Terminology

This glossary defines technical terms and acronyms related to networking. You may encounter some of these as you read through our documentation.

Term/Acronym	Definition
ARP	Address Resolution Protocol - A protocol that maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on a local network segment.
ASN	Autonomous System Number - A unique identifier assigned to an autonomous system (a network under single administrative control) for BGP routing.
AWS	Amazon Web Services - A cloud computing platform provided by Amazon.
Azure	Microsoft Azure - A cloud computing platform provided by Microsoft.
BGP	Border Gateway Protocol - A routing protocol used to exchange routing information between different networks on the internet.
BFD	Bidirectional Forwarding Detection - A protocol that provides fast failure detection for network links and routing protocols.
CE-VLAN	Customer Edge VLAN - A VLAN identifier used on the customer side of a network connection.
CIDR	Classless Inter-Domain Routing - A method for allocating IP addresses and routing IP packets, represented with a slash notation (e.g., /30, /24).
Cloud Router	A virtual routing and switching core that intelligently directs traffic between connected resources like data center ports, cloud links, and internet connections.
CPE	Customer-Provided Equipment - Networking equipment owned and managed by the customer that interfaces with the service provider’s network.
DDoS	Distributed Denial of Service - A malicious attack that overwhelms a network or service with traffic from multiple sources, making it unavailable to legitimate users.
DIA	Dedicated Internet Access - A dedicated, uncontended internet connection that provides exclusive access to allocated bandwidth with guaranteed performance.
DMZ	Demilitarized Zone - A network segment that sits between an internal network and the internet, often used to host public-facing services.
DNS	Domain Name System - A system that translates human-readable domain names (like example.com) into IP addresses.
E-Line	Ethernet Line - A point-to-point Layer 2 connection that connects exactly two endpoints, providing transparent Layer 2 connectivity.
ELAN	Ethernet LAN - A multi-point Layer 2 service that connects multiple endpoints in a single network segment, enabling any-to-any communication.
EVC	Ethernet Virtual Circuit - A logical connection that carries Ethernet frames between two or more UNIs.
EVPL	Ethernet Virtual Private Line - A point-to-multipoint service that supports multiple Ethernet Virtual Circuits per port using VLAN-based multiplexing.
EVPLAN	Ethernet Virtual Private LAN - A service that allows customer CE-VLANs to establish discrete broadcast domains with service-multiplexing on UNIs.
FEC	Forward Error Correction - A method of error control that adds redundant data to allow the receiver to detect and correct errors without retransmission.
Firewall	A network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
FRR	Fast Reroute - A technology that provides rapid recovery from network failures, typically in under 50 milliseconds.
GCP	Google Cloud Platform - A cloud computing platform provided by Google.
GigE	Gigabit Ethernet - A networking standard that supports data transfer rates of 1 gigabit per second.
HTTP	Hypertext Transfer Protocol - The protocol used for transmitting web pages and other content over the internet.
HTTPS	Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure - A secure version of HTTP that uses encryption to protect data in transit.
ICMP	Internet Control Message Protocol - A network protocol used to send error messages and operational information about network conditions.
IEEE	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - An organization that develops technical standards, including many networking standards.
IETF	Internet Engineering Task Force - An organization that develops and promotes internet standards.
IP	Internet Protocol - The principal communications protocol for relaying datagrams across network boundaries.
IPAM	IP Address Management - A system for planning, tracking, and managing IP address space in a network.
IPv4	Internet Protocol version 4 - The fourth version of the Internet Protocol, using 32-bit addresses.
IPv6	Internet Protocol version 6 - The most recent version of the Internet Protocol, using 128-bit addresses.
ISO	International Organization for Standardization - An international standard-setting body.
ITU	International Telecommunication Union - A United Nations agency that coordinates global telecommunications operations and services.
JSON	JavaScript Object Notation - A lightweight data-interchange format used for transmitting data between systems.
L2	Layer 2 - The Data Link layer of the OSI model, which uses MAC addresses to forward data frames within the same network segment.
L3	Layer 3 - The Network layer of the OSI model, which uses IP addresses to route packets between different network segments.
LAN	Local Area Network - A network that connects devices within a limited geographic area, such as an office or building.
