3Com 3C319 Parallel Tasking architecture, Plug and Play PnP, Protocol layers, Token ring

4GLOSSARY

Parallel Tasking architecture

A proprietary technique developed and patented by 3Com that provides significant performance improvement by allowing network interchanges of data to occur in parallel.

Plug and Play (PnP)

A standard that defines automatic techniques for making PC configuration simple and straightforward. Read-only memory (ROM) chips with unique identification numbers are added to each NIC, and the NIC can then arbitrate conflicts with interrupts, input/output ports, and memory.

Protocol

A formalized set of rules that PCs use to communicate. Because of the complexity of communications between PCs and the need for different communication requirements, protocols have been divided into modular layers, in which each layer performs a specific function for an adjacent layer.

Protocol layers

A model for describing the hierarchical set of or levels of protocols in which each protocol layer obtains services from the layer below it and performs services for the layer above it.

PROTOCOL.INI

An ASCII file containing control information for network protocol elements of NDIS network stations and servers.

Token ring

A network that employs a ring topology and passes tokens for ring access.

TSR

Terminate and stay resident. A program that upon execution, loads itself (or an executable portion of itself) into PC working memory (RAM).

WAN

Wide area network. A network covering large distances (50 square miles or more) that may include packet-switched, or public data, and value-added networks.