Networking and communications

Terms related to networking and communications, including definitions about network protocols and words and phrases about data transmission.

Squid proxy server - Squid is a Unix-based proxy server that caches Internet content closer to a requestor than its original point of origin.
standing wave ratio (SWR) - Standing wave ratio (SWR) is the ratio of the maximum magnitude or amplitude of a standing wave to its minimum magnitude.
star network - A star network is a local area network (LAN) topology in which all nodes -- personal computers (PCs), workstations or other devices -- are directly connected to a common central computer that is often referred to as a hub.
Starlink - Starlink is a satellite internet constellation system that aims to deliver global internet coverage.
Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) - Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) is a connection-oriented network protocol for transmitting multiple streams of data simultaneously between two endpoints that have established a connection in a network.
streaming network telemetry - Streaming network telemetry is a real-time data collection service in which network devices, such as routers, switches and firewalls, continuously push data related to the network's health to a centralized location.
subcarrier - A subcarrier is a secondary modulated signal frequency modulated into the main frequency (the carrier) to provide an additional channel of transmission.
Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) - Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) is a public, packet-switched service aimed at enterprises that need to exchange large amounts of data with other enterprises over the wide area network on a nonconstant or bursty basis.
Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC) - Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC) is a transmission protocol used to synchronously transfer code-transparent, serial-by-bit data over a communications channel.
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) - Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) is a group of fiber optic transmission rates that transport digital signals with different capacities.
Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) - Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) is a North American standard for synchronous data transmission over optical fibers.
team collaboration - Team collaboration is a communication and project management approach that emphasizes teamwork, innovative thinking and equal participation to achieve objectives.
team collaboration tools - Team collaboration tools -- also known as team collaboration software -- is a term used to define the different types of software and online services available to companies and individuals that enable them to feasibly work together on common projects, regardless of their physical location.
telecommunications (telecom) - Telecommunications, also known as telecom, is the exchange of information over significant distances by electronic means and refers to all types of voice, data and video transmission.
teleconference - A teleconference is a live audio or audio-visual meeting with two or more participants.
telegraph - A telegraph is a communication system that sends information by making and breaking an electrical connection.
telematics - Telematics is a term that combines the words telecommunications and informatics to describe the use of communications and IT to transmit, store and receive information from devices to remote objects over a network.
telemetry - Telemetry is the automatic measurement and wireless transmission of data from remote sources.
telephony - Telephony is technology associated with interactive communication between two or more physically distant parties via the electronic transmission of data.
Telnet - Telnet is a network protocol used to virtually access a computer and provide a two-way, collaborative and text-based communication channel between two machines.
throughput - Throughput is a measure of how many units of information a system can process in a given amount of time.
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) - Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) is a digital modulation technique used in digital cellular telephone and mobile radio communication.
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traffic shaping - Traffic shaping, also known as packet shaping, is a congestion management method that regulates network data transfer by delaying the flow of less important or less desired packets.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) - Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a standard protocol on the internet that ensures the reliable transmission of data between devices on a network.
transport layer - The transport layer is Layer 4 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communications model.
trunk (trunking) - A network trunk is a communications line or link designed to carry multiple signals simultaneously to provide network access between two points.
unified communications (UC) - Unified communications (UC) is an umbrella term for the integration of multiple enterprise communication tools -- such as voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging (IM), presence and content sharing -- into a single, streamlined interface, with the goal of improving user experience (UX) and productivity.
unified communications and collaboration (UCC) - Unified communications and collaboration (UCC) is the collection of technology and software that combines enterprise communication with real-time and asynchronous cooperation capabilities.
Universal Service Fund (USF) - The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a United States government program that supports telecommunications access and affordability in rural and low-income communities.
uplink and downlink - In satellite telecommunication, a downlink is the link from a satellite down to one or more ground stations or receivers, and an uplink is the link from a ground station up to a satellite.
USART (universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter) - A USART (universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter) is hardware that enables a device to communicate using serial protocols.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) - User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a communications protocol primarily used to establish low-latency and loss-tolerating connections between applications on the internet.
Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) - Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) is a subnet -- a segmented piece of a larger network -- design strategy where all subnet masks can have varying sizes.
video conferencing - Video conferencing is live, visual connection between two or more remote parties over the internet that simulates a face-to-face meeting.
video streaming service - A video streaming service is an on-demand online entertainment source for TV shows, movies and other streaming media.
virtual switch (vSwitch) - A virtual switch (vSwitch) is a software program that enables one virtual machine (VM) to communicate with another.
vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) - Vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) is a type of cyber attack that uses voice and telephony technologies to trick targeted individuals into revealing sensitive data to unauthorized entities.
