Panasonic FP-D250 User Manual page 604

Network device driver A program that enables the operating system software to
communicate the network adapter cards. Also a software module running on a host
or workstation that is responsible for the communications between the computer and
the network or a device attached to the network.
Network Interface Board An interface device installed in a computer to connect to
a local network. Generally, the term indicates an Ethernet interface board with a
10BaseT connector. The boards size and specifications vary, depending on the
computers bus architecture.
Network topology The different configurations that can be adopted in building
networks, such as a ring, bus, star or meshed.
Network element A piece of network equipment that can be managed through an
element manager as part of a network management system.
Network Layer Level Three in the OSI stack responsible for the necessary routing
and relaying through one or more networks in multiple link or wide area environments.
Network management The process and techniques of remotely or locally monitoring
and configuring networks. Under the OSI model network management takes account
of five key areas: configuration management, fault management, performance
management, accounting management, and security management. A major challenge
and often a headache to users because there are no complete answers today, only
a patchwork of systems covering different parts of the subject. Vendors either
concentrate on the physical (hardware) elements or logical (control and management
of interprocess communications) sides. The ITU-TS is slowly considering standards
for public networks.
Network management integration The highest level of network management system
that brings together information from a number of Element Management Systems.
Network management protocol The protocol used to transfer network management
NetView, and HP OpenView.
Nibble Informal term for a half byte; the first four or last four bits of a byte.
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