Networking Acronyms Flashcards
AAAA
Authentication, Authorisation, Accounting, Auditing
A framework used to control and track access within a computer network.
ACL
Access Control List
A list of permissions associated with a system resource.
AES
Advanced Encryption Standard
A specification for the encryption of electronic data established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology in 2001.
AH
Authentication Header
A deprecated IPsec security protocol that provides integrity protection (but not confidentiality) for packet headers and data.
AP
Access Point
Allows for wireless devices to connect to a wired network.
APC
Angled Physical Contact
A type of fiber connector that minimizes backreflection due to a 5° to 15° angle-polish applied to end faces.
APIPA
Automatic Private Internet Protocol Addressing
Allows devices to automatically assign IP addresses to themselves when they cannot get an IP address from a DHCP server.
ARP
Address Resolution Protocol
Used for discovering the link layer address, such as a MAC address, associated with a given internet layer address, typically an IPv4 address.
AUP
Acceptable Use Policy
Set of rules applied by the owner, creator or administrator of a computer network, website, or service that restricts the ways in which the network, website or system may be used and sets guidelines as to how it should be used.
BGP
Border Gateway Protocol
Determines route based on paths, network policies, or configured rule-set.
BNC
British Naval Connector/ Bayonet Neill-Concelman
A miniature quick connect/disconnect radio frequency connector used for coaxial cable.
CAM
Content Addressable Memory (table)
Special type of computer memory used in certain very-high-speed searching applications. It is also known as associative memory or associative storage and compares input search data against a table of stored data, and returns the address of matching data.
CAN
Campus Area Network
Network that spans a limited geographical area. Done so within an educational or corporate environment.
CDMA
Code Division Multiple Access
A form of cellular standards/service. Everyone communicates at the same time. Each call uses a different code. The codes are used to filter each call on the receiving side.
CIA
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
Forms the CIA Triad which is the basis for the development of security and encryption systems.
CIDR
Classless Inter-Domain Routing
A method for allocating IP addresses and for IP routing.
CLI
Command-Line Interface
A text-based interface where you can input commands that interact with a computer’s operating system.
CNAME
Canonical Name
A type of DNS record that maps an alias name to a true or canonical domain name (i.e www.example.com and example.com yield same result).
CRC
Cyclical Redundancy Check
An error-detecting code commonly used in digital networks and storage devices to detect accidental changes to digital data.
CSMA/CA
Carrier-Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance
A network multiple access method in which carrier sensing is used, but nodes attempt to avoid collisions by beginning transmission only after the channel is sensed to be “idle”. Effective BEFORE a collision and utilised in most/all WIFI communication.
CSMA/CD
Carrier-Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection
A medium access control method used most notably in early Ethernet technology for local area networking. It uses carrier-sensing to defer transmissions until no other stations are transmitting. More used for standard ethernet/cabled communication.
CSU
Channel Service Unit
A hardware device that converts a digital data frame from the communications technology used on a local area network (LAN) into a frame appropriate to a wide-area network (WAN) and vice versa.
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
CWDM
Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing
Allows data streams to be sent simultaneously over a single optical fiber network. For shorter distances (than DWDM).
DaaS
Desktop as a Service
Software technology that separates the desktop environment and associated application software from the physical client device that is used to access it.
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
Used to automate the process of configuring devices on IP networks, thus allowing them to use network services such as DNS, NTP, and any communication protocol based on UDP or TCP.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line
DoS/ DDoS
Denial of Service/ Distributed Denial of Service
DoS is cyber-attack in which the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users by temporarily or indefinitely disrupting services of a host connected to a network. DDoS is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of Internet traffic.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line
Family of technologies that are used to transmit digital data over telephone lines.
DSU
Data Service Unit
A piece of telecommunications circuit terminating equipment that transforms digital data between telephone company lines and local equipment.
DWDM
Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
Allows data streams to be sent simultaneously over a single optical fiber network. Longer distances (over CWDM).
EAP
Extensible Authentication Protocol
Used to pass the authentication information between the supplicant (the Wi-Fi workstation) and the authentication server (Microsoft IAS or other). The EAP type actually handles and defines the authentication. Requires server to have certificate. 802.1x.
