Networking and Cloud Computing Terminology

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering various computer networking terms, Wi-Fi standards, cabling, cloud models, and virtualization key concepts as described in the lecture transcript.

PAN (personal area network)

A small network consisting of personal devices at close range; the devices can include smartphones, tablets, headsets or earbuds, and laptop computers; typically uses Bluetooth wireless technologies.

LAN (local area network)

A network that connects devices within a limited geographical area, such as a home, office, or single building; typically managed by a single organization.

SAN (storage area network)

Specialized network used for centralized storage of data and information using a high-speed connection.

WLAN (wireless local area network)

A type of LAN that does not use wires or cables to create connections but instead transmits data over radio or infrared waves.

MAN (metropolitan area network)

A type of network that covers a large city or campus; typically managed by a single large organization.

WAN (wide area network)

A network or group of networks that span a large geographical area and are managed by multiple service providers.

Bandwidth

In relation to analog communication, the range of frequencies that a communications channel or cable can carry. In general use, the term refers to the volume of data that can be transmitted on a bus or over a cable; bandwidth is stated in $bps$, $Kbps$, $Mbps$, or $Gbps$. Compare with data throughput.

Broadband

High-speed, always-on Internet connectivity delivered over wideband transmission media, such as fiber, cable, DSL, or wireless.

Fiber optic

As applied to Internet access technologies, an Internet service that uses fiber-optic cabling to deliver high-speed data to a home or business.

fiber-optic cables

Cable that transmits signals as pulses of light over glass or plastic strands inside protected tubing.

802.11a

A Wi-Fi standard that is obsolete and no longer relevant for practical use; used the $5\,GHz$ frequency band and transmitted up to $54\,Mbps$.

802.11b

A Wi-Fi standard that is obsolete and no longer relevant for practical use; used the $2.4\,GHz$ frequency band, which experienced interference from cordless phones and microwaves.

802.11g

An outdated Wi-Fi standard that was compatible with and replaced 802.11b.

802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)

A Wi-Fi standard that supports up to $600\,Mbps$, uses $5.0\,GHz$ or $2.4\,GHz$ radio frequency, and supports MIMO. Also called Wi-Fi 4.

802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)

A Wi-Fi standard that supports up to $7\,Gbps$ (theoretical) and uses $5.0\,GHz$ radio frequency and beamforming. Also called Wi- Fi 5.

beamforming

A signal-shaping technique supported by the IEEE 802.11ac, 802.11ax, and 802.11be Wi-Fi standards; directs wireless energy more efficiently toward a client device to improve range, throughput, and connection reliability.

802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)

A Wi-Fi standard that supports up to eight antennas and beamforming to increase signal strength. It operates on both $2.4\,GHz$ and $5\,GHz$ frequencies and is designed to improve performance in high-density environments.

802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E, extended)

Extends Wi-Fi 6 into the $6\,GHz$ frequency band, offering more bandwidth and reduced interference, and requires the use of Wi-Fi 6E compatible hardware.

802.11be (Wi-Fi 7)

A Wi-Fi standard that operates on the $2.4\,GHz$, $5\,GHz$, and $6\,GHz$ frequency bands; designed for high-performance use in applications, such as video conferencing, virtual reality, and cloud gaming. It requires Wi-Fi 7-compatible hardware.

Cable Internet

A broadband technology that delivers high-speed, always-on Internet access over the same infrastructure used for cable television; utilizes a shared-medium network.

coaxial (coax) cable

A cable that has a single copper wire down the middle, surrounded by an insulating layer, a braided or foil shield, and an outer protective jacket.

DSL (digital subscriber line)

A broadband Internet technology that uses standard telephone lines to transmit digital data; multiple variations exist, some of which allow voice and data to be used at the same time.

DSL modem

A device that connects a computer or router to a DSL Internet service by modulating ($\text{mod}$) and demodulating ($\text{dem}$) digital data over standard telephone lines.

optical network terminal (ONT)

A fiber-optic connection that converts fiber optic to copper cabling for connection to customer equipment.

Satellite

A network connection that connects a ground station with a satellite located in space.

SIM (subscriber identity module) card

A small removable card that contains all the information a device needs to connect to a GSM or LTE cellular network, including a password and other authentication information needed to access the network, encryption standards used, and the services that a subscription includes.

eSIM (embedded subscriber identity module)

A programmable SIM chip built directly into a device that allows cellular service to be activated or changed without inserting a physical SIM card.

mobile hotspot

A Wi-Fi network created by a mobile device that allows nearby devices or computers to connect through it and access the Internet.

wireless Internet service provider (WISP)

Internet service provider that connects customers to the Internet using high-powered wireless antennas.

unmanaged switch

A switch that requires no setup or configuration. Compare with managed switch.

managed switch

A switch that has firmware that can be configured to monitor, manage, and prioritize network traffic.

virtual LANs (VLANs)

A subnet of a larger network that groups devices as if they were on the same physical network, often created to reduce network traffic and improve management. Managed switches are commonly used to set up VLANs.

