A method of storing machine, server, and user configuration within Windows 2000 that supports full data replication so that every domain controller has a copy of the data. This is essentially a special purpose database that contains information formatted according to a specific schema. Active Directory is designed to make Windows 2000 more reliable and secure while reducing the work required by both the developer and network administrator for application support and distribution. The user benefits as well because Active Directory fully supports roving users and maintains a full record of user information, which reduces the effects of local workstation downtime.

A special type of scripting language used by Windows servers equipped with Internet Information Server (IIS). This specialized scripting language allows the programmer to create flexible Web server scripts. The use of variables and other features, such as access to server variables, allows a programmer to create scripts that can compensate for user and environmental needs, as well as security concerns. ASP uses HTML to display content to the user.

A standard method of equating the numeric representations available in a computer to human-readable form. The number 32 represents a space, for example. The standard ASCII code contains 128 characters (7 bits). The extended ASCII code uses 8 bits for 256 characters. Display adapters from the same machine type usually use the same upper 128 characters. Printers, however, might reserve these upper 128 characters for nonstandard characters. Many Epson printers use them for the italic representations of the lower 128 characters, however.

See Application Programming Interface.

The complete program or group of programs. An application is a complete environment for performing one or more related tasks.

A method of defining a standard set of function calls and other interface elements. It usually defines the interface between a high-level language and the lower level elements used by a device driver or operating system. The ultimate goal is to provide some type of service to an application that requires access to the operating system or device feature set.

A value you pass to a procedure or function. The procedure or function recognizes the value by using the Parameters command to retrieve it.

See American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

See Active Server Page.

A measure of the amount of data that a device can transfer in a given time.

See Bulletin Board System.

A method used to store worksheets and graphic files. Although you can use the DOS TYPE command to send these files to the display, the contents of the file remain unreadable. Other binary files include programs with extensions of EXE or COM.

The set of files used to store network-specific configuration information on a network. These files contain user data, security information, and other network configuration data. You can’t start the file server without this information. Corruption of any of these files might prevent the network from starting properly.

A statistical method of scanning an individual’s unique characteristics, normally body parts, to ensure that they’re who they say they are. Some of the scanned elements include voiceprints, irises, fingerprints, hands, and facial features. The two most popular elements are irises and fingerprints because they’re the two that most people are familiar with. The advantages of using biometrics are obvious. Not only can’t the user lose their identifying information (at least not very easily), but also, with proper scanning techniques, the identifying information can’t be compromised either.

Standard bitmap graphics data format. This is a raster graphic data format that doesn’t include any form of compression. OS/2 can also use this data format to hold graphics of various types.

A special application interface element designed to show the user an overview of a database or other storage media (for example, the thumbnail sketches presented by some graphics applications). Think of the browse as the table of contents for the rest of the storage area. A browse normally contains partial views of several data storage elements (records or picture thumbnails, in most cases) that a user can then zoom in on to see in their entirety. A browse form normally contains scroll bars or other high-speed interface elements to make it easier for the user to move from one section of the overall storage media to the next.

A special application normally used to display data downloaded from the Internet. The most common form of Internet data is the HTML (hypertext markup language) page. However, modern browsers can also directly display various types of graphics and even standard desktop application files, such as Word for Windows documents. The actual capabilities provided by a browser vary widely depending on the software vendor and platform.

A form of electronic message center that relies on a dial-up connection. BBSs normally provide services for special interest groups or software and hardware vendors. The BBS server allows reading and upload of messages, as well as download of software and text.

A term that refers to the smallest storage elements in a cache (an area of RAM devoted to storing commonly used pieces of information normally stored on the hard drive). Think of each buffer as a box that can store a single piece of information. The more buffers (boxes) you have, the greater the storage capacity of the cache.

See Compact Disk Read-Only Memory.

See Compact Disk-Rewriteable.

One of several authentication protocols used with Windows.

See Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol.

The recipient of data, services, or resources from a file or other server. This term can refer to a workstation or an application. The server can be another PC or an application.

A special applet Windows NT adds to the Control Panel when you install NetWare support. The applet allows you to configure the NetWare connection.

See Component Object Model.

The default printing system used on a SAMBA server.

A device used to store up to 650MB of permanent data. You can’t use a CD-ROM the same way as a hard or floppy disk because you can’t write to it. The disks look much like audio CDs but require a special drive to interface it with a computer.

A form of CD-ROM drive that allows both reading and writing. In addition to standard CD-ROM disks, this drive will accept CD-R and CD-RW disks. You can only write to a CD-R disk one time. A CD-RW disk allows multiple rewrites and functions similarly to a hard drive or floppy disk.

