Enterasys Networks Fast Network 10 - Manual (Page 120)

Appendix B: Glossary
Page B-2 Fast Network 10 User Guide
AUI (attachment unit interface)
A standard connector type used for Ethernet connections.
backbone
The major, central transmission path for a network. A backbone usually
handles high-volume, high-density traffic. Typically a backbone connects
various LANs into an integrated network.
bandwidth
A measure of the amount of traffic a given medium can handle at one
time: The communications capacity (measured in bits per second), of a
transmission line or of a specific path through a network. Greater
bandwidth generally means more information can be sent through a
circuit during any given period of time.
BPDU (bridge protocol data unit)
A data unit transmitted as part of the IEEE 802.1d Spanning Tree
Protocol. The exchange of BPDUs allows bridges within a network to
logically configure the network as a single spanning tree.
bps (bits per second)
The basic unit of data communications rate measurement.
bridge
An intelligent, protocol independent device used to connect similar or
dissimilar LANs.
bursty
Adjective used to describe sporadic heavy volumes of network traffic
(e.g., bursty traffic).
bypass
Optical or electronic isolation of a station from the network. A bypass
situation typically occurs as a result of a station failure or shutdown; the
bypass allows the network to function normally, except for the absence of
the missing station.
combination port filter
A filter that can include several configurable fields and can be used to
filter network traffic in a specific way.