HELP GUIDE

Westbase.io Networking 101

A Glossary of Technology Terms Networking 101: Glossary of Technology Terms

We know that networking terminology and acronyms can be a headache, so Westbase.io has put together this helpful guide so that you can work your way around them.

If we don’t cover something you want to know here, then please feel free to contact us to ask.

3G 3G is the third generation of UMTS (universal mobile technology). Also known as HSPA or HSPA+ it delivers connectivity speeds and suitable for powering a wide range of applications.

4G 4G is the fourth generation of mobile technology and brings increased speed and bandwidth to mobile networks. Also known as “LTE” (Long Term Evolution), 4G is unlocking the true potential of cellular networking and enabling new applications not previously available on 3G.

Standard 4G networks are also referred to as CAT 3 or Category 3 LTE. See the definition for “LTE Categories” below for more .

4G+ / 4.5G 4G+ / 4.5G, also known as LTE-A and LTE-Advanced, is a newer and faster version of 4G cellular connectivity. Utilising carrier aggregation, it allows 4G+ / 4.5G enabled devices to receive data from multiple bands in the 4G spectrum, which provides a theoretical speed of 300 Mbps compared to the 100 Mbps theoretical speed you get on a standard 4G network.

4G+ / 4.5G is also referred to as CAT 6 or Category 6 LTE. See the definition for “LTE Categories” below for more information.

5G 5G is the fifth generation of mobile technology, not yet available but undergoing development and testing today. 5G will offer greater capacity, be faster, more energy-efficient and more cost-effective than any earlier network in order to meet the expanding network demands of technologies such as the of Things.

AAA Authentication, Authorisation, and Accounting is a framework for intelligently controlling access to computer resources, auditing usage, enforcing policies, and providing the required information for billing services.

Antenna Gain gain is one of the most important parameters in describing an antenna’s performance; it describes an antenna’s focusing ability which determines the maximum range it can reach. Generally, the bigger the antenna is, the higher the gain. A high quality antenna should have a well behaved gain pattern in all directions without too many nulls (points of no power), and an even signal distribution.

Antenna dBi Manufacturers often list the dBi gain of an antenna; dBi stands for decibels relative to an isotropic antenna. The higher the dBi, the better the gain of the antenna.

2 Antenna Efficiency Antenna efficiency refers to the ratio of power radiated, to the power accepted at an antenna’s terminal. A good efficiency antenna will radiate most of the power incident on its input terminals. Efficiency is related to the antenna’s gain, in that a well-designed antenna should offer both good gain and high efficiency.

AP An access point, or AP, is a station which transmits and receives data in a , connecting the users within the network and also serving as the point of connection between the wireless and wired network.

APN (Access Point Name) APN is the name (web address) of an access point for data connection. Wireless carriers provide APNs for use by customers who have dedicated IT requirements.

Application Solution In the context of connectivity, application solution refers to what a device is being used to provide, also known as a “use case”. For example, a 4G could be used to create a WiFi hotspot, therefore it is providing a WiFi application.

Bluetooth Primarily a consumer technology, is a short-range wireless technology which connects devices such as mobile phones to other electronic devices.

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Also known as BLE and Bluetooth Smart, is a technology designed for specific applications in industries such as healthcare, , and security, as well as consumer industries such as fitness and home entertainment. It differs from Bluetooth as it consumes considerably less power and is less expensive, while still maintaining a similar connection range.

Business Continuity Business continuity describes the activities undertaken by an organisation to ensure that any functions that are critical to the running of the business are able to continue in the event of a serious incident or disaster. This is normally done by assessing the risk to the business of a range of scenarios, and putting in place plans and systems to mitigate or negate the risk. In terms of connectivity, we call this "failover”; making sure that a business has back-up connectivity if their primary connectivity fails.

Cloud A cloud is a group of computers and servers connected together over the Internet to form a network. Clouds can be used to store data and access computing services. Clouds can be public, private or a mixture of the two. If you use a service like Google Docs, Microsoft Office 365 or Dropbox, then you are using the cloud. Some of the most commonly known B2B cloud providers are Microsoft Azure, IBM SoftLayer and Amazon AWS.

Cloud Managed Refers to computer services that are managed in the cloud, rather than on a local computer or network.

CSD Circuit Switched Data, or CSD, is the original form of data transmission developed for early systems such as GSM. CSD has since been superseded by GPRS and EDGE.

Data Packets In order to transfer data over a network it must be broken down into manageable "chunks", before being reassembled at the receiving end of the to deliver the data in its original form. Data packets are what we call these chunks.

