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Glossary
O
Object-Orientated: A method for structuring programs as hierarchically organized classes describing the data and operations of objects that
may interact with other objects.
Office Channel Unit - Data Port (OCU-DP): The CO channel bank used as the interface between the customer's DSU and the channel bank.
Off-hook: The condition of a device that has accessed a phone line, with or without using the line. In modem use, this is equivalent to a
telephone handset being picked up. Dialing and transmission are allowed, but incoming calls are not answered. Contrast "on-hook".
Off Premise Extension (OPX): An extension or phone that terminates in a location other than that of the PBX. Commonly used to provide a
corporate member with an extension of the PBX at home.
Ones Density: The measure of the number of logical 1s on a T1 line compared to a given total number of bits on that line; used for timing
information in data recovery in AMI and B8ZS.
On-Hook: The condition of a device which has not accessed a phone line. In modem use, this is equivalent to a telephone handset that has
not been picked up. In other words, it can receive an incoming call. Contrast "off-hook".
Open Shortest Path First (OSPF): A hierarchical Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) routing algorithm for IP that is a proposed standard for
Internet. OSPF incorporates least-cost routing, equal-cost routing, and load balancing.
Outage: The measure of the time during which a circuit is not available for use due to service interrupt. Outage is the complement of circuit
"availability" (100% minus % available = % outage).
Out-of-band: Signaling that is separated from the channel carrying the information (the voice/data/video signal is separate from the carrier
signal). Dialing and various other "supervisory" signals are included in the signaling element. Contrast "In-band" signaling.
Out of Frame (OOF): A T1 alarm condition that is logged on the loss of 2, 3, or 4 of 5 consecutive FT framing bits.
P
Packet: 1) In data communication, a sequence of binary digits, including data and control signals, that is transmitted and switched as a
composite whole. The data, control signals and, possibly, error control information are arranged in a specific format. 2) Synonymous with
data frame. 3) In TCP/IP, the unit of data passed across the interface between the Internet layer and the link layer. A packet includes an IP
header and data. A packet can be a complete IP datagram or a fragment of an IP diagram. 4) In X.25, a data transmission information unit.
A group of data and control characters, transferred as a unit, determined by the process of transmission. Commonly used data field lengths
in packets are 128 or 256 bytes. 5) The field structure and format defined in the CCITT X.25 recommendation.
Packet Assembler/Dissembler (PAD): Used by devices to communicate over X.25 networks by building or stripping X.25 information on or
from a packet.
Packet Data: The information format ("packetized") used for packet-mode calls.
Packet Mode: Refers to the switching of chunks of information for different users using statistical multiplexing to send them over the same
transmission facility.
Parity bit: An extra bit attached to each byte of synchronous data used to detect errors in transmission.
Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC): A connection between two endpoints dedicated to a single user. IN ISDN, PVCs are established by
network administration and are held for as long as the user subscribes to the service.
Physical Unit (PU): The component that manages and monitors the resources (such as attached links and adjacent link stations) associated
with a node, as requested by an SSCP via an SSCP-PU session. An SSCP activates a session with the physical unit in order to indirectly
manage, through the PU, resources of the node such as attached links. This term applies to type 2.0, type 4, and type 5 nodes only.
Point of Presence (POP): The central office's end points of the long distance carriers.
Point to Point Protocol (PPP): A protocol that lets a PC user access TCP/IP (Internet member) using an ISDN terminal adapter or a high-
speed modem over a standard telephone line.
Port: A location for input or output data exchange. Computers, muxes, and so on have ports for various purposes.
Primary Rate Interface (PRI): Used on ISDN. In North America, and Japan, PRI is one 64Kbps D channel and 23 B channels. Elsewhere, it
is one D channel and 30 B channels.
Primitive: An abstract representation of interaction across the access points indicating that information is being passed between the service
user and the service provider. The OSI Reference Model defines four types of primitives: Request, Indication, Response and Confirm.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX): A telephone exchange located on the customer's premises. The PBX provides a circuit switching facility
for telephone extension lines within the building, and access to the public telephone network. See also "Exchange".
PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory - pronounced "prom"): A permanent memory chip that can be programmed or filled by the
customer after by the manufacturer has set initial values. Contrast with ROM.