Layer 2	Data Link Layer - A networking layer that uses MAC addresses to forward data frames within the same network segment or VLAN.
Layer 3	Network Layer - A networking layer that uses IP addresses to route packets between different network segments or subnets.
LOA/CFA	Letter of Authorization/Cross-Connect Facility Assignment - Documentation that authorizes a service provider to establish a physical connection (cross-connect) at a data center or facility.
MAC	Media Access Control - A unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller for use as a network address.
MEF	Metro Ethernet Forum - An organization that develops technical specifications for carrier Ethernet services.
MMF	Multi-Mode Fiber - Optical fiber designed to carry multiple light rays or modes simultaneously, typically used for shorter distances.
MPLS	Multiprotocol Label Switching - A routing technique that directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses.
MPOE	Minimum Point of Entry - The point where a service provider’s network enters a customer’s building or facility.
MTU	Maximum Transmission Unit - The largest size packet or frame that can be transmitted over a network without fragmentation.
NaaS	Network as a Service - A cloud service model where networking capabilities are provided as a service over the internet.
NANOG	North American Network Operators’ Group - A forum for network operators to share technical information and best practices.
NAT	Network Address Translation - A method of remapping one IP address space into another by modifying network address information in IP packet headers.
NID	Network Interface Device - Equipment installed at a customer location to support network services, typically owned and maintained by the service provider.
NNI	Network-to-Network Interface - The interface between two service provider networks.
OM	Optical Multimode - A classification system for multimode fiber (OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4) that indicates fiber performance characteristics.
OSI	Open Systems Interconnection - A conceptual model that characterizes and standardizes the communication functions of a network.
OSPF	Open Shortest Path First - A routing protocol used to find the best path for packets as they pass through a set of connected networks.
PBR	Policy-Based Routing - A routing technique that forwards traffic based on policies rather than the standard routing table.
PE	Provider Edge - A router at the edge of a service provider’s network that connects to customer networks.
PoP	Point of Presence - A physical location where a service provider’s network connects to the internet or other networks.
Port	A physical connection point that acts as a bridge between an organization’s internal network and the service provider’s network infrastructure.
REST	Representational State Transfer - An architectural style for designing web services that uses standard HTTP methods.
RJ45	Registered Jack 45 - A standard type of physical connector used for Ethernet network cables.
SLAAC	Stateless Address Autoconfiguration - A method for IPv6 hosts to automatically configure their IP addresses without a DHCP server.
SMF	Single-Mode Fiber - Optical fiber designed to carry only a single ray of light, typically used for longer distances.
SNAT	Source NAT - A type of Network Address Translation that translates the source IP address of outgoing packets, allowing multiple devices to share a single public IP address.
SNI	Server Name Indication - An extension to the TLS protocol that allows a client to specify which hostname it is attempting to connect to.
SSH	Secure Shell - A cryptographic network protocol for operating network services securely over an unsecured network.
TCP	Transmission Control Protocol - A connection-oriented protocol that ensures reliable, ordered delivery of data between applications.
TGW	Transit Gateway - A network transit hub that simplifies network architecture and reduces peering relationships.
UDP	User Datagram Protocol - A connectionless protocol that provides a simple, unreliable datagram service.
UNI	User Network Interface - The interface between a customer’s network and the service provider’s network.
VIF	Virtual Interface - A logical interface that carries traffic over a physical connection, commonly used in cloud connectivity services.
VLAN	Virtual Local Area Network - A logical network segment that groups devices together even if they are not on the same physical network switch.
VPC	Virtual Private Cloud - An isolated virtual network within a public cloud environment.
Virtual Circuit	A logical connection that enables traffic segmentation and connects various services and destinations over physical ports using VLANs.
WAN	Wide Area Network - A network that spans a large geographic area, connecting multiple local area networks.
Web Filtering	A service that provides granular control over web traffic by allowing you to define policies to block or permit access to specific URLs or categories of web content.

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