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• An overview of 802.1X authentication methods and EAP

  Enterprises use 802.1X authentication to manage their wireless LANs, and that process relies on the Extensible Authentication Protocol and its various types. Continue Reading

• CSU/DSU (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit)

  A CSU/DSU (Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit) is a hardware device about the size of a modem. It converts a digital data frame from local area network (LAN) communication technology into a frame appropriate for a wide area network (WAN) and ... Continue Reading

• data streaming

  Data streaming is the continuous transfer of data from one or more sources at a steady, high speed for processing into specific outputs. Continue Reading

• Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF)

  The Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) network management protocol that provides a secure mechanism for installing, manipulating and deleting the configuration data on a network device such as a ... Continue Reading

• geo-blocking

  Geo-blocking is blocking something based on its location. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • What is signal-to-noise ratio and how is it measured?
  • What is the OSI model? The 7 layers of OSI explained
  • What is shielded twisted pair (STP) and how does it work?
  • What is ping and how does it work?

  • What is 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet)?
  • What is DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)?
  • What is Routing Information Protocol (RIP)?
  • What is data center interconnect (DCI)?

  View All Definitions

• RS-232C

  RS-232C is one of the earlier versions of the long-established standard RS-232, which defines a physical interface for relatively low-speed serial data communication between computers and related devices.Continue Reading

• frequency band

  In telecommunications, a frequency band -- sometimes called a band -- refers to a specific range of frequencies in the electromagnetic frequency spectrum assigned to certain applications.Continue Reading

• operational support system (OSS)

  An operational support system (OSS) is a set of programs that helps a communications service provider monitor, control, analyze and manage a telephone or computer network.Continue Reading

• Python interpreter vs. IDE: What network engineers should know

  When using Python for network automation, network engineers often work with interpreters and integrated development environment tools to test modules and debug code.Continue Reading

• mutual exclusion (mutex)

  In computer programming, a mutual exclusion (mutex) is a program object that prevents multiple threads from accessing the same shared resource simultaneously.Continue Reading

• fault management

  Fault management is the component of network management that detects, isolates and fixes problems.Continue Reading

• graceful degradation

  Graceful degradation is the ability of a computer, machine, electronic system or network to maintain limited functionality even when a large portion of it has been destroyed or rendered inoperative.Continue Reading

• 7 characteristics of next-generation networking

  Network modernization has become important for many organizations. Discover which technologies -- such as SASE, AI, automation and more -- can help build next-generation networks.Continue Reading

• Synchronous Optical Network (SONET)

  Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) is a North American standard for synchronous data transmission over optical fibers.Continue Reading

• SDN controller (software-defined networking controller)

  A software-defined networking controller is an application in SDN architecture that manages flow control for improved network management and application performance.Continue Reading

• fax

  A fax -- short for 'facsimile' and sometimes called 'telecopying' -- is the telephonic transmission of scanned-in printed material, including text or images.Continue Reading

• Clos network

  A Clos network is a type of nonblocking, multistage switching network used today in large-scale data center switching fabrics.Continue Reading

• collision in networking

  In a half-duplex Ethernet network, a collision is the result of two devices on the same Ethernet network attempting to transmit data at the same time.Continue Reading

• keystone jack

  A keystone jack is a female connector used in audio, video and data communications. It serves as a receptacle for a matching plug, which is a male connector of the same type as the jack.Continue Reading

• encapsulation (object-orientated programming)

  In object-oriented programming (OOP), encapsulation is the practice of bundling related data into a structured unit, along with the methods used to work with that data.Continue Reading

• baseband

  Baseband in the transmission of communications signals means only one path is available to send and receive digital signals between devices.Continue Reading

• broadband

  Broadband refers to telecommunications in which a wide band of frequencies is available to transmit information.Continue Reading

• fiber to the home (FTTH)

  Fiber to the home (FTTH), also called fiber to the premises (FTTP), is the installation and use of optical fiber from a central point to individual buildings to provide high-speed internet access.Continue Reading

• Manchester encoding

  In data transmission, Manchester encoding is a form of digital encoding in which a data bit's state -- 0 or 1 -- is represented by the transition from one voltage level to another.Continue Reading

• nslookup

  Nslookup is the name of a program that lets users enter a host name and find out the corresponding IP address or domain name system (DNS) record.Continue Reading

