Glossary

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A digital subscriber line (DSL) technology in which the transmission of data from server to client is much faster than the transmission from the client to the server.

SNMP message notifying an operator or administrator of a network problem.

Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A cell-based data transfer technique in which channel demand determines packet allocation. ATM offers fast packet technology, real time; demand led switching for efficient use of network resources. This is an International standard for cell relay in which multiple service types (such as voice, video, or data) are conveyed in fixed-length (53-byte) cells. Fixed-length cells allow cell processing to occur in hardware, thereby reducing transit delays. ATM is designed to take advantage of high-speed transmission media such as E3, SONET, and T3.

This ATM Traffic Descriptor helps in configuring and viewing/deleting ATM Traffic Descriptor for the NI2 object selected. You can view, add and delete a descriptor. In the view mode the relevant parameters for the selected descriptor will be retrieved and displays a set of self-consistent ATM traffic parameters including the ATM traffic QoS Class.

Auto Discovery is the process of automatically discovering all the CDM devices whose I/P address lies within the range given by you. The Auto Discovery application is used to interrogate the network for IP and SNMP devices and create an object for each new device discovered. IP/SNMP Auto discovery application. The generic operation of this application is to create a Network object and then place all the discovered IP objects below it.

bit error rate. Ratio of received bits that contain errors.

Bits per second. A standard measurement of digital transmission speeds.

constant bit rate. QoS class defined by the ATM Forum for ATM networks. CBR is used for connections that depend on precise clocking to ensure undistorted delivery.

Cisco Digital Subscriber Line Manager.

Chassis Inventory dialog in CDM displays the physical entity parameters related to the Chassis like assembly number, serial number, firmware revision, s/w revision, h/w revision etc.

It is a node or software program (front-end device) that requests services from a server.

Commission is one of the options, which describe the status of the selected device/object. In the commissioning state, the commission task polls the device to detect its presence. This allows vendors to pre-configure objects before they are physically installed.

CEMF uses Containment Trees to model hierarchical relationships between objects (physical and logical). Objects are named by Containment Trees. Objects can exist in multiple trees simultaneously (by reference).

Decommission represents a particular state of the CDM device/object. When an object/device is in this state, the Controller knows that it may or may not be physically present. When it is in this state, the Controller will not attempt to communicate with the device.

To start managing objects on the network, objects will have to be deployed. Once objects are deployed, the initial state of all objects will be decommissioned for CDM managed devices and normal for container object.

Discrete Multitone Modulation is an encoding method used by modems in some DSL equipment. For example, the SLC 8DMT module in the Cisco 6200 and some CPE devices use DMT. See also CAP.

A Discrete Multitone Modulation Card used in the CDM.

CDM provides this dialog, where you can define a Profile, which is basically a set of parameters (ATUC/AUTR, DMT) for a DMT Card. For defining parameters for Cards of similar type, the same DMT profile can be applied where you have to just specify/select the Profile Name. This avoids entering the parameter information all over again.

Digital Subscriber Line. A public network technology that delivers high bandwidth over conventional copper wiring (such as telephone lines) at limited distances. There are five types of DSL: ADSL, HDSL, IDSL, SDSL, and VDSL. All are provisioned via modem pairs, with one modem located at a central office and the other at the customer site. Because most DSL technologies do not use the whole bandwidth of the twisted pair, there is room left for a voice channel.

Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer. A device that connects many Digital Subscriber Lines to a network by multiplexing the DSL traffic onto one or more network trunk lines.

The Dynamic Update option refreshes a window when there is a change in the contents displayed. The changed information will be displayed in blue until the change is acknowledged.

The Event Browser is used to view any events that have been flagged by the system. The Event Browser will display the time and date at which an event was reported, the object name that was affected, a description of the event and the severity of the event. This information will be displayed in an easily accessible table.

It helps in the detection of various physical layer faults, environment condition, clock failures and Station alarm processing

Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security.

header error control. Algorithm for checking and correcting an error in an ATM cell. Using the fifth octet in the ATM cell header, ATM equipment will check for an error and correct the contents of the header. The check character is calculated using a CRC algorithm allowing a single bit error in the header to be corrected or multiple errors to be detected.

A measure of distance between two points on the Internet. It is equivalent to the number of gateways that separate the source and destination.

Any whole number.

A collection of networks interconnected by a set of routers, which allow them to function as a single, large virtual network. When written in upper case, Internet refers specifically to the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Internet and the TCP/ IP protocols it uses.

An IP address assigned in blocks of numbers to user organizations accessing the Internet. These addresses are established by the United States Department of Defense's Network Information Center. Duplicate addresses can cause major problems on the network, but the NIC trusts organizations to use individual addresses responsibly. Each address is a 32-bit address in the form of x.x.x.x where x is an eight- bit number from 0 to 255. There are three classes: A, B and C, depending on how many computers on the site are likely to be connected.

The network layer protocol for the Internet protocol suite.

Internet Operating System

The 32-bit address assigned to hosts that want to participate in a TCP/IP Internet.

Internet Service Provider. A company that allows home and corporate users to connect to the Internet.

Local Area Network. A limited distance (typically under a few kilometers or a couple of miles) high-speed network (typically 4 to 100 Mbps) that supports many computers (typical two to thousands).

CMD provides this dialog, which displays the DMT Card details like vendor id, serial number and version number.

A link on a map is a graphical symbol, which represents managed objects in the network or abstracted objects. Links can only exist as a connection between two nodes.

