Input/Output

BT's basic-rate integrated services digital network offering. See also IDA.

Internet Architecture Board

Board of internetwork researchers who discuss issues pertinent to Internet architecture. Responsible for appointing a variety of Internet-related groups such as the IANA, IESG, and IRSG. The IAB is appointed by the trustees of the ISOC.

Internet Advertising Bureau

Self-regulating body to establish internet advertising standards.

Integrated Access Device

Internet International Ad Hoc Committee

Coalition of participants from the broad Internet community, working to satisfy the requirement for enhancements to the Internet's global DNS. Organizations naming members to the committee include Internet Society (ISOC), Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), Internet Architecture Board (IAB), Federal Networking Council (FNC), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Trademark Association (INTA), and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

Organization operated under the auspices of the ISOC as a part of the IAB. IANA delegates authority for IP address-space allocation and domain-name assignment to the InterNIC and other organizations. IANA also maintains a database of assigned protocol identifiers used in the TCP/IP stack, including autonomous system numbers.

Internet Access Provider

Internet Authentication Service

A RADIUS Server which performs connection authentication and accounting for dial-up and VPN remote access.

International Code Designator

One of two ATM address formats developed by the ATM Forum for use by private networks. Adapted from the sub-network model of addressing in which the ATM layer is responsible for mapping network layer addresses to ATM addresses.

Initial Cell Rate

Information communication technology

BT's proprietary basic rate integrated services digital network offering. See also I420.

International Data Encryption Algorithm

A private key encryption-decryption algorithm.

Initial Domain Identifier

Portion of an NSAP or NSAP-format ATM address that specifies the address allocation and administration authority.

Initial Domain Part

Part of a CLNS address that contains an authority and format identifier, and a domain identifier

Inter-Domain Policy Routing

Interdomain routing protocol that dynamically exchanges policies between autonomous systems. IDPR encapsulates inter-autonomous system traffic and routes it according to the policies of each autonomous system along the path. IDPR is currently an IETF proposal.

Intrusion Detection System

Hardware and/or software which detects unauthorised access.

Information Element

International Electrotechnical Commission

Industry group that writes and distributes standards for electrical products and components.

Inter-Exchange Carrier

Common carrier providing communications channels between local telephone companies (LECs, or Local Exchange Carriers). Also known as long distance carriers.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

An organization that maintains the standards for 10BaseT and other communications standards.  (Usually pronounced I triple E)

IEEE 802.xx is a set of specifications for LANs from The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Most wired networks conform to 802.3, the specification for CSMA/CD based Ethernet networks or 802.5, the specification for token ring networks. 802.11 defines the standard for wireless LANs encompassing three incompatible (non-interoperable) technologies: Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS), Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS), and Infrared. WECA’s focus is on 802.11b, an 11 Mbps high rate DSSS standard for wireless networks.

Internet Engineering Planning Group

Group, primarily composed of Internet service operators, whose goal is to promote a globally coordinated Internet operating environment. Membership is open to all.

Internet Engineering Steering Group

Organization, appointed by the IAB, that manages the operation of the IETF.

Internet Engineering Task Force

Task force consisting of over 80 working groups responsible for developing Internet standards. The IETF operates under the auspices of ISOC.

International Federation for Information Processing

Research organization that performs OSI pre-standardization work. Among other accomplishments, IFIP formalized the original MHS model.

Internet Group Management Protocol

Used by IP hosts to report their multicast group memberships to an adjacent multicast router

Internet Gateway Protocol

Generic term applied to any protocol used to propagate network reach and routing information within autonomous system.

Interior Gateway Routing Protocol

Internet Key Exchange

Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier

Inverse Multiplexing over ATM

Standard protocol defined by the ATM Forum in 1997.

Physical links grouped to form a higher-bandwidth logical link whose rate is approximately the sum of the individual link rates.

Internet Message Access Protocol

Method of accessing e-mail or bulletin board messages kept on a mail server that can be shared. IMAP permits client electronic mail applications to access remote message stores as if they were local without actually transferring the message.

International Mobile Equipment Identification

The International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) is a 15-digit number (composed of four parts) that uniquely identifies an individual wireless phone or communicator. The IMEI appears on the label located on the back of the phone. The IMEI is automatically transmitted by the phone when the network asks for it. A network operator might request the IMEI to determine if a device is in disrepair, stolen or to gather statistics on fraud or faults.

Inter-Machine Trunk

International Mobile Telecommunications-2000

ITU concept of a family of technological solutions that will enable the implementation of third generation wireless communications.

