Technology Infrastructure Mid-Term Study Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering technology infrastructure concepts from Weeks 1 through 6, including network types, topologies, architecture, hardware, protocols, IP addressing, DNS resolution, and the OSI model.

Wired Networking

A class of networking that connects devices using cables.

Wireless Networking

A class of networking that connects devices without cables or wires.

IP Address

An address assigned to a device over a network (e.g., $192.168.1.1$).

Host

A connected device on a network, referring specifically to the computer.

Node

Any device connected to a network, including servers, printers, switches, and routers.

Bandwidth

The amount of data transferred over a network.

Throughput

How much data is actually and successfully transferred over a network.

Protocol

Sets of rules that control data communication between devices within a network.

Server

A device or software that provides services to other devices (e.g., file server, print server).

Topology

The physical and logical arrangement of a network.

Physical Topology

The arrangement of a network using physical wires and cables.

Logical Topology

The conceptual layout or bird's-eye view (network map) of how a network is set up and how data flows.

Point-to-Point Topology

A network connection where two computers connect directly with each other in a single line.

Bus Topology

Also known as line topology, a setup that connects multiple computers through one cable in a single direction.

Star Topology

A network layout where every computer (node) is connected to a central hub or switch; it is the most stable topology because if one node goes down, it does not affect the others.

Ring Topology

A network layout where computers are connected in a circle and data can travel in both directions.

Mesh Topology

A topology where computers (nodes) are interconnected (intersected) and uses different distances to transfer data via the fastest or shortest path.

LAN (Local Area Network)

A network that connects devices within a limited area while offering high speed.

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

A high-speed network covering a larger geographic area, such as entire cities.

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A large-scale network (such as the internet) consisting of a collection of LANs and MANs that provides extra stability.

PAN (Personal Area Network)

The simplest form of network, primarily exemplified by Bluetooth.

WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network)

A local network that operates completely wirelessly using radio waves instead of physical cables.

CAN (Campus Area Network)

A wired or wireless network designated for a specific campus.

SAN (Storage Area Network)

A dedicated network designed specifically for data storage.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A network within a network where data is encrypted and secured.

GAN (Global Area Network)

A system of interconnected global networks, such as a satellite network.

Network Architecture

The physical or logical design and planning of a computer network.

Network Administrator

A professional focused on maintaining and troubleshooting an existing network.

Network Engineer

A professional responsible for building and modifying networks.

Physical Network Architecture

The structural design mapping out how hardware devices are connected to each other, including cables, connectors, NICs, routers, switches, servers, and data centers.

Logical Network Architecture

The design focusing on logical relationships between devices and data flow (including IP and subnet, topologies, VLANs, firewalls, and routing protocols) to provide a bird's-eye view and identify points of failure.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

A network where each node is an uncontrolled peer with full rights that can act as both a client and a server (e.g., Instant Messaging, Skype, Cash App).

Two-Tier Architecture

The simplest client-server model where the client and server communicate directly with one another.

Three-Tier Architecture

A client-server model where an intermediate layer is added between the server and the client.

N-Tier Architecture

A client-server model where multiple layers are inserted between client and server communication.

NIC (Network Interface Card)

A wired or wireless hardware card installed on a computer or device to enable network connectivity; it contains a unique physical MAC address.

Hub

Also known as an Ethernet hub, a physical network device that acts as a central connection point within a LAN.

Modem

Short for Modulator/Demodulator; connects computers and other devices to the network.

Router

A physical network device (wired or wireless) that connects two or more LANs together to form a WAN.

Access Point (AP)

A mostly wireless device that connects network devices using Wi-Fi.

Firewall

A security device that acts as a line of defense by allowing, monitoring, and filtering incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Data Communication

The exchange of data between devices through a transmission medium such as wires/cables, Wi-Fi, or radio waves.

Simplex Mode

A transmission mode where only one device can transmit data while the other device only receives data (e.g., keyboard, mouse, monitors).

