IM 644: Glossary of Internet/Network Terms

IM 644
Technologies for Libraries and School Media Centers

Glossary of Internet and Network Terms

ADN

[Advanced Digital Network] Generally refers to a 56Kbps line.

Small Java applications that can be embedded in an HTML page, similar to including a graphic image, and that extends functional capabilities beyond HTML. Applets are transfered to a local client computer and are executed by the browser. Most applets developed to date are small animations or audio files and limited interactivity. Examples of applets can be viewed at JavaSoft

AppleTalk

A networking protocol, with a data transfer rate of 230 kbps, established by Apple to allow Macintosh computers to network. See also LocalTalk.

ARPANet

[Advanced Research Projects Agency Network] Developed in the late 60s and early 70s by the US Department of Defense to provide wide-area-networking connecting research computers that would survive a nuclear war. The precursor to the Internet.

ASCII

[American Standard Code for Information Interchange] This is the de facto world-wide standard for the code numbers used by computers to represent all the upper and lower-case Latin letters, numbers, punctuation, etc. There are 128 standard ASCII codes each of which can be represented by a 7 digit binary number: 0000000 through 1111111. Here is the decimal ASCII table in base 10.

        000    001    002    003    004    005    006    007    
        008    009    010    011    012    013    014    015    
        016    017    018    019    020    021    022    023    
        024    025    026    027    028    029    030    031    
        032    033 !  034 "  035 #  036 $  037 %  038 &  039 '  
        040 (  041 )  042 *  043 +  044 ,  045 -  046 .  047 /  
        048 0  049 1  050 2  051 3  052 4  053 5  054 6  055 7  
        056 8  057 9  058 :  059 ;  060 <  061 =  062 >  063 ?  
        064 @  065 A  066 B  067 C  068 D  069 E  070 F  071 G  
        072 H  073 I  074 J  075 K  076 L  077 M  078 N  079 O  
        080 P  081 Q  082 R  083 S  084 T  085 U  086 V  087 W  
        088 X  089 Y  090 Z  091 [  092 \  093 ]  094 ^  095 _  
        096 `  097 a  098 b  099 c  100 d  101 e  102 f  103 g  
        104 h  105 i  106 j  107 k  108 l  109 m  110 n  111 o  
        112 p  113 q  114 r  115 s  116 t  117 u  118 v  119 w  
        120 x  121 y  122 z  123 {  124 |  125 }  126 ~  127

backbone

A central highspeed network connecting independent sub-networks.

bandwidth

The Internet's transmission capacity, measured in bits-per-second (bps). A full page of standard text contains requires about 16 kilobits; full motion digital video requires Full-motion video requires about 10 megabits for every second of video.

baud

A measure of how many bits a modem is able to send or receive per second.

binhex

[binary hexadecimal] A method for converting non-ASCII files (graphics, programs, formatted text) into ASCII. Also the name of a program that converts ASCII back to non-ASCII. See also MIME.

bit

[binary digit] The smallest unit of computerized data, consisting of a single digit number in base-2. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits-per-second (bps). A 28.8 modem can move 28,800 bits per second. Not to be confused with byte.

browser

An Internet client used to access the World Wide Web. The most popular browsers today (1997) are Netscape Communication's Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

byte

A set of bits that represent a single character. In general, there are 8 bits in a byte.

CGI

[Common Gateway Interface] A set of common variables and conventions for processing and presenting information between an HTTP server and a client. CGI routines can be written in any programming language, although most are written in C or Perl (the language must be supported by the operating system of the server).

client

The requestor, either software or hardware, of a service over a network; also refers to a node in a network that can process data (as opposed to a dumb terminal). Most often, client refers to a software program used to contact and obtain data from a server. A browser is a specific type of client.

client/server

A computer environment that separates computers (used for file storage and shared applications) and their users (on workstations linked to a network) into two categories: clients or servers. The computer that generates the request is called the client; the computer tht stores information and responds to the client is the server.

