NetDAQ Users Manual

Network Considerations
Glossary I
I-33
IP A unit of information passed across an Internet. The IP portion of the TCP/IP
protocol is responsible for transmitting blocks of data from the source to the
destination using the IP addresses specified. It also provides for fragmentation and
reassembly of data blocks that are too long for one frame on the physical network.
IPX A protocol used by Novell NetWare LANs.
IP Address Internet Protocol Address. A 32-bit address assigned to a host on a
TCP/IP Internet. The IP address is divided into Host ID and Network ID portions.
IRQ Hardware interrupt level in the IBM PC standard. The PC/XT supports 8
IRQ levels and the PC/AT supports 16 levels.
LAN Local Area Network. A network that covers a single site, usually at most, a
single building or cluster of buildings.
MAC Media Access Control. The lowest layer of network interface hardware and
software. Most of the MAC layer is usually implemented in hardware and
embedded software in the network interface hardware. Some of the functionality
of the MAC layer may be in the driver for the interface hardware.
Network A system of computers interconnected by wires or other means in order
to share information.
Network Interface Adapter A hardware device that allows a computer to
communicate with a network. Modern network adapters contain on-board logic
that implements most of the MAC layer of the network protocol.
NetDAQ A trademarked name for a series of really fine instruments, software,
and accessories from the Fluke Corporation. Stands for Networked Data
Acquisition.
NDIS Driver Network Device Interface Specification. One of the three popular
device driver specifications used on Personal Computers. NDIS supports
operation of multiple protocol stacks over the same driver and hardware interface.
NIC Network Information Center. The central agency for IP address assignment
to organizations. You must get an IP address range assignment from the NIC
before connecting to the international Internet.
ODI Driver A network device driver specification defined by Novell for use with
the NetWare line of networking software. ODI supports operation of multiple
protocol stacks over the same driver and hardware interface.
Packet A block of digital data on a network, usually containing source and
destination addresses, protocol type information, and other information that allows
it to be directed to the proper destination and for the receiving host to detect
transmission errors.