Network administration

Terms related to managing computer networks, including definitions about LANS or WANS and words and phrases about network design, troubleshooting, security and backups.

grid computing - Grid computing is a system for connecting a large number of computer nodes into a distributed architecture that delivers the compute resources necessary to solve complex problems.
Group Policy - Group Policy is a management feature in Microsoft's Active Directory (AD) that enables network and system administrators to configure and assign user and computer settings in an AD environment.
Group Policy Preferences - Group Policy Preferences are a set of extensions, introduced in Windows Server 2008, that increase the functionality of Group Policy Objects.
guest virtual machine (guest VM) - A guest virtual machine (VM) is the software component of a VM, an independent instance of an operating system (OS), called a guest OS, and its associated software and information.
HAProxy - HAProxy is a high-performance, open source load balancer and reverse proxy for TCP and HTTP applications.
HashiCorp - HashiCorp is a software company that provides a suite of modular DevOps infrastructure provisioning and management products.
Health IT (health information technology) - Health IT (health information technology) is the area of IT involving the design, development, creation, use and maintenance of information systems for the healthcare industry.
heartbeat (computing) - In computing, a heartbeat is a program that runs specialized scripts automatically whenever a system is initialized or rebooted.
HELLO packet - A HELLO packet is a special data packet (message) that is sent out periodically from a router to establish and confirm network adjacency relationships to other routers in the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) communications protocol.
host virtual machine (host VM) - A host virtual machine is the server component of a virtual machine the underlying hardware that provides computing resources to support a particular guest VM.
hosted services - Hosted services are applications, IT infrastructure components or functions that organizations access from external service providers, typically through an internet connection.
HPE OneView (formerly HP OneView) - HPE OneView, formerly known as HP OneView, is a converged infrastructure management platform that provides a unified interface for the administration of software-defined systems in a data center.
incident - An incident is an occurrence where a service or component fails to provide a feature or service that it was designed to deliver.
inline deduplication - Inline deduplication is the removal of redundancies from data before or as it is being written to a backup device.
intent-based networking (IBN) - Intent-based networking (IBN) is a form of network administration that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI), network orchestration and machine learning (ML) to automate administrative tasks across a network.
interrupt vector - An interrupt vector is the memory location of an interrupt handler, which prioritizes interrupts and saves them in a queue if more than one interrupt is waiting to be handled.
IP SLA (Cisco) - Internet protocol service level agreement (IP SLA) is a network performance monitoring (NPM) feature of the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS) that enables an IT professional to collect information about network performance in real time.
iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) - ISCSI is a transport layer protocol that describes how Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) packets should be transported over a TCP/IP network.
IT as a Service (ITaaS) - IT as a Service (ITaaS) is a technology-delivery method that treats IT (information technology) as a commodity, providing an enterprise with exactly the amount of hardware, software, and support that it needs for an agreed-on monthly fee.
IT operations management (ITOM) - IT operations management (ITOM) is a strategic approach to managing an organization's information technology needs.
iterative DNS query - An iterative DNS query is a request for a website name or URL.
job scheduler - A job scheduler is a computer program that enables an enterprise to schedule and, in some cases, monitor computer 'batch' jobs (units of work).
keylogger (keystroke logger or system monitor) - A keylogger, sometimes called a keystroke logger, is a type of surveillance technology used to monitor and record each keystroke on a specific device, such as a computer or smartphone.
latency - Latency is the delay from the input into a system to a desired outcome.
leaky bucket algorithm - The leaky bucket algorithm is a "traffic shaping" algorithm to reduce the load the transport layer places on the network layer and reduce congestion in the network.
LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol) - LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol) is a Cisco-proprietary version of EAP, the authentication protocol used in wireless networks and Point-to-Point connections.
log file - A log file, or simply a log, in a computing context is the automatically produced and timestamped documentation of events relevant to a particular system.
logical network - A logical network is a software-defined network topology or routing that is often different than the physical network.
LUN masking - LUN masking is an authorization mechanism used in storage area networks (SANs) to make LUNs available to some hosts but unavailable to other hosts.
managed hosting - Managed hosting is an IT provisioning model in which a service provider leases dedicated servers and associated hardware to a single customer and manages those systems on the customer's behalf.
managed network services - Managed network services are networking applications, functions and services that enterprises outsource to be remotely operated, monitored and maintained by a managed service provider (MSP).
maximum segment size (MSS) - The maximum segment size (MSS) is the largest amount of data, specified in bytes, that a computer or communications device can handle in a single, unfragmented piece.
maximum transmission unit (MTU) - The maximum transmission unit (MTU) is the largest size frame or packet -- in bytes or octets (eight-bit bytes) -- that can be transmitted across a data link.
mean time to innocence - Mean time to innocence is the average elapsed time between when a system problem is detected and any given team's ability to say the team or part of its system is not the root cause of the problem.
memory dump - A memory dump is the process of taking all information content in RAM and writing it to a storage drive as a memory dump file (*.
Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit - Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is a free utility IT can use to determine whether its infrastructure is prepared for a migration to a new operating system, server version or cloud-based deployment.
Microsoft Azure - Microsoft Azure, formerly known as Windows Azure, is Microsoft's public cloud computing platform.
Microsoft System Center 2012 - Microsoft System Center 2012 is a bundled suite of systems management products that offers tools to monitor and automate virtualized environments, including private clouds based on Microsoft Hyper-V.
mirror site - A mirror site is a website or set of files on a computer server that has been copied to another computer server so that the site or files are available from more than one place.
mobile workforce management (MWM) - Mobile workforce management (MWM) is a category of software and related services used to manage employees working outside the company premises; the term is often used in reference to field teams.
moves, adds and changes (MAC) - Moves, adds and changes (MAC) refers to a set of tasks that IT teams regularly perform to keep computing equipment up to date and aligned with user and business requirements.
MSP platform (managed service provider platform) - A managed service provider (MSP) platform is a computing framework used to deliver network-based services, applications, and equipment to enterprises, residences, or other service providers.
multiplexing - Multiplexing, or muxing, is a way of sending multiple signals or streams of information over a communications link at the same time in the form of a single, complex signal.
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) - Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a switching mechanism used in wide area networks (WANs).
NBMA (non-broadcast multiple access) - Non-broadcast multiple access (NBMA) is one of four network types in the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) communications protocol.
NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System) - NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System) is a network service that enables applications on different computers to communicate with each other across a local area network (LAN).
Network Address Translation (NAT) - A Network Address Translation (NAT) is the process of mapping an internet protocol (IP) address to another by changing the header of IP packets while in transit via a router.
network analytics - Network analytics is the application of big data principles and tools to the data used to manage and secure data networks.
Network as a Service (NaaS) - Network as a service, or NaaS, is a business model for delivering enterprise WAN services virtually on a subscription basis.
network assurance - Network assurance is the method of validating whether services and policies configured on and across network appliances appropriately align with operational goals.
network automation - Network automation is a methodology in which software automatically configures, provisions, manages and tests network devices.
network availability - Network availability is the amount of uptime in a network system over a specific time interval.
network configuration management (NCM) - Network configuration management is the process of organizing and maintaining information about all of the components in a computer network.
Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) - The Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) network management protocol that provides a secure mechanism for installing, manipulating and deleting the configuration data on a network device such as a firewall, router or switch.
Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) - Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP) is an open protocol to control data backup and recovery communications between primary and secondary storage in a heterogeneous network environment.
network disaster recovery plan - A network disaster recovery plan is a set of procedures designed to prepare an organization to respond to an interruption of network services during a natural or humanmade catastrophe.
network drive - A network drive is a shared storage device on a local area network (LAN) within a business or home.
network engineer - A network engineer is a technology professional who has the necessary skills to plan, implement and oversee the computer networks that support in-house voice, data, video and wireless network services.
network fabric - 'Network fabric' is a general term used to describe underlying data network infrastructure as a whole.
network functions virtualization (NFV) - Network functions virtualization (NFV) is a network architecture model designed to virtualize network services that have traditionally run on proprietary, dedicated network appliances.
network intrusion protection system (NIPS) - A network intrusion protection system (NIPS) is an umbrella term for a combination of hardware and software systems that protect computer networks from unauthorized access and malicious activity.
Network layer - Located at Layer 3 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communications model, the primary function of the network layer is to move data into and through other networks.
network load balancing (NLB) - Network load balancing (NLB) is a feature in multiple versions of the Microsoft Windows Server operating system (OS), Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other cloud service providers that distribute network traffic among multiple servers or virtual machines (VMs) within a cluster to avoid overloading any one host and improve performance.
network management system - A network management system, or NMS, is an application or set of applications that lets network engineers manage a network's independent components inside a bigger network management framework and performs several key functions.
network operating system (NOS) - A network operating system (NOS) is a computer operating system (OS) that's designed primarily to support workstations, PCs and, in some instances, older terminals that are connected on a local area network (LAN).
network operations center (NOC) - A network operations center (NOC) is a centralized place from which enterprise information technology (IT) administrators -- either internal or third party -- supervise, monitor and maintain a telecommunications network.
network orchestration - Network orchestration is the use of a software-defined network controller that facilitates the creation of network and network security services to achieve business goals.
network packet - A network packet is a basic unit of data that's grouped together and transferred over a computer network, typically a packet-switched network, such as the internet.
network performance monitoring (NPM) - Network performance monitoring (NPM) is the process of measuring and monitoring the quality of service of a network.
network protocol - A network protocol is a set of established rules that specify how to format, send and receive data so that computer network endpoints, including computers, servers, routers and virtual machines, can communicate despite differences in their underlying infrastructures, designs or standards.
network security - Network security encompasses all the steps taken to protect the integrity of a computer network and the data within it.
