Final answer:
Many computers and related equipment connected together via a network constitute a network itself. This concept, which has evolved since early computer systems like IBM's SABRE to the modern Internet, includes a broad range of connected devices allowing for communication and resource sharing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many computers and related equipment connected together via a network is referred to as a network. This can include a variety of devices such as servers, personal computers, network printers, and other specialized hardware. The term network captures the idea of multiple devices being linked together to allow for communication and resource sharing. The importance of networks has grown substantially alongside the evolution of technology and the digital economy. From a historical perspective, one of the first computer networks was SABRE by IBM, which expanded into an airline reservation system. Moreover, the concept of an 'Intergalactic Computer Network' proposed by JCR Licklider eventually evolved into what we know today as the Internet, connecting millions of computers worldwide.
The development of personal computers by companies like Apple and Commodore in the late 1970s made computer technology more accessible to the general public. This led to a proliferation of computers in businesses and homes, laying the groundwork for the vast networks we see today. The creation of electronic bulletin board systems by individual computer owners demonstrates the early stages of networking, even though it has evolved significantly since then. All of these components contribute to a network that, by its very design and function, allows for the incredible processing capabilities and interconnectivity we rely on in modern times.