• CDN (content delivery network)

  A CDN (content delivery network), also called a content distribution network, is a group of geographically distributed and interconnected servers.Continue Reading

• transport layer

  The transport layer is Layer 4 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communications model. It is responsible for ensuring that the data packets arrive accurately and reliably between sender and receiver.Continue Reading

• session layer

  The session layer is Layer 5 of the OSI communications model. It is the long-lived logical connection that persists between endpoints over time.Continue Reading

• HAProxy

  HAProxy is a high-performance, open source load balancer and reverse proxy for TCP and HTTP applications.Continue Reading

• ACK (acknowledgement)

  In some digital communication protocols, ACK -- short for 'acknowledgement' -- refers to a signal that a device sends to indicate that data has been received successfully.Continue Reading

• network service provider (NSP)

  A network service provider (NSP) is a company that owns, operates and sells access to internet backbone infrastructure and services.Continue Reading

• Self-healing networks goals, benefits and how they work

  With help from automation and AI, self-healing networks promise to detect, remediate and even predict network problems. But can these systems be trusted?Continue Reading

• unshielded twisted pair (UTP)

  Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is a ubiquitous type of copper cabling used in telephone wiring and local area networks (LANs).Continue Reading

• Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)

  Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a switching mechanism used in wide area networks (WANs).Continue Reading

• WAN optimization (WAN acceleration)

  WAN optimization -- also known as WAN acceleration -- is a collection of technologies and techniques used to improve the efficiency of data transfer across a wide area network (WAN) between organizations' centralized data centers and their remote ...Continue Reading

• computer network

  A computer network is a group of interconnected nodes or computing devices that exchange data and resources with each other.Continue Reading

• client-server

  Client-server is a relationship in which one program, the client, requests a service or resource from another program, the server.Continue Reading

• voice over LTE (VoLTE)

  Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is a digital packet technology that uses 4G LTE networks to route voice traffic and transmit data.Continue Reading

• ONOS (Open Network Operating System)

  Open Network Operating System (ONOS) is an OS designed to help network service providers build carrier-grade software-defined networks architected for high scalability, availability and performance.Continue Reading

• How to build an SD-WAN RFP to evaluate vendors

  There are key questions that belong in your SD-WAN request for proposal. Use them to better assess vendor features and capabilities, architecture, cost savings and PoCs.Continue Reading

• How network perimeters secure enterprise networks

  Network perimeters serve as essential network security to block unwanted traffic. Find out how they differ from the network edge and how they help secure enterprise networks.Continue Reading

• telematics

  Telematics is a term that combines the words telecommunications and informatics to describe the use of communications and IT to transmit, store and receive information from devices to remote objects over a network.Continue Reading

• packet filtering

  Packet filtering is the process of passing or blocking data packets at a network interface by a firewall based on source and destination addresses, ports or protocols.Continue Reading

• Configure NIC teaming in Windows Server

  NIC teaming maximizes network bandwidth and provides redundancy benefits. These steps guide users through NIC teaming configuration in Windows Server with GUI and PowerShell.Continue Reading

• WAN (wide area network)

  A wide area network (WAN) is a geographically distributed private telecommunications network that interconnects multiple local area networks (LANs).Continue Reading

• White box networking use cases and how to get started

  Rising cloud costs have prompted organizations to consider white box switches to lower costs and simplify network management. Here's what to know about white box networking.Continue Reading

• network operating system (NOS)

  A network operating system (NOS) is a computer operating system (OS) that's designed primarily to support workstations, PCs and, in some instances, older terminals that are connected on a local area network (LAN).Continue Reading

• SD-branch

  SD-branch is a single, automated, centrally managed software-centric platform that replaces or supplements an existing branch network architecture.Continue Reading

• network protocol

  A network protocol is a set of established rules that specify how to format, send and receive data so that computer network endpoints, including computers, servers, routers and virtual machines, can communicate despite differences in their ...Continue Reading

• physical layer

  The physical layer is the first and lowest layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communications model.Continue Reading

• network switch

  A network switch connects devices in a network to each other, enabling them to talk by exchanging data packets. Switches can be hardware devices that manage physical networks or software-based virtual devices.Continue Reading

