B-1
APPENDIX BGLOSSARY
address
A set of characters that uniquely identifies a station, peripheral
device, node, or other unit in a network.
address table
A database of device addresses and their associated ports
maintained by a switch or bridge for use in making data packet
forwarding and filtering decisions.
agent
Network management software that runs within a managed
network device.
alarm
See trap.
ANSI
American National Standards Institute – One of several
organizations that establishes standards that apply to
internetworking.
ARP
Address Resolution Protocol – An auxiliary protocol of the IP layer
used to perform dynamic address translation between MAC
addresses and internet addresses. Binds IP addresses to specific
MAC addresses.
attenuation
The amount of power (or light) lost as power travels through a
medium from the transmitter to the receiver. Difference between
transmitted and received power, in decibels (dB).
AUI (attachment unit interface)
A standard connector type used for Ethernet connections.