IBM Token-Ring PCI Family Adapter User's Guide

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

This glossary defines terms and abbreviations used in this manual. It includes terms and definitions from the IBM Dictionary of Computing (New York; McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1994).

The following cross-references are used in this glossary:

Contrast with. This refers to a term that has an opposed or substantively different meaning.

See. This refers the reader to multiple-word terms in which this term appears.

See also. This refers the reader to terms that have a related, but not synonymous, meaning.

Synonym for. This indicates that the term has the same meaning as a preferred term, which is defined in the glossary.

A

access priority
The maximum priority that a token can have for the adapter to use it for transmission.

adapter address
Twelve hexadecimal digits that identify a LAN adapter.

address
(1) In data communication, the IEEE-assigned unique code or the unique locally administered code assigned to each device or workstation connected to a network.
(2) A character, group of characters, or a value that identifies a register, a particular part of storage, a data source, or a data sink. The value is represented by one or more characters.
(3) To refer to a device or an item of data by its address.
(4) The location in the storage of a computer where data is stored.
(5) In word processing, the location, identified by the address code, of a specific section of the recording medium or storage.

APAR
Authorized program analysis report.

ARP
Address Resolution Protocol.

attach
To make a device a part of a network logically.
Note:

Not to be confused with connect, which implies physically connecting a device to a network.

attaching device
Any device that is physically connected to a network and can communicate over the network.

auto-removal
The removal of a device from data-passing activity without human intervention. This action is accomplished by the adapter in the device, and can be initiated by a network management program.

available memory
In a personal computer, the number of bytes of memory that can be used after memory requirements for the operating system, device drivers, and other application programs have been satisfied.

B

beaconing
An error-indicating function of token-ring adapters that assists in locating a problem causing a hard error on a token-ring network.

BIA
Burned-In Address. The address of a LAN adapter card, burned into the card and unique to the card.

BIOS
Basic Input/Output Services. See also NetBIOS.

block size
(1) The minimum size that frames are grouped into for retransmission.
(2) The number of data elements (such as bits, bytes, characters, or records) that are recorded or transmitted as a unit.

buffer
(1) A portion of storage used to hold input or output data temporarily.
(2) A routine or storage used to compensate for a difference in data rate or time of occurrence of events, when transferring data from one device to another.

bus
(1) In a processor, a physical facility on which data is transferred to all destinations, but from which only addressed destinations may read in accordance with appropriate conventions.
(2) A network configuration in which nodes are interconnected through a bidirectional transmission medium.
(3) One or more conductors used for transmitting signals or power.

C

CPU
Central processing unit.

CRC
See cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

CSD
corrective service diskette.

cable segment
A section of cable between components or devices on a network. A segment may consist of a single patch cable, multiple patch cables connected together, or a combination of building cable and patch cables connected together. See LAN segment, ring segment.

computer architecture
The organizational structure of a computer system, including hardware and software.

configuration
(1) The arrangement of a computer system or network as defined by the nature, number, and chief characteristics of its functional units. More specifically, the term may refer to a hardware configuration or a software configuration.
(2) The devices and programs that make up a system, subsystem, or network. See also system configuration.

connect
In a LAN, to physically join a cable from a station to an access unit or network connection point. Contrast with attach.

control block
(1) A storage area used by a computer program to hold control information.
(2) In the IBM Token-Ring Network, a specifically formatted block of information provided from the application program to the Adapter Support Interface to request an operation.

cyclic redundancy check (CRC)
Synonym for frame check sequence (FCS).

D

data rate
See data transfer rate, line data rate.

data transfer rate
The average number of bits, characters, or blocks per unit of time passing between equipment in a data-transmission session. The rate is expressed in bits, characters, or blocks per second, minute, or hour.

default
Pertaining to an attribute, value, or option that is assumed when none is explicitly specified.

default value
A value assumed when no value has been specified.

device driver
The code needed to attach and use a device on a computer or a network.

diagnostics
Modules or tests used by computer users and service personnel to diagnose hardware problems.

