file server A computer that serves files to clients. A file server may be a general- purpose computer that’s capable of hosting additional applications or a computer capable only of serving files.
file system A scheme for storing data on storage devices that allows applications to read and write files without having to deal with
File Transfer Protocol See FTP.
FTP File Transfer Protocol. A protocol that allows computers to transfer files over a network. FTP clients using any operating system that supports FTP can connect to a file server and download files, depending on their access privileges. Most Internet browsers and a number of freeware applications can be used to access an FTP server.
group A collection of users who have similar needs. Groups simplify the administration of shared resources.
guest user A user who can log in to your server without a user name or password.
home directory See home folder.
home folder A folder for a user’s personal use. Mac OS X also uses the home folder to store system preferences and managed user settings for Mac OS X users. Also known as a home directory.
host Another name for a server.
host name A unique name for a computer, historically referred to as the UNIX hostname.
iChat The Mac OS X instant messaging application.
iChat service The Mac OS X Server service that hosts secure chats. iChat service uses Open Directory authentication to verify the identity of chatters and SSL to protect the privacy of users while they chat.
Internet A set of interconnected computer networks communicating through a common protocol (TCP/IP). The Internet is the most extensive publicly accessible system of interconnected computer networks in the world.
Internet Protocol See IP.
IP Internet Protocol. Also known as IPv4. A method used with Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to send data between computers over a local network or the Internet. IP delivers data packets and TCP keeps track of data packets.
IP address A unique numeric address that identifies a computer on the Internet.
Glossary
35
