Apple Mac OS manual Domain name See DNS name Domain Name System See DNS

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daemon A program that runs in the background and provides important system services, such as processing incoming email or handling requests from the network.

DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A protocol used to dynamically distribute IP addresses to client computers. Each time a client computer starts up, the protocol looks for a DHCP server and then requests an IP address from the DHCP server it finds. The DHCP server checks for an available IP address and sends it to the client computer along with a lease period—the length of time the client computer may use the address.

directory domain A specialized database that stores authoritative information about users and network resources; the information is needed by system software and applications. The database is optimized to handle many requests for information and to find and retrieve information quickly. Also called a directory node or simply a directory.

DNS Domain Name System. A distributed database that maps IP addresses to domain names. A DNS server, also known as a name server, keeps a list of names and the IP addresses associated with each name.

DNS domain A unique name of a computer used in the Domain Name System to translate IP addresses and names. Also called a domain name.

DNS name A unique name of a computer used in the Domain Name System to translate IP addresses and names. Also called a domain name.

domain Part of the domain name of a computer on the Internet. It does not include the top-level domain designator (for example, .com, .net, .us, .uk). Domain name “www.example.com” consists of the subdomain or host name “www,” the domain “example,” and the top-level domain “com.”

domain name See DNS name.

Domain Name System See DNS.

drop box A shared folder with privileges that allow other users to write to, but not read, the folder’s contents. Only the owner has full access. Drop boxes should be created only using AFP. When a folder is shared using AFP, the ownership of an item written to the folder is automatically transferred to the owner of the folder, thus giving the owner of a drop box full access to and control over items put into it.

everyone Any user who can log in to a file server: a registered user or guest, an anonymous FTP user, or a website visitor.

export In the Network File System (NFS), a way of sharing a folder with clients on a network.

Glossary