DLS
DOS LAN Services

DOS
See IBM Personal Computer Disk Operating System (DOS).

duplex
In data communication, pertaining to a simultaneous two-way independent transmission in both directions. Synonymous with full-duplex. Contrast with half-duplex.

E

EISA
Extended Industry Standard Architecture.

enabled
(1) On a LAN, pertaining to an adapter or device that is active, operational, and able to receive frames from the network.
(2) Pertaining to a state of a processing unit that allows the occurrence of certain types of interruptions.
(3) Pertaining to the state in which a transmission control unit or an audio response unit can accept incoming calls on a line.

F

FCS
See frame check sequence (FCS)

frame
(1) The unit of transmission in some LANs, including the IBM Token-Ring Network and the IBM PC Network. It includes delimiters, control characters, information, and checking characters. On a token-ring network, a frame is created from a token when the token has data appended to it. On a token bus network (IBM PC Network), all frames including the token frame contain a preamble, start delimiter, control address, optional data and checking characters, end delimiter, and are followed by a minimum silence period.
(2) A housing for machine elements.
(3) In synchronous data link control (SDLC), the vehicle for every command, every response, and all information that is transmitted using SDLC procedures. Each frame begins and ends with a flag.

frame check sequence (FCS)
(1) A system of error checking performed at both the sending and receiving station after a block check character has been accumulated.
(2) A numeric value derived from the bits in a message that is used to check for any bit errors in transmission.
(3) A redundancy check in which the check key is generated by a cyclic algorithm. Synonymous with cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

FTP
File Transfer Protocol.

full-duplex
Synonym for duplex.

G

group address
In a LAN, a locally administered address assigned to two or more adapters to allow the adapters to copy the same frame. Contrast locally administered address with universally administered address.

H

half-duplex
In data communication, pertaining to transmission in only one direction at a time. Contrast with duplex.

hard error
An error condition on a network that requires that the source of the error be removed or that the network be reconfigured before the network can resume reliable operation. See also beaconing. Contrast with soft error.

I

IBM Personal Computer Disk Operating System (DOS)
A disk operating system based on MS-DOS.

IDE
Integrated drive electronics.

IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

IEEE 802.2
Data Link protocol standard for use with IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), 802.4 (Token Bus), and 802.5 (Token Ring) standards.

initialize
In a LAN, to prepare the adapter (and adapter support code, if used) for use by an application program.

insert
To make an attaching device an active part of a LAN.

interrupt
(1) A suspension of a process, such as execution of a computer program, caused by an external event and performed in such a way that the process can be resumed.
(2) To stop a process in such a way that it can be resumed.
(3) In data communication, to take an action at a receiving station that causes the sending station to end a transmission.
(4) A means of passing processing control from one software or microcode module or routine to another, or of requesting a particular software, microcode, or hardware function.

interrupt level
The means of identifying the source of an interrupt, the function requested by an interrupt, or the code or feature that provides a function or service.

I/O
Input/output.

IP
Internet Protocol.

IPX
(1) Internet Packet Exchange.
(2) Internetwork Packet Exchange.

ISA
Industry Standard Architecture.

K

KB
(1) For processor storage and real and virtual memory, 1024 bytes.
(2) For disk storage capacity and transmission rates, 1000 bytes.

L

LAN
See local area network (LAN).

LANAID
LAN Adapter Installation and Diagnostic program. A LAN adapter installation and configuration program used in environments that do not support Plug and Play.

LAN Client
IBM LAN adapter environment that minimizes the amount of DOS conventional memory (below 1 MB) used by drivers and protocol stacks.

LAN segment
(1) Any portion of a LAN (for example, a single bus or ring) that can operate independently but is connected to other parts of the establishment network via bridges.
(2) An entire ring or bus network without bridges. See cable segment, ring segment.

LAPS
LAN Adapter and Protocol Support.

LED
Light-emitting diode.

line data rate
The rate of data transmission over a telecommunications link.

link
(1) The logical connection between nodes including the end-to-end link control procedures.
(2) The combination of physical media, protocols, and programming that connects devices on a network.
(3) In computer programming, the part of a program, in some cases a single instruction or an address, that passes control and parameters between separate portions of the computer program.
(4) To interconnect items of data or portions of one or more computer programs.
(5) In SNA, the combination of the link connection and link stations joining network nodes.