A Microsoft specification for an object-oriented code and data encapsulation method and transference technique. It’s the basis for technologies such as OLE (object linking and embedding) and ActiveX (the replacement name for OCXs, an object-oriented code library technology). COM is limited to local connections. DCOM (distributed component object model) is the technology used to allow data transfers and the use of OCXs within the Internet environment.

A type of connection supported by older remote servers. CSLIP works much like a SLIP connection, except it also adds file compression. Windows NT provides support for remote network connections as a client. It doesn’t provide this support as a server.

A measure of the interactions between clients and servers. In many cases, connectivity begins with the local machine and the interactions between applications and components. Local area networks (LANs) introduce another level of connectivity with machine-to-machine communications. Finally, wide area networks (WANs), metro area networks (MANs), intranets, and the Internet all introduce further levels of connectivity concerns.

The generic term for a workstation used to monitor server status information. In most cases, the workstation and server are the same device. Most people associate consoles with a character mode interface, but this isn’t a requirement.

One or more special files used by an Internet browser to store site-specific settings or other information specific to Web pages. The purpose of this file is to store the value of one or more variables so that the Web page can restore them the next time the user visits a site. A Webmaster always saves and restores the cookie as part of some Web page-programming task using a programming language, such as JavaScript, Java, VBScript or CGI. In most cases, this is the only file that a Webmaster can access on the client site’s hard drive. The cookie could appear in one or more files anywhere on the hard drive, depending on the browser currently in use. Microsoft Internet Explorer uses one file for each site storing a cookie and places them in the Cookies folder that normally appears under the main Windows directory. Netscape Navigator uses a single file named COOKIE.TXT to store all of the cookies from all sites. This file normally appears in the main Navigator folder.

A hacker (computer expert) who uses his skills for misdeeds on computer systems where he has little or no authorized access. A cracker normally possesses specialty software that allows easier access to the target network. In most cases, crackers require extensive amounts of time to break the security for a system before they can enter it.

See Compressed Serial Line Internet Protocol.

See Client Services for NetWare.

See Common Unix Printing System.

A name assigned to an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) connection. Applications use the DSN to make the connection to the database and gain access to specific database resources, such as tables. The DSN always contains the name of the database server, the database, and (optionally) a resource, such as a query or table. OLE-DB connections may also use a DSN.

See Distributed Component Object Model.

See Dynamic Data Exchange.

A type of Web-based attack crackers perpetrate against companies. The cracker attempts to flood company routers with useless requests in order to cause the router to crash or make it unavailable for legitimate requests. The attack often depends on servers from other companies (known as zombies) that the cracker has entered and taken over. These other servers all generate random messages with improper content in an attempt to overload the target systems. Recent DoS attacks also rely on viruses created by the cracker that install the zombie program on the host computer. For example, the Code Red virus uses this technique in order to commit a DoS attack on the U.S. Government (specifically, the White House).

A method of representing graphics information that doesn’t reflect a particular device’s requirements. This has the advantage of allowing the same graphic to appear on any device in precisely the same way, despite differences in resolution or other factors that normally change the graphic’s appearance.

See Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

See Device-Independent Bitmap.

A high capacity optical storage media with capacities of 4.7GB to 17GB and data transfer rates of 600Kbps to 1.3Gbps. A single DVD can hold the contents of an entire movie or approximate 7.4 CD-ROMs. DVDs come in several formats that allow read-only or read-write access. All DVD drives include a second laser assembly used to read existing CD-ROMs. Some magazines will also use the term digital versatile disk for this storage media.

The underlying software used by many PCs to provide basic system services and to allow the user to run application software. The operating system performs many low-level tasks through the basic input/output system (BIOS). The revision number determines the specifics of the services that DOS offers; check your user manual for details.

The advanced form of the component object model (COM) used by the Internet. This particular format enables data transfers across the Internet or other non-local sources. It adds the capability to perform asynchronous, as well as synchronous, data transfers, which prevents the client application from becoming blocked as it waits for the server to respond. See COM for more details.

See Dynamic Link Library.

See Domain Name System.

An Internet technology that allows a user to refer to a host computer by name rather than using its unique IP address.

See Denial of Service.

See Disk Operating System.

See Data Source Name.

Putting more than one operating system on the hard drive so that when you turn on the computer’s power, you can select which OS you want to use. Common dual-boot configurations include DOS and Windows NT or Windows 2000 (so that you can more easily recover from problems if Windows NT 2000 won’t load), and Windows 95/98 and Windows NT/2000 (so that you can play games in Windows 95/98 that won’t work in Windows NT or Windows 2000).