Fast Ethernet

Refer to $100BaseT$.

Gigabit Ethernet

An Ethernet standard that supports network speeds of up to $1\,Gbps$.

Twisted-pair cabling

Cabling, such as a network cable, that uses pairs of copper wires twisted together to reduce crosstalk.

Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable

Refer to UTP (unshielded twisted-pair) cable.

Shielded twisted-pair (STP) cable

Refer to STP (shielded twisted-pair) cable.

direct burial

A type of cable designed to be buried in the ground without any conduit.

Cat 5

A rating used for UTP cables and rated for Fast Ethernet; seldom used today.

Cat 5e

A rating used for UTP cables and rated for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet.

Cat 6

A rating used for twisted-pair cables that have less crosstalk and higher performance than CAT-5e cables. Cat 6 typically supports up to $1\,Gbps$ for $100\,meters$ and $10\,Gbps$ for up to $55\,meters$. CAT-6 cables might contain a plastic spline down the center that helps prevent crosstalk, but they are less flexible and more difficult to install than CAT-5e.

Cat 6A

A rating used for twisted-pair cables that are thicker and faster than CAT-6 and rated for up to 10GBase-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet) over $100\,meters$.

Cat 7

A rating used for shielded twisted-pair cables that support $10\,Gbps$ at $100\,meters$; uses GG45 connectors.

Cat 8

A rating used for shielded twisted-pair cabling that supports up to $40\,Gbps$ at $30\,meters$; uses shielded RJ-45 connectors and designed for short distance high speed links.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride)

The product used to cover Ethernet cables; it is not safe to be used in a plenum because it gives off toxic fumes when burned.

plenum

The air-handling space in a building located above a drop ceiling used for circulating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) air.

Single-mode fiber (SMF)

A type of fiber-optic cable with a very small core that carries a single light path, allowing data to travel over much longer distances with lower signal loss.

Multimode fiber (MMF)

A type of fiber-optic cable that uses a larger core to carry multiple light paths at once. It is typically used for shorter distances, such as within buildings or campus networks.

ST (straight tip) connector

A type of connector that can be used with either single-mode or multimode fiber-optic cables. It locks with a twist-and-snap mechanism and is common in older, legacy network installations.

LC (Lucent connector)

A small form-factor fiber-optic cable connector that uses a latch mechanism and supports single-mode or multimode fiber.

SC (subscriber connector)

A type of snap-in connector that can be used with either single-mode or multimode fiber-optic cables. It is larger than an LC connector and less common in newer high-speed fiber-optic networking.

F-type connector

A threaded connector found on coaxial cable that is commonly used for cable TV, satellite connections, and cable modems.

Power over Ethernet (PoE)

A technology that allows network cables to deliver electrical power along with data to remote devices such as access points, IP cameras, and VoIP phones.

PoE injector

A device that adds power to an Ethernet cable so the cable can provide power to a device.

PoE-enabled switch

A switch capable of transmitting power to PoE-capable devices.

Internet of Things (IoT)

A network of everyday devices, such as cameras, refrigerators, and locks, that contain network interfaces and can communicate over a local network or the Internet.

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)

A control system used in industrial environments to monitor, automate, and manage machinery and processes across manufacturing plants, power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure.

unified threat management (UTM)

A computer, security appliance, network appliance, or Internet appliance that stands between the Internet and a private network; a UTM combines multiple protective functions, such as a firewall, anti-malware, intrusion detection or prevention, and content filtering, into a single device.

intrusion detection system (IDS)

Security software or hardware that monitors network or host activity for signs of malicious behavior and generates alerts when suspicious activity is detected. An IDS does not block traffic; it only notifies administrators. Compare with intrusion prevention system (IPS).

intrusion prevention system (IPS)

Security software that monitors network or host activity for malicious behavior and can automatically block, drop, or reject suspicious traffic in real time. Compare with intrusion detection system (IDS).

virtual private network (VPN)

A security technique that uses encrypted data packets to create a protected communications tunnel between a device and a private network over the Internet.

load balancer

A technology where requests for connection are spread across multiple physical or logical systems; common in cloud computing to increase availability of systems and data under periods of high activity.

cable tester

A tool used to determine if a cable is faulty or usable.

patch panel

A device that provides multiple network ports for terminating and organizing network cables that converge in one location, such as a wiring closet or server room.

