Network Fundamentals

Ad hoc

A network formed for a specific purpose, typically temporary in nature.

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

A protocol used to find the hardware address (MAC) of a local network device.

Airgap

A physical gap separating two networks to prevent data transfer, enhancing security.

Autonomous Systems (ASs)

Networks or a collection of networks under a single administrative control.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

Routing protocol used to exchange routing information between different autonomous systems.

Bus topology

A network topology where all devices share a single communication line.

Denial-of-service (DoS)

An attack that aims to make a computer or network resource unavailable to its intended users.

DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)

A buffer zone in a network between the Internet and an internal network, typically used for web servers.

Domain Name System (DNS)

The system that translates human-friendly domain names to IP addresses.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

A protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network.

East-west traffic

Data flow within a data center or local network, between devices.

Ethernet

A widely used networking technology for local area networks (LANs).

Local area network (LAN)

A network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a home or office.

Network segmentation

Dividing a computer network into multiple segments for improved performance and security.

Packet fragmentation

The process of splitting a packet into smaller packets to accommodate transmission limitations.

Quality of service (QoS)

A set of technologies that manage data traffic by prioritizing certain types of data.

Routing

The process of selecting paths in a network along which to send network traffic.

Subnetting

The practice of dividing a network into smaller logical subdivisions.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

A connection-oriented protocol that guarantees the reliable transmission of data.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

A connectionless protocol that does not guarantee delivery or order of packets.

Zero Trust

A security concept that requires all users, whether inside or outside the organization, to be authenticated and authorized.