See Digital Video Disk.

The capability to cut data from one application and paste it into another application. You can cut a graphics image created with a paint program, for example, and paste it into a word processing document. After it’s pasted, the data doesn’t reflect the changes made to it by the originating application. DDE also provides a method for communicating with an application that supports it and requesting data.

A method for automatically determining the IP address on a TCP/IP connection. A server provides this address to the client as part of the setup communications. Using DHCP means that a server can use fewer addresses to communicate with clients and that clients don’t need to provide a hard-coded address to the server. You must configure your server to provide these services.

A specific form of application code loaded into memory by request. It’s not executable by itself. A DLL does contain one or more discrete routines that an application may use to provide specific features. For example, a DLL could provide a common set of file dialogs used to access information on the hard drive. More than one application can use the functions provided by a DLL, reducing overall memory requirements when more than one application is running.

See Error Correction.

The act of making data unreadable unless the reader provides a password or other key value. Encryption makes data safe for transport in unsecured environments, such as the Internet.

Normally refers to self-correcting hardware or software. One or more built-in features monitor the system or application for flaws and alerts a correcting feature. The correcting feature usually rebuilds the data or other resource lost as the result of an error.

See File Allocation Table.

See First-In First-Out.

The method of formatting a hard disk drive used by DOS and other operating systems. This technique is one of the oldest formatting methods available. There have been several different versions of FAT based on the number of bits used to store disk locations. The original form was 12 bits, quickly followed by the 16-bit version used by many computers today. A 32-bit version of FAT, also called FAT32, was introduced with the OSR2 version of Windows 98. This new version of FAT stores data more efficiently on the large hard drives available on today’s computers.

One of several common data transfer protocols for the Internet. This particular protocol specializes in data transfer in the form of a file download. The site presents the user with a list of available files in a directory list format. An FTP site may choose DOS or UNIX formatting for the file listing although the DOS format is extremely rare. Unlike HTTP sites, an FTP site provides a definite information hierarchy using directories and subdirectories, much like the file directory structure used on most workstation hard drives.

A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a network. Firewalls are normally associated with Web sites connected to the Internet. A network administrator can create a firewall using either hardware or software.

A term used for a variety of purposes. It normally refers to a queue or a queue-like structure where the first data that arrives in the queue is also the first data that exits the queue. Both hardware and software developers use this term. For example, you’ll find the term FIFO used for both application structures and buffers within modems.

See File Transfer Protocol.

See Graphics Interchange Format.

A 128-bit number used to identify a component object model (COM) object within the Windows registry. The GUID is used to find the object definition and allow applications to create instances of that object. GUIDs can include any kind of object, even nonvisual elements. In addition, some types of complex objects are actually aggregates of simple objects. For example, an object that implements a property page will normally have a minimum of two GUIDs: one for the property page and another for the object itself.

A method of displaying information that depends on both hardware capabilities and software instructions. A GUI uses the graphics capability of a display adapter to improve communication between the computer and its user. Using a GUI involves a large investment in both programming and hardware resources. (2) A system of icons and graphic images that replaces the character mode menu system used by many machines. The GUI can ride on top of another operating system (like DOS and UNIX) or reside as part of the operating system itself (like OS/2). Advantages of a GUI are ease of use and high-resolution graphics. Disadvantages consist of higher workstation hardware requirements and lower performance over a similar system using a character mode interface.

One of two standard file formats used to transfer graphics over the Internet (JPEG is the other). There are several different standards for this file format, the latest of which is the GIF89a standard that you’ll find used on most Internet sites. CompuServe originally introduced the GIF standard as a method for reducing the time required to download a graphic and the impact of any single-bit errors that might occur. A secondary form of the GIF is the animated GIF. It allows the developer to store several images within one file. Between each file are one or more control blocks that determine block boundaries, the display location of the next image in relation to the display area, and other display features. A browser or other specially designed application will display the graphic images one at a time in the order in which they appear within the file to create animation effects.

See Graphical User Interface.

See Globally Unique Identifier.

An individual who works with computers at a low level, especially in the area of security. A hacker normally possesses specialty software that allows easier access to the target application or network. In most cases, hackers require extensive amounts of time to break the security for a system before they can enter it. The two types of hackers include those who break into systems for ethical purposes and those who do it to damage the system in some way. The proper term for the second group is crackers. Some people have started to call the first group “ethical hackers” to prevent confusion. Ethical hackers normally work for security firms that specialize in finding holes in a company’s security. However, hackers work in a wide range of computer arenas. For example, a person who writes low-level code (like that found in a device driver) after reverse-engineering an existing driver is technically a hacker.

