Network Fundamentals Glossary

The definitions referenced were/are obtained and collected from multiple sources including industry publications and YourSix trusted partners such as Axis Communications.

API

Application Programming Interface (API) allows a 3rd party systems or applications to integrate or communicate with another application or platform.

ARP

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)is a protocol used to associate an IP address to a hardware MAC address.

Bandwidth

The transmission capacity of a computer network or other telecommunication system.

Bit

A binary digit is the smallest unit of data. A bit is either a 0 or 1.

Bitrate

Number of bits or data that are processed over a certain amount of time. Can be referred to as "speed".

Bluetooth

Open standard for short-range wireless transmission of data between mobile devices.

Bonjour

Also known as zero-configuration networking, Bonjour enables the automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers.

BOOTP

Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) is a protocol that can automatically configure a network device.

Broadband

High-capacity transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies, allowing a large number of messages to be communicated simultaneously.

Broadcast

Transmission method that delivers a single stream of information to all recipients on a network. This differs from Unicast and multicast

CGI

Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a specification for communication between a web server and other (CGI) programs.

Cloud

A remote location that stores data, video or other remotely accessible information. Many times it is often referred to as “hosted”.

Cloud Compute

The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal compute.

Cloud Storage

Cloud computing model that stores data on the Internet through a cloud computing provider who manages and operates data storage as a service. It's delivered on demand with just-in-time capacity and costs, and eliminates buying and managing your own data storage infrastructure.

DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a protocol that lets network administrators automate and centrally manage the assignment of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to network devices in a network.

DNS

Domain Name System (DNS) is used to locate and translate Internet domain names into IP (Internet Protocol) addresses.

Dynamic IP Address

Temporary address for devices connected to a network that continually changes over time.

Edge Compute

Computation of data taking place closer to the location where it is needed, to improve response times and save bandwidth.

Ethernet

A system for connecting a number of computer systems to form a local area network.

Firewall

A network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic and decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on a defined set of security rules.

FTP

Fire Transfer Protocol (FTP is an application protocol using TCP/IP protocols to exchange files between devices on networks.

Gateway

A gateway is a point in a network that acts as an entry point.

IP

Internet Protocol (IP) is the protocol through which information is sent from one computer or mobile device to another via the internet.

IP Address

An IP address is simply an address on an IP network used by a computer/device connected to that network.

LAN

Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that typically share common resources within a limited geographical area.

Latency

The time it takes to compress, transport, decode and display the video stream. Latency factors include encoding power of camera, the decoding power of the live view, and the network route between the two.

Linux

An open-source operating system modelled on UNIX.

MAC Address

Media Access Control Adress is a unique identifier associated with a piece of networking equipment.

Managed Service

A web-based service, hosted in the cloud through a subscription-based agreement offering worry-free maintenance & management of a system (ex: video surveillance, access control, audio).

Multicast

Bandwidth-conserving technology that reduces bandwidth usage by simultaneously delivering a single stream of information to multiple network recipients. This differs from Unicast and broadcast.

NAS

Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a term used to refer to storage devices that connect to a network and provide file access services to computer systems. These devices generally consist of an engine that implements the file services, and one or more devices, on which data is stored.

Network Assessments

A detailed report and analysis of a company's existing IT infrastructure, management, security, processes, and performance. The purpose of the assessment is to identify opportunities for improvement and get a comprehensive view and current stat of your existing network.

NIC

A Network Interface Card (NIC) connects a device to a network.

NTP

Network Time Protocol (NTP) connects a device to a network.

One-Click

A single button press on the Axis Communications camera that initiates a secure connection to the cloud without a need for a firewall manipulation or port forwarding.

Penetration Test

Authorized simulated cyberattack on a system to evaluate the security of the system.

Ping Test

Tests whether one device can reach another device.

PoE

Power Over Ethernet (PoE) is a standard for supplying power over the same ethernet cable used to transmit data.

Port

In a TCP/IP network, a port is a number that identifies the type of network traffic. If an incoming or outgoing port is "open", packets with that port number are allowed into or out of the local network (LAN). Ports are opened and closed in the firewall.

Port-Forwarding or Port Mapping

An application of network address translation (NAT) that redirects a communication request from one address and port number combination to another while the packets are traversing a network gateway, such as a router or firewall.

PPP

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) is a protocol that uses a serial interface for communication between two network devices.

Protocol

A special set of rules governing how two entities will communicate.

Proxy Server

Server application or appliance that acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from servers.

QoS

Quality of Service (QoS) is the description or measurement of the overall performance of a service. In networking, QoS refers to any technology that manages data traffic to reduce packet loss, latency, and jitter.

RAID

A Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) are multiple connected storage devices that act as a single storage space for the purposes of data redundancy.

Router

Networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.

Subnet

A logical subdivision of an IP network at the network layer (Layer 3).

Switch

A network device that connects network segments together, and selects a path for sending a unit of data to its destination device.

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a communications protocol that guarantees the delivery of all packets. See UDP.

UDP

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a communications protocol that does not guarantee the delivery of all packets. See TCP.

Unicast

Communication between a single sender and a single receiver over a network. Opposed to Multicast and Broadcast.

UPnP

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a set of networking protocols that permits networked devices, such as personal computers, printers, Internet gateways, Wi-Fi access points and mobile devices to seamlessly discover each other's presence on the network and establish functional network services.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is an address on the network.

USB

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a standardized technology for attaching peripheral devices to a computer.

VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a method for transmitting voice communication over a network or the internet.

VPN

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a secure tunnel that extends a private network across a public network and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks.

WAN

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is similar to a LAN, but on a larger geographical scale.

WPA-PSK

Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK) is a system of encryption used to authenticate users on wireless local area networks.

Return to Top