3Com 4.2.2 manual Glossary

GLOSSARY

ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A transmission protocol that segments user traffic into small, fixed size cells. Cells are transmitted to their destination, where the original traffic is re-assembled.

AAL ATM Adaptation Layer. A set of protocols that translate user traffic from higher-layer protocols into ATM format.

Backbone The main segment of a campus network, to which are attached department networks, or ribs.

Broadcast A common method of information transmission in which every port on the network receives the packet being sent, though only the port with the proper address passes it on to the user.

Bridge Device connecting between two networks which filters and forwards data between the networks according to their destination address.

BUS Broadcast and Unknown Server. ATM Forum defined specifications in support of LAN-to-LAN connectivity, called LAN Emulation. BUS defines that set of functions implemented in an ATM Network that provides LAN-to-LAN transmission support while a LAN connection is being established. It also supports LAN broadcast service.

Cell An ATM Layer protocol data unit (PDU) characterized by fixed, rather than variable, length payloads.

Connection-orientedA form of packet-switching that requires a predefined circuit from Communications source to destination to be established before data can be transferred.

ELAN Emulated LAN - Set of ATM Forum-developed specifications in support of LAN-to-LAN bridged connectivity over an ATM Network.

Ethernet A CSMA/CD, 10 Mbps, local area data network, developed by Xerox Corporation. It is one of the most popular baseband LANs in use.

Ethernet Port A port of a LinkSwitch to which an Ethernet Segment is connected.