Glossary

A

address

A numerical identifier defined and used by a particular protocol and associated software to distinguish one node from another.

address resolution

In NS networks, the mapping of node names to IP addresses and the mapping of IP addresses to subnet addresses. See Also: probe protocol, ARP.

ARP

Address Resolution Protocol. ARP provides IP to LAN station address resolution for Ethernet nodes on a LAN.

ARPA

Advanced Research Projects Agency.

ASCII

American National Standard Code for Information Interchange. A character set using 7-bit code used for information interchange among data processing and data communications systems. The American implementation of International Alphabet No. 5.

B

binary mode

Data transfer scheme in which no special character processing is performed. All characters are considered to be data and are passed through with no control actions being taken.

byte

A sequence of eight consecutive bits operated on as a unit.

bytestream

A file record format in which the data definition is defined by the application. Data is stored in a contiguous stream of bytes (no record terminators).

C

control connection

The communication path between the FTP User PI and the Server PI used to exchange commands and replies. This connection follows the TELNET Protocol guidelines.

D

data connection

A full duplex connection over which data is transferred in a specified mode and type. The path may be between a serve-DTP and a user-DTP, or between two server DTPs.

directory

See working directory.

DTP

The data transfer process that establishes and manages the data connection.

E

environment

A session that is established on a remote node.

Ethernet

Local Area Network system that uses baseband transmission at 10 Mbps over coaxial cable. Ethernet is a trademark of Xerox Corporation.

F

file equation

Assignment statement used to associate a file with a specific device or type of device during execution of a program.

file system

The part of the operating system that handles access to input/output devices, data blocking, buffering, data transfers, and deblocking.

flow control

A means of regulating the rate at which data transfer takes place between devices to protect against data overruns.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol. The application protocol offering file service in the Internet suite of protocols developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA).

H

host computer

The primary or controlling computer on a network. The computer on which the network control software resides. For HP purposes, it may also be used to distinguish the MPE/iX system (host) from the DTC.

I

IEEE 802.3

A standard for a broadcast local area network published by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This standard is used for both the ThinLAN and ThickLAN implementations of the LAN.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A protocol used to provide routing between different local networks in an internetwork, as well as among nodes in the same local network. See also IP address.

intrinsic

System call or procedure accessible by user programs which provides an interface to operating system resources and functions. Intrinsics perform common tasks such as file access and device control.

IP

Internet Protocol. A protocol used to provide routing between different local networks in an internetwork, as well as among nodes in the same local network. The internet protocol corresponds to layer 3, the network layer, of the OSI model. See also IP address.

IP address

Internet Protocol address. An address used by the Internet Protocol to perform internet routing. A complete IP address comprises a network portion and a node portion. The network portion of the IP address identifies a network, and the node portion identifies a node within the network.

L

loopback

The routing of messages from a node back to itself.

M

MPE/iX

The operating system for the HP 3000 Series 900 computers.

N

network address

This can be either
1) the network portion of an IP address as opposed to the node portion, or
2) when referring to X.25 networks, it is a node's X.25 address.

network directory

A file containing information required for one node to communicate with other nodes in
1) an internetwork,
2) an X.25 network, or
3) a network that contains non-HP nodes.
The active network directory on a node must be named NSDIR.NET.SYS.

NMMGR

Node Management Services Configuration Manager. A software subsystem that enables you to configure DTC connectivity and network access parameters for an HP 3000 Series 900 computer.

NMMGRVER

Node management services conversion utility. A conversion program that converts configuration files created with NMMGR from an earlier version to the latest format.

node

A computer that is part of a network. The DTC is also considered to be a node and has its own address.

node address

The node portion of an IP address.

Node Management Services Configuration Manager

See NMMGR.

node name

A character string that uniquely identifies each system in a network or internetwork. Each node name in a network or internetwork must be unique; however, a single node can be identified by more than one node name.

NS 3000/iX Link

Software and hardware that provides the connection between nodes on a network. Some of the NS 3000/iX links available are the ThinLAN 3000/iX Link and its ThickLAN option, the DTC/X.25 iX Network Link, and the NS Point-to-Point 3000/iX Link.

NS 3000/iX Network Services

Software applications that can be used to access data, initiate processes, and exchange information among nodes in a network. The services are RPM, VT, RFA, RDBA, and NFT.

NSDIR.NET.SYS

Name of the active network directory file. See also network directory.

P

PI

Protocol Interpreter. In the FTP client-server model, describes the processing of FTP commands and replies over the control connection between the user and server.

privileged mode

A capability assigned to accounts, groups, or users allowing unrestricted memory access, access to privileged CPU instructions, and the ability to call privileged procedures.

probe protocol

An HP protocol used by NS 3000/iX IEEE 802.3 networks to obtain information about other nodes on the network. It provides name to IP address resolution, and IP to IEEE 802.3 address resolution.

protocol

A set of rules that enables two or more data processing entities to exchange information. In networks, protocols are the rules and conventions that govern each layer of network architecture. They define what functions are to be performed and how messages are to be exchanged.

R

remote node

A node on an internetwork other than the node you are currently using or referring to.

V

Virtual Terminal

A network service that allows a user to establish interactive sessions on a node.

W

working directory

While using FTP, the directory on the remote system currently being accessed. Terminology used on UNIX and MS DOS systems. On MPE/iX, a comparable structure is group.