Glossary

T1 Framing: To digitize and encode analog voice signals requires 8000 samples per second (twice the highest voice frequency of 4000 Hz). Encoding in an 8-bit word provides the basic T1 block of 64K bps for voice transmission. This "Level 0 Signal, as its called, is represented by "DS-0", or Digital Signal at Level 0. 24 of these voice channels are combined into a serial bit stream (using TDM), on a frame-by-frame basis. A frame is a sample of all 24 channels; so adding in a framing bit gives a block of 193 bits (24x8+1=193). Frames are transmitted at 8000 per second (the required sample rate), creating a 1.544M (8000x193=1.544M) transmission rate.

T1 Line: A digital communications facility that functions as a 24-channel pathway for data or voice. A T1 line is composed of two separate

elements: the Access element and the Long Haul element.

T1 Mux: A device used to carry many sources of data on a T1 line. The T1 mux assigns each data source to distinct DS0 time slots within the T1 signal. Wide bandwidth signals take more than one time slot. Normal voice traffic or 56/64K bps data channels take one time slot. The T1 mux may use an internal or external T1 DSU; a "channel bank" device typically uses an external T1 CSU.

Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Program (TCP/IP): A multilayer set of protocols developed by the US Department of Defense to link dissimilar computers across dissimilar and unreliable LANs.

Terminal: The screen and keyboard device used in a mainframe environment for interactive data entry. Terminals have no "box", which is to say they have no file storage or processing capabilities.

Terminal Adapter (TA): An ISDN DTE device for connecting a non-ISDN terminal device to the ISDN network. Similar to a protocol converter or an interface converter, a TA connects a non-ISDN device between the R and S interfaces. Typically a PC card.

Tie line: A dedicated circuit linking two points without having to dial a phone number. The line may be accessed by lifting the telephone handset or by pushing a button.

Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM): Division of a transmission facility into two or more channels by allotting the common channel to several different information channels, one at a time.

Time Slot: One of 24 channels within a T1 line. Each channel has a 64K bps maximum bandwidth. "Time slot" implies the time division multiplexing organization of the T1 signal.

Toll Call: A call to a location outside of your local service area (a long distance call).

Tone dialing: One of two methods of dialing a telephone, usually associated with Touch-Tone® (push button) phones. Compare with pulse dialing.

Topology: Physical layout of network components (cables, stations, gateways, and hubs). Three basic interconnection topologies are star, ring, and bus networks.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): A communications protocol used in Internet and in any network that follows the US Department of Defense standards for internetwork protocol. TCP provides a reliable host-to-host protocol between hosts in packet-switched communications networks and in interconnected systems of such networks. It assumes that the Internet protocol is the underlying protocol.

Transport Layer: Layer 4 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model; provides reliable, end-to-end delivery of data, and detects transmission sequential errors.

Transport Protocol Data Unit (TPDU): A transport header, which is added to every message, contains destination and source addressing information that allows the end-to-end routing of messages in multi-layer NAC networks of high complexity. They are automatically added to messages as they enter the network and can be stripped off before being passed to the host or another device that does not support TPDU's.

Trunk: Transmission links that interconnect switching offices.

TSR (terminate and stay resident): A software program that remains active and in memory after its user interface is closed. Similar to a daemon in UNIX environments.

Tunneling: Encapsulation data in an IP packet for transport across the internet.

Twisted pair wiring: A type of cabling with one or more pairs of insulated wires wrapped around each other. An inexpensive wiring method used for LAN and telephone applications, also called UTP wiring.

UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) (pronounced "you art"): A chip that transmits and receives data on the serial port. It converts bytes into serial bits for transmission, and vice versa, and generates and strips the start and stop bits appended to each character.

UNIX: An operating system developed by Bell Laboratories that features multiprogramming in a multi-user environment.

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP): Telephone-type wiring. Transmission media for 10BASE-T.