Network And Data Communications group. This group was renamed the Networking Group, or NWG. It was then renamed again, as the High Performance Networking Section, or HPNS. It was then renamed again to its current name, the Network Engineering & Technology Section, or NETS.
NALRIR
North American Legacy Regional Internet Registry
NAM
Network Applications Management (Cisco)
NAM
Network Analysis Module (Cisco)
name resolution
The process of mapping a name (like niwot.scd.ucar.edu) into the corresponding address (like 128.117.8.1). See DNS.
Network Basic Input Output System. The standard interface to networks on IBM PC and compatible systems.
NetDDE
Network Dynamic Data Exchange
NETS
Network Engineering & and Telecommunications Section of UCAR. This section was named the High Performance Networking Section for a short time. Before that, it was named the Networking Group, or NWG. Before that it was named the Network and Data Communications group, or NADC.
NetWare
The operating system run on an IBM PC-compatible machine to allow it to function as a router and/or file server using the Novell IPX protocol.
NFFC
NetFlow Feature Card (Cisco)
NFS
Network File System, described in RFC 1094. A distributed file system developed by Sun Microsystems which allows a set of computers to cooperatively access each other's files in a transparent manner.
NFS
Network File System
NGG
NCAR Graphic Group
NGI
Next Generation Internet
NGIX
Next Generation Internet eXchange
NGN
Next Generation Network
NIC
Network Information Center. Originally there was only one, located at SRI International and tasked to serve the ARPANET (and later DDN) community. Today, there are many NICs, operated by local, regional, and national networks all over the world. Such centers provide user assistance, document service, training, and much more.
Network Interface Unit. Basically repeaters, these boxes connect CSU/DSU modems and raw T1 serial lines. They have 3 basic functions: protecting us from the phone company (T1 lines carry 130 volts), repeating the signal, and loopbacking back the signals. They also provide everyone with a known demarcation point for finger pointing purposes.
Next Layer Routing Information, a route prefix carried in a BGP UPDATE message.
NLSP
NetWare Link Services Protocol
NMIDB
Network Management Integration Data Bundle
NMP
Network Management Processor
NMS
Network Management Station or System. The system responsible for managing a (portion of a) network. The NMS talks to network management agents, which reside in the managed nodes, via a network management protocol. SunNet Manager, Cabletron Spectrum, HP OpenView and IBM NetView/6000 are NMSs. See agent.
NCAR Network Advisory Group, a UCAR mailing list to which outage messages are posted.
NNI
ATM Network Node Interface.
NNM
Network Node Manager (HPOV)
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOC
Network Operations Center. Any center tasked with the operational aspects of a production network. These tasks include monitoring and control, trouble-shooting, user assistance, and so on.
National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure
NPA/NXX
Numbering Plan Area/exchange, where exchange is the first 3 digits of a phone number. For instance, with a phone number of 303-497-1810, the NPA/NXX is 303-497. NPA/NXX's are used by phone companies to uniquely identify switching centers that serve an area.
NPPAC
Networking Planning and Policy Advisory Council (Internet2)
National Science Foundation NETwork. A collection of local, regional, and mid-level networks in the U.S. tied together by a high-speed backbone. NSFNET provides scientists access to a number of supercomputers across the country.
Networking Group, the former name for the Network Engineering & Technology Section (NETS). This section was temporarily known as the High Performance Networking Section (HPNS). Long ago, it was the Network and Data Communications group, or NADC.