DNS

[Domain Name Service] A distributed hierarchical naming system used to resolve domain names, e.g., tigger.stcloud.msus.edu, into IP numbers, e.g., 199.17.25.1.

domain

Either the context (e.g., educational, governmental, corporate, etc.) or the geographic region (e.g., Minnesota, France, etc.) in an Internet domain name address. Expanded in 1997, the primary domain names are:

The following are primarily used in the United States. The few sites outside the U.S. with these domains were early integrators of Internet access.

.com	corporations or commercial entities
.edu	educational institutions
.gov	governmental agencies
.mil	military installations
.net	network agencies
.org	non-profit organizations
.gov	governmental agencies

Almost all other domain names are based on regional geography (primarily political geography). For example,

.us	United States
.mn.us	Minnesota, United States
.ca	Canada
.de	Germany (Deutschland)
.au	Australia
.jp	Japan
.fr	France

domain name

A natural language, mnemonic device used in place of IP numbers; for example, tigger.stcloudstate.edu instead of 199.17.25.1. Each segment contains a meaning, for example,

tigger	name of computer
.stcloudstate	name of institution
.edu	name of domain

e-mail

Messages transmitted over the Internet from one user to another or a group of other users. E-mail can contain text, but also can carry with it files of any type as attachments. Listervs are a form of automated e-mail distribution.

Ethernet

A networking protocol that runs over coaxial or twisted pair wires for fast file transfer. Ethernet has a data transfer rate of 10 million bps.

EtherTalk

A network language for transfering data between ethernet devices.

FAQ

[Frequently Asked Questions] A file maintained by listservs, newsgroups, and Internet sites to provide answers to repeatedly asked questions. The FAQ acronym has become so popular it is often applied to quick answer directories on many Websites.

FDDI

[Fiber Distributed Data Interface] A standard based on fiber optic "wire" with a data transfer rate of 100 million bps.

firewall

A combination of hardware and software that protects a server and its associated local area network (LAN) from Internet hackers.

FTP

[File Transfer Protocol] The name of the protocol allowing access and transfer of files (especially programs, graphic files, audio files, etc.) from a server to a client, or vice versa, or from one server to another. WinFTP is a popular Windows-based FTP application; Fetch is popular with most Macintosh users.

gateway

A computer and/or software used to connect two or more networks (including incompatible networks) and translates information from one network to the other.

GIF

[Graphics Interchange Format] A graphics file format developed by CompuServe (a company serving the print industry, not the ISP) that is commonly used to integrate graphics images into Web pages. GIF images are designated by .gif in the file name. GIF can handle photographs and line art equally. See also JPEG.

gopher

A protocol developed by the University of Minnesota for text-based distributed document search and retrieval based on a client/server model. Gopher is the term used for the protocol, the server software, and the client software. Access to gopher sites is now integrated into most Web browsers and for all practical purposes gopher, as a viable Internet resource, is extinct.

GUI

[Graphical User Interface] Icon and menu based means of accessing and operating computer applications and resources. Popularized by the Apple Macintosh based on research done by Xerox PARC [Palo Alto Research Center].

host

A computer connected to one or more networks that provides resources and services to workstations and other computers connected to the network. Also known as a server.

HTML

[Hypertext Markup Language] A simple tagging language based on SGML that is used to create hypertext documents on the World Wide Web. HTML tags define indicate size, style, and color of fonts, limited formatting, the location and size of graphic elements, and links to other resources or HTML documents.

HTTP

[Hypertext Transfer Protocol] The protocol used in client/server environments to transfer hypertext documents and resources.

hub

A wiring concentrator in a network environment.

Internet

[interconnected networks] The global interconnection of hundreds of thousands of networks using the TCP/IP protocol suite; literally, a network of networks. The current complex network evolved from the relatively simple ARPANet.

intranet

A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same software used on the Internet and may share public Internet connections, but is accessible only by company or organization designated locations.

IP

[Internet protocol] Also known as IPv4. The protocol that provides basic Internet functions and allows for the stateless transfer of data. See also TCP/IP.

IP number

Also known as the IP address. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by periods, sometimes called a "dotted quad.," for example: 199.17.29.11, assigned to every computer/workstations connected to the Internet. IP numbers can be "static," that is assigned and unchanging, or "dynamic," assigned by a server (with a static IP number) at each and every startup. Some Internet operations require a static IP number. Most Interent servers also have a domain name, a plain language name that is generally easier to remember than a series of numbers.