A chart or graph in which the elements are arranged in ranks. The ranks usually follow an order of simple to complex or higher to lower.

The physical storage area on a disk used to hold Windows registry settings. Each hive is associated with a particular set of related keys. For example, all user settings appear in one hive, while application settings reside in another. Some hives contain specific types of data, such as the security access manager (SAM) information used to secure Windows.

A form of server normally associated with communications. A terminal will make data or other requests of the host application through a remote connection. The terminal normally makes the connection using modems and a telephone line, but this isn’t a requirement. For example, most people use the term host to refer to the servers on a TCP/IP network, most notably the Internet.

See Hypertext Markup Language.

See Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

A device used to connect two or more nodes on a network. A hub normally provides other features, such as automatic detection of connection loss.

A scripting language for the Internet that depends on the use of tags (keywords within angle brackets <>) to display formatted information onscreen in a non[nd]platform-specific manner. The non–platform-specific nature of this scripting language makes it difficult to perform some basic tasks, such as placement of a screen element at a specific location. However, the language does provide for the use of fonts, color, and various other enhancements onscreen. There are also tags for displaying graphic images. Scripting tags for using more complex scripting languages, such as VBScript and JavaScript, were recently added, but not all browsers support this addition. The latest tag addition allows the use of ActiveX controls. (2) One method of displaying text, graphics, and sound on the Internet. HTML provides an ASCII-formatted page of information read by a special application called a browser. Depending on the browser’s capabilities, some keywords are translated into graphics elements, sounds, or text with special characteristics, such as color, font, or other attributes. Most browsers discard any keywords they don’t understand, allowing browsers of various capabilities to explore the same page without problem. Obviously, there’s a loss of capability if a browser doesn’t support a specific keyword.

One of several common data transfer protocols for the Internet. This particular protocol specializes in the display of onscreen information, such as data entry forms or information displays. HTTP relies on HTML as a scripting language for describing special screen display elements, although you can also use HTTP to display nonformatted text.

See Internet Control Message Protocol.

A symbol used to graphically represent the purpose and/or function of an application or file. For example, text files might appear as sheets of paper with the name of the file below the icon. Applications designed for the environment or operating system usually appear with a special icon depicting the vendor’s or product’s logo.

See Internet Connection Sharing.

See Internet Information Server.

The association responsible for creating infrared data port standards. These ports are normally used to create a connection between a laptop and a device or network. Devices include printers, PCs, modems, and mice.

A special type of proxy server that allows more than one workstation on a peer-to-peer network to share a single Internet connection. ICS requires that one workstation act as the server and have a connection to the Internet through dial-up or other means. All other workstations act as clients and access the Internet through the connection provided by the server.

A set of rules that control the types of information that a remote computer can request. IP is notoriously unreliable, so vendors require a method for gathering status information. In short, ICMP doesn’t make IP more reliable; it just makes it possible for others to find out if IP failed to do its job.

Microsoft’s full-fledged Web server that normally runs under the Windows Server operating system. IIS includes all the features that you’d normally expect with a Web server: FTP, HTTP, and Gopher protocols, along with both mail and news services. Both Windows NT Workstation and Windows 95 can run Personal Web Server (PWS), which is a scaled-down version of IIS.

A Novell-specific peer-to-peer communication protocol based on the internet protocol (IP) portion of the TCP/IP pair. Think of this as the language used on the network. If everyone speaks the same language, then all the nodes can understand each other. Messages are exchanged in the form of packets on a network. Think of a packet as one sheet of a letter. There’s a letterhead saying who sent the letter, an introduction saying whom the letter is for, and a message that tells the receiving party what the sending party wants to say.

A vendor that provides one or more Internet-related services through a dial-up, ISDN, or other outside connection. Normal services include e-mail, newsgroup access, and full Internet Web site access.

A device might signal the processor that it requires servicing by sending an interrupt request to the programmable interrupt controller (for example, the serial port does this when it has data for the processor to act on). The controller notifies the processor that a device has requested service. The processor, in turn, interrupts its current processing activity, checks to see which device made the request, takes care of the device’s needs, and then resumes its previous processing task. Each device must use a different IRQ to prevent system conflicts. Older PC-class machines provided 8 interrupt lines. The newer AT class machines provide 16. However, only 15 of those are usable because one of them is used for internal purposes.

See Internet Packet Exchange.

See Infrared Data Association.