EIGRP
Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol
A network protocol that enables routers to exchange information more efficiently than earlier network protocols, such as Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP) or Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
EIRP
Effective Isotropic Radiated Power
A calculation used to estimate the radiated output power of an isotropic antenna.
ESP
Encapsulating Security Payload
A member of the Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) set of protocols that encrypt and authenticate the packets of data between computers using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
EUI
Extended Unique Identifier
Allows a host to assign itself a unique 64-Bit IP Version 6 interface identifier (EUI-64) i.e IPv6 address.
FCoE
Fibre Channel over Ethernet
Encapsulates Fibre Channel frames over Ethernet networks.
FHRP
First Hop Redundancy Protocol
Designed to provide redundancy to the gateway router within the organization’s network by the use of a virtual IP address and virtual MAC address.
GBIC
Gigabit Interface Converter
Standard for transceivers, first defined in 1995 and commonly used with Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel for some time.
GRE
Generic Routing Encapsulation
Tunneling protocol developed by Cisco Systems that can encapsulate a wide variety of network layer protocols inside virtual point-to-point links or point-to-multipoint links over an Internet Protocol network.
GSM
Global Systems for Mobile Communication
Standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute to describe the protocols for second-generation digital cellular networks used by mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets.
HVAC
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Used in server rooms and rack rooms to ensure no damage/failure to systems. Document/tags outline specifications and minimum baselines for performance.
IaaS
Infrastructure as a Service
Delivers IT infrastructure like compute, storage, and network resources on a pay-as-you-go basis over the internet.
ICMP
Internet Control Message Protocol
A protocol that devices within a network use to communicate problems with data transmission.
ICS
Industrial Control System
Focuses on ensuring the security and safe function of industrial control system.
IDF
Intermediate Distribution Frame
A distribution frame in a central office or customer premises, which cross connects the user cable media to individual user line circuits and may serve as a distribution point for multipair cables from the main distribution frame (MDF) or combined distribution frame (CDF) to individual cables connected to equipment in areas remote from these frames. A strategic distribution point. Common in medium to large size enterprises.
IDS
Intruder Detection System
Used to detect suspicious activity to catch hackers before damage is done to the network.
IGMP
Internet Group Management Protocol
A protocol that allows several devices to share one IP address so they can all receive the same data.
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol
Used by email clients to retrieve email messages from a mail server over a TCP/IP connection.
IoT
Internet of Things
The collective network of connected devices and the technology that facilitates communication between devices and the cloud, as well as between the devices themselves.
IP
Internet Protocol
A set of rules for communication over the internet, such as sending mail, streaming video, or connecting to a website.
IPS
Intruder Prevention System
Used to detect suspicious activity to catch and prevent hackers from accessing/disrupting a network. IDS only detects, IPS actively prevents.
IPSEC
Internet Protocol Security
Set of communication rules or protocols for setting up secure connections over a network.
IPv4
Internet Protocol v 4
Fourth version of the Internet Protocol. It is one of the core protocols of standards-based internet-working methods in the Internet and other packet-switched networks.
IPv6
Internet Protocol v 6
Most recent version of the Internet Protocol, providing an identification and location system for computers on networks and routing traffic across the Internet.
iSCSI
Internet Small Computer Systems Interface
A transport layer protocol that describes how Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) packets should be transported over a TCP/IP network.
LACP
Link Aggregation Control Protocol
One element of an IEEE specification (802.3ad) that provides guidance on the practice of link aggregation for data connections.
LC
Local Connector
Designed as a push-pull connector that locks in place with a latch to secure the cable. Used in Fibre optic cabling.
LDAP
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
Accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol network.
LDAPS
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (over SSL)
Accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol network using SSL to secure connection.
LTE
Long-Term Evolution
A fourth-generation (4G) wireless standard that provides increased network capacity and speed for cellphones and other cellular devices compared with third-generation (3G) technology.
MAC
Media Access Control/Medium Access Control
A unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller for use as a network address in communications within a network segment.
MAN
Metropolitan Area Network
A computer network that connects computers within a metropolitan area, which could be a single large city, multiple cities and towns, or any given large area with multiple buildings.