A diagnostic test that returns the transmitted signal back to the sending device after it has passed through a network or across a particular link. The returned signal can then be compared to the transmitted one. The discrepancy between the two helps to trace the fault. When trying to locate a faulty piece of equipment, loopbacks will be repeated, eliminating satisfactory machines until the problem is found.

link state

The Map Viewer is launched from the Launchpad. By default the window appears in Map Hierarchy Mode. In this mode the screen is split into two panes. The left pane displays the hierarchy of maps in the system. The right pane displays the currently selected map.

This containment is used to reflect the relationship between maps and displays a schematic representation of the Shelf information.

This containment is used to reflect the relationship between maps and displays a schematic representation of the Shelf information.

A Management Information Base is a database of network management information used by CMIP (Common Management Information Protocol) and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). A collection of objects that can be accessed via a network management protocol, such as SNMP and CMIP (Common Management Information Protocol).

A special form of broadcast where copies of the packet are delivered to only a subset of all possible destinations.

A device that can send several signals over a single line. They are then separated by a similar device at the other end of the link. This can be done in a variety of ways: time division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing and statistical multiplexing. Multiplexers are also becoming increasingly efficient in terms of data compression, error correction, and transmission speed and multi-drop capabilities.

The OSI layer that is responsible for routing, switching, and subnetwork access across the entire OSI environment.

A Network Interface card used in the CDM.

The NI2 Inventory screen is used to view the inventory information for the selected NI2 object.

A general term used to refer to a computer or related device; often used to refer to a networked computer or device. A node on a map is a graphical symbol, which represents a managed object in the network or abstracted objects. A node has an iconic representation while a link has a vector representation. Links can only exist as a connection between two nodes.

The Object Manager is a primary entry point into the CEMF system. It is an application that displays objects in hierarchies. This is used to navigate to other objects so that services can be invoked on that object.

Displays the Vc3 Cross connection information and the current status of SONET path, section and line are displayed.

The unit of data sent across a packet switching network.

The Performance Manager is used to view the historic performance statistics of a selected attribute within a specific time period for selected objects.

A fixed virtual circuit between two users: the public data network equivalent of a leased line. No call setup or clearing procedures is needed.

This containment reflects the physical relationship of objects and is used to provide the relevant information to draw the maps.

Handles transmission of raw bits over a communication channel. The physical layer deals with mechanical, electrical, and procedural interfaces.

A physical connection to a computer through which data flows. An Ethernet port, for example, is where Ethernet network cabling plugs into a computer.

The abstraction used by Internet transport protocols to distinguish among multiple simultaneous connections to a single destination

Provisioning generally has a wider meaning in terms of the initiation and roll-out of a new telecommunications service involving multiple items of networking equipment. It is also occasionally referred to as Pre-Provisioning - meaning that part of the network setup before the service is actually provisioned.

Profile is used to quickly apply a set of parameters to a number of similar type objects without the need for entering the same data numerous times.

This dialog helps in configuring and viewing DMT Profiles for the NI2 object selected.

A formal description of messages to be exchanged and rules to be followed for two or more systems to exchange information.

Permanent Virtual Connection. See the Permanent Virtual Connection (PVC) definition provided earlier for further details.

Quality of Service. A characteristic of data transmission that measures how accurately and how quickly a message or data is transferred from a source computer to a destination computer over a network.

The IP address of a remote server.

A network computer that allows a user to log onto the network from a distant location.

Receiver.

Simple Network Management Protocol. The network management protocol of choice for TCP/IP-based internets.

Set Normal Response.

Synchronous Transport Module level 1. One of a number of SDH formats that specifies the frame structure for the 155.52-Mbps lines used to carry ATM cells.

Subtending means connecting the OC3 port in the NI2 of one CDM to another CDM's NI2.

See Switched Virtual Connection (SVC).

Equipment used to connect and distribute communications between a trunk line or backbone and individual nodes.

A temporary virtual circuit between two users.

During synchronous communications, data is not sent in individual bytes, but as frames of large data blocks.

transmission convergence. Sublayer of the ATM physical layer that transforms the flow of cells into a steady flow of bits for transmission over the physical medium. When transmitting, the TC sublayer maps the cells into the frame format, generates the HEC, and sends idle cells when there is nothing to send. When receiving, the TC sublayer delineates individual cells in the received bit stream and uses HEC to detect and correct errors.

The virtual terminal protocol in the Internet suite of protocols. Allows users of one host to log into a remote host and act as normal terminal users of that host.

Transmitter.

unspecified bit rate. QoS class defined by the ATM Forum for ATM networks. UBR allows any amount of data up to a specified maximum to be sent across the network, but there are no guarantees in terms of cell loss rate and delay.

variable bit rate. QoS class defined by the ATM Forum for ATM networks. VBR is subdivided into a real time (RT) class and non-real time (NRT) class. VBR (RT) is used for connections in which there is a fixed timing relationship between samples. VBR (NRT) is used for connections in which there is no fixed timing relationship between samples, but that still need a guaranteed QoS.

Virtual Channel Identifier.

Virtual Channel Link.

16-bit field in the header of an ATM cell. The VCI, together with the VPI, is used to identify the next destination of a cell as it passes through a series of ATM switches.

A link that seems and behaves like a dedicated point to point line or a system that delivers packets in sequence, as happens on an actual point to point network. In reality, the data is delivered across a network via the most appropriate route. The sending and receiving devices do not have to be aware of the options and the route is chosen only when a message is sent. There is no pre-arrangement, so each virtual connection exists only for the duration of that one transmission.

An 8-bit field in the header of an ATM cell. The VPI, together with the VCI, is used to identify the next destination of a cell as it passes through a series of ATM switches.

See Virtual Path Identifier.