See Interrupt Request.

See Internet Service Provider.

One of two graphics file formats used on the Internet. This is a vector file format normally used to render high-resolution images or pictures.

See Joint Photographic Experts Group File Format.

See Local Area Network.

Two or more devices connected together using a combination of hardware and software. The devices, normally computers and peripheral equipment such as printers, are called nodes. An NIC (network interface card) provides the hardware communication between nodes through an appropriate medium (cable or microwave transmission.) There are two common types of LANs (also called networks). A peer-to-peer network allows each node to connect to any other node on the network with shareable resources. This is a distributed method of files and peripheral devices. A client-server network uses one or more servers to share resources. This is a centralized method of sharing files and peripheral devices. A server provides resources to clients (usually workstations). The most common server is the file server, which provides file-sharing resources. Other server types include print servers and communication servers.

See Metropolitan Area Network.

A special file used with Desktop Management Interface (DMI) support that contains all the particulars about a piece of equipment. When the System Management Server looks at a workstation and finds this file, it adds its contents to a SQL database that you can open with any number of products. Besides the hardware information, System Management Server adds the software-auditing information it finds to the database. The combined software and hardware information will give you the data required to know whether a particular workstation can run a piece of software without an upgrade.

The database used to hold the definitions for Queued Components sites, machines, queues, and users. Queued Components implements the database using SQL Server, which is why Windows Server provides a “limited” version of SQL Server as part of the package. You won’t find MQIS on every machine and definitely not on any client. MQIS is a central repository of data and is therefore found on just a few servers (at least one) on the network.

A partial extension and redefinition of the WAN, a MAN connects two or more LANs together using a variety of methods. A MAN usually encompasses more than one physical location within a limited geographical area, usually within the same city or state. (A WAN can cover a larger geographical area, and sometimes includes country to country communications.) Most MANs rely on microwave communications, fiber optic connections, or leased telephone lines to provide the Internet work connections required to keep all nodes in the network talking with each other.

A special application that acts as an object container for Windows management objects, such as Component Services and Computer Management. The management objects are actually special components that provide interfaces that allow the user to access them within MMC to maintain and control the operation of Windows. A developer can create special versions of these objects for application management or other tasks. Using a single application like MMC helps maintain the same user interface across all management applications.

See Management Information File.

See Microsoft Management Console.

An electronic device used to connect computers and terminals over the telephone lines. A modem can be internal (a card fitting into an expansion slot directly connecting your telephone to a serial port on your PC) or external.

A standards group that provides file formats and other specifications in regard to full-motion video and other types of graphic displays.

See Motion Picture Experts Group.

See Message Queue Information Service.

See Microsoft Management Queue.

See Network Attached Storage.

See Novell Distributed Print Services.

See Novell Directory Services.

See Network Basic Input/Output System.

One of several methods for packaging a SAN and then allowing network access to it. A NAS attaches directly to the LAN through an ethernet or other common network connection. The storage array or cluster is installed within a box in a SAN configuration. The box also includes all of the features of a server but in embedded form, in most cases, that’s designed to handle disk requests very efficiently. In other words, other servers access the drive array operating system, not the clients. Because the operating system for the NAS is optimized for disk access and there isn’t any overhead for application processing or client requests, the NAS gains a very large performance boost over the bus-attached drive configuration.

This is an application programming interface (API) originally developed for IBM’s PC LAN. It’s a network communication protocol that resides at the session and transport layers of the OSI model for applications, which use it.

The device responsible for allowing a workstation to communicate with the file server and other workstations. It provides the physical means for creating the connection. The card plugs into an expansion slot in the computer. A cable that attaches to the back of the card completes the communication path. Some newer NICs also use a USB, FireWire, or other interface.

An NLM usually adds some capability that the entire network shares. Examples of NLMs include tape backup software, virus protection, UPS detection/management, and database servers. Unlike a VAP, you can load and unload an NLM while the file server is active.

See Network Interface Card.

See Network Loadable Module.

An object-oriented approach to managing network resources. (Novell originally called this technology NetWare Directory Services, but subsequently renamed it.) It includes a set of graphical utilities that allow the network administrator to view the entire network at once, even if it includes more than one server or more than one location. There are a variety of object types, including servers, printers, users, and files. NDS not only allows the administrator to manage the resource, but it provides security as well. As with any object-oriented management approach, NDS gives each object a unique set of properties that the administrator can change as needed.

A method of managing printers on a large NetWare installation. NDPS includes a series of client and server additions that make it easier to allocate a large number of printers among multiple clients and ease printer congestion.