MDF
Main Distribution Frame
The primary hub or demarcation point that interconnects private or public IT and telecommunication lines coming into a building to an internal network.
MDIX
Medium Dependent Interface Crossover
A type of Ethernet port connection that uses twisted-pair cabling to link two networked devices.
mGRE
Multipoint Generic Routing Encapsulation
Used to connect multiple remote sites through a VPN. Uses hub and spoke topology to encapsulate and forward packets from one remote site to another.
MIB
Management Information Base
A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) flat-file, nonrelational database that describes devices being monitored.
MIMO
Multiple Input Multiple Output
A wireless technology that uses multiple transmitters and receivers to transfer more data at the same time.
MU-MIMO
Multiuser- Multiple Input Multiple Output
A wireless technology that allows a single access point (AP) to transmit data to multiple devices simultaneously.
MOU
Memorandum of Understanding
A formal agreement that outlines plans for a common line of action between two or more parties.
MPLS
Multiprotocol Label Switching
A networking technology that routes traffic using the shortest path based on labels, rather than network addresses.
MTBF
Mean Time Between Failure
The average time between repairable failures of a technology product.
MT-RJ
Mechanical Transfer- Registered Jack
A connector used for fiber optic cables, particularly useful in small-sized devices.
MTTR
Mean Time to Repair
The average time it takes to recover from a product or system failure.
MTU
Maximum Transmission Unit
A measurement of the largest data packet a device can accept via an internet connection.
MX
Mail Exchange
An MX record routes emails to specified mail servers, pointing to the IP addresses of a mail server’s domain.
NAC
Network Access Control
The process of restricting unauthorized users and devices from gaining access to a corporate or private network.
NAS
Network Attached Storage
A file-dedicated storage device that makes data continuously available for employees to collaborate effectively over a network.
NAT
Network Address Translation
A way to map multiple private addresses inside a local network to a public IP address.
NDA
Non-Disclosure Agreement
A legal document which sets rules and principles for the confidentiality of the information to be exchanged.
NFV
Network Function Virtualisation
A way to reduce cost and accelerate service deployment for network operators by decoupling functions from dedicated hardware.
NGFW
Next-Generation Firewall
Third generation of firewall technology, combining a traditional firewall with other network device filtering functions.
NIC
Network Interface Card
A hardware component installed on a computer so it can connect to a network.
NS
Name Server
A computer application that implements a network service for providing responses to queries against a directory service.
NTP
Network Time Protocol
A protocol that allows the synchronization of system clocks.
OID
Object Identifiers
Uniquely identify managed objects in a MIB hierarchy.
OSI
Open Systems Interconnection
A conceptual model that provides a common basis for the coordination of standards development.
OSPF
Open Shortest Path First
A link-state routing protocol used to find the best path between the source and destination router.
OTDR
Optical Time Domain Reflector
A data networking device that allows technicians to test and maintain the fiber quality in a fiber optic network.
PaaS
Platform as a Service
A complete development and deployment environment in the cloud.
PAN
Personal Area Network
Connects electronic devices within a user’s immediate area.
PAT
Port Address Translation
A type of network address translation that maps a network’s private internal IPv4 addresses to a single public IP address.
PDU
Power Distribution Unit
A device fitted with multiple outputs designed to distribute electric power.
PoE
Power over Ethernet
A technique for delivering DC power to devices over copper Ethernet cabling.
POP3
Post Office Protocol Version 3
Supports one-way email synchronization, allowing users to download emails from a server to a client.
PSK
Pre-shared Key
Means that a password is being used as the key to activate the secure network.
PTR
Pointer Record
Provides the domain name associated with an IP address.
QoS
Quality of Service
The use of mechanisms or technologies that work on a network to control traffic and ensure the performance of critical applications.
QSFP
Quad small Form-factor Pluggable
Type of compact, hot-swappable transceiver supporting various standards.
RA
Router Advertisements
Used for IPv6 auto-configuration and routing.
RADIUS
Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service
A networking protocol that authorizes and authenticates users who access a remote network over UDP.
RAID
Redundant Array of Inexpensive (or Independent) Disks
Organizes the I/O operations across multiple drives to deliver certain benefits to users — all within a single system.
