Symmetricom S100 - Manual (Page 129)

S100 User Guide – Rev. D – June 2005 121
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Appendix B
Time Glossary
Access Control
The mechanisms of limiting entry to resources based on users’ identities and their
membership in various predefined groups. The network resources with these access
restrictions typically are servers, directories, and files.
ACTS
Automated Computer Time System, a NIST service that provides announced time by
telephone.
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
Developed by NIST and private companies, this standard is 256-bit based and is a stronger
defense for sensitive material when compared to 40-bit or 128-bit.
Algorithm
A clearly specified mathematical process for computation, or set of rules, which, if followed,
gives a prescribed result.
ANSI
American National Standards Institute, the organization responsible for approving US
standards in many categories, including computers and communications. Standards
approved by this organization are often called ANSI standards.
Antiwarrant
Attribute certificate that has the same expire date as its valid date; in other words, it was
never valid. This is still sent, at times, because it contains other information that the system
needs. See also
Warrant
API
Application Program Interface. This interface allows software developers to write their
software so that it can communicate with the computer's operating system or other programs.
ASCII
American Standards Code Information Interchange, a code in which each alphanumeric
character is represented as a number from 0 to 127, in binary code so the computer can
understand it. Its simplicity allows diverse computers to understand one another.
ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode, or ATM switching. This is a type of packet switching that
makes it possible to transmit data at high speeds over a network. It also allows dynamic