LLC
Logical link control.

local area network (LAN)
A computer network located on a user's premises within a limited geographical area.
subject to external regulations; however, communication across the LAN boundary may be subject to some form of regulation.

locally administered address
An adapter address that the user can assign to override the universally administered address. Contrast with universally administered address.

LSB
Least significant bit.

LSL
Link support layer.

M

Mbps
Megabits per second.

MBps
Megabytes per second.

medium
A physical carrier of electrical or optical energy.

media access control (MAC) protocol
In a local area network, the part of the protocol that governs communication on the transmission medium without concern for the physical characteristics of the medium, but taking into account the topological aspects of the network, in order to enable the exchange of data between data stations.

MHz
Megahertz.

MPTS
Multiple Protocol Transport Services.

MSB
Most significant bit.

N

NDIS
Network driver interface specification.

NetBIOS
Network Basic Input/Output System. An operating system interface for application programs used on IBM personal computers that are attached to the IBM Token-Ring Network. See also BIOS.

NLM
NetWare loadable module.

network administrator
A person who manages the use and maintenance of a network.

network architecture
The logical structure and operating principles of a computer network. See also systems network architecture (SNA) and Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) architecture.
Note:

The operating principles of a network include those of services, functions, and protocols.

node
(1) Any device, attached to a network, that transmits and/or receives data.
(2) An endpoint of a link, or a junction common to two or more links in a network.
(3) In a network, a point where one or more functional units interconnect transmission lines.

node address
The address of an adapter on a LAN.

O

OEM
Original equipment manufacturer.

open
(1) To make an adapter ready for use.
(2) A break in an electrical circuit.
(3) To make a file ready for use.

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)
(1) The interconnection of open systems in accordance with specific ISO standards.
(2) The use of standardized procedures to enable the interconnection of data processing systems.
Note:

OSI architecture establishes a framework for coordinating the development of current and future standards for the interconnection of computer systems. Network functions are divided into seven layers. Each layer represents a group of related data processing and communication functions that can be carried out in a standard way to support different applications.

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) architecture
Network architecture that adheres to a particular set of ISO standards that relates to Open Systems Interconnection.

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model
A model that represents the hierarchical arrangement of the seven layers described by the Open Systems Interconnection architecture.

option
(1) A specification in a statement, a selection from a menu, or a setting of a switch, that may be used to influence the execution of a program.
(2) A hardware or software function that may be selected or enabled as part of a configuration process.
(3) A piece of hardware (such as a network adapter) that can be installed in a device to modify or enhance device function.

P

packet
(1) In data communication, a sequence of binary digits, including data and control signals, that is transmitted and switched as a composite whole.
(2) Synonymous with data frame. Contrast with frame.

parameter
(1) A variable that is given a constant value for a specified application and that may denote the application.
(2) An item in a menu or for which the user specifies a value or for which the system provides a value when the menu is interpreted.
(3) Data passed between programs or procedures.

path
(1) In a network, any route between any two nodes.
(2) The route traversed by the information exchanged between two attaching devices in a network.
(3) A command in IBM Personal Computer Disk Operating System (PC DOS) and IBM Operating System/2 (OS/2) that specifies directories to be searched for commands or batch files that are not found by a search of the current directory.

PC
Personal computer.

PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect.

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
The PCI Local Bus is a high performance 32-bit or 64-bit bus. It is intended for use as an interconnect mechanism between highly integrated peripheral controller components, peripheral add-in boards, and processor/memory systems.

power-on self-test (POST)
A series of diagnostic tests that are run automatically each time the computer's power is turned on.

protocol
(1) A set of semantic and syntactic rules that determines the behavior of functional units in achieving communication.
(2) In SNA, the meanings of and the sequencing rules for requests and responses used for managing the network, transferring data, and synchronizing the states of network components.
(3) A specification for the format and relative timing of information exchanged between communicating parties.

