Apple Mac OS X Server (Administrator’s Guide) - Manual (Page 582)

582 Glossary
CGI (Common Gateway Interface) A script or program that adds dynamic functions to
a Web site. A CGI sends information back and forth between a Web site and an application
that provides a service for the site. For example, if a user fills out a form on the site, a CGI
could send the message to an application that processes the data and sends a response back
to the user.
child A computer that gets configuration information from the shared directory domain of
a parent.
computer account
A list of computers that have the same preference settings and are
available to the same users and groups.
D, E
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) A protocol used to distribute IP
addresses to client computers. Each time a client computer starts up, the protocol looks for a
DHCP server and then requests an IP address from the DHCP server it finds. The DHCP
server checks for an available IP address and sends it to the client computer along with a
lease period—the length of time the client computer may use the address.
directory domain A specialized database that stores authoritative information about users
and network resources; the information is needed by system software and applications. The
database is optimized to handle many requests for information and to find and retrieve
information quickly. Also called a directory node or simply a directory.
directory domain hierarchy A way of organizing local and shared directory domains. A
hierarchy has an inverted tree structure, with a root domain at the top and local domains at
the bottom.
directory node
See directory domain.
directory services
Services that provide system software and applications with uniform
access to directory domains and other sources of information about users and resources.
disk image A file that when opened (using Disk Copy) creates an icon on a Mac OS
desktop that looks and acts like an actual disk or volume. Using NetBoot, client computers
can start up over the network from a server-based disk image that contains system software.
DNS (Domain Name System) A distributed database that maps IP addresses to domain
names. A DNS server, also known as a name server, keeps a list of names and the IP addresses
associated with each name.
drop box A shared folder with privileges that allow other users to write to, but not read, the
folder’s contents. Only the owner has full access. Drop boxes should only be created using
AFP. When a folder is shared using AFP, the ownership of an item written to the folder is
automatically transferred to the owner of the folder, thus giving the owner of a drop box full
access to and control over items put into it.