Glossary - 6
FORE Systems ES-2810 Ethernet Switch User's Manual
Glossary
Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN) - a common digital network suitable
for voice, video, and high-speed data services running at rates beginning at 155 Mbps.
Broadband ISDN User’s Part (B-ISUP) - A protocol used to establish, maintain and release
broadband switched network connections across an SS7/ATM network.
Broadband Terminal Equipment (B-TE) - An equipment category for B-ISDN which includes
terminal adapters and terminals.
Broadcast - Data transmission to all addresses or functions.
Broadcast and Unknown Server (BUS) - in an emulated LAN, the BUS is responsible for accept-
ing broadcast, multicast, and unknown unicast packets from the LECs to the broadcast MAC
address (FFFFFFFFFFFF) via dedicated point-to-point connections, and forwarding the pack-
ets to all of the members of the ELAN using a single point-to-multipoint connection.
Brouter (bridging/router) - a device that routes some protocols and bridges others based on con-
figuration information.
Buffer - A data storage medium used to compensate of a difference in rate of data flow or time
of occurrence of events when transmitting data from one device to another.
Building Integrated Timing Supply (BITS) - a master timing supply for an entire building, which
is a master clock and its ancillary equipment. The BITS supplies DS1 and/or composite clock
timing references for synchronization to all other clocks and timing sources in that building.
Bursty Errored Seconds (BES) - a BES contains more than 1 and fewer than 320 path coding
violation error events, and no severely errored frame or AIS defects. Controlled slips are not
included in determining BESs.
Bursty Second - a second during which there were at least the set number of BES threshold
event errors but fewer than the set number of SES threshold event errors.
Byte - A computer-readable group of bits (normally 8 bits in length).
Call - an association between two or more users or between a user and a network entity that is
established by the use of network capabilities. This association may have zero or more connec-
tions.
Carrier - a company, such as any of the “baby Bell” companies, that provide network commu-
nications services, either within a local area or between local areas.
Carrier Group Alarm (CGA) - A service alarm generated by a channel bank when an out-of-
frame (OOF) condition exists for some predetermined length of time (generally 300 millisec-
onds to 2.5 seconds). The alarm causes the calls using a trunk to be dropped and trunk condi-
tioning to be applied.
Carrier Identification Parameter (CIP) - A 3 or 4 digit code in the initial address message identi-
fying the carrier to be used for the connection.
cchan - a FORE program that manages virtual channels on a ForeRunner switch running asxd.