R

RAM
Random access memory. (A)

RARP
Reverse Address Resolution Protocol.

register
(1) A storage area in a computer's memory where specific data is stored.
(2) A storage device having a specified storage capacity such as bit, byte, or computer word, and usually intended for a special purpose.

remove
(1) To take an attaching device off a network.
(2) To stop an adapter from participating in data passing on a network.

ring segment
A ring segment is any section of a ring that can be isolated (by unplugging connectors) from the rest of the ring. A segment can consist of a single lobe, the cable between access units, or a combination of cables, lobes, and/or access units. See cable segment, LAN segment.

ROM
Read only memory. (A)

S

SCSI
Small computer system interface.

segment
See cable segment, LAN segment, ring segment.

shielded twisted pair
A transmission medium of two twisted conductors with a foil or braid shell.

SMP
System Modification Program

soft error
An intermittent error on a network that causes data to have to be transmitted more than once to be received. A soft error affects the network's performance but does not, by itself, affect the network's overall reliability. If the number of soft errors becomes excessive, reliability is affected. Contrast with hard error.

station
(1) A communication device attached to a network. The term used most often in LANs is an attaching device or workstation.
(2) An input or output point of a system that uses telecommunication facilities; for example, one or more systems, computers, terminals, devices, and associated programs at a particular location that can send or receive data over a telecommunication line. See also attaching device, workstation.

STP
See shielded twisted pair.

system
In data processing, a collection of people, machines, and methods organized to accomplish a set of specific functions.

Systems Application Architecture (SAA)
An architecture developed by IBM that consists of a set of selected software interfaces, conventions, and protocols, and that serves as a common framework for application development, portability, and use across different IBM hardware systems.

Systems Network Architecture (SNA)
The description of the logical structure, formats, protocols, and operational sequences for transmitting information units through, and controlling the configuration and operation of, networks.
Note:The layered structure of SNA allows the ultimate origins and destinations of information, that is, the end users, to be independent of and unaffected by the specific SNA network services and facilities used for information exchange.

T

TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A set of communication protocols that support peer-to-peer connectivity functions for both local and wide area networks.

telephone twisted pair
One or more twisted pairs of copper wire in the unshielded voice-grade cable commonly used to connect a telephone to its wall jack. Also referred to as "unshielded twisted pair" (UTP).

threshold
(1) A level, point, or value above which something is true or will take place and below which it is not true or will not take place.
(2) In IBM bridge programs, a value set for the maximum number of frames that are not forwarded across a bridge due to errors, before a "threshold exceeded" occurrence is counted and indicated to network management programs.
(3) An initial value from which a counter is decremented to zero, or a value to which a counter is incremented or decremented from an initial value. When the counter reaches zero or the threshold value, a decision is made and/or an event occurs.

token
A sequence of bits passed from one device to another on the token-ring network that signifies permission to transmit over the network. It consists of a starting delimiter, an access control field, and an end delimiter. The access control field contains a bit that indicates to a receiving device that the token is ready to accept information. If a device has data to send along the network, it appends the data to the token. When data is appended, the token then becomes a frame. See frame.

Token Ring
A network with a ring topology that passes tokens from one attaching device (node) to another. A node that is ready to send can capture a token and insert data for transmission.

Token-Ring network
(1) A ring network that allows unidirectional data transmission between data stations by a token-passing procedure over one transmission medium so that the transmitted data returns to and is removed by the transmitting station. The IBM Token-Ring Network is a baseband LAN with a star-wired ring topology that passes tokens from network adapter to network adapter.
(2) A network that uses a ring topology, in which tokens are passed in a sequence from node to node. A node that is ready to send can capture the token and insert data for transmission.
(3) A group of interconnected token rings.

twisted pair
A transmission medium that consists of two insulated conductors twisted together to reduce noise.

U

universally administered address
The address permanently encoded in an adapter at the time of manufacture. All universally administered addresses are unique. Contrast with locally administered address.

unshielded twisted pair (UTP)
See telephone twisted pair.

UTP
See unshielded twisted pair (UTP) See also telephone twisted pair.

W

W
Watt.

wire fault
An error condition caused by a break or a short circuit in the cable segment that connects the adapter port to its access unit.

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