ProSoft Technology PS-QS-1x10-0781 - Manual (Page 89)

FieldServer Configuration Manual Page 89 of 90
FieldServer Technologies 1991 Tarob Court Milpitas, California 95035 USA Web: www.fieldserver.com
Tel: (408) 262-2299 Fax: (408) 262-2269 Toll Free: (888) 509-1970 email: [email protected]
Term Description
802.3:
This IEEE standard governs the Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection
(CSMA/CD) networks, which are more commonly called Ethernet. 802.3 networks operate
at varying speeds and over different cable types. See 10Base2, 10Base5 and 10BaseT.
Arcnet:
Datapoint designed this 2.5 Mbps token-passing star-wired network in the 1970s. Its low
cost and high reliability can make it useful to companies on a tight network budget,
although not endorsed by any IEEE committee. ArcnetPlus is a proprietary product of
Datapoint that runs at 20 Mbps.
Bandwidth:
Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted over a channel, measured in bits
per second. For example, Ethernet has a 10Mbps bandwidth and FDDI has a 100 Mbps
bandwidth. Actual throughput may be different than the theoretical bandwidth.
FieldServer:
A FieldServer connects two networks of the same access method, for example, Ethernet
to Ethernet or Token Ring to Token Ring. A FieldServer works at the OSI’s Media Access
Layer, and is transparent to upper-layer devices and protocols. FieldServers operate by
filtering packets according to their destination addresses. Most FieldServers automatically
learn where these addresses are located, and thus are called learning FieldServers.
Ethernet:
Ethernet is a 10Mbps CSMA/CD network that runs over thick coax, thin coax, twisted-pair,
and fiber-optic cable. A thick coax Ethernet uses a bus topology. A thin coax Ethernet uses
a daisy chain topology. A fiber Ethernet is point-to-point. DIX or Blue Book Ethernet is the
name of the Digital Equipment Corp., Intel and Xerox specification; 8802/3 is the ISO’s
specification.
Gateway:
In OSI terminology, a gateway is a hardware and software device that connects two
dissimilar systems such as a LAN and a mainframe. It operates at the fourth through
seventh layers of the OSI model. In Internet terminology, a gateway is another name for a
router.
Hub:
A concentrator is a hub repeater or concentrator that brings together the connections
from multiple network Nodes. Hubs have moved past their origins as wire concentrator
centers, and often house FieldServers, routers, and network-management devices.
Internet:
The Internet is a collection of over 2, 000 packet-switched networks located all over the
world, all linked using the TCP/IP protocol. It links many university, government and
research sites.
Internet Protocol
(IP):
IP is part of the TCP/IP suite. It is a session layer protocol that governs packet forwarding.
Interoperability:
Interoperability is the ability of one manufacturer’s computer equipment to operate
alongside, communicate with, and exchange information with another vendor’s dissimilar
computer equipment.
Leased line:
A leased line is a transmission line reserved by a communications carrier for the private
use of a customer. Examples of leased line services are 56 Kbps or T-1 lines.
Local Area Network
(LAN):
A LAN is a group of computers, each equipped with the appropriate network adapter card
and software and connected by a cable, that share applications, data and peripherals. All
connections are made by cable or wireless media, but a LAN does not use telephone
services. It typically spans a single building or campus.
LUI: Local User Interface
Network:
A network is a system of computers, hardware and software that is connected over which
data, files, and messages can be transmitted. Networks may be local or wide area.
Open Systems:
In open systems, no single manufacturer controls specifications for the architecture. The
specifications are in the public domain, and developers can legally write to them. Open
systems are crucial for interoperability.