hierarchical routing: The complex problem of routing on large networks can be simplified by reducing the size of the networks. This is accomplished by breaking a network into a hierarchy of networks, where each level is responsible for its own routing. The Internet has, basically, three levels: the backbones, the mid-levels, and the stub networks. The backbones know how to route between the mid-levels, the mid-levels know how to route between the sites, and each site (being an autonomous system) knows how to route internally. See also: Autonomous System , Exterior Gateway Protocol , Interior Gateway Protocol , stub network , transit network
High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC): High performance computing encompasses advanced computing, communications, and information technologies, including scientific workstations, supercomputer systems, high speed networks, special purpose and experimental systems, the new generation of large scale parallel systems, and application and systems software with all components well integrated and linked over a high speed network. [Source: HPCC]
High Performance Parallel Interface (HIPPI): An emerging ANSI standard which extends the computer bus over fairly short distances at speeds of 800 and 1600 Mb/s. HIPPI is often used in a computer room to connect a supercomputer to routers, frame buffers, mass-storage peripherals, and other computers. See also: American National Standards Institute [Source: MALAMUD]
HIPPI: See: High Performance Parallel Interface
hop: A term used in routing. A path to a destination on a network is a series of hops, through routers, away from the origin.
host: A computer that allows users to communicate with other host computers on a network. Individual users communicate by using application programs, such as electronic mail, Telnet and FTP. [Source: NNSC]
host address: See: internet address
hostname: The name given to a machine. See also: Name. [Source: ZEN]
host number: See: host address
HPCC: See: High Performance Computing and Communications
hub: A device connected to several other devices. In ARCnet, a hub is used to connect several computers together. In a message handling service, a hub is used for the transfer of messages across the network. [Source: MALAMUD]
I-D: See: Internet-Draft
IAB: See: Internet Architecture Board
IANA: See: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
ICMP: See: Internet Control Message Protocol
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IEEE 802: See: x
IEN: See: Internet Experiment Note
IESG: See: Internet Engineering Steering Group
IETF: See: Internet Engineering Task Force
IINREN: See: Interagency Interim National Research and Education Network
IGP: See: Interior Gateway Protocol
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
IMR: See: Internet Monthly Report
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): An emerging technology which is beginning to be offered by the telephone carriers of the world. ISDN combines voice and digital network services in a single medium, making it possible to offer customers digital data services as well as voice connections through a single "wire". The standards that define ISDN are specified by CCITT. See also: CCITT [Source: RFC1208]
Interagency Interim National Research and Education Network (IINREN): An evolving operating network system. Near term (1992-1996) research and development activities will provide for the smooth evolution of this networking infrastructure into the future gigabit NREN. [Source: HPCC]
Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP): A protocol which distributes routing information to the routers within an autonomous system. The term "gateway" is historical, as "router" is currently the preferred term. See also: Autonomous System , Exterior Gateway Protocol , Routing Information Protocol
Intermediate System (IS): An OSI system which performs network layer forwarding. It is analogous to an IP router. See also: Open Systems Interconnection , router
Intermediate System-Intermediate System (IS-IS): The OSI IGP. See also: Open Systems Interconnection , Interior Gateway Protocol
International Organization for Standardization (ISO): A voluntary, nontreaty organization founded in 1946 which is responsible for creating international standards in many areas, including computers and communications. Its members are the national standards organizations of the 89 member countries, including ANSI for the U.S. See also: American National Standards Institute , Open Systems Interconnection [Source: TAN]
internet: While an internet is a network, the term "internet" is usually used to refer to a collection of networks interconnected with routers. See also: network
Internet: (note the capital "I") The Internet is the largest internet in the world. Is a three level hierarchy composed of backbone networks (e.g., NSFNET, MILNET), mid-level networks, and stub networks. The Internet is a multiprotocol internet. See also: backbone , mid-level network , stub network , transit network , Internet Protocol , National Science Foundation
internet address: A IP address that uniquely identifies a node on an internet. An Internet address (capital "I"), uniquely identifies a node on the Internet. See also: internet , Internet , IP address
Internet Architecture Board (IAB): The technical body that oversees the development of the Internet suite of protocols. It has two task forces: the IETF and the IRTF. "IAB" previously stood for Internet Activities Board. See also: Internet Engineering Task Force , Internet Research Task Force