See Windows NT File System.

The process of packaging a file name, application name, and any required parameters into an object and then pasting this object into the file created by another application. For example, you could place a graphic object within a word processing document or spreadsheet. When you look at the object, it appears as if you simply pasted the data from the originating application into the current application (similar to DDE). The data provided by the object automatically changes as you change the data in the original object. Often you can start the originating application and automatically load the required data by double clicking on the object.

See Open Database Connectivity.

See Object Linking and Embedding.

One of several methods for exchanging data between DBMSs. In most cases, this involves three steps: installing an appropriate driver, adding a source to the ODBC applet in the Control Panel, and using SQL statements to access the database.

A drive and/or directory where an expert system stores files on a disk.

See Personal Computer Memory Card International Association.

A raster graphic data format originally used by ZSoft Paintbrush. This format has gone through many nonstandard transitions and occasionally presents problems when accessed by applications other than the original. It provides for various levels of color and includes data compression.

See Personal Digital Assistant.

See Primary Domain Controller.

A group of connected computers where every computer can act as a server and a client. Selected computers normally provide services to others, but unlike a client/server network, the network administrator can distribute the processing load over several machines. In addition, all nodes of a peer-to-peer network also act as workstations.

A standards group responsible for the credit card-sized devices originally used in laptop PCs. A PCMCIA card could contain devices such as a modem or network card. Some of the more esoteric uses for this card include solid-state hard drives and added system memory. Some people refer to a PCMCIA card as a PC card. The typical bus speed of PCMCIA is 8.33MHz.

A very small PC normally used for personal tasks, such as taking notes and maintaining an itinerary during business trips. PDAs normally rely on special operating systems and lack any standard application support.

A special sequence of numbers that identifies someone as the legitimate user of a security card. A security card can take many forms, the most common of which are ATM and credit cards. In the computer world, security cards are used to grant access to various types of information and to resources such as computers and printers.

See Personal Identification Number.

A set of communications rules that provide a method for conducting on-line (from one point to another) communications. In most cases, you’ll use PPP to connect to a UNIX host or the Internet, or to enhance your Dial-Up Networking capability.

See Point-to-Point Protocol.

The Windows NT server responsible for tracking changes made to the domain accounts and storing them in the directory database. A domain has one PDC.

A set of rules used to define a specific behavior. For example, protocols define how networks transfer data. Think of a protocol as an ambassador who negotiates activities between two countries. Without the ambassador, communication is difficult, if not impossible.

When used in the COM sense of the word, a proxy is the data structure that takes the place of the application within the server’s address space. Any server responses to application requests are passed to the proxy, marshaled by COM, and then passed to the application.

See Queued Components.

The COM+ version of Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ). This integrated product offers enhanced support for transferring components from client to server using messages. Because this version of MSMQ is also guaranteed full access to Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS), all message transfers may take place within a transaction.

See Random Access Memory.

The basic term used to describe volatile storage within a computer system. RAM comes in a variety of types, each of which has specialized features. These special features make the RAM more acceptable for some storage tasks than others.

See Remote Access Server.

The ability of an operating system to provide immediate response to client queries. The length of time between client query and server response is defined by the requirements of the application. For example, a computer that controls the braking system in a car has to provide a faster response to input than a computer used to maintain the inventory of a corporation. In both cases, real-time processing is required, but the acceptable response time of real-time processing varies.

A special file used by the registry to hold a text version of the keys and values it contains. Some applications provide .REG files that you can use to incorporate their file associations and OLE capabilities into some programs.

A freeform database used to hold settings, configuration, and other information for Windows. The registry is a hierarchy or tree consisting of keys and associated values. The operating system searches the registry tree for keys that it requires and then requests values for those keys to perform tasks, such as configuring an application. The registry is organized into hives. Each hive contains settings for a particular operating system element, such as user information and hardware configuration. Users share common hives, such as those used for hardware, but have separate hives for their information as long as Windows is configured to provide separate desktops for each user.

The ability to use a remote resource as you would a local resource. In some cases, this also means downloading the remote resource to use as a local resource.

An optional Windows service that allows users to call into the server from a remote location in order to access server resources. There are a variety of ways that this service can be used, including as a call-back mechanism.

One of several methods for accessing data within another application. RPC is designed to look for the application first on the local workstation and then across the network at the applications stored on other workstations. This is an advanced capability that will eventually pave the way for decentralized applications.

See Routing Information Protocol.

A device used to connect two LANs together. The router moves signals from one LAN to the other.

The Windows service that provides routing and remote access services. Routing is the act of moving data between network segments. Remote access enables users to log into a local system from a remote location.

