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Wild Packets - Networking terms Category: Agriculture and Industry > Networking terms Date & country: 24/02/2017, USA Words: 1152

JUNET
Japan UNIX Network. Nationwide, noncommercial network in Japan, designed to promote communication between Japanese and other researchers.

JvNCnet
John von Neumann Computer Network. Regional network, owned and operated by Global Enterprise Services, Inc., composed of T1 and slower serial links providing midlevel networking services to sites in the Northeastern United States.

Kb
Kilobit.

KB
Kilobyte.

KBPS
A unit of measure used to describe the rate of data transmission equal to 1000 bits per second.

KByte
A unit of measure used to describe an amount of information equal to 1024 (210) bytes.

Keepalive Interval
Period of time between each keepalive message sent by a network device.

Keepalive Message
Message sent by one network device to inform another network device that the virtual circuit between the two is still alive.

Kermit
Very slow telecom data-transfer protocol developed at Columbia, and used primarily in VAX environments, although widely ported. Like any other telecom data-transfer protocol it's purpose is to break a data stream into blocks, and provide flow-control, error detection, and re-transmission on the transfer of the blocks. Much less efficient than Xmodem, Ymodem, or Zmodem.

Kludge
A word used to describe a solution to a problem that lacks elegance or that contains components for a purpose significantly different that their original design purpose.

LAN
A communication infrastructure that supports data and resource sharing within a small area (<2 km diameter) that is completely contained on the premises of a single owner.

LAN Manager
Distributed NOS, developed by Microsoft, that supports a variety of protocols and platforms.

LAN Server
A general term used to describe a device that manages and allows the use of more than one kind of resource such as storage or file services, print services, communication services, data base services, etc.

LAN Switch
High-speed switch that forwards packets between data-link segments. Most LAN switches forward traffic based on MAC addresses. This variety of LAN switch is sometimes called a frame switch. LAN switches are often categorized according to the method they use to forward traffic: cut-through packet switching or store-and-forward packet switching. Multilayer switches are an intelligent subset of LAN switches. Compare with multilayer switch. See also cut-through packet switching and store and forward packet switching.

LANE
LAN emulation. Technology that allows an ATM network to function as a LAN backbone. The ATM network must provide multicast and broadcast support, address mapping (MAC-to-ATM), SVC management, and a usable packet format. LANE also defines Ethernet and Token Ring ELANs. See also ELAN.

LAP
Link Access Protocol. Any protocol of the Data Link Layer, such as EtherTalk.

LAPB
Link Access Procedure, Balanced. Data link layer protocol in the X.25 protocol stack. LAPB is a bit-oriented protocol derived from HDLC. See also HDLC and X.25.

LAPD
Link Access Procedure on the D channel. ISDN data link layer protocol for the D channel. LAPD was derived from the LAPB protocol and is designed primarily to satisfy the signaling requirements of ISDN basic access. Defined by ITU-T Recommendations Q.920 and Q.921.

LAPM
Link Access Procedure for Modems. ARQ used by modems implementing the V.42 protocol for error correction. See also ARQ and V.42.

Laser
Light amplification by simulated emission of radiation. Analog transmission device in which a suitable active material is excited by an external stimulus to produce a narrow beam of coherent light that can be modulated into pulses to carry data. Networks based on laser technology are sometimes run over SONET.

LaserWriter
Any of a group of laser printers that uses PostScript as an imaging language and can communicate using AppleTalk protocols.

LAT
Local Area Transport. DECnet's method for communication between terminals and terminal servers. LAT cannot be routed.

Latency
In data transmission, the delay in transmission time that occurs while information remains in a device's buffered memory (such as a bridge or router) before it can be sent along its path.

Layer
A term used to describe a group of communication functions and the protocols implemented to perform them as defined by a network standards organization, most often referring to a group of functions as described by the OSI 7-Layer Model designated by the ISO.

LCI
Logical channel identifier. See VCN.

LCN
Logical channel number. See VCN.

Leaf Internetwork
In a star topology, an internetwork whose sole access to other internetworks in the star is through a core router.

Learning Bridge
Bridge that performs MAC address learning to reduce traffic on the network. Learning bridges manage a database of MAC addresses and the interfaces associated with each address. See also MAC address learning.

Leased Line
Transmission line reserved by a communications carrier for the private use of a customer. A leased line is a type of dedicated line. See also dedicated line.

LEC
1. LAN Emulation Client. Entity in an end system that performs data forwarding, address resolution, and other control functions for a single ES within a single ELAN. A LEC also provides a standard LAN service interface to any higher-layer entity that interfaces to the LEC. Each LEC is identified by a unique ATM address, and is associated with one or more MAC addresses reachable through that ATM address. See also ELAN and LES.

LECS
LAN Emulation Configuration Server. Entity that assigns individual LANE clients to particular ELANs by directing them to the LES that corresponds to the ELAN. There is logically one LECS per administrative domain, and this serves all ELANs within that domain. See also ELAN.

