Glossary - HP 742n - Pavilion - 512 MB RAM User Manual

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Glossary

Agent A software program installed in a device either within firmware or the operating system. 'Agents' typically
provide local services such as monitoring for and forwarding events and responding to requests from
management stations to provide information or take action on the local managed system, such as a PC or
printer. Agent programs are specific to the protocol standard and device model or operating system they
support.
ARP Address Resolution Protocol. A procedure by which TCP/IP devices obtain MAC addresses corresponding to
a desired IP address. The originator emits a broadcast requesting the MAC address of a specific IP address,
and the responder returns a packet containing its MAC address. RARP – Reverse Address Resolution
Protocol performs the converse – obtains IP addresses from provided MAC addresses.
BIOS Basic Input/Output System. The program or 'code' within the computer that controls access to the hardware.
CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. A part of the computer's memory, the contents of which are
preserved when the computer is turned off. CMOS memory stores information that must be maintained, such
as the computer configuration.
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. An open industry standard designed to reduce the complexity of TCP/IP
network administration. DHCP provides methods for dynamic IP addressing of computers on TCP/IP
networks.
DMI Desktop Management Interface. An industry standard that is overseen by the DMTF, it acts as a layer of
abstraction on PCs to allow information retrieval from components. It is made of three parts: Component
Interface (CI), Management Interface (MI), and Service layer (SL). In common usage, it provides asset
information about personal computers and servers through the use of a DMI 'agent' or 'client' and another
program that acts as a manager, whether on the managed system, or remotely from a program like toptools.
DMTF Desktop Management Task Force. A consortium of 12 companies defining standards to manage network
resources. The DMTF defined a set of APIs to access PC information in a standard way (DMI), and a
description language to standardize the description of manageable objects (MIF). The complete DMI
specifications can be obtained through the DMTF FTP server at:
page at: http://www.dmtf.org. Recently, the DMTF has assumed oversight of the specification of WBEM.
DDNS Dynamic Domain Name Services. Microsoft Windows 2000 DNS services technology that actively updates
records.
DNS Domain Name Services. A process and model by which IP addresses are correlated to a naming convention.
DNS servers typically provide a resolution service providing e.g. an IP address when a requestor supplies a
host name.
Domain There are several uses of the word Domain. Domain may refer to the DNS system. It is also used to describe
Microsoft Networks which consist of Windows Domains. Finally, network and systems management solutions
refer to what is called a 'management' domain that describes the scope of management control of a particular
management station.
Domain Windows networks are organized into Domains. A domain defines a relationship between computer
Controller resources and is used to control access to those resources. Windows Domain Controllers provide
authentication and typically browsing services to Windows clients. In Windows NT networks, these services
are provided by the Primary Domain Controller and Backup Domain Controller. Windows 2000 networks
operate with a peer-to-peer relationship between Domain Controllers unless providing emulation services for
Windows NT integration.
HTML HyperText Markup Language. The page description language used to create World Wide Web pages. HTML
consists of plain ASCII text marked by angle-bracketed tags.
HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol. The means by which web browsers on the World Wide Web (WWW)
communicate with (get pages from) web servers.
Internet A cooperative WAN linking computer networks all over the world to share resources through activities such as
exchanging electronic mail, participating in electronic discussion forums (newsgroups), exchanging files with
remote computers via FTP, Gopher or HTTP, and accessing remote session by using programs like Telnet or
Rlogin. The Internet is mainly controlled and created through the standardization, administration and use of
DNS, connections through various telecommunication carriers, and the services of ISP's.
Intranet A company's or organization's internal network. Typically behind a firewall and connection to the Internet,
although with use of VPN's and other services, company Intranets may extend across and use Internet
resources.
ftp://www.dmtf.org or through the DMTF web
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