Glossary
0-9
- 802.11
- The IEEE standard defining Wi-Fi. It governs wireless transmission, access control, and security.
- 802.3
- The IEEE standard defining Ethernet. It specifies frame formats, speeds, and physical media.
A
- Access Point (AP)
- A device that connects wireless clients to a wired network. It acts as a wireless switch for Wi-Fi stations.
- Acknowledgement (ACK)
- A TCP mechanism confirming received data. It informs the sender which bytes were successfully delivered.
- Admin Bar
- An area of the screen just above your site that gives you quick access to features such as adding a new post or editing your profile. It is only visible if you are logged in.
- Air Waybill (AWB)
- Document that serves as receipt and contract of carriage.
- AJAX
- Ajax is a technique that web pages use to have the server perform certain processing without reloading the web page.
- Autonomous System (AS)
- A collection of IP networks operated by a single organization under a common routing policy. Each Autonomous System is uniquely identified on the Internet.
- Autonomous System Number (ASN)
- A unique identifier assigned to an Autonomous System. ASNs allow networks to be recognized and interconnected globally.
B
- Bandwidth
- The maximum amount of data that can be transmitted over a network connection in a given time. Higher bandwidth enables faster data transfers and supports high-demand services like video streaming.
- BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)
- The routing protocol used for global Internet routing. It exchanges reachability information between autonomous systems.
- Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
- The routing protocol used to exchange reachability information between Autonomous Systems. BGP determines how traffic is routed across the Internet.
- Broadcast Network
- A network where transmitted frames are received by all connected devices. Ethernet is fundamentally a broadcast technology.
C
- Category
- Each post in WordPress can be filed under one or more categories. Thoughtful categorization allows posts to be grouped with others of similar content and aids in the navigation of a site.
- CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing)
- A method for representing IP prefixes using slash notation. It replaces older class-based addressing.
- Closed User Group (CUG)
- A private, restricted interconnection environment within an IX. It enables secure and controlled data exchange among a defined group of participants.
- Cloud Exchange
- An interconnection service at or around an IX that enables direct access to cloud service providers. It improves performance, security, and predictability compared to public Internet access.
- Collision
- An event where two devices transmit simultaneously on a shared medium. Ethernet resolves collisions using randomized retransmission.
- Congestion Control
- TCP algorithms that adapt sending speed to network conditions. They prevent overload and packet loss.
- CSS
- CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, is a W3C open standards programming language for specifying how a web page is presented.
D
- Database
- A database in computing terms is software used to manage information in an organized fashion. WordPress uses the MySQL or MariaDB relational databases management system for storing and retrieving the content of your blog, such as posts, comments, and so on.
- Datagram
- The data unit used by UDP. Each datagram is sent independently without acknowledgment.
- Digital Transformation
- The integration of digital technologies into business operations, products, and services. Reliable, flexible, and high-performance connectivity is a key enabler of this process.
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack
- A cyberattack that overwhelms networks or services with excessive traffic. IXs often deploy mitigation mechanisms such as traffic filtering or blackholing.
- DNS
- DNS, the domain name system, is the system that maps domain names to IP addresses.
E
- Ethernet
- The most widely used link-layer protocol for local networks. It defines how frames are formatted, addressed, and transmitted.
F
- Filter
- In WordPress, a Filter is a function that is associated with an existing Action by specifying any existing Hook.
- Flow Control
- A TCP mechanism preventing a sender from overwhelming a receiver. It is managed using the window size.
- Frame
- The data unit used at the link layer. A frame encapsulates higher-layer data along with addressing and error-checking information.
- FTP
- FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is a client-server protocol for transferring files. It is one way to download files, and the most common way to upload files to a server.
G
- Gutenberg
- Gutenberg is newly developed, block-oriented editor. It uses blocks to create all types of content, replacing a half-dozen inconsistent ways of customizing WordPress, bringing it in line with modern coding standards, and aligning with open web initiatives.
H
- Hop Limit
- The IPv6 equivalent of TTL. It is decremented at each router hop.
- HTML
- HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is a markup language used to describe the semantic content of web pages.
- Hybrid Cloud
- A cloud architecture combining private infrastructure with public cloud services. Efficient interconnection is essential to ensure performance and security.
