Networking Basics

[InnerPeace]

Boolean or binary logic

This page will introduce Boolean logic and explain how it is used.

Boolean logic is based on digital circuitry that accepts one or two incoming voltages. Based on the input voltages, output voltage is generated. For computers the voltage difference is represented as an ON or OFF state. These two states are associated with a binary 1 or 0.

Boolean logic is a binary logic that allows two numbers to be compared and makes a choice based on the numbers. These choices are the logical AND, OR, and NOT. With the exception of the NOT, Boolean operations have the same function. They accept two numbers, which are 1 and 0, and generate a result based on the logic rule.

The NOT operation takes the value that is presented and inverts it. A 1 becomes a 0 and a 0 becomes a 1. Remember that the logic gates are electronic devices built specifically for this purpose. The logic rule that they follow is whatever the input is, the output is the opposite.

The AND operation compares two input values. If both values are 1, the logic gate generates a 1 as the output. Otherwise it outputs a 0. There are four combinations of input values. Three of these combinations generate a 0, and one combination generates a 1.

The OR operation also takes two input values. If at least one of the input values is 1, the output value is 1. Again there are four combinations of input values. Three combinations generate a 1 and the fourth generates a 0.

The two networking operations that use Boolean logic are subnetwork and wildcard masking. The masking operations are used to filter addresses. The addresses identify the devices on the network and can be grouped together or controlled by other network operations.