Network architecture and protocols

The key to understand complex networks is understanding their architecture. Architecture is the most universal, high-level, and persistent elemments of structure and organization (or princciples of structuring and organizing a complex system). Protocols define how diverse modules interact, and architecture defines how sets of protocols are organized. Architecture usually involves specification of protocols (rules of interaction) more than modules (which obey protocols). In engineering, system architecture must facilitate system level functionality as well as robustness and evolvability to uncertainty and change in components, function, and environment.

Take, Internet, as an example.

While there does not yet exist a coherent theory of architecture, a condition we aim to change, there are now enough examples from technology and biology that suggest the required mathemtical foundations and the needed research issues along the way to a unified and coherent theory of architecture. Especially, in recent decades there has been a phenomenal increase in the wides-spread deployment and development of "communications technology", (eg., computers, the internet and the world wide web). This includes communication networks, where various protocols have been adopted and used to help with ......this upscale growth??? The architecture of these communications networks ...