3Com 3C16987A manual Broadcast, Collision, Endstation, Fast Ethernet, Forwarding, Filtering

52GLOSSARY

	information to forward packets based on their destination address. This
	process is known as filtering.
broadcast	A packet sent to all devices on a network.
broadcast storm	Multiple simultaneous broadcasts that typically absorb all the available
	network bandwidth and can cause a network to fail. Broadcast storms
	can be due to faulty network devices.
collision	A term used to describe two colliding packets in an Ethernet network.
	Collisions are a part of normal Ethernet operation, but a sudden
	prolonged increase in the number of collisions can indicate a problem
	with a device, particularly if it is not accompanied by a general increase
	in traffic.
CSMA/CD	Carrier-sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection. The protocol
	defined in Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 standards in which devices transmit
	only after finding a data channel clear for a period of time. When two
	devices transmit simultaneously, a collision occurs and the colliding
	devices delay their retransmissions for a random length of time.
endstation	A computer, printer or server that is connected to a network.
Ethernet	A LAN specification developed jointly by Xerox, Intel and Digital
	Equipment Corporation. Ethernet networks use CSMA/CD to transmit
	packets at a rate of 10Mbps over a variety of cables.
Ethernet address	See MAC address.
Fast Ethernet	An Ethernet system that is designed to operate at 100Mbps.
forwarding	The process of sending a packet toward its destination using a
	networking device.
filtering	The process of screening a packet for certain characteristics, such as
	source address, destination address, or protocol. Filtering is used to
	determine whether traffic is to be forwarded, and can also prevent
	unauthorized access to a network or network devices.
flow control	A congestion control mechanism. Congestion is caused by devices
	sending traffic to already overloaded port on a Switch. Flow control
	prevents packet loss and inhibits devices from generating more traffic
	until the period of congestion ends.