(Page 1 of 1 in this chapter) Version
Appendix A
Glossary
- API
- Application Programming Interface; a library of function calls that allow an application developer to access functionality in a uniform and consistent way.
- ASCII
- American Standard Code for Information Interchange; a standard used for numeric representation of alphanumeric characters.
- Communications Processor
- See CP.
- CP
- Communication Processor; a separate processing engine that offloads processing from the main CPU of a system to another CPU that is specialized for a certian task. For TX hardware environments, the CP allows the system to offload Communications/Protocol processing onto the TX board.
- cpcon
- A host-based utility that provides a user interface to the KERNEL. This utility presents a line-oriented operator console to any CP. See also CP, KERNEL.
- cplot
- Utility program which downloads the executable code and configuration data onto the TX board.
- device driver
- Software which translates the application commands into the code required by the device.
- DLL
- Dynamic Link Library; a library of software object modules that can be loaded and accessed on demand.
- Ethernet
- A local area network hardware, communication, and cabling standard. Ethernet is synonymous with 10Base-T.
- host
- The PC on which an application runs. Also used to designate a computer with full two-way access to a network such as local area network or the Internet.
- IBC link
- See inter-board communication (IBC) link.
- inter-board communication (IBC) link
- A dedicated Ethernet link that connects a mated pair of boards. The IBC link allows the boards to exchange signaling messages and state information. See also Ethernet, mated pair.
- International Telecommunications Union
- See ITU.
- IP
- Internet Protocol; part of the TCP/IP family of protocols, it describes software that tracks the Internet address of nodes, routes outgoing messages, and recognizes incoming messages.
- IP address
- Internet Protocol address; a unique 32-bit number that identifies a specific TCP/IP host on the Internet, normally expressed as four bytes in decimal format (for example, 128.122.40.227). Every machine that is on the Internet has an IP address.
- ITU
- International Telecommunications Union; an international standards body for telecommunications.
- KERNEL
- The operating system loaded onto a Communications Processor on a TX board.
- MAPI
- Management API; an API that enables an application to perform management operations on an SS7 task. A MAPI generally allows status, statistics, and control operations.
- mated pair
- A pair of signaling boards deployed in a redundant signaling configuration.
- NMS
- Natural MicroSystems Corporation.
- node
- A point of connection into a network.
- NTT
- Nippon Telephone and Telegraph; The major Japanese local and long-distance telephone company.
- redundancy
- The provisioning of extra or spare signaling links, boards, or nodes which can take over the responsibilities of similar components in the case of a failure or maintenance outage. The redundant components may be deployed in an active load-sharing arrangement (such as signaling links) or in a spare, or standby, arrangement. See also SS7.
- routing mask
- A bit mask that specifies a subset of a destination point code to be matched against the routing table when seeking a route for either an inbound or outbound message.
- SS7
- Signaling System 7; an out-of-band signaling system that provides fast call setup (using circuit-switched connections) and transaction capabilities for remote database interactions.
- standalone
- In the health management environment, a non-redundant single board configuration.
- subsystem
- A sub-identifier for a signaling point, supported by the SCCP protocol. An application using the SCCP service can register to receive messages sent only to a particular SCCP subsystem at their point code. Several applications can make simultaneous use of the SCCP data "pipe."
- task
- A software operation taking place on a board rather than on the PC host.
- TX
- Natural MicroSystems' product line of telephony and signaling hardware/software.
- txalarm
- A utility that collects and displays alarm messages from all tasks on a TX board.
- txmon
- A utility that coordinates with the Health Management Interface (HMI) to support all features of the Health Management functionality.
(Page 1 of 1 in this chapter) Version
tech_support@nmss.com
Copyright © 2000, Natural MicroSystems, Inc. All rights
reserved.