The method TCP/IP uses to communicate with other routers. It allows all the routers in the Internet to exchange information about the Internet configurations without human intervention.

See Remote Procedure Call.

See Routing and Remote Access Service.

See Security Access Manager.

See Storage Area Network.

A definition of an object’s ability to sustain increases in load. For example, companies often rate networking systems by their capability to scale from one to many users. Software scalability determines the capability of the software to run on more than one machine when needed without making it appear that more than one machine is in use.

Usually associated with an interpreted macro language used to create simple applications, productivity enhancers, or automated data manipulators. Windows currently supports a variety of scripting languages at the operating system level. You’ll also find scripting capability in many higher-end applications, such as Web browsers and word processors. Scripts are normally used to write small utility-type applications rather than large-scale applications that require the use of a compiled language. In addition, most script languages are limited in their access of the full set of operating system features.

See Small Computer System Interface Adapter Controller.

A digital signature technology used for exchanging information between a client and a server. Essentially an SSL-compliant server will request a digital certificate from the client machine. The client can likewise request a digital certificate from the server. Companies or individuals obtain these digital certificates from a third-party vendor, such as VeriSign, that can vouch for the identity of both parties.

A database containing information about users and their security settings. Some texts also call this the Security Accounts Manager. In either case, the information appears within a special hive of the registry. Windows secures this hive to make it difficult to access using the Registry Editor.

The part of a user’s access token that identifies the user throughout the network–—it’s like having an account number. The user token that the SID identifies tells what groups the user belongs to and what privileges the user has. Each group also has a SID, so the user’s SID contains references to the various group SIDs that he belongs to, not a complete set of group access rights. You’d normally use the User Manager utility under Windows NT to change the contents of this access token. You’ll use the Active Directory Users and Computers console when working with Windows 2000.

This is the part of the IPX/SPX protocol pair that guarantees delivery of a message sent from one node to another. Think of SPX as the postal clerk who delivers a certified letter from one place to another. In network terms, each page of the letter is called a packet. SPX delivers the letter one page at a time to the intended party.

An IETF-approved method for transferring data by using a serial port. One of the problems with this method is that it doesn’t compress the data and therefore suffers from poor performance. CSLIP is a newer form of this protocol that provides improved performance.

An application or workstation that provides services, resources, or data to a client application or workstation. The client usually makes requests in the form of OLE, DDE, or other command formats.

A network messaging format used on DOS and Windows machines to gain access to resources, such as devices, files, and directories. NetBIOS uses SMB as a basis for communication.

See Security Identifier.

One of the most commonly used protocols to transfer mail messages between clients and servers. This is a stream-based protocol designed to allow query, retrieval, posting, and distribution of mail messages. Normally, this protocol is used in conjunction with other mail retrieval protocols like point of presence (POP).

A network protocol (originally designed for the Internet) to manage devices from different vendors.

A multicast protocol that provides two message types: OPTIONS and ANNOUNCE. The client issues the OPTIONS message to ask all the servers on the network if they provide a certain service. The server uses the ANNOUNCE message to tell all the clients that it provides a given service. Between the two message types, your machine will locate a service that it needs. For example, Windows uses this service to locate Universal Plug and Play devices on a network.

See Serial Line Interface Protocol.

A computer interface card that allows you to connect up to seven devices to the computer system. The current SCSI standard is SCSI-2. Typical SCSI devices include tape drives, hard disk drives, and CD-ROM drives. SCSI devices typically provide high-transfer rates (10-15MB/s) and access times (device-type dependent).

A type of user identification used in place of passwords. The use of a smart card makes it much harder for a third party to break into a computer system using stolen identification. However, a lost or stolen smart card still provides user access. The most secure method of user identification is biometrics.

See Server Message Block.

See Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

Component technologies allow one application to serve as a container for multiple subapplications. A snap-in refers to a component that’s designed to reside within another application. The snap-in performs one specific task out of all of the tasks that the application as a whole can perform. The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is an example of a host application. Network administrators perform all Windows 2000 management tasks using snap-ins designed to work with MMC.

See Simple Network Management Protocol.

See Sequential Packet Exchange.

See Simple Service Discovery Protocol.

See Secure Socket Layer.

