FORE Systems ES-2810 Ethernet Switch User's Manual
Glossary - 27
Glossary
Glossary
Point-to-Multipoint Connection - a collection of associated ATM VC or VP links, with associated
endpoint nodes, with the following properties:
1. One ATM link, called the Root Link, serves as the root in a simple tree topology. When the
Root node sends information, all of the remaining nodes on the connection, called Leaf
nodes, receive copies of the information.
2. Each of the Leaf Nodes on the connection can send information directly to the Root Node.
The Root Node cannot distinguish which Leaf is sending information without additional
(higher layer) information. (See the following note for Phase 1.)
3. The Leaf Nodes cannot communicate directly to each other with this connection type.
Note: Phase 1 signalling does not support traffic sent from a Leaf to the Root.
Point-to-Point Connection - a connection with only two endpoints.
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) - Provides a method for transmitting packets over serial point-to-
point links.
Policing - the function that ensures that a network device does not accept traffic that exceeds
the configured bandwidth of a connection.
Port Identifier - The identifier assigned by a logical node to represent the point of attachment of
a link to that node.
Presentation Layer - Sixth layer of the OSI model, providing services to the application layer.
Primary Reference Source (PRS) - Equipment that provides a timing signal whose long-term
accuracy is maintained at 1 x 10 -11 or better with verification to universal coordinated time
(UTC) and whose timing signal is used as the basis of reference for the control of other clocks
within a network.
Primitive - an abstract, implementation-independent interaction between a layer service user
and a layer service provider.
Priority - the parameter of ATM connections that determines the order in which they are
reduced from the peak cell rate to the sustained cell rate in times of congestion. Connections
with lower priority (4 is low, 1 is high) are reduced first.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX) - a private phone system (switch) that connects to the public
telephone network and offers in-house connectivity. To reach an outside line, the user must
dial a digit like 8 or 9.
Private Network Node Interface or Private Network-to-Network Interface (PNNI) - a protocol that
defines the interaction of private ATM switches or groups of private ATM switches
Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM) - a chip-based information storage area that can be
recorded by an operator but erased only through a physical process.
Protocol - a set of rules and formats (semantic and syntactic) that determines the communica-
tion behavior of layer entities in the performance of the layer functions.
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