Specifications

320 Glossary
URL Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a computer, file, or resource that can be
accessed on a local network or the Internet. The URL is made up of the name of the
protocol needed to access the resource, a domain name that identifies a specific
computer on the Internet, and a hierarchical description of a file location on the
computer.
user ID See UID.
user name The long name for a user, sometimes referred to as the user’s real name.
See also short name.
user profile The set of personal desktop and preference settings that Windows saves
for a user and applies each time the user logs in.
virtual user An alternate email address (short name) for a user. Similar to an alias, but
it involves creating another user account.
volume A mountable allocation of storage that behaves, from the client’s perspective,
like a local hard disk, hard disk partition, or network volume. In Xsan, a volume consists
of one or more storage pools. See also logical disk.
VPN Virtual Private Network. A network that uses encryption and other technologies
to provide secure communications over a public network, typically the Internet. VPNs
are generally cheaper than real private networks using private lines, but they rely on
having the same encryption system at both ends. The encryption may be performed by
firewall software or by routers.
WebDAV Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning. A live authoring
environment that allows client users to check out webpages, make changes, and then
check the pages back in to the site while the site is running.
WebDAV realm A region of a website, usually a folder or directory, that’s defined to
provide access for WebDAV users and groups.
wildcard A range of possible values for any segment of an IP address.
Windows domain The Windows computers on a network that share a common
directory of user, group, and computer accounts for authentication and authorization.
An Open Directory master can provide directory services for a Windows domain.
Windows Internet Naming Service See WINS.
WINS Windows Internet Naming Service. A name resolution service used by Windows
computers to match client names with IP addresses. A WINS server can be located on
the local network or externally on the Internet.
workgroup A set of users for whom you define preferences and privileges as a group.
Any preferences you define for a group are stored in the group account.