Intelligent Network

An upgraded version of the current switched telephone network that allows for the quick and easy introduction of new, enhanced services.

Information Networking Architecture

Bellcore object-oriented architecture for the management of ATM and SONET equipment and services in an operating company environment.

Intelligent Network Application Protocol

Bellcore implementation of INA.

Transmission within a frequency range normally used for information transmission.

Intelligent Network Element

Network element that can be provisioned from a remote OSS.

In ATM, the portion of a signalling packet that carries information, such as addresses, used in the UNI specification.

Electromagnetic waves whose frequency range is above that of microwaves, but below that of the visible spectrum. LAN systems based on this technology represent an emerging technology.

A client setting providing connectivity to an AP. As compared to Ad-Hoc Mode where PCs communicate directly with each other, clients set in Infrastructure Mode all pass data through a central AP. The AP not only mediates wireless network traffic in the immediate neighbourhood, but also provides communication with the wired network. See AD-Hoc and AP.

Integrated Net Layer Security Protocol

In an ATM network, the largest burst of data above the insured rate that will be temporarily allowed on a PVC and not tagged by the traffic policing function for dropping in the case of network congestion. The insured burst is specified in bytes or cells.

Long-term data throughput, in bits or cells per second, that an ATM network commits to support under normal network conditions. The insured rate is 100 percent allocated; the entire amount is deducted from the total trunk bandwidth along the path of the circuit.

Traffic within the insured rate specified for an ATM PVC. This traffic should not be dropped by the network under normal network conditions.

Interoperability Technology Association for Information Processing

Technical organization that has the official charter to develop Japanese OSI profiles and conformance tests.

Routing protocol based on the OSI routing protocol IS-IS, but with support for IP and other protocols. Integrated IS-IS implementations send only one set of routing updates, making it more efficient than two separate implementations. Formerly called Dual IS-IS.

Term used to describe routing between two or more logical areas.

Refers to non-local voice or data transmission.

Boundary between adjacent layers of the OSI model. (2) Connection between two systems or devices. (3) In routing terminology, a network connection. (4) In telephony, a shared boundary defined by common physical interconnection characteristics, signal characteristics, and meanings of interchanged signals.

Unwanted communication channel noise.

Interconnected Networks, a worldwide collection of computers, the links between them, and standards about how information will be shared over those links; a public site for customers.

Generic term used to describe various approaches to running voice telephony over IP.

Collection of networks interconnected by routers and other devices that functions (generally) as a single network. Sometimes called an internet, which is not to be confused with the Internet.

Organization that serves the Internet community by supplying user assistance, documentation, training, registration service for Internet domain names, and other services. Formerly called NIC.

Ability of computing equipment manufactured by different vendors to communicate with one another successfully over a network.

Term used to describe routing within a logical area.

A private internetwork inside a company or agency that uses the same kind of software running on the Internet, but only for internal purposes. A corporate intranet uses the internet as its backbone, but the firewall surrounding the intranet prevents unauthorized access. Like the Internet, intranets are used to share information.

Inverse Address Resolution Protocol

Method of building dynamic routes in a network. Allows an access server to discover the network address of a device associated with a virtual circuit.

Process whereby physical links are grouped to form a higher-bandwidth logical link whose rate is approximately the sum of the individual link rates.

Independent Operating Company

Independently owned company providing local telephone services to residential and business customers in a geographic area not served by an RBOC.

I/O Channel Controller

Internal Organization of the Network Layer

OSI standard for the detailed architecture of the network layer. Basically, it partitions the network layer into sub-networks interconnected by convergence protocols (equivalent to internet working protocols), creating what the Internet community calls a catenet or internet.

Internet Protocol Address

A 32-bit address assigned to a host. The IP address has a host component and a network component.

An attack whereby a system attempts to impersonate another system by using its IP network address.

Internet Protocol

The layer-three protocol used in the TCP/IP set of protocols which support the Internet and many private networks. IP provides a connectionless datagram delivery service for transport-layer protocols such as TCP and UDP.

Intellectual Property

Interprocess Communication

Internet Protocol Control Protocol

Responsible for configuring, enabling, and disabling the IP protocol modules on both ends of a point-to-point link. The IP Control Protocol is tied to PPP, and is activated only when PPP reaches the network layer to protocol phase. If IPCP packets are received prior to this phase, they should be discarded. Elements of IPCP include packet encapsulation, code fields and timeouts.

IP Security Option

U.S. government specification that defines an optional field in the IP packet header that defines hierarchical packet security levels on a per interface basis.

