NETGEAR GS748T Smart Switch Hardware Installation Guide, Table C-1. Glossary, v1.0, January

	GS748T Smart Switch Hardware Installation Guide
Table C-1. Glossary
Loop	An event that occurs when two network devices are connected by more
	than one path, thereby causing packets to repeatedly cycle around the
	network and not reach their destination.
MAC	Media Access Control. A protocol specified by the IEEE for determining
	which devices have access to a network at any one time.
MAC address	Media Access Control address; also called hardware or physical address.
	Most devices that connect to a LAN have a MAC address assigned to them,
	as they are used to identify other devices in a network.
Port monitoring	The ability to monitor the traffic passing through a port on a device to
	analyze network characteristics and perform troubleshooting.
Port speed	The speed that a port on a device uses to communicate with another device
	or the network.
Port trunking	The ability to combine multiple ports on a device to create a single, high-
	bandwidth connection.
Protocol	A set of rules for communication between devices on a network.
Quality of Service	A term to describe delay, throughput, bandwidth, and other factors that
	measure the service quality provided to a user.
Segment	A section of a LAN that is connected to the rest of the network using a
	switch, bridge, or repeater.
SNMP	Simple Network Management Protocol. An IETF standard protocol for
	managing devices on a TCP/IP network.
Switch	A device that interconnects several LANs to form a single logical LAN that
	comprises of several LAN segments. Switches are similar to bridges, in that
	they connect LANs of a different type; however they connect more LANs
	than a bridge and are generally more sophisticated.
TCP/IP	Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. This is the name for two of
	the most well-known protocols developed for the interconnection of
	networks. Originally a UNIX standard, TCP/IP is now supported on almost
	all platforms, and is the protocol of the Internet.
	TCP relates to the content of the data traveling through a network —
	ensuring that the information sent arrives in one piece when it reaches its
	destination.
	IP relates to the address of the endstation to which data is being sent, as
	well as the address of the destination network.
Traffic prioritization	Giving time-critical data traffic a higher quality of service over other, non-
	critical data traffic.
VLAN	Virtual LAN. A logical association that allows users to communicate as if
	they were physically connected to a single LAN, independent of the actual
	physical configuration of the network.
Glossary	C-3

v1.0, January 2007