I
- ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol)
- A control protocol used for error reporting and diagnostics. It does not carry user data.
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
- The organization that standardizes networking technologies like Ethernet and Wi-Fi. IEEE ensures interoperability across vendors.
- Interconnection Ecosystem
- The community of networks, data centers, cloud providers, content providers, and enterprises interconnected at an IX. These ecosystems create network effects and economic value.
- Interconnection Gravity
- The tendency of networks and digital services to cluster where connectivity is dense and efficient. Strong IXs attract more participants, reinforcing their importance.
- Internet Exchange (IX / IXP)
- A technological platform where multiple independent networks connect to exchange Internet traffic directly. It is a core component of the Internet infrastructure that improves performance, cost efficiency, and resilience.
- Internet Model (TCP/IP Model)
- A practical five-layer networking architecture used by the Internet. It simplifies the OSI model while preserving layered design principles.
- Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- A company that provides users and organizations with access to the Internet. ISPs interconnect with other networks via transit or peering, often at Internet Exchanges.
- IP (Internet Protocol)
- A layer-3 protocol that provides end-to-end packet delivery. It enables global addressing and routing across networks.
- IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4)
- The original IP version using 32-bit addresses. Its limited address space led to the development of IPv6.
- IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6)
- A newer IP version using 128-bit addresses. It provides a virtually unlimited address space and simplified headers.
J
- JavaScript
- JavaScript (JS) is a programming language that WordPress uses to make certain processing occur in your web browser when it is inconvenient or impossible for the server to do that processing.
L
- Latency
- The time it takes for data packets to travel from a source to a destination and back. Low latency is critical for real-time applications such as video conferencing, autonomous driving, and financial trading.
- Link Layer
- Layer two of the Internet model, responsible for node-to-node data transfer. It uses frames and physical addresses to deliver data locally.
- Local Interconnection
- The exchange of traffic within a geographic region rather than via distant hubs. Local interconnection reduces latency and improves overall Internet performance.
- Longest Prefix Match
- The rule routers use to select the most specific route. The route with the longest matching prefix is chosen.
M
- MAC Address (Media Access Control Address)
- A unique 48-bit hardware identifier assigned to a network interface. It is used for local delivery of Ethernet frames.
- Multi-Cloud Strategy
- The use of services from multiple cloud providers simultaneously. This approach increases flexibility but requires optimized and well-managed interconnection.
- Multisite
- Multisite is a feature of WordPress 3.0 and later versions that allows multiple virtual sites to share a single WordPress installation.
N
- Network
- A collection of interconnected devices that exchange data using agreed rules. Networks can be physical (roads, cables) or logical (computer networks).
- Network Resilience
- The ability of a network to maintain service despite failures or outages. Resilience is achieved through redundancy, diverse routing, and distributed infrastructure.
O
- OSI Model (Open Systems Interconnection)
- A seven-layer reference model for network communications. It provides a vendor-independent framework for designing interoperable systems.
- OSPF (Open Shortest Path First)
- A dynamic interior routing protocol. It is commonly used within large networks.
P
- Packet
- A small unit of data into which information is divided for transmission over a network. Packets are reassembled at the destination to reconstruct the original data.
- Packet Header
- The control portion of a packet containing metadata such as addresses and protocol type. It guides routing and delivery decisions.
- Peering
- The exchange of data traffic between networks on a cost-neutral basis. Peering allows networks to send traffic directly to each other instead of via paid upstream providers.
- PHP
- PHP is a recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. It is a popular server-side scripting language designed specifically for integration with HTML, and is used (often in conjunction with MySQL or MariaDB) in Content Management Systems and other web applications.
- Physical Layer
- The lowest layer responsible for transmitting raw bits over a physical medium. It deals with signals, cables, optics, and radio waves.
- Ping
- A diagnostic tool using ICMP Echo messages. It tests reachability and round-trip time.
- Port Number
- A numeric identifier used by transport protocols. It directs data to the correct application on a host.
- Post Type
- A Post Type is a WordPress-specific content type. The default post types are ‘post’ and ‘page’, but WordPress allows developers to create custom post types to organize and present different kinds of content with their own specific features and attributes.
