RFC 1208 (rfc1208) - Page 1 of 18

Glossary of networking terms

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Network Working Group                                        O. Jacobsen
Request for Comments: 1208                                      D. Lynch
                                                           Interop, Inc.
                                                              March 1991


                     A Glossary of Networking Terms

Status of this Memo

   This RFC is a glossary adapted from "The INTEROP Pocket Glossary of
   Networking Terms" distributed at Interop '90.  This memo provides
   information for the Internet community.  It does not specify an
   Internet standard.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Introduction

   This glossary is adapted from "The INTEROP Pocket Glossary of
   Networking Terms" produced to help you understand the many terms--and
   in particular the myriad of acronyms--that can be encountered at the
   INTEROP Tutorials, Conference, and Exhibition.

   To keep this document reasonably small we have deliberately omitted
   common computer and communications terms such as disk, modem, byte,
   and VLSI.  In addition, the definitions have been kept brief.  We
   recommend that you consult the glossaries found in the major computer
   networking textbooks for more comprehensive definitions.

   We also realize that producing this glossary is akin to shooting at a
   moving target.  The computer and communications industries are moving
   very rapidly, and terms and acronyms are born every day.  You are
   invited to submit words which you think should be included in future
   editions.

Glossary

   abstract syntax: A description of a data structure that is
   independent of machine-oriented structures and encodings.

   ACSE: Association Control Service Element.  The method used in OSI
   for establishing a call between two applications.  Checks the
   identities and contexts of the application entities, and could apply
   an authentication security check.

   address mask: A bit mask used to select bits from an Internet address
   for subnet addressing.  The mask is 32 bits long and selects the
   network portion of the Internet address and one or more bits of the
   local portion.  Sometimes called subnet mask.



Jacobsen & Lynch
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