LED
Light emitting diode. Semiconductor device that emits light produced by converting electrical energy. Status lights on hardware devices are typically LEDs.

LEN node
Low-entry networking node. In SNA, a PU 2.1 the supports LU protocols, but whose CP cannot communicate with other nodes. Because there is no CP-to-CP session between a LEN node and its NN, the LEN node must have a statically defined image of the APPN network.

LES
LAN Emulation Server. Entity that implements the control function for a particular ELAN. There is only one logical LES per ELAN, and it is identified by a unique ATM address. See also ELAN.

Level 1 Router
Device that routes traffic within a single DECnet or OSI area.

Level 2 Router
Device that routes traffic between DECnet or OSI areas. All Level 2 routers must form a contiguous network.

Limited Resource Resource Link
defined by a device operator to remain active only

Line
1. In SNA, a connection to the network. 2. See link.

Line Code Type
One of a number of coding schemes used on serial lines to maintain data integrity and reliability. The line code type used is determined by the carrier service provider. See also AMI and HBD3.

Line Conditioning
Use of equipment on leased voice-grade channels to improve analog characteristics, thereby allowing higher transmission rates.

Line Driver
Inexpensive amplifier and signal converter that conditions digital signals to ensure reliable transmissions over extended distances.

Line of Sight
Characteristic of certain transmission systems, such as laser, microwave, and infrared systems, in which no obstructions in a direct path between transmitter and receiver can exist.

Line Turnaround
Time required to change data transmission direction on a telephone line.

Link
Network communications channel consisting of a circuit or transmission path and all related equipment between a sender and a receiver. Most often used to refer to a WAN connection. Sometimes referred to as a line or a transmission link.

Link State Routing
A routing protocol that takes link loading and bandwidth when selecting between alternate routes. Example: OSPF.

Link State Routing Algorithm Algorithm
Routing algorithm in which each router broadcasts or multicasts information regarding the cost of reaching each of its neighbors to all nodes in the internetwork. Link state algorithms create a consistent view of the network and are therefore not prone to routing loops, but they achieve this at the cost of relatively greater computational difficulty and more widespread traffic (compared with distance vector routing algorithms). Compare with distance vector routing algorithm. See also Dijkstra's algorithm.

Little-endian
Method of storing or transmitting data in which the least significant bit or byte is presented first. Compare with big-endian.

LLC
Logical Link Control.

LLC2
Logical Link Control, type2. Connection-oriented OSI LLC-sublayer protocol. See also LLC.

LM/X
LAN Manager for INIX. Monitors LAN devices in UNIX environments.

LMI
Local Management Interface. Set of enhancements to the basic Frame Relay specification. LMI includes support for a keepalive mechanism, which verifies that data is flowing; a multicast mechanism, which provides the network server with its local DLCI and the multicast DLCI; global addressing, which gives DLCIs global rather than local significance in Frame Relay networks; and a status mechanism, which provides an on-going status report on the 'DLC Is known to the switch. Known as LMT in ANSI terminology.

LNM
LAN Network Manager. SRB and Token Ring management package provided by IBM. Typically running on a PC, it monitors SRB and Token Ring devices and can pass alerts up in NetView.

Loopback packet
A test packet sent by a network adapter with a destination address equal to the adapter's own hardware address. The purpose of this test is typically to establish that the adapter is connected to a network that is functional enough to support a data transmission.

Load Balancing
In routing, the ability of a router to distribute traffic over all its network ports that are the same distance from the destination address. Good load-balancing algorithms use both line speed and reliability information. Load balancing increases the utilization of network segments, thus increasing effective network bandwidth.

Local Acknowledgment
Method whereby an intermediate network node, such as a router, responds to acknowledgments for a remote end host. Use of local acknowledgments reduces network overhead and, therefore, the risk of time-outs. Also known as local termination.

Local Bridge
Bridge that directly interconnects networks in the same geographic area.

Local Explorer Packet
Generated by an end system in an SRB network to find a host connected to the local ring. If the local explorer packet fails to find a local host, the end system produces either a spanning explorer packet or an all-routes explorer packet. See also all-routes explorer packet, explorer packet, and spanning explorer packet.

Local Loop
Line from the premises of a telephone subscriber to the telephone company CO.

Local Traffic
Filtering Process by which a bridge filters out (drops) frames whose source and destination MAC addresses are located on the same interface on the bridge, thus preventing unnecessary traffic from being forwarded across the bridge. Defined in the IEEE 802.1 standard. See also IEEE 802.1.

LocalTalk
A Data Link Layer protocol defined in Inside AppleTalk by Apple Computer that covers the transmission of data on twisted pair wire using CSMA/CA at 230.4 Kilobits per second.

Logical Channel
Nondedicated, packet-switched communications path between two or more network nodes. Packet switching allows many logical channels to exist simultaneously on a single physical channel.

Login
A formal procedure where a computing device initiates a sustained connection to another computing device for the purpose of using a resource managed by the computer.

Logout
A Formal procedure where a computing device severs its connection to another computing device.

