The Internet and consequently computer networks have become integral parts of our lives be it at work or at home. Owing to this ubiquity of networks, we are bound to come across technical terms and acronyms related to computer networks every now and then. For the average user, it is not necessary to know everything about networking, but being somewhat familiar with network-related technical terms can be useful, especially when you are about to buy new equipment or while troubleshooting.

In this blog post, we introduce you to 14 common networking acronyms and abbreviations with their meaning for ready reference.

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a communication protocol that connects a dynamic Internet Protocol (IP) address to a fixed media access control (MAC) address in a local-area network (LAN). A detailed mapping of the IP addresses and MAC addresses is held in a directory.

Every device on a network has two addresses- an IP address, which keeps changing, and a MAC address, which is fixed. For data to flow between two connected devices, there needs to be a way to connect these two types of addresses, which are vastly different in length and composition. An IP address is 32 bits long while a MAC address is 48 bits long. ARP makes this connection possible by translating the 32-bit address to 48 and vice versa. Thus, it enables systems to recognize connected devices so that data transfer can occur effectively.

Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) is a protocol that extends the capabilities of Internet e-mail protocols. It is an add-on or supplementary protocol, i.e. it doesn’t work independently but in conjunction with other protocols such as SMTP. MIME is used by almost all e-mail services such as Gmail, Yahoo mail, and Hotmail.

MIME allows non-ASCII data to be sent through SMTP, making it possible to send HTML, CSS, images, audio, and video through email. MIME also supports multiple languages.

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a technology that routes network traffic using short path labels instead of longer network addresses. The goal of MPLS is to increase network performance and enhance the user experience by improving traffic flows.

Whenever data packets are sent over a network, for each packet, the router decides how it is sent to the destination IP address. The routing decision is made using complex routing tables. Until the packet reaches its destination, a forwarding decision is required at every path.

While this process is quick in simple networks, in large and complex networks such as a wide area network (WAN) it can result in poor performance for end users. MPLS provides a more efficient alternative to route network traffic. It handles forwarding over private wide area networks using the shortest path based on “labels” instead of network addresses. By assigning labels to each data packet, it controls the path that the packets follow, thus, improving traffic flow and user experience.

Network File System (NFS) is a protocol that enables users on client computers to access files on a network much like local storage is accessed. NFS is necessary for a distributed file system, which enables organizations to share files over their network and facilitates collaboration.

The NFS protocol is used with Apple Mac OS and Unix operating systems. It works on all IP-based networks and consists of three parts- an NFS server, an NFS client, and the protocol for communication between the client and server. Shared files can be accessed using the NFS client's file manager.

NFS is usually implemented in those business environments where the centralized management of data is necessary. It is a secure protocol that handles authorization and authentication. Additionally, data transferred between the server and the client is encrypted.

Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) is a storage protocol designed to allow the high-speed transfer of data between computer components and systems. It was specifically designed for solid-state drives (SSDs), bringing significant performance improvements over traditional Serial AT Attachment (SATA) interfaces.

NVMe SSDs are connected via the PCI Express (PCIe) bus, which provides much higher bandwidth compared to SATA, allowing NVMe SSDs to achieve much higher transfer speeds. Additionally, it uses a different command set than SATA SSDs, allowing it to take advantage of the parallel processing capabilities of modern CPUs and improve performance.

NVMe SSDs are becoming increasingly popular as they offer faster speeds, lower latency, lower power consumption, lower heat generation, and better scalability compared to SATA SSDs.

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) is an open-source encryption system that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication for communication. It was developed by Phil Zimmermann in 1991 and since then has become a popular encryption tool. PGP is widely used for secure email communication, file encryption, and data protection. by organizations as well as individuals. to protect sensitive information and ensure the privacy of their communication.

PGP uses a combination of symmetric-key cryptography and public-key cryptography to secure data. Additionally, it also supports digital signatures, which can be used to verify the authenticity and integrity of messages. Thus, PGP covers all four aspects of data security, i.e., privacy, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation.

Storage Area Network (SAN) is a high-speed network that provides block-level data storage and access to servers and storage devices. It is a dedicated network or subnetwork that interconnects shared pools of storage devices to multiple servers. SANs are dedicated to storage devices not available through the LAN. By segregating storage traffic from the rest of the network traffic, significant improvement in performance and application availability can be achieved.

A typical SAN architecture consists of multiple servers connected to a dedicated network, which is separate from the local area network (LAN). And the key components of a SAN include fiber optic cables, dedicated network interface cards, SAN switches, and storage controllers.

Owing to their high-speed data access, low latency, and improvement in the overall system performance, SANs are used for applications such as database management, virtualization, data backup and recovery, and multimedia content delivery.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a network architecture approach that separates the control plane from the data plane, allowing network administrators to use software-based controllers to centrally manage and control network behavior.