Wi-Fi analyzer

Hardware and/or software used to scan and evaluate Wi-Fi networks, detecting unauthorized devices, security issues, and performance problems.

tone generator and probe

A two-part kit used to find cables in the walls of a building. The toner connects to one end of the cable and puts out a pulsating tone that the probe can sense. Also called a toner probe or tone probe.

toner probe

A two-part kit used to find cables in the walls of a building. The toner connects to one end of the cable and puts out a pulsating tone that the probe can sense. Also called a toner probe or tone probe.

cable stripper

A hand tool used to cut away the plastic jacket or coating around the wires of a network cable.

crimper

A hand tool used to attach a terminator or connector to the end of a cable.

punchdown tool

A hand tool used to press individual wires from a network cable into the slots of a patch panel, punchdown block, or wall jack, and trim any excess wire.

punchdown block

A physical termination point used to connect and organize wiring for network or telephone systems.

network tap

A test access point (TAP) used to monitor network traffic. Commonly used with an IDS/IPS or packet capture application.

straight-through cable

An Ethernet cable in which both ends use the same wiring standard (TIA 568A or 568B); used to connect different types of devices, such as a computer to a switch or router.

patch cable

A short Ethernet cable used to connect end devices to networking equipment, such as switches, patch panels, or wall jacks.

crossover cable

An Ethernet cable wired so that the transmit pins on one end connect to the receive pins on the other end. It is used to connect similar devices, such as a computer to a computer or a switch to a switch.

T568A

Standards for wiring twisted-pair network cabling and RJ-45 connectors; in T568A, the green pair of wires is connected to pins 1 and 2, and the orange pair is connected to pins 3 and 6.

T568B

Standards for wiring twisted-pair network cabling and RJ-45 connectors; in T568B, the orange pair of wires uses pins 1 and 2, and the green pair is connected to pins 3 and 6.

channel bands

The distinct frequency ranges used for Wi-Fi communication, including $2.4\,GHz$, $5\,GHz$, and $6\,GHz$, each with a set of channels designated for wireless networking.

6 GHz frequency band

A Wi-Fi frequency range designated for unlicensed use with Wi-Fi 6E, providing more non-overlapping channels, reduced interference, and higher data rates for improved performance in high-density environments.

channel

A specific radio frequency within a broader frequency range or category.

channel width

The amount of frequency spectrum allocated to a Wi-Fi channel, affecting data throughput and interference; common widths include $20\,MHz$, $40\,MHz$, $80\,MHz$, $160\,MHz$, and $320\,MHz$.

Port flapping

A condition in which an interface or a port on a switch repeatedly cycles between up and down states.

Network jitter

Measurement of the fluctuations in latency of packets on a network.

High latency

A term that describes communications in which there is significant delay in the receipt of the data after transmission.

authentication failure

The inability of a user or device to successfully log on to a network or access a resource.

intermittent Internet connectivity

A recurring network issue in which Internet access drops and reconnects unpredictably.

virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

A system in which virtual desktops are hosted on servers and delivered to client devices through a hypervisor.

virtual desktop

When a hypervisor manages a virtual machine and presents the VM’s desktop to a user. A remote user normally views and manages the virtual desktop via a browser on the local computer.

hypervisor

Software that creates and manages virtual machines by allocating hardware resources to each guest operating system. It can run on a server or on a local computer. Also called virtual machine manager (VMM).

Type 1 hypervisor

A bare-metal hypervisor that runs directly on hardware without a host operating system.

Type 2 hypervisor

A hosted hypervisor that runs as an application on a host operating system, relying on the host to manage hardware resources.

cross-platform virtualization

A virtualization setup that allows multiple operating systems— often from different families (e.g., Windows and Linux)—to run on the same physical host using a hypervisor.

Application virtualization

The practice of using virtualization to create a virtual environment in memory for an application to virtually install itself.

legacy software/OS

Operating systems and applications that are outdated and no longer supported or updated by the developer.

sandbox

An environment in which users and developers can practice or test with data and processes that don’t affect the real data or system where mistakes have little consequence.

test development

Experimentation with software application, hardware system configurations, or other technology before implementation to production systems.

virtual NIC

A network adapter created by a hypervisor that is used by a virtual machine and emulates a physical NIC.

container

A lightweight virtualization method that packages an application and its dependencies into an isolated environment while sharing the host operating system.

Cloud computing

A model in which computing resources—such as servers, storage, applications, and other provider-managed services—are delivered over the Internet on demand, typically by a third-party provider.

public cloud

Cloud computing services delivered over the Internet by a provider and made available to anyone who wants to use them; examples include Microsoft 365 and services like Amazon EC2 and S3.