3 Device Networking Device networking normally refers to using a local area network (LAN) or (WAN) to connect different devices required for business operations. For example, point of sale terminals and stock management computers in a retail environment, or medical monitors and patient records in a hospital.

Distributed Enterprise A distributed enterprise is an organisation which has a dispersed network of branch locations, as well as a central head office location which typically manages centralised processes across different functions. For example retail and restaurant chains or banks. When we talk about the distributed enterprise in networking specifically, we are referring to geographically-dispersed branches which are all connected to centralised, back-office systems hosted at a head office location or Network Operations Centre, which deliver their in-branch applications and services via this connection. This connection could be fixed line, satellite or cellular.

DSL is a family of technologies that is used to provide by transmitting over telephone lines.

EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution) EDGE (also known as Enhanced GPRS or EGPRS) is a data system used on top of GSM networks.

Ethernet is the most common type of connection used for a local area network where data is transferred via cable connections.

Failover Connectivity Failover connectivity is a back-up solution that businesses use to provide access in the event of a disaster which results in their primary connectivity being knocked out. Normally 4G LTE mobile networks are the preferred choice for failover connectivity, although secondary wired lines or satellite are also an option.

Firewall A firewall is a network security system which controls incoming and outgoing traffic. Controlled by a rule set, a firewall establishes a barrier between a trusted, secure internal network and another network, e.g. the Internet, which isn't "known" and therefore not trusted and secure.

Frequency In the context of radio spectrum, frequency refers to the frequency of radio waves. Typically, low frequency radio waves can reach further and are better at penetrating physical objects such as buildings, while high frequency radio waves can carry more data. Frequency bands are therefore allocated for use in applications which best match their capabilities.

Fog Computing Fog computing, or “fogging”, is a distributed infrastructure in which certain application processes or services are managed at the edge of the network by a , but others are still managed in the cloud. It is, essentially, a middle layer between the cloud and the hardware to enable more efficient data processing, analysis and storage, which is achieved by reducing the amount of data which needs to be transported to the cloud.

Gateway A gateway is the point at which two different networks meet.

Geofencing Geofencing allows users to set geographically-based rules which can be used to perform actions or alerts on a device automatically if it is moved outside a dedicated area.

4 GGSN The Gateway GPRS Support (GGSN) is a main component of the GPRS network. The GGSN is responsible for the interworking between the GPRS network and external packet switched networks, like the Internet and X.25 networks.

GPRS General Packet Radio Service is a packet-switching technology that enables data transfers through cellular networks. It is used for mobile internet, MMS and other data communications.

GRX A GPRS roaming exchange (GRX) acts as a hub for GPRS connections from roaming users, removing the need for a dedicated link between each GPRS service provider. It was developed to facilitate a more efficient way for operators to interconnect networks, and played a large part in the transition to third-generation systems.

GTP

GPRS Tunnelling Protocol, or GTP, is a group of IP-based communication protocols used to carry general packet radio service (GPRS) within GSM, UMTS and LTE networks.

HLR The Home Location Register (HLR) is the main database of permanent subscriber information for a mobile network; it hosts SIM information for all connections on the network.

HSPA HSPA stands for "" and refers to mobile technology that sits between the 3G and 4G evolution. It offers increased bandwidth over 3G service, but less so than 4G.

HSPA+ is also commonly used; this is essentially the same as HSPA but faster again.

Hybrid Networking Hybrid networking refers to the combination of two or more communications standards that work together to form one network design. For example, the combination of wireless networking with wired networking which together deliver a single overall solution. It may also refer to a network design that combines two or more types of basic physical topologies.

IMSI The International Mobile Subscriber Identity is used to identify the user of a and is a unique identification associated with all cellular networks.

Internet of Things (IoT) The (IoT) is a scenario in which objects including machines, people and animals are connected via a network. Data can be passed between the objects, each of which is uniquely identifiable. A real-world example could be a patient wearing a monitor that transmits health data for doctors to view remotely on their tablet or PC, rather than having to be at the bedside.

Industrial Internet of Things The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the use of IoT technologies in manufacturing specifically, enabling companies in this industry to improve quality control and improve supply chain visibility and efficiency. By harnessing data from across their multiple processes, manufacturers can more quickly identify any problems sooner; this saves both time and money for the business and increases their business intelligence.

IP address An IP address is a numerical label assigned to each and every device participating in a that uses the for communication. It is responsible for identifying the device and its location, and showing traffic how to reach it.

5 IPv4 IPv4 stands for "Internet Protocol version 4" and is used to route, or direct, traffic over the Internet. IPv4 uses a 32- address, meaning that there is a limited number of addresses available for devices. This led to the creation of IPv6.