- Prefix
- The network portion of an IP address. Prefixes define address ranges and routing scope.
- Protocol
- A set of rules that defines how devices communicate on a network. Protocols ensure that data is correctly formatted, transmitted, and understood.
- Protocol Stack
- A layered set of protocols working together to enable communication. Each layer solves a specific networking problem independently.
Q
- Q-in-Q (VLAN Double Tagging)
- An advanced VLAN technique that nests one VLAN tag inside another. It enables scalable multi-tenant networks for service providers.
R
- Robots.txt
- Web Robots are programs which traverse the Web automatically. They are also called Web Wanderers, Web Crawlers, and Spiders. Search Engines are the main Web Robots. Some Web Robots look for a file named robots.txt on your web server to see what and where they should look for content and files on your web server. Some Web Robots ignore this file.
- Router
- A network device that forwards packets based on IP addresses. Routers interconnect multiple networks.
- Routing
- The process of selecting paths for packets across networks. Routing decisions are based on destination IP prefixes.
- Routing Table
- A data structure used by routers to store available paths. Each entry maps an IP prefix to a next hop.
- RTL
- A written language is Right-to-left when its script flows from the right side of the page to the left.
- RTT (Round-Trip Time)
- The time for a packet to travel to a destination and back. RTT is a key performance indicator but can be misleading.
S
- Sequence Number
- A TCP field identifying the position of data in a stream. It enables ordering and retransmission.
- Service Level Agreement (SLA)
- A formal commitment defining performance guarantees such as availability, latency, and bandwidth. SLAs are critical for enterprise-grade and mission-critical connectivity.
- Slug
- A slug is a few words that describe a post or a page. Slugs are usually a URL friendly version of the post title (which has been automatically generated by WordPress), but a slug can be anything you like.
- SSH
- SSH stands for Secure Shell. It is a communication protocol for connecting to remote computers over TCP/IP. Various authentication methods can be used which make SSH more secure than Telnet.
- SSL
- SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is the predecessor to Transport Layer Security. These are cryptographic protocols for secure communications across an unsecured network like the Internet.
- Subversion
- Subversion is an open-source version control software tool used by the WordPress Developers to maintain and track the changes and updates to the various WordPress versions.
- Switch
- A network device that forwards Ethernet frames based on MAC addresses. Switches reduce unnecessary traffic by learning device locations.
T
- Tag
- A Tag is a keyword which describes all or part of a Post. Think of it like a Category, but smaller in scope.
- Taxonomy
- A taxonomy allows for the classification of things. In WordPress, there are two built-in taxonomies, categories and tags. These taxonomies help further classify posts and custom post types.
- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
- A reliable, connection-oriented transport protocol. It ensures ordered, complete, and error-free delivery.
- Three-Way Handshake
- The TCP process used to establish a connection. It consists of SYN, SYN-ACK, and ACK messages.
- Traceroute
- A diagnostic tool that reveals packet paths across networks. It uses ICMP Time Exceeded messages.
- Transient
- A Transient is temporal data identified by a custom name, stored in the web server database or memory for fast access. This temporal nature and use of fast memory caching is their primary distinction from Options.
- Trunk
- A network link that carries traffic for multiple VLANs simultaneously. Trunks are commonly used between switches and routers.
- TTL (Time To Live)
- A field in IPv4 packets limiting the number of hops a packet can traverse. It prevents packets from looping indefinitely.
U
- UDP (User Datagram Protocol)
- A simple, connectionless transport protocol. It provides fast delivery without reliability guarantees.
- Upstream Provider (Transit Provider)
- A network that provides paid Internet connectivity to other networks. Traffic sent via upstream providers typically travels longer paths and incurs higher costs.
- URL
- An address of a specific Web site or file on the Internet.
V
- VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)
- A logical network created within a physical Ethernet infrastructure. VLANs provide traffic separation, security, and scalability.
- VLAN ID
- A numerical identifier (1–4094) used to distinguish VLANs. It is carried inside an Ethernet frame using VLAN tagging.
W
- Wi-Fi
- A wireless networking technology based on IEEE 802.11 standards. It allows Ethernet-like communication over radio waves.
X
- XML
- An address of a specific Web site or file on the Internet.
