AAA

Abnormal end. A serious software failure that halts (brings down) the server.

In NetWare, a path specification that is complete, starting with a NetWare volume or DOS drive letter. The syntax of a NetWare path is volume:\directory\ . . . \directory\filename. For example:

SYS:\

SYS:\PUBLIC\FILER.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WINSOCK.DLL

In general, an absolute path is a path specification that begins with the root directory.

ACL. In NDS, an optional, multivalued property of every object. The ACL lists the objects (trustees) that can access the object, along with their explicit rights assignments. Each value contains a complete object (trustee) name, an indication of the type of rights held by the trustee, the specific rights settings, and an indication of whether the rights are inheritable. Any inherited rights filters that have been set on this object are also included.

A binary value that specifies a combination or rights in the NetWare file system. When a trustee has no assigned rights to a file or directory, the trustee inherits rights from a superior directory for which rights are assigned. The access mask can be used to modify those inherited rights. If the access mask is 0, the trustee inherits all rights from the superior directory. Also known as the inherited rights mask.

An administrative entity that gives a user access to a system upon login.

A value assigned by a NetWare network administrator, after installing Accounting services, to limit the amount of network services a user can use.

A NetWare option that allows a network administrator to charge users for network resources and services by assigning each user an account balance. The account balance diminishes as the user uses the network. Five network resources or services can be controlled through Accounting: blocks read from server hard disks, blocks written to server hard disks, amount of time the user is logged in to the server, amount of data stored on server hard disks, and number or requests serviced by the server.

In telecommunications, a code sent by the destination station to the origination station, to indicate that it is ready to accept data, or to acknowledge error-free receipt of data. In certain network protocols, ACK is the name of the field, frame, or packet that contains such a code. ACK is the mnemonic for the ACKnowledge character, ASCII code 6.

access control list. In NDS, an optional, multivalued property of every object. The ACL lists the objects (trustees) that can access the object, along with their explicit rights assignments. Each value contains a complete object (trustee) name, an indication of the type of rights held by the trustee, the specific rights settings, and an indication of whether the rights are inheritable. Any inherited rights filters that have been set on this object are also included.

Microsoft's Directory service, introduced with Windows 2000. Active Directory is LDAP compliant and based on the DNS naming system. Workgroups are given domain names like web sites and are available to LDAP-compliant clients. See also NDS.

ADSI. A programming interface between Microsoft's Active Directory and other directories. ADSI is based on COM and can be used with Visual Basic and other programming languages.

A software module based on the Microsoft COM (Component Object Model) architecture. ActiveX controls allow developers to quickly add functionality to programs, such as toolbars, calculators, and spreadsheets. On the Internet, ActiveX controls can be linked to a web page so that it is launched as an application. Novell provides ActiveX controls that provide an interface to network and NDS functionality.

ActiveX controls were formerly known as "OLE controls" or "OCXs."

In symmetric multiprocessing, a mutual exclusion lock that combines elements of both spin locks and mutex sleep locks. An example of an adaptive lock is a lock which begins as a spin lock, then converts into a mutex sleep lock after a given number of spin attempts to acquire the lock. See also mutex.

A value that uniquely identifies and specifies the location of an element in a computer or computer network, for example: a location in memory or disk storage, a network or portion of a network, a station or other device on a network, and so forth.

Short for "e-mail address." In GroupWise, a unique identifier that specifies the e-mail location of a user, resource, group, or distribution list, in order to facilitate the delivery of electronic messages. Address components include the Internet domain if one has been assigned, and the GroupWise domain, post office, and user ID.

In symmetric multiprocessing, the range of memory addresses available to a task in a multiprocessing environment. This set of addresses uniquely identifies threads that compose a task of executable work.

The person who sets up a server, creates user login accounts and passwords, creates groups, sets security, and maintains the server.

Active Directory Services Interface. A programming interface between Microsoft's Active Directory and other directories. ADSI is based on COM and can be used with Visual Basic and other programming languages.

Asynchronous Event Scheduler.

audit file object.

AppleTalk* Filing Protocol. An AppleTalk protocol that provides the rules for communication and data transmission between servers and clients in an AppleShare* network.

asynchronous I/O. An I/O model in which processing overlaps input and output. This data transmission method uses start bits and stop bits to coordinate the flow of data so that the time intervals between individual characters do not need to be equal. Parity can be enabled to check the accuracy of the transmission.

A message that notifies the user of a software or hardware problem.

A procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps, frequently involving repetition of an operation, as by a computer. Data compression and creating lists of random numbers are uses of algorithms.

An alternative name assigned to a system, to a program, to an electronic mail address, or to another object.

To set apart; to designate. For example, "to set apart a range of the available memory in a computer."

at least once.

A test of the code-complete product by a select group of users, usually internal to the developer’s company. Alpha testing follows integration and system testing.

American National Standards Institute. The organization that sets the standards for many technical fields and provides the most common standard for computer terminals.

application programming interface. A set of functions, procedures, values, or other defined interface standards that an application uses to request and carry out services performed by another program or by an operating system. A single API typically specifies how input should be requested and obtained, and how output should be done.

To add to the end.

Short for Java applet. Small Java programs that are application oriented rather than server oriented. Java applets can be embedded in an HTML page and executed by a browser without waiting for server processing. This means that Java applets are particularly useful for processing intensive or time-sensitive elements of a Web page, such as multimedia, animation, or user-interactive forms.