IPv6 IPv6 stands for "Internet Protocol version 6" and is an updated version of IPv4 using longer 64-bit IP addresses. IPv6 is critical to the success of the Internet of Things as it delivers the volume of IP addresses required which IPv4 cannot provide.

IP Ratings An IP rating classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects and water in electric enclosures. The first digit refers to solids, the second to liquids. The most common in cellular router and gateway products is IP64, which means it is dust tight and protected against splashing water. You can see a full list here: http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart

LAN Local Area Network (LAN) refers to a computer network that spans a relatively small area such as a home or business premise.

LTE LTE stands for "Long Term Evolution" and is another term used to describe 4G mobile technology. “4G” was originally used to follow on from 3G, but the industry later felt that it didn't appropriately convey the progress of the technology, so they created "LTE" which has since become a more recognised term.

Standard LTE networks are also referred to as CAT 3 or Category 3 LTE. See the definition for “LTE Categories” below for more information.

LTE-Advanced LTE-Advanced, or LTE-A, is a faster version of cellular connectivity than standard LTE. See the “4G+ / 4.5G” definition above for more information.

LTE-Advanced networks are also referred to as CAT 6 or Category 6 LTE. See the definition for “LTE Categories” below for more information.

LTE Categories LTE categories, also known as UE classes, refer to different types of LTE (or 4G) connectivity. Operating separately, the different categories offer different properties for the LTE delivered – most commonly they are measured and compared on download and upload speeds. The following table summarises the different speeds per category:

Category 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Download 10 50 100 150 300 300 300 1200 speed (Mbps) Upload speed 5 25 50 50 75 50 150 600 (Mbps)

The categories are needed to ensure that the base station can communicate correctly with the user equipment receiving the signal.

The most common forms of LTE which are available today are CAT 3, 4 and 6.

CAT 0 Internet of Things applications require much lower data rates, often only in short bursts, and typically the remote IoT device needs to be low power. Due to these specific needs, and the growing development of IoT technology connected over cellular, a new category was developed. CAT 0 has reduced performance to meet the lower data rate requirement, while significantly reducing complexity and current consumption. CAT 0 LTE offers 1 Mbps download and upload speeds.

M2M Machine to Machine (M2M) refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same type.

6 MIMO Multiple In Multiple Out, or MiMo, refers to the use of multiple antennas at the transmitter and receiver in order to improve communication performance.

MNO A Mobile Network Operator, or MNO, is a provider of wireless communications services and is also known as a wireless carrier, cellular company or mobile network carrier. An MNO owns or controls all elements necessary to sell and deliver services to an end user, such as radio spectrum allocation and wireless network infrastructure. An example would be Vodafone or EE.

MPLS Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a mechanism in high performance telecommunications networks that directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a table. The term is commonly used to describe fixed links to and from corporate networks or data centres, and is typically used in instances where connectivity is considered critical to business operations.

MVNO A Mobile Virtual Network Operator, or MVNO, is a company which provides wireless communication services but doesn’t itself own or control the necessary network elements, for example it may not have its own licensed spectrum allocation. It instead resells services from an MNO, although typically still has its own business infrastructure such as billing capabilities. An example would be Tesco Mobile who resell O2 services.

PDP Packet data protocol, or PDP, is a network protocol used by external networks to communicate with GPRS networks.

PoE PoE stands for "" and refers to the use of Ethernet cabling to deliver electricity to devices. Within an Ethernet cable there are spare wires not in use for computing purposes, which can therefore be put to use to deliver electricity to devices which have this functionality enabled. Standards include 802.3af, 802.3at and 802.3bt.

Primary Connectivity Primary connectivity normally refers to the first choice of connectivity a business uses to provide communication access. In most cases this is the wired public telephone network, although with connection speeds and reliability improving some businesses are switching to mobile networks.

PSTN The Public Switched Telephone Network.

Radio Spectrum Radio spectrum is made up of radio waves from a very low frequency up to very high frequencies, and is divided into bands which are reserved for single use or a range of compatible uses of data transmission. As there are so many competing uses for wireless communication, and frequency bands are limited, strict rules are in place and governments oversee spectrum licensing to ensure services do not interfere with each other and to facilitate use in all bands. Allocations are agreed internationally.

RADIUS Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) is a networking protocol that provides centralised Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) management for users who connect and use a .

RAN A Radio (RAN) refers to cellular networks, for example with GSM and UMTS systems.

7 Router A router is normally a hardware device (although sometimes it can just be software) that is responsible for forwarding pieces of information both within and between networks. You'll normally find a router at the gateway between two different networks. When we refer to routers, we are referring to hardware devices only.

