~e; computer routers in DDoS attacks

[brian carroll <human@electronetwork.org>]

  an article: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/22406.html

  i was in a class on apache web servers and learned a bit about
  the backend of the internet, such as servers, server farms (where
  big warehouses in freezing temperatures store many different
  companies web servers in an ultratight environment. like a big
  freezer as i remember.

  then information got into the routing infrastructure of the
  internet. i remember when the internet 'backbone' of supercomputer
  centers were (and maybe still are) the major structure of the
  traffic that passes through the network, geographically is my
  guess, at least when looking at a map of the US and where these
  big nodes are. but with the increase of broadband (i'm guessing)
  and thus more traffic, and more Routers, the technology has
  changed, and become more complex.

  if anyone on the list could explain how a router works today,
  it would be much appreciated. i am trying to remember what was
  said to me about routers today, what they do. basically, i think
  it was said these used to be dumb devices, passing through data,
  but now with so many addresses and options, they are now dealing
  with the entire addressing system of the internet, where to route
  the data-traffic to, and need to process this data before sending
  a stream in a certain direction. also, it seems these routers are
  also networked on the backside together, working together to make
  such decision-making faster and more efficient.

  this whole hardware/infrastructure side of the internet is mostly
  invisible, and i imagine, largely misunderstood or invisible to
  the average user who is not a techie visiting the web server farm
  with toolbox and snap-on keyboard to configure servers, etc.

  but any resources online describing this section are of interest,
  please forward to ~e.org as eventually such resources could be
  put in one place to help clarify how routing works with millions
  if not someday billions of devices connected, in seemingly real-time.

~e.org

  the electronetwork-list
  electromagnetism / infrastructure / civilization
		http://www.electronetwork.org/