In traditional networking, control planes embedded in network devices such as routers and switches determine how data packets are forwarded. On the other hand, SDN provides control of the entire network by decoupling the control plane from the data plane and abstracting the control plane functionality into a centralized controller.

By offering a flexible and efficient approach to network management, SDN enables network administrators to optimize the network infrastructure and better respond to evolving business needs. Consequently, it finds applications in wide-area networks (WANs), cloud computing, network virtualization, and data centers.

Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) is a networking approach for simplifying the management and operation of a wide area network (WAN). It uses software-defined networking (SDN) to centrally control and manage the connectivity between multiple locations, such as branch offices, data centers, and cloud environments.

Traditional WANs rely on dedicated hardware to connect geographically distant sites. But, SD-WAN uses a software-centric approach including broadband internet, MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), and LTE to leverage cost-effective and flexible connectivity options. By abstracting the underlying network infrastructure, SD-WAN enables dynamic and intelligent routing decisions based on application requirements and network conditions.

The performance and management capabilities of SD-WAN enhance the overall network management capabilities, optimize network performance, and reduce costs. Therefore, modern-day distributed offices with cloud-intensive IT environments are increasingly adopting SD-WAN.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a communication protocol used for sending and receiving email over the Internet. It serves as the primary protocol for email transmission between mail servers. SMTP follows a client-server model in which the email client such as Outlook functions as the client and sends email messages to the mail server that functions as the server.

SMTP uses port 25 by default and operates on the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite. It primarily provides a set of commands and responses that enable the transfer of email messages. In its simplest form, the process involves establishing a connection between the client and the server, sending the content of the email message, the sender’s and receiver’s email addresses, and getting acknowledgment and response from the server.

However, it needs to be noted that SMTP is responsible only for the transmission of emails between mail servers, but not for email retrieval by end-users. For email retrieval, protocols such as POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) are used.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a communication protocol used for network management and monitoring. It enables network administrators to monitor and control network devices such as routers, switches, servers, etc.

SNMP operates on the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite and uses a manager-agent architecture in which the SNMP manager or Network Management System (NMS) communicates with the SNMP agents on the managed network devices.

The NMS sends requests to the SNMP agents using the SNMP protocol. The agents then respond with the requested information, which includes device status, performance metrics, network statistics, and other relevant data. The NMS can also send commands to the agents to perform tasks such as device resets or configuration changes.

Thus, SNMP allows network administrators to gather information about the health and performance of network devices, facilitating maintenance and troubleshooting of the network.

Secure Shell (SSH) is a network protocol used for secure remote access, file transfers, and command execution between networked devices. It uses a strong password and a cryptographic key pair for authentication to provide a secure and encrypted connection over an insecure network, such as the Internet. Once the connection is established, all data transmitted over SSH is encrypted.

SSH uses port 22 by default and operates on the application layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite. It is primarily used to securely access and manage remote devices but can also be used for remote command execution. This enables administrators to control remote devices as if they were directly connected to it. In addition, SSH can also be used for secure file transfer using SCP (Secure Copy Protocol) or SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol).

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a security protocol for securing wireless networks. It provides security features to protect Wi-Fi networks from unauthorized access and eavesdropping.

WPA makes it difficult for hackers to intercept and decipher information transmitted over Wi-Fi networks by encrypting wireless data using an encryption algorithm known as Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). WPA also includes Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK), which is an authentication mechanism used to secure wireless communication.

WPA has been superseded by its newer and more secure versions WPA2 and WPA3 that address known vulnerabilities and improve security. WPA3, which is the latest version, further enhances the security of Wi-Fi networks by bringing enhanced encryption, individualized data encryption, and protection against brute-force attacks.

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a network security standard that simplifies the process of connecting devices to a Wi-Fi network. It enables users to add new devices to a network without having to manually enter the Wi-Fi password.

WPS offers two methods for device enrollment. First is the Push Button Configuration (PBC) method in which you press the WPS button on the router to initiate the connection process. Then the router and device exchange authentication information automatically, after which the device is added to the network.

The second is the PIN Entry method. It involves entering a unique PIN on the device that you want to connect. The device sends this PIN to the router, which verifies it and grants access to the network. The PIN may be either generated randomly or printed on a label on the device.

While WPS simplifies the process of connecting to a Wi-Fi network, it has serious vulnerabilities allowing hackers to guess or bypass the PIN. This compromises the security of the network and as a result, security experts recommend disabling WPS on your routers.

Conclusion

If you found this blog post useful, you may also like reading our earlier posts where we more technology-related abbreviations:

• 15 Commonly Used Abbreviations In Information Technology

• Some More Common IT Acronyms

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