• virtual server

  A virtual server, also known as a virtual machine (VM), is a partitioned space inside a real server and is transparent to users, replicating the functionality of a dedicated physical server.Continue Reading

• 9 practice questions on twisted-pair network cables

  Take this practice quiz on twisted-pair cables, sampled from 'Networking Essentials: A CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Textbook,' to test your understanding for the certification exam.Continue Reading

• An introduction to twisted-pair cable wiring

  This excerpt from 'Networking Essentials: A CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Textbook' provides an overview of twisted-pair network cables and acts as a study tool for the exam.Continue Reading

• coaxial cable

  Coaxial cable is a type of copper cable specially built with a metal shield and other components engineered to block signal interference.Continue Reading

• megahertz (MHz)

  Megahertz (MHz) is a unit multiplier that represents one million hertz (106 Hz). Hertz is the standard unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI).Continue Reading

• IEEE 802 wireless standards

  IEEE 802 is a collection of networking standards that cover the physical and data link layer specifications for technologies such as Ethernet and wireless.Continue Reading

• gigabit (Gb)

  In data communications, a gigabit (Gb) is 1 billion bits, or 1,000,000,000 (that is, 10^9) bits. It's commonly used for measuring the amount of data that is transferred in a second between two telecommunication points.Continue Reading

• ingress filtering

  Ingress filtering is a method used by enterprises and internet service providers to prevent suspicious traffic from entering a network.Continue Reading

• multi-user MIMO

  Multi-user MIMO, or MU-MIMO, is a wireless communication technology that uses multiple antennas to improve communication by creating multiple connections to the same device at the same time.Continue Reading

• bogon

  A bogon is an illegitimate Internet Protocol address that falls into a set of IP addresses that have not been officially assigned to an entity by an internet registration institute, such as the IANA.Continue Reading

• network management system

  A network management system, or NMS, is an application or set of applications that lets network engineers manage a network's independent components inside a bigger network management framework and performs several key functions.Continue Reading

• host (in computing)

  A host is a computer or other device that communicates with other hosts on a network.Continue Reading

• Network as a Service (NaaS)

  Network as a service, or NaaS, is a business model for delivering enterprise WAN services virtually on a subscription basis.Continue Reading

• presentation layer

  The presentation layer resides at Layer 6 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communications model and ensures that communications that pass through it are in the appropriate form for the recipient application.Continue Reading

• campus network

  A campus network is a proprietary local area network (LAN) or set of interconnected LANs serving a corporation, government agency, university or similar organization.Continue Reading

• point-of-presence (POP)

  A point-of-presence (POP) is a point or physical location where two or more networks or communication devices build a connection from one place to the rest of the internet.Continue Reading

• green networking

  Green networking is the practice of selecting energy-efficient networking technologies and products and minimizing resource use whenever possible.Continue Reading

• attenuation

  Attenuation is a general term that refers to any reduction in the strength of a signal.Continue Reading

• cloud radio access network (C-RAN)

  Cloud radio access network (C-RAN) is a centralized, cloud computing-based architecture for radio access networks.Continue Reading

• load balancing

  Load balancing is a technique used to distribute network traffic across a pool of servers known as a server farm.Continue Reading

• NOC vs. data center: What's the difference?

  Network operations centers and data centers are two facilities organizations use to store IT devices and manage operations. But they differ significantly in terms of purpose and operations.Continue Reading

• How to use Nmap to scan a network for documentation

  Nmap might be more common for security tasks, but it's also useful for network documentation and inventory. Follow these best practices to make the most of Nmap scan results.Continue Reading

• How to set up a business Wi-Fi network

  A Wi-Fi network is a business necessity, but setting it up takes skill and effective troubleshooting. Learn how to make Wi-Fi work and keep it running smoothly.Continue Reading

• Wireless security: WEP, WPA, WPA2 and WPA3 differences

  As wireless networks have evolved, so have the protocols for securing them. Get an overview of WLAN security standards, and learn the differences among WEP, WPA, WPA2 and WPA3.Continue Reading

• routing table

  A routing table is a set of rules, often viewed in table format, that's used to determine where data packets traveling over an Internet Protocol (IP) network will be directed.Continue Reading

• How to set up backup internet connections for home offices

  Reliable connectivity and secure access are must-haves for employees working from home. Here are ideas to consider when designing backup internet connections for home offices.Continue Reading

• control plane (CP)

  The control plane is the part of a network that carries signaling traffic and is responsible for network routing.Continue Reading

• 3 types of wireless site surveys and how to conduct them

  Network teams can avoid signal coverage issues by performing different wireless site surveys as they evaluate new spaces, set up sites and operate the network.Continue Reading

• What is the difference between WLAN and Wi-Fi?

