IT Glossary & Dictionary

A network routing technique where the same IP address is announced from multiple locations, directing users to the nearest server.

A protocol that maps IP addresses to physical MAC addresses on a local network segment.

The maximum rate of data transfer across a network connection, measured in bits per second.

The routing protocol that makes the internet work by exchanging routing information between autonomous systems.

A compact method for specifying IP addresses and their associated routing prefix using a slash followed by the prefix length.

A geographically distributed network of servers that caches and delivers web content from locations closest to users for faster load times.

A protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses and network configuration to devices on a network.

A hierarchical naming system that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses.

A protocol that encrypts DNS queries by sending them over HTTPS, preventing eavesdropping and manipulation of DNS traffic.

The time it takes for DNS record changes to spread across all DNS servers worldwide, typically taking up to 48 hours.

Different types of DNS entries that map domain names to various information like IP addresses, mail servers, and verification strings.

A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined rules.

The protocol used for transferring web pages and data between browsers and servers, with HTTPS adding encryption.

An HTTP mechanism that reuses a single TCP connection for multiple requests, reducing the overhead of establishing new connections.

The practice of securing all web traffic with TLS encryption, ensuring data integrity and privacy between browsers and servers.

A network protocol used for diagnostic and error reporting, including ping and traceroute functionality.

A unique numerical label assigned to each device on a computer network for identification and communication.

The latest version of the Internet Protocol with 128-bit addresses, designed to replace IPv4 and solve address exhaustion.

The time delay between sending a request and receiving a response, measured in milliseconds.

A device or software that distributes network traffic across multiple servers to ensure reliability and performance.

The maximum size of a data packet that can be transmitted over a network without fragmentation.

A network communication method that sends data to multiple recipients simultaneously without duplicating packets for each recipient.

A method of mapping private IP addresses to public IP addresses, allowing multiple devices to share a single public IP.

A set of rules that control inbound and outbound traffic at the subnet level, acting as a stateless firewall in cloud and enterprise networks.

A device or software that connects two or more network segments at the data link layer, forwarding traffic based on MAC addresses.

The practice of continuously observing network infrastructure to detect failures, performance degradation, and security threats.

A formatted unit of data carried over a network, containing headers with routing information and a payload with the actual data.

The practice of dividing a network into isolated segments to improve security, performance, and management.

The physical or logical arrangement of nodes and connections in a computer network, such as star, mesh, ring, or bus configurations.

The seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection model that standardizes network communication functions from physical transmission to application protocols.

A virtual network built on top of an existing physical network, enabling features like container networking and VPNs.

A numbered endpoint (0-65535) that identifies specific processes or services on a networked computer for communication.

An intermediary server that forwards requests between clients and destination servers, providing caching, filtering, or anonymity.

A set of techniques for managing network traffic to prioritize certain types of data and ensure performance for critical applications.

A server that sits between clients and backend servers, forwarding client requests and returning server responses on their behalf.

An approach that separates the network control plane from the data plane, enabling centralized, programmable network management.

A protocol for monitoring and managing network devices like routers, switches, servers, and printers remotely.

A digital certificate that authenticates a website identity and enables encrypted HTTPS connections.

A logical division of an IP network into smaller segments to improve performance, security, and management.

The fundamental communication protocol suite of the internet that defines how data is packaged, addressed, transmitted, and received.

Two transport layer protocols: TCP provides reliable, ordered delivery while UDP provides fast, connectionless delivery without guarantees.

A rate limiting algorithm that allows burst traffic by accumulating tokens at a fixed rate and consuming them per request.

A network diagnostic tool that shows the path packets take from source to destination, listing each hop along the way.

A logical grouping of network devices that creates separate broadcast domains on the same physical network infrastructure.

A technology that creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, securing internet traffic.

A modern, lightweight VPN protocol that uses state-of-the-art cryptography and minimal code for fast, secure tunneling.