Half-Duplex Mode

A transmission mode where each device can both transmit and receive, but not at the same time (e.g., walkie-talkie, push-to-talk).

Full-Duplex Mode

A transmission mode where both devices can transmit and receive simultaneously (e.g., telephone, messaging).

Header

The message component containing addressing information used to direct data from the source to its destination (e.g., IP header, UDP header).

Payload

The message component that contains the actual application layer data or message being transmitted.

Segment

A transport layer data unit that contains a header with information on source, ports, and data reassembly.

Packet

A network layer data unit responsible for routing data across different networks to reach its destination.

Frame

A data link layer data unit responsible for the physical transmission of data over a network medium (e.g., Ethernet).

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)

A connection-oriented communication protocol that is slower but reliable; it verifies data delivery and is used for email, web browsing, and file transfers.

UDP (User Datagram Protocol)

A non-connection-oriented communication protocol that is fast but less reliable because it does not verify data delivery (used in live streaming, video chat, and online gaming).

Coaxial Cable

A cable made out of plastic and copper wire, used in televisions, CCTV, and for carrying internet signals (e.g., Fido, Rogers).

Twisted Pair Cable

A network cable where each pair is color-coded blue, orange, green, and brown; used to connect computers, switches, and routers.

Straight-Through Cable

An Ethernet cable used to connect different types of network devices together.

Crossover Cable

An Ethernet cable used to connect two network devices of the same type.

Fiber Optic Cable

A network cable that carries and transfers data in the form of light.

Static IP

A fixed IP address assigned to servers, printers, or applications so that they do not change, making them consistently accessible.

IPv4

The original IP address scheme utilizing a $32\text{-bit}$ address (e.g., $192.168.1.1$) divided into classes A, B, C, D, and E.

IPv6

An IP address scheme represented as $8$ hexadecimal numbers (e.g., 2607:6860:4006:803::200e) that does not use classes.

Class A IP Address

An IPv4 class covering addresses from $0$ to $127$ with a default subnet mask of $255.0.0.0$.

Class B IP Address

An IPv4 class covering addresses from $128$ to $191$ with a default subnet mask of $255.255.0.0$.

Class C IP Address

An IPv4 class covering addresses from $192$ to $223$ with a default subnet mask of $255.255.255.0$.

Class D and Class E IP Addresses

IPv4 address classes reserved exclusively for experimental purposes.

MAC Address (Physical Address)

A unique physical hardware address assigned to every device (e.g., 08-96-65-E4-53-58).

DNS (Domain Name System)

The networking system that converts numeric IP addresses into human-readable domain names.

DNS Recurser

The first step in a DNS lookup; it receives queries and is responsible for sending the request to the root name server.

Root Name Server

A server that helps resolve human-readable queries into IP addresses by directing lookups to top-level domains like .com and .net.

TLD Nameserver

The top-level domain nameserver step where the DNS lookup searches for a specific IP and host.

Authoritative Nameserver

The final DNS nameserver in the resolution sequence that resolves and returns the specific IP address.

OSI Model

Open Systems Interconnection model; the foundational seven-layer framework of computer networking.

Application Layer

The OSI layer that supports user applications, such as web, email, communication, file sharing, and remote access.

Presentation Layer

The OSI layer responsible for data preparation, formatting data so that it can be read.

Session Layer

The OSI layer that creates, manages, and terminates sessions and connections between devices (e.g., logging into and out of an email account).

Transport Layer

The OSI layer that takes session data, breaks it into segments, and reassembles segments into data once transmission is finished.

Network Layer

The OSI layer that enables data transfer between networks by packaging segments into packets.

Data Link Layer

The OSI layer that organizes network packets into frames for physical transmission.

Physical Layer

The OSI layer that governs physical connections (cables and switches) and converts data into binary $1\text{s}$ and $0\text{s}$.

TCP Header

The portion of a TCP packet containing control metadata related to data transmission.