RDP
Remote Desktop Protocol
A secure network communication protocol offered by Microsoft, allows users to execute remote operations on other computers.
RF
Radio Frequency
RFC
Request For Comment
A publication in a series from the principal technical development and standards-setting bodies for the Internet, most prominently the Internet Engineering Task Force.
RG
Radio Guide
RPO
Recovery Point Objective
Describes the interval of time that might pass during a disruption before the quantity of data lost during that period exceeds the Business Continuity Plan’s maximum allowable threshold or “tolerance.”
RIP
Routing Internet Protocol
A distance vector protocol that uses hop count as its primary metric. RIP defines how routers should share information when moving traffic among an interconnected group of local area networks.
RJ
Registered Jack
Consists of the jack construction and wiring pattern of a standardized physical network interface to connect telecommunications or data equipment to a service provided by local exchange carrier or long distance carrier.
RSSI
Received Signal Strength Indication
A measurement of how well your device can hear a signal from an access point or router. It’s a value that is useful for determining if you have enough signal to get a good wireless connection.
RTO
Recovery Time Objective
The maximum acceptable amount of time for restoring a network or application and regaining access to data after an unplanned disruption.
RTSP
Real Time Streaming Protocol
An application-level network communication system that transfers real-time data from multimedia to an endpoint device by communicating directly with the server streaming the data.
SaaS
Software as a Service
A software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end users over the internet.
SAN
Storage Area Network
A network of storage devices that can be accessed by multiple servers or computers, providing a shared pool of storage space. Each computer on the network can access storage on the SAN as though they were local disks connected directly to the computer.
SC
Standard Connector/Subscriber Connector
Fiber-optic cable connector that uses a push-pull latching mechanism similar to common audio and video cables.
SCADA
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
A system of software and hardware elements that allows industrial organizations to control industrial processes locally or at remote locations, monitor, gather, and process real-time data.
SDN
Software-Defined Network
An approach to networking that uses software-based controllers or application programming interfaces (APIs) to communicate with underlying hardware infrastructure and direct traffic on a network.
SDWAN
Software-Defined Wide Area Network
A type of networking technology that uses software-defined networking (SDN) principles to manage and optimize the performance of wide area networks (WANs).
SFP
Small Form-factor Pluggable
A slot on a network device or computer into which small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers are inserted.
SFTP
Secure File Transfer Protocol
A network protocol for securely accessing, transferring and managing large files and sensitive data.
SIEM
Security Information and Event Management
A software solution that aggregates and analyzes activity from many different resources across your entire IT infrastructure. SIEM collects security data from network devices, servers, domain controllers, and more.
SIP
Session Initiation Protocol
A signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, modifying and terminating real-time communications sessions between Internet Protocol (IP) devices.
SLA
Service Level Agreement
A document that outlines a commitment between a service provider and a client, including details of the service, the standards the provider must adhere to, and the metrics to measure the performance.
SLAAC
Stateless Address Auto-Configuration
A mechanism that enables each host on the network to auto-configure a unique IPv6 address without any device keeping track of which address is assigned to which node.
SMB
Server Message Block
A network file sharing protocol that allows applications on a computer to read and write to files and to request services from server programs in a computer network.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
A messaging protocol governing electronic-mail transmission in Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networks.
SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol
Collects, organizes, and sends data from various devices for network monitoring assisting with fault identification and isolation.
SNMP Trap
Simple Network Management Protocol Trap
A type of SNMP protocol data unit (PDU). Unlike other PDU types, with an SNMP trap, an agent can send an unrequested message to the manager to notify about an important event.
SOA
State of Authority
DNS ‘start of authority’ (SOA) record stores important information about a domain or zone such as the email address of the administrator, when the domain was last updated, and how long the server should wait between refreshes. All DNS zones need an SOA record in order to conform to IETF standards.
SOHO
Small Office Home Office
Type of local area or LAN network connection designed for small businesses.
SQL
Structured Query Language
A programming language for storing and processing information in a relational database. A relational database stores information in tabular form, with rows and columns representing different data attributes and the various relationships between the data values.
