Computer Networking Glossary

This computer networking glossary is just right for the chief executive who is being swamped with terms from the MIS department and needs to clarify some of those words being used on next years budget . . .

Address Mask	A bit mask used to select bits from an Internet address for subnet addressing
ADS	Active Directory Service. A service that can be used as an information service as well as administrative service.
API	Application Programming Interface
ARP Address Resolution Protocol	The Internet protocol used to dynamically map Internet addresses to physical (hardware) addresses on LANs.
AUP Acceptable Use Policy	Procedures used to govern the appropriate usage of a network or service
Authentication	The process by which a user’s identity is checked within the network to ensure that the user has access to the requested resources
BOOTP Bootstrap Protocol	Protocol that allows an Internet node to discover certain startup information, such as its IP address
CHAP Challenge Handshake Authorization Protocol	A protocol used for identifying and authenticating a user and his or her password. The password used challenge response methods to identify clients.
Cookie	A piece of information sent by a Web server to a Web browser. The browser software is then expected to save the data and send it back to the server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the server.
DFS	Distributed File System
DCE Distributed Computing Environment	The services that support the creation and maintenance of distributed applications.
DES Data Encryption Standard	A standard cryptographic algorithm developed by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards.
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol	A protocol used to retrieve startup information such as a subnet mask and IP address from a DHCP server.
DNS Domain Naming System	A system used by the Internet for translating names of host computers into addresses.
Domain	An element of the naming hierarchy on the Internet.
Domain Name	The unique name that identifies an Internet site.
Encryption	A type of network security in which information sent over the network is encoded so that only the intended users can access the information.
Firewall	Hardware and/or software used to divide a LAN into two or more parts for security reasons.
Gateway	Any hardware or software that is used for the purpose of providing access from one system to another.
Hop	Term used to describe the data link between two gateways or routers that a packet must travel to reach its destination.
Host	Term used in the Internet community to describe any device attached to the network that provides application-level service.
ICMP Internet Control Message Protocol	Used to communicate IP status and error messages between hosts and routers.
IP Internet Protocol	The IP contains addressing information and some control information that allows packets to be routed. An IP address is the specific address assigned to a computer connected to the Internet.
LDAP	Light weight directory access protocol. Serves as framework under which different NOS and application-specific directories may be incorporated and managed.
MIB-II Management Information Base II	A collection of objects that can be accessed via a network management protocol such as SNMP.
MMC	Microsoft Management Console. A container utility that takes different management tools called "Snap-Ins".
NDIS Network Device Interface Specification	A driver, developed by Microsoft and 3Com, for LANs that support Token-Ring and Ethernet network types.
NetBEUI NetBIOS Extended User Interface	A transport protocol that supports Windows for Workgroups.
NetBIOS Network Basic Input Output System	The standard interface to networks on IBM PC and compatible systems using Microsoft and IBM network software.
ODSI	Open Directory Services Interface. A set of WOSA API’s, for a single set of interfaces for building applications that access, register with, and manage multiple directory services.
OU’s	Organizational units
OSI	Open Systems Interconnection
PAP Password Authentication Protocol	A protocol used for identifying and authenticating a user and his or her password.
RARP Reverse Address Resolution Protocol	A protocol used by a host to obtain an IP address based on the address of the host’s adapter card. This protocol is typically used when IP addresses are scarce.
RIP Routing Information Protocol	A protocol, limited to a small number of machines attached to LANs, used to exchange Internet routing information across networks.
SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol	A set of standards for communication with devices connected to a TCP/IP network. Examples of these devices include routers, hubs and switches.
Source Route	The route that a packet takes to reach its destination. The route is determined prior to the start of the transmission of the packet.
Subnet Mask	The part of the address mask that identifies an individual network within a larger network.
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol	The suite of protocols that defines the Internet. Originally designed for the Unix operating system, TCP/IP software is now available for every major operating system.
UDP User Datagram Protocol	A transport protocol in the Internet suite of protocols. UDP, like TCP, uses IP for deliver; however, unlike TCP, UDP provides for the exchange of datagrams without acknowledgment or guaranteed delivery.
UNC	Universal Naming Convention. Addresses currently used in Windows NT Server networks to point to shared volumes, files, and printers.
URL	Universal Resource Locator
WINS	Windows Internet Naming Service
WOSA	Windows Open Services Architecture

NETWORK GLOSSARY