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Tier 2 network

Tier 2 network is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Tier 2 network rather than just read about it. In short: A Tier 2 network is an Internet service provider which engages in the practice of peering with other networks, but which also purchases IP transit to reach some portion of the Internet. Tier 2 providers are the most common Internet service providers, as it is much easier to purchase transit from a Tier 1 network than to peer with them and attempt to become a Tier 1 carrier.

Tier 2 network — main illustration
Tier 2 network — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Tier 2 network belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Tier 2 network to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Tier 2 network from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A Tier 2 network is an Internet service provider which engages in the practice of peering with other networks, but which also purchases IP transit to reach some portion of the Internet. Tier 2 providers are the most common Internet service providers, as it is much easier to purchase transit from a Tier 1 network than to peer with them and attempt to become a Tier 1 carrier. The term Tier 3 is sometimes also used to describe networks who solely purchase IP transit from other networks to reach the Internet.

List of large or important Tier 2 networks

See also Peering Network access point

References

Illustrations

Tier 2 network: Relationship between the various tiers of Internet providers
Relationship between the various tiers of Internet providers

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Tier 2 network

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Tier 2 network claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Tier 2 network before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Tier 2 network ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Tier 2 network

In research
Tier 2 network appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Tier 2 network in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Tier 2 network is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Internet architecture, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Tier 2 network outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Tier 2 network in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Tier 2 network means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Tier 2 network out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tier 2 network in simple terms?

A Tier 2 network is an Internet service provider which engages in the practice of peering with other networks, but which also purchases IP transit to reach some portion of the Internet. Tier 2 providers are the most common Internet service providers, as it is much easier to purchase transit from a…

Why does Tier 2 network matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Tier 2 network?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Tier 2 network.

Tags

  • Internet architecture

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