IPX

Novell NetWare's LAN communication protocol.

ISDN

[Integrated Services Digital Network] A communications standards suite that enables a single phone line or optical cable to carry digital audio, digital resources and services, and digital video.

ISOC

[Internet Society] The Internet Society, based in Herndon, Virginia, promotes the Internet and coordinates standards.

ISP

[Internet Service Provider] Generally, a commercial entity that provides fee-based Internet access and services. America Online is the largest ISP.

java

Java is a network-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. Originally employed to enliven Web pages, Java is moving toward become a programming platform upon which to design and create computer applications which can be deployed via a network to any computer platform. Small Java applications are known as applets. Michael O'Connor wrote an article on the evolution of Java for a 1995 SunWorld Online.

JPEG

[Joint Photographic Experts Group] A graphics file format developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group. JPEG is a standard image compression format optimized for full-color or gray-scale digital photographic images; it handles line art and black and white images poorly. Usually designated by either the .jpeg or .jpg. See also GIF.

kilobyte

A thousand bytes. Actually, usually 1024 (

2

¹⁰) bytes. Kilobits per second (kbps) is a speed rating for data transmission that measures the maximum number of bits (in units of 1,024 bits) that can transfer in one second under ideal conditions.

LAN

[Local Area Network] A computer network limited, in general, to the same building, floor of a building, or workgroup within a building; it is also applied to a network connecting a group of buildings, for example a campus-wide LAN. See also WAN.

listserv

An Internet application that automatically distributes e-mail to a distribution list of listserv members. Listservs may be moderated (that is, controlled by a listserv manager much like a magazine editor) or unmoderated (free from editorial constraints).

LocalTalk

The wiring and connection between computers using AppleTalk. A LocalTalk cable contains two twisted-pair wires with a LocalTalk connector box at each end that plugs into a computer. A less expensive alternative is PhoneNet.

MIME

[Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions] A set of Internet specifications for converting binary files (e.g., image or formatted text or software) to ASCII text for transmission via e-mail. See also binhex.

modem

[modulator-demodulator] An electronic device that lets computer communicate electronically over analog phone lines.

MOO

[Mud, Object Oriented] One of several kinds of multiuser simulated environments (also defined as multiuser communities), primarily text-based, but also developing into visual environments (see The Palace. The object orientation allows items that can be manipulated within the environment.

Mosaic

The Web browser available for Macintosh, Windows, and UNIX and responsible for the initial popular growth of the Web. Developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

MUD

[Multiuser Dimension or Dungeon] A (usually text-based) multiuser simulated environment. Many of the early ones developed out of multiuser games and purely social interaction; it is currently being used as a distance education instructional environment. MUDs tend to grow by adding "rooms" and "objects," created both by "owners" and users.

network

Any connection of two or more computers. A network does not require a server. There are three basic network topologies: ring, star, and bus. A connection of two or more networks is called an internet.

NIC

[Networked Information Center] Any office that handles information for a network. The most important is InterNIC, where new domain names are registered.

node

Any computer on a network. See also client.

OPAC

[Online Public Access Catalog] Any electronically accessible version of a library's card catalog.

OSI

Open Systems Interconnection] An evolving international standard developed by the International Standards Organization [ISO] for seven layer partitioning of protocols to define a common way to connect computers in a network. An "open system" is one that conforms to the OSI standards.

packet

A data unit ("chunk" of information) transmitted over a packet switched network.

packet switching

A method used to move data around on the Internet. In packet switching, all the data coming out of a machine is "chunked;" each "chunk" has the address of where it came from and where it is going. This optimizes the number of computers able to transmit data over a single line.

PhoneNet

An inexpensive replacement for LocalTalk wiring and connectors. PhoneNet (developed by Farallon) uses ordinary telephone cables and connectors to allow computers using AppleTalk to network.

plug-in

A small software application that adds features to a larger piece of software. For example, RealAudio is a Netscape plug-in allowing the use of audio files.

POP

[Post Office Protocol]

An Internet protocol that enables a single user to read e-mail from a mail server.

