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GS748T Smart Switch Hardware Installation Guide
Glossary C-3
v1.0, January 2007
Loop An event that occurs when two network devices are connected by more
than one path, thereby causing packets to repeatedly cycle around the
network and not reach their destination.
MAC Media Access Control. A protocol specified by the IEEE for determining
which devices have access to a network at any one time.
MAC address Media Access Control address; also called hardware or physical address.
Most devices that connect to a LAN have a MAC address assigned to them,
as they are used to identify other devices in a network.
Port monitoring The ability to monitor the traffic passing through a port on a device to
analyze network characteristics and perform troubleshooting.
Port speed The speed that a port on a device uses to communicate with another device
or the network.
Port trunking The ability to combine multiple ports on a device to create a single, high-
bandwidth connection.
Protocol A set of rules for communication between devices on a network.
Quality of Service A term to describe delay, throughput, bandwidth, and other factors that
measure the service quality provided to a user.
Segment A section of a LAN that is connected to the rest of the network using a
switch, bridge, or repeater.
SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol. An IETF standard protocol for
managing devices on a TCP/IP network.
Switch A device that interconnects several LANs to form a single logical LAN that
comprises of several LAN segments. Switches are similar to bridges, in that
they connect LANs of a different type; however they connect more LANs
than a bridge and are generally more sophisticated.
TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is the name for two of
the most well-known protocols developed for the interconnection of
networks. Originally a UNIX standard, TCP/IP is now supported on almost
all platforms, and is the protocol of the Internet.
TCP relates to the content of the data traveling through a network —
ensuring that the information sent arrives in one piece when it reaches its
destination.
IP relates to the address of the endstation to which data is being sent, as
well as the address of the destination network.
Traffic prioritization Giving time-critical data traffic a higher quality of service over other, non-
critical data traffic.
VLAN Virtual LAN. A logical association that allows users to communicate as if
they were physically connected to a single LAN, independent of the actual
physical configuration of the network.
Table C-1. Glossary