Cyclades User's Guide Switch User Manual


 
Glossary
3DES Tripple Data Encryption Standard, an encrypting algorithm
(cipher) that processes each data block three times, using a unique
key each time. 3DES is much more difficult to break than straight
DES. Because it is the most secure of the DES combinations,
3DES is also slower in performance.
Authentication The process by which a user’s identity is checked within the
network to ensure that the user has access to the requested
resources.
Basic In/Out System
(BIOS) Chips on the motherboard of a computer contain read only
memory instructions that are used to start up a computer. The
operating system of a PC also makes use of BIOS instructions and
settings to access hardware components such as a disk drive.
Some BIOS/CMOS settings can be set to scan for viruses,
causing problems for some installation programs.
Baud Rate The baud rate is a measure of the number of symbols (characters)
transmitted per unit of time. Each symbol will normally consist of
a number of bits, so the baud rate will only be the same as the bit
rate when there is one bit per symbol. The term originated as a
measure for the transmission of telegraph characters. It has little
application today except in terms of modem operation. It is
recommended that all data rates are referred to in bps, rather than
baud (which is easy to misunderstand). Additionally, baud rate