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA): The central registry for various Internet protocol parameters, such as port, protocol and enterprise numbers, and options, codes and types. The currently assigned values are listed in the "Assigned Numbers" document [STD2]. To request a number assignment, contact the IANA at "iana@isi.edu". See also: assigned numbers , STD
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP): ICMP is an extension to the Internet Protocol. It allows for the generation of error messages, test packets and informational messages related to IP. It is defined in STD 5, RFC 792. [Source: FYI4]
Internet-Draft (I-D): Internet-Drafts are working documents of the IETF, its Areas, and its Working Groups. As the name implies, Internet-Drafts are draft documents. They are valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. Very often, I-Ds are precursors to RFCs. See also: Internet Engineering Task Force , Request For Comments
Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG): The IESG is composed of the IETF Area Directors and the IETF Chair. It provides the first technical review of Internet standards and is responsible for day-to-day "management" of the IETF. See also: Internet Engineering Task Force
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): The IETF is a large, open community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers whose purpose is to coordinate the operation, management and evolution of the Internet, and to resolve short-range and mid-range protocol and architectural issues. It is a major source of proposals for protocol standards which are submitted to the IAB for final approval. The IETF meets three times a year and extensive minutes are included in the IETF Proceedings. See also: Internet , Internet Architecture Board [Source: FYI4]
Internet Experiment Note (IEN): A series of reports pertinent to the Internet. IENs were published in parallel to RFCs and are no longer active. See also: Internet-Draft , Request For Comments
Internet Monthly Report (IMR): Published monthly, the purpose of the Internet Monthly Reports is to communicate to the Internet Research Group the accomplishments, milestones reached, or problems discovered by the participating organizations.
internet number: See: internet address
Internet Protocol (IP): The Internet Protocol, defined in STD 5, RFC 791, is the network layer for the TCP/IP Protocol Suite. It is a connectionless, best-effort packet switching protocol. See also: packet switching , Request For Comments , TCP/IP Protocol Suite
Internet Registry (IR): The IANA has the discretionary authority to delegate portions of its responsibility and, with respect to network address and Autonomous System identifiers, has lodged this responsibility with an IR. The IR function is performed by the DDN NIC. See also: Autonomous System , network address , Defense Data Network , Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
Internet Relay Chat (IRC): A world-wide "party line" protocol that allows one to converse with others in real time. IRC is structured as a network of servers, each of which accepts connections from client programs, one per user. See also: talk [Source: HACKER]
Internet Research Steering Group (IRSG): The "governing body" of the IRTF. See also: Internet Research Task Force [Source: MALAMUD]
Internet Research Task Force (IRTF): The IRTF is chartered by the IAB to consider long-term Internet issues from a theoretical point of view. It has Research Groups, similar to IETF Working Groups, which are each tasked to discuss different research topics. Multi-cast audio/video conferencing and privacy enhanced mail are samples of IRTF output. See also: Internet Architecture Board , Internet Engineering Task Force , Privacy Enhanced Mail
Internet Society (ISOC): The Internet Society is a non-profit, professional membership organization which facilitates and supports the technical evolution of the Internet, stimulates interest in and educates the scientific and academic communities, industry and the public about the technology, uses and applications of the Internet, and promotes the development of new applications for the system. The Society provides a forum for discussion and collaboration in the operation and use of the global Internet infrastructure. The Internet Society publishes a quarterly newsletter, the Internet Society News, and holds an annual conference, INET. The development of Internet technical standards takes place under the auspices of the Internet Society with substantial support from the Corporation for National Research Initiatives under a cooperative agreement with the US Federal Government. [Source: V. Cerf]
Internetwork Packet eXchange (IPX): Novell's protocol used by Netware. A router with IPX routing can interconnect LANs so that Novell Netware clients and servers can communicate. See also: Local Area Network
interoperability: The ability of software and hardware on multiple machines from multiple vendors to communicate meaningfully.
IP: See: Internet Protocol
IP address: The 32-bit address defined by the Internet Protocol in STD 5, RFC 791. It is usually represented in dotted decimal notation. See also: dot address , internet address , Internet Protocol , network address , subnet address , host address
IP datagram: See: datagram
IPX: See: Internetwork Packet eXchange
IR: See: Internet Registry
IRC: See: Internet Relay Chat
IRSG: See: Internet Research Steering Group
IRTF: See: Internet Research Task Force
IS: See: Intermediate System
IS-IS: See: Intermediate System-Intermediate System