Terms & Definitions Flashcards
Network
A network is a series of one or more computers or devices connected to each other
Ethernet
Many people use terms Ethernet and network interchangeably, however Ethernet that refers to a type of network.
Ethernet networks are the hard wired types of connections. You know, the wire that’s fatter than a phone cord but has a similar connection. Yes, that one! Will look into that more in a later lesson but that ethernet cable or cord is connected to your ethernet or network adapter inside your computer
Protocol
Networks are based on the method in which they communicate, also called protocol. Most networks today communicate through IP or tcp/ip protocols. A protocol is nothing more than a programming code created to allow communication.
IP
The acronym IP stands for Internet protocol and was developed by Unix. This method allows communications across the internet and across all operating systems (also called platforms). This is why Max can see the same information as a Windows machine and communicate as if they were all on the same system.
Tcp/ip
TCP protocol is an acronym for transmission control protocol, while the IP portion is still internet protocol. When you put them together, it’s called TCP/ip. This refers to the entire suite of programming codes that allow communication across the networks and the internet.
Frames
Data travels across network connections in a variety of ways. Some networks use frames, which are units of data exchanged within a network or sub-network.
Full duplex / half duplex
You can also transmit data in a full duplex and half duplex modes. Full duplex is where both sender and receiver can send information at the same time. Have to Plex communications can only go in One direction at a time. Which method your network uses depends upon your ethernet or network interface card (NIC).
Client
After Data is transmitted, how does one computer know that the data set sent is safe for it to receive it? There is a variety of ways that PCS communicate, but the most common method used is to require a login or some sort of verification that the data is sent from a reliable source.
When a network requires a user to log in, there is a variety of code that transfers between computers. If you are logging onto a server, your machine is called the client.
Authentication
A server is considered secure when it is configured to require the user or client to authenticate itself. Meaning the server wants you to verify that you are who you say you are. This is called authentification, when a user access is a secured server the authentification process takes place by password. If data is accessing a server, the process uses encryption.
Encryption
Encryption is the process of changing data into a disguised format so that your information is kept private. There are programs that provide the encryption, and many of the new protocols have made encryption built into the programming code.
Many networks will use encryption and authentification together. I PSec, or IP security, is a whole package of authentication and encryption protocol for all types of network traffic on the internet protocol. This is the protocol you use to create a virtual private Network (VPN).
Why would you want to keep your network secure by encrypting data or authentification passwords? Because you want to keep out hackers or crackers.
Hackers and Crackers
In the beginning a hacker was a bad person. This was a programming genius who would break through networks and steal data or crash systems. As as much of the industry tried to switch the name of the bad guy to cracker, it never stuck so while there are good hackers, as described in the following paragraph there are also bad hackers, as described throughout this course and infrequent news items.
Hackers can be nice people you also use the term for programming geniuses who use their talents to good use. They fix flaws and programs, develop better software, and assist companies in security. The bad hackers also referred to as black cats will do anything to get through a network. They can even bypass Network firewalls.
Firewalls
A firewall can be a software program installed on a single computer or a piece of hardware standing between the inside of a network and the outside world. Firewalls enable you to block these hackers with a reasonable amount of success while still allowing you to access the internet.
WAN
When you log into the internet, you are accessing a type of wide area network, also called a WAN. However, the internet is not the only WAN. A large business that has office is spread across the United States might have servers in Atlanta and chicago, yet users in New York and Canada have access to them. This is also a WAN.
LAN
At home or in a small office, you may have a plan or local area network. The difference between a wan and lan is the distance between all the connections. Lans are usually within the same building, a campus or close proximity of other offices.
ISP
When you connect to the internet, either from work or home, you use an internet service provider, also called an isp. Your ISP may be invisible. That is, at work you have a connection that is always on and requires no logging in on your part. You click your browser and go surfing for what you need.
At home however, your ISP is either dsl, or any other broadband provider such as a cable modem, fiber optics open wireless (Wi_Fi), satellite or microwave. In the beginning of the internet dial-up connections used your internal, dial-up connections used your internet or external modem to dial into the provider server. From there you would access the internet. With dsl, or broadband, or wireless your internet connection is slightly different.