VLAN (virtual LAN) - A virtual LAN (VLAN) is a logical overlay network that groups together a subset of devices that share a physical LAN, isolating the traffic for each group.
VMware - VMware is a virtualization and cloud computing software provider based in Palo Alto, Calif.
voice over LTE (VoLTE) - Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is a digital packet technology that uses 4G LTE networks to route voice traffic and transmit data.
VoIP phone - A VoIP phone is a hardware- or software-based telephone designed to use voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to send and receive phone calls over an IP network.
von Neumann bottleneck - The von Neumann bottleneck is a limitation on throughput caused by the standard personal computer architecture.
VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN) - Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) is a proposed Layer 3 encapsulation protocol that will make it easier for network engineers to scale out a cloud computing environment while logically isolating cloud apps and tenants.
WAN (wide area network) - A wide area network (WAN) is a geographically distributed private telecommunications network that interconnects multiple local area networks (LANs).
WAN optimization (WAN acceleration) - WAN optimization -- also known as WAN acceleration -- is a collection of technologies and techniques used to improve the efficiency of data transfer across a wide area network (WAN) between organizations' centralized data centers and their remote locations.
wave number - A wave number, or wavenumber, refers to the spatial frequency of a wave over a specific unit distance.
WebSocket - WebSocket is a communications protocol that enables two endpoints -- typically a client and a server -- to establish a persistent, bidirectional, full duplex TCP connection between them.
What is a private cloud? - Private cloud is a type of cloud computing that delivers similar advantages to public cloud, including scalability and self-service, but through a proprietary architecture.
What is a Server? - A server is a computer program or device that provides a service to another computer program and its user, also known as the client.
What is a SSL (secure sockets layer)? - Secure sockets layer (SSL) is a networking protocol designed for securing connections between web clients and web servers over an insecure network, such as the internet.
What is cloud computing? Types, examples and benefits - Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of hosted computing services and IT resources over the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing.
What is edge computing? Everything you need to know - Edge computing is a distributed information technology (IT) architecture in which client data is processed at the periphery of the network, as close to the originating source as possible.
What is fog computing? - Fog computing is a decentralized computing infrastructure in which data, compute, storage and applications are located somewhere between the data source and the cloud.
What is network virtualization? Everything you need to know - Network virtualization is a method of combining the available resources in a network to consolidate multiple physical networks, divide a network into segments or create software networks between VMs.
What is PaaS? Platform as a service definition and guide - Platform as a service (PaaS) is a cloud computing model where a third-party provider delivers hardware and software tools to users over the internet.
What is UCaaS? Unified communications as a service guide - Unified communications as a service (UCaaS) is a cloud delivery model that offers a variety of communication and collaboration applications and services.
What is wireless communications? Everything you need to know - Wireless communications is the transmission of voice and data without cable or wires.
WhatsApp - WhatsApp is a free cross-platform messaging service.
Wi-Fi 6 - Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.
Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) - Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a Windows server role that can plan, manage and deploy updates, service packs, patches and hotfixes for Windows servers, client operating systems (OSes) and other Microsoft software.
wireless ad hoc network (WANET) - A wireless ad hoc network (WANET) is a type of local area network (LAN) that is built spontaneously to enable two or more wireless devices to be connected to each other without requiring typical network infrastructure equipment, such as a wireless router or access point.
wireless backhaul - Wireless backhaul is the use of wireless communication systems to transport data between the internet and subnetworks.
wireless broadband (WiBB) - Wireless broadband (WiBB) is high-speed internet and data service delivered through a wireless local area network (WLAN) or wireless wide area network (WWAN).
wireless distribution system (WDS) - A wireless distribution system (WDS) is a method of interconnecting access points (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) without requiring that they connect through a wired backbone.
wireless mesh network (WMN) - A wireless mesh network (WMN) is a mesh network created through the connection of wireless access point (WAP) nodes installed at each network user's locale.
Zoom fatigue (virtual meeting fatigue) - Zoom fatigue, also known as 'virtual meeting fatigue,' is the feeling of exhaustion that often occurs after attending a series of virtual video meetings.