SIM A Subscriber Identity or Identification Module (SIM) is an that securely stores the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscribers on mobile devices.

There are 3 main derivatives of SIM cards for use in M2M and IoT applications: (1) standard plastic SIM, the same as you would use in a mobile phone, (2) ruggedised plastic SIM, supports high temperatures and the pin plating is thicker to prevent corrosion, and (3) M2M SIM, an 8-pin that can be soldered on to a printed circuit board (PCB) for more reliability in terms of shock, corrosion, etc. and supports a wider temperature range as well (also called QFN-8).

SIM Card Sizes SIM cards come in 4 standard sizes: Full-size (1FF) is 85.6mm x 53.98mm x 0.76mm, Mini-SIM (2FF) is 25mm x 15mm x 0.76mm, Micro-SIM (3FF) is 15mm x 12mm x 0.76mm, and Nano-SIM (4FF) is 12.3mm × 8.8mm × 0.67mm. Typical device routers support Mini-SIM (2FF).

SMS Short Message Service (SMS) is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardised communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages.

SMS Support SMS support refers to the ability to tell a connected device something over SMS, and vice versa, and is used as a convenient M2M management and monitoring communication.

SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a universal language for networked devices and computers.

Software Defined Networking (SDN) Software defined networking, also referred to as SDN, is an approach to networking that enables administrators to manage networking services through higher-level, or “overlay”, functionality. It is designed to make the network as agile and flexible as possible, while still retaining control.

SS7 On the public switched telephone network (PSTN), Signalling System 7 (SS7) is a system that puts the information required to set up and manage telephone calls in a separate network rather than within the same network that the telephone call is made on. In a cellular network SS7 manages GSM attachment.

Switch Similar to a router, a switch has the ability to forward information within a network but cannot forward information between networks.

TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, is the basic communication language of the Internet. It can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network.

Temporary Connectivity Temporary connectivity refers to temporary communications system set up for short term needs, for example for events or construction sites. Normally 3G or 4G mobile networks are the preferred choice for temporary connectivity as they can be set up instantly and at a much reduced cost compared to fixed or satellite connectivity.

8 TLS The successor to SSL, Transport Security Layer or TLS, is a protocol that ensures privacy between communicating applications and their users on the Internet. This means that when a server and client communicate no third party may pry on, or tamper with, any message.

UMTS UMTS or the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is a third generation wireless network technology, which allows speeds of up to 2Mbps.

UTC UTC, or Coordinated Universal Time, is the time standard commonly used across the world and is typically used by all major companies.

UTM Unified Threat Management, or UTM, is a networking industry solution which evolves the traditional firewall into an all-inclusive security product able to perform multiple security operations within one single system; such as network intrusion prevention, gateway antivirus, VPN, data leak prevention and so on.

VLR Visitor Location Register, or VLR, is a database containing the exact locations of all mobile subscribers present in the service area of a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC). VPN VPN stands for "Virtual Private Network" and is used to extend a private network across a public network, most commonly the Internet. It is used to give remote access to an organisation's network, for example for employees working from home who need to access information stored on company servers.

WAN A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a computer network that spans a broad area such as a town or county. It normally consists of two or more local area networks.

White Space White space most commonly refers to the unused radio spectrum found in gaps between different frequencies in the wireless spectrum, and is put in place to avoid interference between these frequencies. White space also refers to other unused radio spectrum which either hasn’t ever been used, or has been freed up due to technical changes – for example, the switchover to released large areas of spectrum.

WiFi WiFi allows devices within a designated area to connect to the Internet wirelessly. There are different types of WiFi, each of which offers different speeds and range. 802.11ac is currently the best WiFi available and offers incredible speeds and range. As a rough guide: "B" = old and therefore poor / "G" = good / "N" = very good / "AC" = excellent.

2.4GHz WiFi The most common and longest standing WiFi frequency range.

5GHz WiFi A newer WiFi range which features a higher throughput.

ZigBee ZigBee is a specification for a collection of high-level communication protocols used to transmit data over long distances by passing it through a mesh network of intermediate devices to reach more distant ones, and is typically used for low data applications that require long battery life and secure networking.

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Westbase.io is a leading provider of cloud-managed 4G LTE and hybrid networking solutions. We couple our innovative product portfolio with our extensive industry understanding, and unparalleled product knowledge, to deliver solutions which perfectly fit our customers’ requirements.

To find out more about Westbase.io, our connectivity solutions or anything contained in this help guide, please contact us…

+44 (0) 1291 430 567 [email protected]

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