Glossary
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Networking: The practice of interconnecting devices and systems to enable communication and data exchange.
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Protocol: A set of rules and conventions governing communication between devices on a network.
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OSI Model: The Open Systems Interconnection model that defines seven layers to categorize network communication.
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IP Address: A numerical label assigned to devices on a network, enabling them to communicate.
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Router: A device that connects different networks and forwards data packets between them.
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Switch: A network device that filters and forwards data packets between devices in a local area network (LAN).
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Gateway: A device that connects different networks, translating between different communication protocols.
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Load Balancing: Distributing network traffic across multiple servers or resources to optimize performance and reliability.
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Bandwidth: The maximum data transfer rate of a network or connection, often measured in bits per second (bps).
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Latency: The time delay between sending and receiving data, often referred to as "ping time."
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LAN (Local Area Network): A network that covers a limited geographic area, such as a home, office, or campus.
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Subnet: A portion of a larger network created by dividing the IP address range into smaller segments.
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DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): A protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network.
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DNS (Domain Name System): A system that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses.
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IPv6: The successor to IPv4, expanding the number of available IP addresses and addressing other limitations.
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MAC Address: A unique hardware address assigned to network devices for identification.
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Packet: A unit of data transmitted over a network, containing both the data and control information.
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HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol): A fundamental protocol for communication on the World Wide Web, allowing clients and servers to exchange data.
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OSI Model: The Open Systems Interconnection model that categorizes network communication into seven layers.
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Request-Response Mechanism: A process in which clients send requests to servers, and servers respond with data or status information.
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HTTP Messages: Structured communication units comprising headers and optional bodies, used for data exchange between clients and servers.
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HTTP Methods: Verbs used in HTTP requests, such as GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, and HEAD.
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Status Codes: Three-digit codes indicating the outcome of an HTTP request, indicating success or errors.
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RFC 2616: RFC 2616, a Request for Comments document detailing the HTTP protocol.
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UDP (User Datagram Protocol): A transport layer protocol providing lightweight, connectionless data exchange.
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Datagrams: Smaller units of data transmitted between devices using UDP.
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Low Latency: Minimal delay in data transmission, suitable for applications like online gaming and VoIP.
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Connectionless: A communication approach where data is sent without establishing a formal connection.
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Header: A section of a UDP datagram containing crucial information, including port numbers.
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RFC 768: RFC 768, a Request for Comments document outlining the UDP protocol.
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TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): A transport layer protocol ensuring reliable and ordered data transmission.
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Connection-Oriented: TCP establishes and terminates connections to ensure accurate data exchange.
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Three-Way Handshake: The process of establishing a TCP connection involving SYN and ACK segments.
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Sequence Numbers: Numbers assigned to TCP segments to track their order and reliability.
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Flow Control: Regulation of data transmission rate to prevent data overwhelming the receiver.
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RFC 793: RFC 793, a Request for Comments document defining the TCP protocol.
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IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4): A network layer protocol for addressing and routing data packets across networks.
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IP Addresses: Unique numerical identifiers assigned to devices for network communication.
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Routing: The process of forwarding data packets to their destinations using routing tables.
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Fragmentation: Breaking down large packets into smaller segments for transmission.
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Header: A section of an IPv4 packet containing metadata such as source and destination addresses.
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RFC 791: RFC 791, a Request for Comments document detailing the IPv4 protocol.
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Ethernet II Protocol: Also known as Ethernet, a data link layer protocol for communication in local area networks.
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MAC (Media Access Control) Addresses: Unique physical addresses assigned to devices for identification.
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Frame: A unit of data transmitted within a local network, containing MAC addresses and data.
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Unicast and Multicast: Communication modes in Ethernet for single and multiple receivers, respectively.
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Header: A section of an Ethernet frame containing destination and source MAC addresses.
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RFC 894: RFC 894, a Request for Comments document detailing the Ethernet II protocol.
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DNS (Domain Name System): An application layer protocol translating domain names to IP addresses.
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Domain Name: A human-readable name used to identify resources on the internet.
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DNS Servers: Hierarchically organized servers responsible for resolving domain names to IP addresses.
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Message Structure: Components of DNS messages including headers, questions, answers, authority, and additional sections.
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Name Resolution: The process of translating domain names to IP addresses.
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RFC 1035: RFC 1035, a Request for Comments document detailing the DNS protocol.
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NAT (Network Address Translation): A technique allowing multiple devices to share a single public IP address.
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Private IP Addresses: Addresses assigned to devices within a private network.
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Public IP Address: A single address shared by multiple devices for external communication.
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NAT Table: A record of mappings between private and public IP addresses.
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Address Conservation: NAT's capability to share a single public IP address among multiple devices.
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RFC 2663: RFC 2663, a Request for Comments document detailing the NAT protocol.