Network Time Protocol (NTP) - Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an internet protocol used to synchronize with computer clock time sources in a network.
Next Hop Resolution Protocol (NHRP) - Next Hop Resolution Protocol (NHRP) is an automated configuration technology that routes data on a distributed network by discovering the best routing path between endpoints.
NFV MANO (network functions virtualization management and orchestration) - NFV MANO (network functions virtualization management and orchestration), also called MANO, is an architectural framework for managing and orchestrating virtualized network functions (VNFs) and other software components.
NFVi (network functions virtualization infrastructure) - NFVi (network functions virtualization infrastructure) encompasses all of the networking hardware and software needed to support and connect virtual network functions in carrier networks.
NIS (Network Information System) - NIS (Network Information System) is a network naming and administration system for smaller networks that was developed by Sun Microsystems.
northbound interface/southbound interface - A northbound interface is an application programming interface (API) or protocol that allows a lower-level network component to communicate with a higher-level or more central component, while -- conversely -- a southbound interface allows a higher-level component to send commands to lower-level network components.
nslookup - Nslookup is the name of a program that lets users enter a host name and find out the corresponding IP address or domain name system (DNS) record.
NVGRE (Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation) - NVGRE (Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation) is a network virtualization method that uses encapsulation to create large numbers of virtual LANs (VLANs) for subnets that can extend across dispersed data centers and Layers 2 and 3.
Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA) - The Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA) is a set of standards defining the way in which information is shared among diverse components of large, heterogeneous grid systems.
open networking - Open networking describes a network that uses open standards and commodity hardware.
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) - Open Shortest Path First, often shortened to OSPF, is an IP routing protocol used to find the best path to distribute packets as they pass through IP networks.
OpenFlow - OpenFlow, an open source standard supported by many vendors, is the first software defined networking (SDN) control protocol.
operational technology (OT) - Operational technology (OT) is a category of hardware and software that monitors and controls how physical devices perform.
operational-level agreement (OLA) - An operational-level agreement (OLA) is a contract that defines how various IT groups within a company plan to deliver a service or set of services.
OSI model (Open Systems Interconnection) - OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) is a reference model for how applications communicate over a network.
OTA update (over-the-air update) - An over-the-air (OTA) update is the wireless delivery of new software, firmware or other data to mobile devices.
packet coalescing - Packet coalescing involves using a computer's network interface card (NIC) to reduce the number of generated receive interrupts the adapter issues.
passive optical network (PON) - A passive optical network (PON) is a system commonly used by telecommunications network providers that brings fiber optic cabling and signals all or most of the way to the end user.
peer-to-peer (P2P) - Peer-to-peer (P2P) is a decentralized communications model in which each party has the same capabilities and either party can initiate a communication session.
performance testing - Performance testing is a testing measure that evaluates the speed, responsiveness and stability of a computer, network, software program or device under a workload.
ping - A ping (Packet Internet or Inter-Network Groper) is a basic internet program that enables a user to test and verify if a particular destination Internet Protocol (IP) address exists and can accept requests in computer network administration.
ping sweep (ICMP sweep) - A ping sweep (also known as an ICMP sweep) is a basic network scanning technique used to determine which of a range of IP addresses map to live hosts (computers).
poison reverse - In a computer network that uses the Routing Information Protocol (RIP) or other distance vector routing protocol, poison reverse is a loop avoidance process.
polling (computing) - In computer science, polling or a polled operation denotes the process of repeatedly sampling the status of external devices by a client program.
port address translation (PAT) - Port address translation (PAT) is a type of network address translation (NAT) that maps a network's private internal IPv4 addresses to a single public IP address.
port number - Port number is a way to identify a specific process to which an internet or other network message is to be forwarded when it arrives at a server.
power usage effectiveness (PUE) - Power usage effectiveness (PUE) is a metric used to determine the energy efficiency of a data center.
private certificate authority (CA) - Private CA stands for private certificate authority and is an enterprise specific certificate authority that functions like a publicly trusted CA but is exclusively run by or for the enterprise.
private IP address - A private IP address is a range of non-internet facing IP addresses used in an internal network.