Network Chico Computer
terms glossary
Some definitions from the Sharpened Glossary
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=L=
LAN: "Local Area
Network" LAN is pronounced like "land" without
the "d". (Computer people will think you are weird
if you pronouce it "L-A-N"). A LAN is a computer network
limited to a small area such as an office building, university,
or even a residential home. Most mid to large-sized businesses
today use LANs, which makes it easy for employees to share information.
Currently the most common type of LANs are Ethernet-based and
use software from Novell or Oracle. However, with the emergence
of wireless networking, wireless LANs have become a popular alternative.
Basicall a LAN is a collection of computers and other networked
devices that fit within the scope of a single physical network
and provide the building blocks for internetworks and WANs.
Latency: This is the amount
of time it takes a packet of data to move across a network connection.
When a packet is being sent there is "latent" time,
when the computer that sent the packet waits for confirmation
that the packet has been received. Latency and bandwidth are
the two factors that determine your network connection speed.
Layers: The functional
subdivisions of the OSI reference model. The model defines each
layer in terms of the services and data it handles on behalf
of the layer directly above it and the services and data it needs
from the layer directly below it.
Layout: A term used to
describe a network's design.
LCD: "Liquid-Crystal
Display" LCDs are super-thin displays that are used in laptop
computer screens and flat panel monitors. Smaller LCDs are used
in handheld TVs, PDAs, and portable video game devices. The image
on an LCD screen is created by sandwiching an electrically reactive
substance between two electrodes. This color of this substance
can be changed by increasing or reducing the electrical current.
Since LCD screens are based on the principle of blocking light
(rather than emitting it), they use up much less power than standard
CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) monitors.
LDAP: "Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol" If you want to make directory
information available over the Internet this is the way to do
it. LDAP is a streamlined version of an earlier directory standard
called X.500. What makes LDAP so useful is that it works great
over TCP/IP networks (unlike X.500) so information can be accessed
through LDAP by anyone with an Internet connection. It is also
an open protocol which means directories can be stored on any
type of machine (i.e. Windows 2000, Red Hat Linux, Mac OS X).
To give you an idea of how an LDAP directory is organized,
here are the different levels of a simple LDAP tree hierarchy:
The root directory
Countries
Organizations
Divisions, departments, etc.
Individuals
Individual resources, such as files and printers.
Most LDAP connectivity is done behind the scenes so the typical
user probably won't notice it when surfing the web. However,
it is a good technology to know about.
Learning bridge: Another
term for a transparent bridge that learns the hardware addresses
of the computers connected to each network segment.
LED: "Light-emitting
Diode" A lower-powered alternative for emitting data at
optical frequencies. LEDs are sometimes used for wireless LANs
and for short-haul, fiber-optic based data transmissions.
Line conditioning: Sustaining
a consistent transmission rate, improving overall quality and
reducing interference noise levels.
Line of sight: A term
that describes the requirement for narrow-band, tight-beam transmitters
and receivers to have an unobstructed path between them. If you
can see from sender to receiver they can also exchange data with
one another.
Line-of-sight networks:
Networks that require an unobstructed view, or clear line of
sigh, between the transmitter and receiver.
Link: When you are browsing
the web and you see a highlighted and underlined word or phrase
on a page, there is a good chance you are looking at a link.
By clicking on a link, you can "jump" to a new web
page or a completely different web site. While text links
are typically blue and underlined, they can be any color and
don't have to be underlined. Images can also serve as links to
other web pages. When you move the cursor over a link in a web
page the arrow will turn into a little hand letting you know
that it is a link. The term "hypertext" comes from
the way links can quickly send you to another web destination.
Link-state algorithm:
A method used by routers to determine a packet's best path. In
addition to the number of routers involved, routers using link-state
algorithms take network traffic and link speed into account to
determine the best path.
Linux: Pronounced "lihnuks,"
this is a Unix-based operating system created by Linus Torvalds.
His reason for developing it was that he wasn't happy with the
currently available options in Unix. So he did what anybody else
would do and created his own operating system. He freely distributed
his OS which helped it gain popularity. Today Linux is used by
hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Computer hobbyists
love it because it is very customizable and you can actually
add your own code to the operating system. Linux is also the
OS of choice for many web hosting companies because it is far
cheaper to set up and maintain than a Windows-based server. The
current supported hardware platforms for Linux software are Intel,
PowerPC, DEC Alpha, Sun Sparc, and Motorola.
Listserv: This term looks
like it's missing an "e", but that's how it's spelled.
A listserv, or list server, is a small program that automatically
sends messages to multiple e-mail addresses on a mailing list.
When someone subscribes to a mailing list the listserv will automatically
add the address and distribute future e-mail messages to that
address along with all the others on the list. When someone unsubscribes
the listserv simply removes the address. At least that is the
way it is supposed to work. Unfortunately with some SPAM lists
unsubscribing only adds you to more lists.
LLC: "Logical Link
Control" The upper sub-layer of the IEEE Project 802 networking
model for the Data Link layer (layer 2) of the OSI reference
model. It handles error-free delivery and controls the flow of
data frames between sender and receiver across a network.
Local group: A group meant
to be used in a single domain.
Localhost: A special DNS host name that refers to whatever IP
address is assigned to the machine where this name is referenced.
Think of this as a special way to access your current IP address
on any computer.
Locally attached: A quality
of a device that is attached directly to a single computer rather
than a device that is available only over the network, which
may be called network-attached or server-attached depending on
whether it has a built-in network interface or must be attached
directly to a server.
LocalTalk: The cabling
system used by Macintosh computers. Support for LocalTalk is
built into every Macintosh.
Login: If you are ever
asked to enter your username and password you are being asked
to enter your login information. A login is a combination of
information that authenticates your identity. This could be a
name and password or an ID number and security code. Many secure
web sites use login information to authenticate visitors before
allowing them access to certain areas of the site. Unlike the
words "brush" and "comb," this term should
not be used as both a noun and a verb. It should only be used
as a noun, (you don't login to a server, you log in to it, or
log on to it).
Loopback: A special DNS host name that refers to the reserved Class
A address 127.0.0.1 used to confirm that a computer's IP
configuration works.
LUM: "Linux User
Management" Linux user management is a directory-enabled
application which centralizes the storage and management of Linux user accounts. LUM uses
eDirectory for the back-end repository of users and therefore
benefits from the security, scalability and reliability that
eDirectory users have come to expect.
Network Chico Computer
terms glossary
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