Term Definition

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Cell-based switching technique for voice, video, and computer data.

Bandwidth Amount of data that can be transferred over a given period of time.

Bridge Device that connects two or more networks together.

Broadcast Message sent to all devices on a network.

Client Device or software application that requests services from a server.

Cloud Network of remote servers hosted on the internet and used to store, manage, and process data.

Cloud Computing Ability to access applications and data over the internet.

Cluster Group of computers that work together to provide high availability.

Code Set of instructions that a computer can understand.

Collision Condition that occurs when two devices on a network attempt to transmit at the same time.

Data Center Facility used to house networking equipment and other computer systems.

Second layer of the OSI model, which is responsible for error-free transfer of data frames from one
Data Link Layer
node to another.

Data Mining Process of extracting patterns from large data sets.

Database Collection of data that can be accessed by computers.

Database Server Server that stores and manages data in a database.

Dedicated Line Physical connection between two devices that is not shared with any other devices.

Denial of Service (DoS) Attack that prevents legitimate users from accessing a network or individual device.
Term Definition

Developer Programmer who writes code to create software applications.

Dial-up Type of internet connection that uses a telephone line.

Domain Name System (DNS) System that converts human-readable domain names into numerical IP addresses.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Protocol for automatically assigning IP addresses to devices on a network.
(DHCP)

Encryption Process of converting data into a form that cannot be read by unauthorized individuals.

Ethernet Popular type of physical network that uses twisted pair or fiber optic cables to connect devices.

Extranet Private network that uses the public internet to securely connect two or more locations.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Protocol used to transfer files from one computer to another over a network.

Device or software application that filters traffic between two networks or between a device and a
Firewall
network.

Firmware Software that is stored in a computer's read-only memory (ROM).

Gateway Device that connects two networks with different protocols or two devices with different interfaces.

Gigabit Ethernet Ethernet standard with a data transfer rate of one gigabit per second.

Hub Device that connects multiple network devices together.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Protocol used to transfer web pages and other files on the World Wide Web.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure

Secure version of HTTP that is used to transfer sensitive data, such as credit card numbers.
(HTTPS)

Jitter Variation in delay between data packets sent across a network.

Term Definition

LAN (Local Area Network) Network that is confined to a relatively small area.

Point-to-point link between two devices in which each device has a dedicated connection to the
Leased Line
other.

Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) Previous version of the Internet Protocol (IP), which is being replaced by IPv6.

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) Latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP), which is the protocol used to route data on the internet.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) Company that provides access to the internet.

IP Address Unique identifier for a device on a network.

Malware Short for "malicious software," it is any software designed to harm a computer or its user.

Modem Device that converts digital signals to analog signals and vice versa.

Multicast Message sent to a group of devices on a network.

Technique used to allow devices on a private network to communicate with devices on a public
NAT (Network Address Translation)
network.

Value used to specify which portion of an IP address represents the network and which portion
Netmask
represents the host.

Network Group of two or more devices that are connected.

Network Interface Card (NIC) Device that connects a computer to a network.

Network as a Service (NaaS) Form of cloud computing that delivers network infrastructure as a service.

Open system interconnection model (OSI

Framework for understanding how data is transmitted between two nodes on a network.
model)
Term Definition

Packet Unit of data that is sent over a network.

Network architecture in which each computer or process on the network can act as both a client and
Peer-to-Peer Architecture
a server.

Platform as a Service (PaaS) Form of cloud computing that delivers a computing platform and/or solution stack as a service.

Protocol Set of rules that govern communication between devices on a network.

Router Device that forwards packets between networks or between devices on the same network.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Protocol for securing data transfer over the internet.

Server Device or software application that provides services to other devices or software applications.

Service Pack Collection of updates and fixes for a software program.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Protocol used to send email.

Software as a Service (SaaS) Form of cloud computing that delivers software as a service.

Spyware Type of malware that gathers information about a user without their knowledge.

Structured Query Language (SQL) Standard language for accessing and manipulating databases.

Subnet Portion of a network that is isolated from the rest of the network.

Switch Device that connects multiple devices together on a network and forwards packets between them.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Protocol used to transfer data over a network.

Trojan Horse Type of malware that masquerades as legitimate software in order to trick users into installing it.

Unicast Message sent to a single destination on a network.

Term Definition

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Protocol used to transfer data over a network.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) Technique used to create a secure connection between two or more devices over a public network.

Virtual Machine (VM) Software program that emulates the hardware of a computer.

Voice over IP (VoIP) Technique used to transmit voice traffic over a data network.

Wide Area Network (WAN) Network that covers a large geographical area.

Wireless Access Point (WAP) Device that connects wireless devices to a wired network.