Wide Area Network (WAN) Glossary |
This glossary provides terminology particular to the Wide Area Network (WAN) services and support offered by the Bureau of Communication and Computer Services (BCCS). It provides a condensed insight into the tools, protocol, and technology used in BCCS WAN servicing and support. At the bottom, the glossary also provides a useful conversion chart between a variety of types of bits and bytes.
A
Access Router - Connects subnets to the distribution layer. In some cases The access router/switch functionality is combined with distribution and workgroup layer switches so that a single box performs the functions of access, distribution and /or workgroup layers.
B
Broadband - Generally used to describe high bandwidth access of 10Meg or higher. Technically broadband is a signaling method that includes or handles a relatively wide range of frequencies, which may be divided into channels or frequency bins. Frequently used to refer to data transmission where multiple pieces of data are sent simultaneously to increase the effective rate of transmission, regardless of actual data rate. Also used for methods where two or more signals share a medium.
F
Fiber Build-out - Construction and expense to connect a constituent to the nearest fiber handhold. A build-out is often required for fiber connections and is generally not included in the circuit quote.
I
Interlata - Something that used to be of concern, crossing established telco boundaries, but not a problem for circuits carried by alternate fiber networks, such as those run by cable companies.
L
Last mile connectivity - The connection between the constituent site and the ICN Backbone. Although referred to as last mile, the distance could be less or greater than a mile.
Load Balancing - A way of balancing traffic over two or more circuits to ensure maximum performance of the circuits. MLFR is a form of load balancing.
M
Metropolitan Ethernet - Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) - An Ethernet based network using layer 2 and 3 devices to connect different networks into a larger local network.
MPLS - Multiprotocol Label Switching - A protocol that helps support quality of services in the Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Mechanism for engineering network traffic patterns that functions by assigning to network packets short labels that describe how to forward them through the network.
O
Opteman® - Not an IEEE standard but rather a brand name AT&T uses for its metropolitan Ethernet solutions.
Q
QoS - Quality of Service - A negotiated contract between a user and a network provider that renders some degree of reliable capacity in the shared network. QoS can be applied to an constituent link to ensure an application, like video, has priority over other traffic.
T
T-1 - technology developed in the 1950's to carry 24 digital phone calls at a time, or 1.5Mbps of data simultaneously in each direction. This is the most common connectivity type for ICN constituents.
T-1 bonding - Using MLFR technology to make more than one T-1 appear as if a single larger circuit.
V
VRF - Virtual Routing and Forwarding - A technology used in computer networks that allows multiple instances of a routing table to co-exist within the same router at the same time. Because the routing instances are independent, the same or overlapping IP addresses can be used without conflicting with each other.
T1 - A 1.5 Meg Circuit
DS3 - A 45Meg Circuit
OC3 - A 155Meg Circuit
| 1 byte | = | 8 | bits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kilobit | = = |
1024 128 |
bits bytes |
| 1 kilobyte | = = = |
8192 1024 128 |
bits bytes kilobits |
| 1 megabit | = = = = |
1048576 131072 1024 128 |
bits bytes kilobits kilobytes |
| 1 megabyte | = = = = = |
8388608 1048576 8192 1024 8 |
bits bytes kilobits kilobytes megabits |
| 1gigabit | = = = = = |
1073741824 134217728 1048576 131072 1024 128 |
bits bytes kilobits kilobytes megabits megabytes |