the bottlenecks that 3D Virtual Worlds have, even at this early stage in Virtual World Development.
I first read about The Map of the Internet on Networked_Performance.
