Give an example of an HTTP URL. List the three main components of an HTTP URL, stating how their boundaries are denoted and illustrating each one from your example. To what extent is a URL location transparent?

What will be an ideal response?

http://www.dcs.qmw.ac.uk/research/distrib/index.html
• The protocol to use. the part before the colon, in the example the protocol to use is http ("HyperText
Transport Protocol").
• The part between // and / is the Domain name of the Web server host www.dcs.qmw.ac.uk.
• The remainder refers to information on that host - named within the top level directory used by that Web
server research/distrib/book.html.
The hostname www is location independent so we have location transparency in that the address
of a particular computer is not included. Therefore the organisation may move the Web service to
another computer.
But if the responsibility for providing a WWW-based information service moves to another
organisation, the URL would need to be changed.