One of several methods used for network-specific storage because it offers several distinct advantages over the normal methods of storing data locally within the server. A SAN is a special form of local area network (LAN). It’s a high-speed subnetwork that consists exclusively of storage devices. The goal is to take the hard drive out of the individual server, create a new entity out of the existing peripheral device, and make it accessible to multiple servers on the same network. The concept of a SAN has been around in mainframe systems for quite some time. The original mainframe version relies on a bus technology known as Enterprise System Connection (ESCON). ESCON allows the mainframe to connect to many peripheral devices dynamically, including drive arrays and clusters. In fact, the DEC VMS network environment is based on a combination of SANs and clustered servers.

See Samba Web Administration Tool.

A bit-mapped (raster) graphics file format used on the PC and Macintosh. The TIFF file format offers a broad range of color formats, including black and white, gray scale, and color. One of the advantages of using TIF is that it provides a variety of compression methods and offers smaller storage form factor. Files on the PC often use a TIF extension.

See Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol.

A predetermined point within the range of operation for a device or piece of software. The threshold normally indicates the point at which the device is overwhelmed and requires correction. Of course, thresholds can indicate anything that the person setting the threshold desires. For example, it could indicate the point at which the network administrator needs to add another server to a cluster to process user requests.

See Tagged Image File Format.

A standard communication line protocol developed by the United States Department of Defense. The protocol defines how two devices talk to each other. Think of the protocol as a type of language used by the two devices.

See User Datagram Protocol.

See Universal Naming Convention.

A text representation of a specific location on the Internet. URLs normally include the protocol (http:// for example), the target location (World Wide Web or www), the domain or server name (mycompany), and a domain type (com for commercial). It can also include a hierarchical location within that Web site. The URL usually specifies a particular file on the Web server, although there are some situations when a Web server will use a default filename. For example, asking the browser to find http://www.mycompany.com would probably display the DEFAULT.HTM file at that location.

Usually a combination of an inverter and a battery used to provide power to one or more electrical devices during a power outage. A UPS normally contains power-sensing circuitry and surge-suppression modules. Some UPSs provide standby power and a direct connection between the power source and the protected equipment. Other UPSs use the power source to constantly charge the battery. The protected equipment always derives its power from the inverter, effectively isolating the equipment from the power source.

A method for identifying network resources without using specific locations. In most cases, a user will employ this convention with drives and printers, but the user can also apply it to other types of resources. A UNC normally uses a device name in place of an identifier. For example, a user might refer to a disk drive on a remote machine as “\AUXDRIVE-C.” The advantage of using UNC is that the resource name won’t change even if the user’s drive mappings do.

A form of serial bus that allows multiple external devices to share a single port. This technique reduces the number of interrupts and port addresses required to service the needs of devices, such as mice and modems.

See Uninterruptible Power Source.

See Uniform Resource Locator.

See Universal Serial Bus.

Allows applications to exchange individual packets of information over a TCP/IP network. UDP uses a combination of protocol ports and IP addresses to send a message from one point of the network to another. More than one client can use the same protocol port as long as each client using the port has a unique IP address. There are two types of protocol port: well known and dynamically bound. The well-known port assignments use the ports numbered between 1 and 255. When using dynamically bound port assignments, the requesting applications queries the service first to see which port it can use.

See Visual Basic for Applications.

See Visual Basic Editor.

See Visual Basic Script.

A special setup that newer versions of Windows provide to allow someone on the road to use the server at work. The connection is virtual because the user can make or break the connection as needed. The reason that this connection has to be private is to deny access to either the client machine or remote server by outside parties. A user gains initial access to the server through an ISP using Dial-Up Networking. After initiating access to the Internet, the user employs Dial-Up Networking to make a second connection to the server using Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP). The setup is extremely secure because it actually uses two levels of data encryption: digital signing of packets and encrypted passwords.

A development environment normally used to create and edit Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code. VBE is also the extension used for many modern script files. The VBE extension replaces the Visual Basic Script (VBS) extension used in the past.

A true subset of the Visual Basic language. This form of Visual Basic is normally used within applications in place of a standard macro language. Normally you can’t create stand-alone applications using this language in its native environment; however, you could move a VBA program to Visual Basic and compile it there.

A subset of the full Visual Basic language used for creating small applications and macros. VBScript works well as a stand-alone language. Many developers also use it within Web pages and as part of Internet Information Server (IIS) Active Server Pages (ASP).

See Virtual Private Network.

The method of formatting a hard disk drive used by Windows 2000/NT. Although it provides significant speed advantages over other formatting techniques, only the Windows 2000/NT operating system and applications designed to work with that operating system can access a drive formatted using this technique. Windows 2000 uses NTFS5, a version of this file system designed to provide additional features, such as enhanced security.

A specialized application that reduces the complexity of using or configuring your system. For example, the Printer Wizard makes it easier to install a new printer.