GLOSSARY
802.1d Spanning Tree Bridging - the IEEE standard for bridging; a MAC layer standard for transparently connecting two or more LANs (often called subnetworks) that are running the same protocols and cabling. This arrange- ment creates an extended network, in which any two workstations on the linked LANs can share data.
802.3Ethernet - the IEEE standard for Ethernet; a
802.5Token Ring - the IEEE
AAL (ATM Adaptation Layer) - the AAL divides the user information into segments suitable for packaging into a series of ATM cells. There are several types of AALs in use. FORE Systems currently supports AAL 5 and AAL 3/4. AAL 3/4 supports
AAL Connection - an association established by the AAL between two or more next higher layer entities.
ABR (Available Bit Rate) - a type of traffic for which the ATM network attempts to meet that traffic's bandwidth requirements. It does not guarantee a specific amount of bandwidth and the end station must retransmit any information that did not reach the far end.
Address Mask - a bit mask used to identify which bits in an address (usually an IP address) are network significant, subnet significant, and host significant portions of the complete address. This mask is also known as the subnet mask because the subnetwork portion of the address can be determined by compar- ing the binary version of the mask to an IP address in that subnet. The mask holds the same number of bits as the protocol address it references.
Agent (SNMP) - a component of network- and
AIS (Alarm Indication Signal) - a line AIS is asserted when a 111 binary pat- tern is detected in bits 6, 7, 8 of the K2 byte for five consecutive frames. A line AIS is removed when any pattern other than 111 is detected in these bits for five consecutive frames.
AMI (ATM Management Interface) - the user interface to FORE Systems’ ForeThought switch control software (SCS). AMI lets users monitor and change various operating configurations of FORE Systems switches and net-