PoP

[Point of Presence] A site that has an array of telecommunications equipment: digital communication lines, modems, and Internet routers.

port

A place where information goes into and/or out of a computer. An Internet port often appears as part of a URL, following a colon (:) after the domain name. Every service on an Internet server listens on a particular port number on that server. Most protocols are assigned a particular port, for example most Web servers listen on port 80. When any port other than that assigned to the protocol is used, it must become part of the domain address in order to make a link. Most Web search tools only harvest and index resources found on port 80, thus missing a lot of information.

PPP

[Point-to-Point Protocol] See SLIP.

protocols

Uniform standards and specifications that allow a variety of computer hardware and operating systems to communicate.

public domain

Information and/or resources that are not protected by copyright law and so is free to be used without permission. Many of the graphic images on most Web sites are not in the public domain.

router

A network node that handles multiple network protocols and allows packets to be transferred from one network to another.

server

A computer that provides resources and services (e.g., file sharing and printer sharing) to other computers (clients) on a network.

SLIP

[Serial Line Internet Protocol] A protocol that allows computers (clients) to access another computer (server), usually by dial-up modem. Allows access to full Internet resources. Provides the same functionality as point-to-point (PPP).

SMTP

[Simple Mail Transfer Protocol] The basic protocol for providing Internet e-mail functions.

SNA

[Systems Network Architecture] IBM's proprietary protocol for connecting computers.

T1

An Internet backbone line that carries up to 1.536 million bps (1.536Mbps). At maximum theoretical capacity, a T-1 line could move a megabyte in less than 10 seconds. Also equal to 24 ISDN circuits.

T3

An Internet line that carries up to 45 million bps (45Mbps).

TCP/IP

[Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol] A set of connection oriented protocols that provides reliable byte-stream delivery services, such as Telnet, FTP, and HTTP. Developed by Vinton G. Cerf and Robert E. Kahn.

Telnet

The Internet protocol that allows a remote workstation to connect to a host computer anywhere in the world and to use that computer as if it were connected directly.

10BaseT

Ethernet LAN standard using unshielded twisted pair wiring similar, but thicker than, telephone wiring. The "10" means that the network operates at 10 Mbps. Fast Ethernet uses 100BaseT in which the network operates at 100 Mbps.

topology

The wiring scheme of a network.

UNIX

The computer operating system developed by AT&T and used to write most of the programs and protocols that built the Internet. The word derives from eunuchs.

URL

[Uniform Resource Locator] The address, consisting of the protocol, full domain name, directory path, and document name, for accessible resources on the Internet. The URL for this page is http://lrs.stcloud.msus.edu/cim/courses/im644/glossary.html

Usenet

The more common name for Newsgroups, distributed decentralized bulletin board systems running. There are more than 15,000 newsgroupsdistributing more than 100 megabytes of data every day.

WAIS

[Wide Area Information Servers] A distributed information retrieval system developed by Thinking Machines. Users locate documents using keyword searches that return a list of documents, ranked according to the frequency of occurrence of terms used in the search.

WAN

[Wide Area Network]

A LAN that has grown larger than the confines of a single building or campus.

World Wide Web

Also known as WWW, W3, and more commonly as the Web. An Internet client-server distributed information and retrieval system based upon HTTP. The Web was developed by CERN: the European Center for Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland in 1991.

X.25

The International Telecommunications Union packet-switching protocol standard. Now largely being replaced by TCP/IP.

Z39.50

Information Retrieval Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification (SC 4)

Developed by the National Information Standards Organization [NISO], Z39.50 is an open communications protocol standard for use in searching and retrieving electronic information over a network. The major advantage of using Z39.50 is that it enables uniform access to a large number of diverse and heterogeneous information sources. ISO Draft International Standard 10162/10163 is the international version of Z39.50. Several Web resources are available to help understand Z39.50 protocols, including:

Z39.50 Explained

The Z39.50 Information Retrieval Standard; Part I: A Strategic View of Its Past, Present and Future

Z39.50: The User's Perspective

The Z39.50 Maintenance Agency

Keith Ewing
Created: 14 May 1997
Revised:
URL: http://lrs.stcloud.msus.edu/cim/courses/im644/glossary.html