  Although the terms WLAN and Wi-Fi are used interchangeably, the two wireless technologies differ. Wireless LAN uses radio technology to connect nodes, while Wi-Fi is a type of WLAN.Continue Reading

• IPv4 vs. IPv6: What's the difference?

  IPv4 and IPv6 are two forms of IP addresses, but they differ in length and style. Compare the two, and find out why organizations might implement one over the other.Continue Reading

• CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service)

  Citizens Broadband Radio Service, or CBRS, is the set of operational rules given to a slice of the shared wireless spectrum and the technologies used in that spectrum.Continue Reading

• Wireless access point vs. router: What's the difference?

  The choice of a wireless access point vs. a router for wireless network connectivity depends on the physical size of the network, needs of the organization and the number of users.Continue Reading

• CBRS vs. Wi-Fi: What's the difference?

  Citizens Broadband Radio Service enables private LTE networks and supports enterprise WAN deployments. But that doesn't mean Wi-Fi is going away anytime soon.Continue Reading

• VPN vs. zero trust vs. SDP: What's the difference?

  For strong network security, many vendors say VPNs don't cut it anymore. Enter the zero-trust security model and SDPs.Continue Reading

• Wi-Fi 7

  Wi-Fi 7 is the pending 802.11be standard under development by IEEE.Continue Reading

• What is zero-trust network access? ZTNA basics explained

  Zero-trust network access is touted as the solution to replace the VPN. As the potential future of network security, learn more about ZTNA, including its benefits and challenges.Continue Reading

• network security

  Network security encompasses all the steps taken to protect the integrity of a computer network and the data within it.Continue Reading

• How to build a zero-trust network in 4 steps

  While network teams are responsible for deploying the elements of a zero-trust network, security teams should also be involved in developing the overall zero-trust framework.Continue Reading

• Wi-Fi 6E

  Wi-Fi 6E is one variant of the 802.11ax standard.Continue Reading

• microsegmentation

  Microsegmentation is a security technique that splits a network into definable zones and uses policies to dictate how data and applications within those zones can be accessed and controlled.Continue Reading

• Tips to prepare for a network disaster recovery audit

  Enterprises can audit their network disaster recovery plans to ensure thorough protection and preparation. Consider factors like documentation, management support and audit type.Continue Reading

• Network bandwidth vs. throughput: What's the difference?

  Bandwidth and throughput both indicate network performance. The terms are often used together, but bandwidth refers to capacity, while throughput details how much data actually transmits.Continue Reading

• How does SD-access work?

  SD-access is a combination of two elements: SDN and the access edge. The result is a network with a centralized management system and improved security policies.Continue Reading

• VXLAN vs. VLAN: What's the difference?

  VLANs offer security and traffic management benefits but have limitations in routing and scale. VXLANs address those challenges by creating a Layer 3 network overlay.Continue Reading

• Understanding the FTP PORT command

  FTP uses control and data channels, each using a separate TCP port. Port 21 is for the control channel, and port 20 is for the data channel. Learn how these two channels are used.Continue Reading

• What an AI-driven network looks like

  Log analysis and wireless management are common AI use cases in networking. Future applications could include chatbot alerts, digital experience monitoring and traffic engineering.Continue Reading

• Best practices for DIY network automation

  Many network pros write their own automation scripts. These best practices help teams implement coding and tool set standardization, proper change management and immutability.Continue Reading

• BGP vs. EIGRP: What's the difference?

  BGP is an exterior gateway protocol optimized for routing between large networks. EIGRP is an interior gateway protocol that is well suited for routing within smaller networks.Continue Reading

• A guide to distributed network architectures

  Distributed network architectures have become popular because of their adaptability, reliability and scalability. But every new technology also has its challenges.Continue Reading