Apple* Computer’s suite of protocols that make up a complete network architecture. AppleTalk is a set of protocols that specify communications, ranging from application interfaces to media access. AppleTalk enables the hardware and software on a network to interact and to route data so that users can share files, access printers, and communicate with one another.

A program (or set of programs) that makes calls to the OS and manipulates data files, allowing a user to perform a specific job (such as accounting, networking, or word processing).

In the OSI and TCP/IP network architecture reference models, the topmost network layer, responsible for giving applications access to the network.

API. A set of functions, procedures, values, or other defined interface standards that an application uses to request and carry out services performed by another program or by an operating system. A single API typically specifies how input should be requested and obtained, and how output should be done.

The logical structure of a system. For example, a communication system’s architecture is composed of protocols, formats, sequences of operations, and functional specifications.

To copy files to a storage device (such as a diskette, magnetic tape, or optical disc) for long-term storage or backup purposes.

Attached Resource Computer Network. A LAN topology that combines the token-passing element of token ring with star, bus, and tree topologies. ARCnet is assigned the ANSI standard number 878.1. ARCnet is relatively fast (2.5 Mbps), reliable, and supports coaxial, twisted pair, and fiber-optic implementations.

A named, ordered collection of data elements that have identical attributes; or an ordered collection of identical structures.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The standard adopted by ANSI for compatible data transfer between data systems and associated equipment. The 8-bit code consists of 7 character bits with the 8th bit for parity check. The full ASCII character set consists of 128 characters.

The ASCII character set consists of 128 characters. These characters are the same as the first 128 characters of the ANSI character set. The extended ASCII character set consists of a second set of 128 characters, whose elements vary with different computer manufacturers and with different languages.

A NULL-terminated ASCII string.

AES.

asymmetric multiprocessing. A technique used to improve processing performance by dividing operations among two or more processors. For example, when NetWare SFT III is running on a dual-CPU machine, one processor performs all hardware-related I/O, while the other processor performs file service, NCP service, and other processing not directly related to the server hardware.

A low-level computer language that closely approximates machine code. Assembly language is often used to create high-speed programs.

ASMP. A technique used to improve processing performance by dividing operations among two or more processors. For example, when NetWare SFT III is running on a dual-CPU machine, one processor performs all hardware-related I/O, while the other processor performs file service, NCP service, and other processing not directly related to the server hardware.

AIO. An I/O model in which processing overlaps input and output. This data transmission method uses start bits and stop bits to coordinate the flow of data so that the time intervals between individual characters do not need to be equal. Parity can be enabled to check the accuracy of the transmission.

In symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), the mechanism of controlling the execution of two or more processes (threads) by sharing event status information, but without using specific common events (such as common clock or timing signals). The SMP synchronization functions are based on asynchronous mechanisms.

ATM. A packet-switching technology that is similar to a high-speed telephone switch. This very high-speed method of transmission uses fixed-size "cells" of 53 bytes to transmit information over fiber. Because of this it is also known as "cell relay." ATM is well suited to backbone implementation requiring scalability and seamless integration with WANs.

Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A packet-switching technology that is similar to a high-speed telephone switch. This very high-speed method of transmission uses fixed-size "cells" of 53 bytes to transmit information over fiber. Because of this it is also known as "cell relay." ATM is well suited to backbone implementation requiring scalability and seamless integration with WANs.

In computer processing, being indivisible. For example, an atomic action is an action that has no intermediate condition between initiation and completion.

To establish a connection between a workstation and a NetWare server. The server assigns each client a connection number and attaches each to the server's login directory. For Macintosh clients, this restricts the user to viewing server resources without connecting to the server.

In NDS, a property belonging to a class. An attribute consists of a type identifier together with one or more values. Also known as a property.

In the NetWare file system, any of the characteristics assigned to directories and files that dictate what can be done with the directories or files. Attributes include:

Archive Needed (A)

Can't Compress (Cc)

Compressed (Co)

Copy Inhibit (Ci)

Delete Inhibit (Di)

Don't Compress (Dc)

Don't Migrate (Dm)

Don't Suballocate (Ds)

Execute Only (X)

Hidden (H)

Immediate Compress (Ic)

Indexed (I)

Migrated (M)

Normal (N)

Purge (P)

Read Only (Ro)

Read Write (Rw)

Rename Inhibit (R)

Shareable (Sh)

System (Sy)

Transactional (T)

In NDS, a letter or letters that distinguish the type of object name, such as O or OU (same as name type) or CN.

A system log created when auditing is enabled at the volume or NDS container level. At the volume level it stores a record of all audited transactions; at the NDS level it also stores all activities performed by the auditor. Also called "audit data file."

A system log, created when auditing is enabled at the volume container level, which stores a record of all activities carried out by the auditor.

In NetWare, the collecting and examining of records to make sure that the server’s resources are protected by the server Trusted Computing Base (TCB).

An individual authorized by an organization to use the NetWare network’s auditing mechanisms to identify attempted or successful access by users to unauthorized information.

A means of verifying that an NDS object (user or otherwise) is authorized to use the network. This process provides network security.

The means used for authentication. In most cases, NDS is used as the authentication method. However, third parties can create their own authentication methods using NMAS.

The NDS class attributes in which secret authentication information is stored. The store can be class attributes of the Login Method Object or User objects.

A storage media system that automatically exchanges the storage device (such as tape or CD-ROM) in a drive. An autochanger allows many storage devices to be available at once.

To load automatically. For example, an NLM might autoload another NLM that provides a service, such as an API.