Internet Protocol version four - the version of IP most commonly deployed today.

IP version 6

Replacement for the current version of IP (version 4). IPv6 includes support for flow ID in the packet header, which can be used to identify flows. Formerly called IPng (next generation).

Internet Registry

IR was delegated the responsibility of network address and autonomous system identifiers from the IANA, which has the discretionary authority to delegate portions of its responsibility.

Integrated Routing and Bridging

Internet Relay Chat

World-wide "party line" protocol that allows one to converse with others in real time. IRC is structured as a network of servers, each of which accepts connections from client programs, one per user.

A Motorola communications system comprising a constellation of 66 low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites forming a mobile wireless system allowing subscribers to place and receive calls from any location in the world.

Intermediate Routing Node

In SNA, a subarea node with intermediate routing capability

Internet Research Steering Group

Group that is part of the IAB and oversees the activities of the IRTF.

Internet Research Task Force

Community of network experts that considers Internet-related research topics. The IRTF is governed by the IRSG and is considered a subsidiary of the IAB.

Intermediate System

Routing node in an OSI network.

In-Service

As fully operational and capable of providing service to a requesting entity.

Specification used for air interface of cdmaOne networks.

The standard behind TDMA networks.

Standard for cdma2000.

Industry-Standard Architecture

16-bit bus used for Intel-based personal computers.

A local bus standard for connecting peripherals to a personal computer. Within a computer, the bus is the transmission path on which signals and data transfers occur between the CPU, system memory, and attached devices such as a network card, sound card, or CD-ROM drive.

Flow control technique that permits travel through the network. Isarithmic flow control is not commonly implemented.

Integrated Services Digital Networks

A CCITT standard developed to cover a range of voice, data, and image services. It is intended to provide end-to-end, simultaneous handling of voice and data on a single link. Access channels include Basic Rate Interface (BRI) and Primary Rate Interface (PRI)

Integrated Services Internet

IETF proposal for enhancing IP to allow it to support integrated or multimedia services, including traffic management mechanisms that closely match the traffic management mechanisms of ATM.

Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System

OSI link-state hierarchical routing protocol based on DECnet Phase V routing, whereby ISs (routers) exchange routing information based on a single metric, to determine network topology.

Inter-Switch Link

Internetwork Status Monitor

International Organization for Standardization

International organization that is responsible for a wide range of standards, including those relevant to networking. ISO developed the OSI reference model, a popular networking reference model.

The International Standards Organization (ISO) has developed a network model that consists of seven different levels, or layers. By standardizing these layers, and the interfaces in between, different portions of a given protocol can be modified or changed as technologies advance, or systems requirements are altered. The seven layers are: 1. Physical, 2. Data Link, 3. Network, 4. Transport, 5. Session, 6. Presentation, 7. Application. The IEEE 802.11 Standard encompasses the physical layer (PHY) and the lower portion of the data link layer. The lower portion of the data link layer is often referred to as the Medium Access Controller (MAC) sub-layer.

Internet Society

International non-profit organization, founded in 1992, that coordinates the evolution and use of the Internet. In addition, ISOC delegates authority to other groups related to the Internet, such as the IAB. ISOC is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, (United States).

Internet Service Provider

A company that provides access to the Internet. By establishing points-of-presence (POPs) containing remote access servers and additional devices, as well as a suite of user software packages, the Internet service provider acts as a commercial Internet on-ramp. Providers typically charge a monthly fee and supply technical support and advice to customers.

Inter-Switching System Interface

Standard interface between SMDS switches.

ISDN User Part

Isochronous Transmission

Asynchronous transmission over a synchronous data link. Isochronous signals require a constant bit rate for reliable transport.

Internet Service Telephony Provider

International Telecommunications Union

A group of representatives from 161 countries headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The ITU publishes recommendations that influence telecom engineers, designers, manufacturers, and service providers around the world.

ITU groups for Radiocommunication

International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector

International body that develops worldwide standards for telecommunications technologies. The ITU-T carries out the functions of the former CCITT.

International Virtual Private Networks

Interactive Voice Response

Term used to describe systems that provide information in the form of recorded messages over telephone lines in response to user input in the form of spoken words or more commonly DTMF signalling. Examples include banks that allow you to check your balance from any telephone and automated stock quote systems.

Interactive Videocommunications Systems

Integrated Virtual Services Node

Inter-Exchange Carrier

Common carrier providing long distance connectivity between LATAs. The three major IXCs are AT&T, MCI, and Sprint, but several hundred IXCs offer long distance service in the United States.