Specifications

310 Glossary
PCMCIA Personal Computer Miniature Connector Interface Adapter.
Hardware and software standards for credit-card-sized
integrated circuit cards.
Ping Packet InterNet Groper. A protocol used in the Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP) environment to test whether a node or
remote device is communicating on a local area network (LAN)
or wide area network (WAN). The protocol provides for
transporting an echo response from a host system, a client, or a
gateway. It is a useful tool for locating problems on the network
related to failed connections and software problems. One
datagram is sent every second over the network and any
response is displayed.
PPP Point-to-Point Protocol. A serial communication protocol that
operates over dialup or leased (dedicated) lines to provide
connections into IP networks. It sets up and monitors router
sessions and frames the data transmitted over the line.
Protocol A set of formal rules describing how to transmit data, especially
across a network. Low-level protocols define the electrical and
physical standards to be observed, bit- and byte-ordering, and
the transmission and error detection and correction of the bit
stream. High level protocols deal with the data formatting,
including the syntax of messages, the terminal to computer
dialogue, character sets, sequencing of messages, etc.
RAM Random-Access Memory. A mass store that provides fast
access to any storage location by means of vertical and
horizontal coordinates. Information is written in or read out using
thesameprocedure.Thememorycycletimeisthesameforany
location addressed because there is no waiting or sorting time
required, as there is when data items are stored sequentially.
RAS Remote Access Services. A service provided by Windows NT
that allows most of the services which would be available on a
network to be accessed over a modem link. The service
includes support for dialup and logon, and then presents the
same network interface as the normal network drivers (albeit
slightly slower).
RDP Remote Desktop Protocol. A presentation service protocol that
governs input and output between a WBT and WTS (Windows
Terminal Server). It is based on the T.share protocol.