Glossary C-1
v1.1, September 2007
Appendix C
Glossary
Table C-1. Glossary
10BASE-T The IEEE specification for 10 Mbps Ethernet over Category 3, 4, or 5
twisted-pair cable.
100BASE-FX The IEEE specification for 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet over fiber-optic cable.
100BASE-TX The IEEE specification for 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet over Category 5 twisted-
pair cable.
1000BASE-SX The IEEE specification for 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet over fiber-optic
cable.
1000BASE-T The IEEE specification for 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet over Category 5
twisted-pair cable.
Auto-negotiation A feature that allows twisted-pair ports to advertise their capabilities for
speed, duplex mode and flow control. When connected to a port that also
supports auto-negotiation, the link can automatically configure itself to the
optimum setup.
Auto Uplink A feature that allows twisted-pair ports to sense if a normal (MDI-X) or
uplink (MDI) connection is necessary and make the right link. It adjusts for
straight-through or crossover cables.
Backbone The part of a network used as a primary path for transporting traffic between
network segments.
Bandwidth The information capacity, measured in bits per second that a channel could
transmit. Bandwidth examples include 10 Mbps for Ethernet, 100 Mbps for
Fast Ethernet, and 1000 Mbps (I Gbps) for Gigabit Ethernet.
Baud The signaling rate of a line, that is, the number of transitions (voltage or
frequency changes) made per second. Also known as line speed.
Class of Service A term to describe treating different types of traffic with different levels of
service priority. Higher priority traffic gets faster treatment during times of
switch congestion
Collision A term used to describe two colliding packets in an Ethernet network.
Collisions are a part of normal Ethernet operation, but a sudden prolonged
increase in the number of collisions can indicate a problem with a device,
particularly if it is not accompanied by a general increase in traffic.
Endstation A computer, printer, or server that is connected to a network.
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