Loop
Route where packets never reach their destination, but simply cycle repeatedly through a constant series of network nodes.

Loopback test
A test packet sent by a network adapter with a destination address equal to the adapter's own hardware address. The purpose of this test is typically to establish that the adapter is connected to a network that is functional enough to support a data transmission.

Loss
The aggregate attenuation of a signal due to interaction with its environment.

Lossy
Characteristic of a network that is prone to lose packets when it becomes highly loaded.

LPD
Line printer daemon. Protocol used to send print jobs between UNIX systems.

LSA
Link-state Advertisement. Broadcast packet used by link-state protocols that contains information about neighbors and path costs. LSAs are used by the receiving routers to maintain their routing tables. Sometimes called a link-state packet (LSP).

LSP
Link State Packet. A packet broadcast by a link state router listing the router's neighbors.

LU
Logical Unit.

LU6.2
An SNA communications protocol that establishes a peer-to-peer session between two processes.

Mac address
Standardized data link layer address that is required for every port or device that connects to a LAN. Other devices in the network use these addresses to locate specific ports in the network and to create and update routing tables and data structures. MAC addresses are 6 bytes long and are controlled by the IEEE. Also known as a hardware address, a MAC-layer address, or a physical address.

MAC address learning
Service that characterizes a learning bridge, in which the source MAC address of each received packet is stored so that future packets destined for that address can be forwarded only to the bridge interface on which that address is located. Packets destined for unrecognized addresses are forwarded out every bridge interface. This scheme helps minimize traffic on the attached LANs. MAC address learning is defined in the IEEE 802.1 standard.

MacIP
Network layer protocol that encapsulates IP packets in DDS or transmission over AppleTalk. MacIP also provides proxy ARP services.

Magnetic field
The area surrounding an electrically charged body in which an electromagnetic force can be detected.

Mainframe
An expensive, general purpose computer with the ability to be used by many users simultaneously.

Male connector
A connector whose points of electrical contact are exposed.

MAN
metropolitan-area network. Network that spans a metropolitan area. Generally, a MAN spans a larger geographic area than a LAN, but a smaller geographic area that a WAN.

Managed Object
In network management, a network device that can be managed by a network management protocol.

Management
management of OSI networks. Accounting management subsystems are responsible for collecting network data relating to resource usage. See also configuration management, fault management, performance management, and security management.

Management Services
SNA functions distributed among network components to manage and control an SNA network.

Manchester encoding
Digital coding scheme, used by IEEE 802.3 and Ethernet, in which a mid-bit-time transition is used for clocking, and a 1 is denoted by a high level during the first half of the bit time.

MAP
Manufacturing Automation Protocol. Network architecture created by General Motors to satisfy the specific needs of the factory floor. MAP specifies a token-passing LAN similar to IEEE 802.4.

MAPI
Microsoft Application Programming Interface. A programming library for Windows developers that provides messaging services to their applications.

MAU
Media Access Unit. The component of a network adapter that directly attaches to the Transmission media.

Maximum Burst
Specifies the largest burst of data above the insured rate that will be allowed temporarily on an ATM PVC but will not be dropped at the edge by the traffic policing function, even if it exceeds the maximum rate. This amount of traffic will be allowed only temporarily; on average, the traffic source needs to be within the maximum rate. Specified in bytes or cells.

Maximum Rate
Maximum total data throughput allowed on a given virtual circuit, equal to the sum of the insured and uninsured traffic from the traffic source. The uninsured data might be dropped if the network becomes congested. The maximum rate, which cannot exceed the media rate, represents the highest data throughput the virtual circuit will ever deliver, measured in bits or cells per second.

MBONE
Multicast backbone. The multicast backbone of the Internet. MBone is a virtual multicast network composed of multicast LANs and the point-to-point tunnels that interconnect them.

MBPS
A unit of measure used to describe the rate of data transmission equal to one millions bits per second.

MByte
A unit of measure used to describe an amount of information equal to 1,048,576 (220) bytes.

MCA
Micro channel architecture. Bus interface commonly used in PCs and some UNIX workstations and servers.

MCI
Multiport Communications Interface. Card on the AGS+ that provides two Ethernet interfaces and up to two synchronous serial interfaces. The MCI processes packets rapidly, without the interframe delays typical of other Ethernet interfaces.

MCR
minimum cell rate. Parameter defined by the ATM Forum for ATM traffic management. MCR is defined only for ABR transmissions, and specifies the minimum value for the ACR.

MD5
Message Digest 5. Algorithm used for message authentication in SNMP v.2. MD5 verifies the integrity of the communication, authenticates the origin, and checks for timelines.

Media
The environment in which the transmission signal is carried.

Media Rate
Maximum traffic throughput for a particular media type.

Memory
In computing, a system where data is stored for direct, highspeed access by a microprocessor.

Memory Allocation
The amount of memory, usually RAM, that an process reserves for itself.

Mesh
Network topology in which devices are organized in a manageable, segmented manner with many, often redundant, interconnections strategically placed between network nodes.