The Reference Model for Open Systems Interconnection

In the mid-1970s, the development and use of resource-sharing computer networks began to achieve considerable attention. The early successes of the arpanet [1] and cyclades [2], the immediate commercial potential of packet switching, satellite, and local network technology, and the declining cost of hardware made it apparent that computer networking was quickly becoming an important area of innovation and commerce. It was also apparent that to utilize the full potential of such computer networks, international standards would be required to ensure that any system could communicate with any other system anywhere in the world.