SRV
Service Record
A Domain Name System (DNS) resource record. It’s used to identify computers hosting specific services. SRV resource records are used to locate domain controllers for Active Directory.
SSD
Solid-State Drive
SSH
Secure Shell
A network communication protocol that enables two computers to communicate.
SSID
Service Set Identifier
A sequence of characters that uniquely names a Wi-Fi network. An SSID is sometimes referred to as a network name.
SSL
Secure Socket Layer
An encryption security protocol. Transport Layer Security, or TLS, has replaced SSL.
SSO
Single Sign-On
An identification method that enables users to log in to multiple applications and websites with one set of credentials.
ST
Straight Tip or Snap Twist
A connector used in fiber-optic cables that utilizes a bayonet-style plug and socket. It has become the de facto standard for commercial wirings.
STP
Spanning Tree Protocol
A Layer 2 protocol that runs on bridges and switches. The specification for STP is IEEE 802.1D. The main purpose of STP is to ensure that you do not create loops when you have redundant paths in your network.
SYSLOG
System Log
A way network devices can use a standard message format to communicate with a logging server. It was designed specifically to make it easy to monitor network devices.
TACACS+
Terminal Access Controller Access Control Systems Plus
A family of related protocols handling remote authentication and related services for network access control through a centralized server. More secure than RADIUS.
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol
A communications standard that enables application programs and computing devices to exchange messages over a network. It is designed to send packets across the internet and ensure the successful delivery of data and messages over networks.
TFTP
Trivial File Transfer Protocol
A simple lockstep File Transfer Protocol which allows a client to get a file from or put a file onto a remote host using UDP.
TIA/EIA
Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronic Industries Alliance
The standards body that creates the Physical layer specifications for Ethernet.
TKIP
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
Encryption method. TKIP provides per-packet key mixing a message integrity and re-keying mechanism. Deprecated.
TLS
Transport Layer Security
Encrypts data sent over the Internet to ensure that eavesdroppers and hackers are unable to see what you transmit which is particularly useful for private and sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal correspondence. Superseded SSL.
TTL
Time To Live
The amount of time or “hops” that a packet is set to exist inside a network before being discarded by a router.
TX/RX
Transmit and Receive
UDP
User Datagram Protocol
A communication protocol used across the Internet for especially time-sensitive transmissions such as video playback or DNS lookups. It speeds up communications by not formally establishing a connection before data is transferred.
UPC
Ultra-Physical Contact
An improvement of the PC fiber connector with a better surface finish after an extended polishing and the return loss is better than PC structure, nearly -50dB or higher.
UPS
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Device that allows a computer to keep running for at least a short time when incoming power is interrupted/power to the premises is not available.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator
The address of a given unique resource on the Web.
USB
Universal Serial Bus
Tiered star network with one host (master) and several devices (slaves).
UTP
Unshielded Twisted Pair
A ubiquitous type of copper cabling used in telephone wiring and local area networks (LANs).
VIP
Virtual IP
An IP address that is shared by both members of a HA server pool on the same subnet.
VLAN
Virtual Local Area Network
A virtualized connection that connects multiple devices and network nodes from different LANs into one logical network.
VM
Virtual Machine
A digital version of a physical computer that requires maintenance such as updates and system monitoring.
VNC
Virtual Network Computing
A cross-platform screen sharing system that allows remote control of another computer.
vNIC
Virtual Network Interface Card
Represents the configuration of a VM connected to a network.
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol
A technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection.
VPN
Virtual Private Network
An encrypted connection over the Internet from a device to a network.
VRRP
Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol
An IP routing redundancy protocol designed for transparent failover at the first-hop IP router.
WAN
Wide Area Network
The technology that connects your offices, data centers, cloud applications, and cloud storage together.
WAP
Wireless Access Point
A networking device that allows wireless-capable devices to connect to a wired network.
WDM
Wavelength Division Multiplexing
A technology that increases bandwidth by allowing different data streams at different frequencies to be sent simultaneously over a single optical fiber network.
WLAN
Wireless Local Area Network
Group of colocated computers or other devices that form a network based on radio transmissions.
WPA
WIFI Protected Access
A security standard for computing devices with wireless internet connections.
