IT JARGON BUSTERS NETWORKING TERMS WAN Wide Area The WAN is associated with connections over a large area. In most circumstances this is referred to as the Internet connection you will have at home or in work. Examples of this are ADSL Broadband, Fibre Broadband (such as BT Infinity), or more advanced connections that go outside of the business. It can also be referred to as the Public LAN Local Area PAN Personal Area VPN Virtual Private DHCP Dynamic Host Control Protocol PoE Power over Ethernet DNS Domain Name System The LAN is a network of computers and devices (such as printers), that are connected over a small area, such as in a home or office. These devices are typically connected either using an Ethernet cable, or by some form of Wireless device. This is referred to as a Private. A PAN is used to connect devices over a very small distance. Examples of this are connecting a laptop to a smartphone using Bluetooth. It is generally only used by one person. A VPN is usually used to connect a remote worker onto a computer network that belongs to a business. Alternatively, it can be used to link more than one sites at different locations together. Essentially, it creates a private link across a public network (e.g. the Internet). DHCP is commonly used in any Router and in Business networks may also be used from a Server. When a device is connected to a network, either by a wired Ethernet cable or wireless, DHCP will allocate the device a unique IP address on the network so that it can communicate in the correct way. Power is sent over an Ethernet (network) cable, to provide power as well as to send data. Essentially this cuts the requirement for a device such as an office phone to use a separate mains power supply. DNS is used to translate human readable names (such as the name of an internal device, or a website), into a machine readable IP address that is either on the local network, or an address on the Internet. Imagine it as a giant phonebook, where it is easier to remember a name as opposed to a number.
IP Address Internet Protocol Address IP addresses are unique identifiers of a device such as computer or printer on a. A laptop or printer would contain an Internal IP address. A router would also have a unique IP address, which is part of the Internet. VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol VoIP allows for communication over the Internet Protocol (e.g. the Internet or an Internal ). This can be in the form of Voice (similar to the handset that may be plugged into a BT socket at home), but nowadays contains extended features such as messages and video. Examples of this include Skype or Facetime, but also uses handsets for businesses. NETWORKING HARDWARE Ethernet A cable that is used to connect a device (such as a computer, printer or even a smart TV) to a network device (e.g. router or switch). It can then provide connectivity to the Internet for communication of any kind (Email, Web browsing, or video and audio streaming) Switch A switch is used to expand a private network, and allow connection of more devices, whether it is printers or computers or any other device which would use an Ethernet cable. Switches can also incorporate PoE to provide power to office desk phones. The hardware typically has between 5 and 48 sockets available, one of which would need to be connected to a router or another switch to allow connectivity. Router A Router is a piece of hardware that allows connection between a local internal network (private) and an external network e.g. the Internet (public). It will usually be used for many functions such as a Firewall, DHCP, DNS and VPN. Nearly all Broadband providers will use a router of some sort to connect your devices to the Internet. Firewall A firewall is used to monitor and protect a network from unauthorised access. This could be to protect an internal network from attacks outside of the network (from the Internet). The majority of routers will have a firewall built in. Business firewalls will allow for a much greater set of options to block incoming data. Computers can also have a firewall installed for added security.
SECURITY Malware Malicious Software Malware is a generic term that is used when relating to viruses, spyware and ransomware. Below are some of the more popular types, but it is inevitable that different types will start to appear. Virus Spyware Trojan Horse Adware A virus is a program that reproduces itself, and attaches itself to other programs that are installed on a Computer. Its main intent is to take control of a Computer to perform tasks that aren't usually carried out, often without the user s knowledge. Spyware is used to gain information about a person or business, and send that information to someone else without the user knowing that it has been sent. A Trojan is used to hack a Computer by misleading the user of the purpose or intent. For example, you may receive a popup to say that you have a virus and to install a program that will fix this. This will actually install further viruses causing more problems, often asking for money to buy the program. The term derives from the Ancient Greeks that used a wooden horse to gain entrance into Troy. Adware is one of the most popular forms of malware, and is software that displays unwanted advertising when browsing online. It is also used to redirect your Internet Browser to a different search engine, with a purpose to generate revenue for the creator of the software. Ransomware Ransomware is a growing form of malware, and as the name suggests holds users ransom to their data unless a fee is paid. It does this by encrypting data such as word and excel documents along with photos, and requires the purchase of Bitcoins to assist in getting these decrypted and back to a usable state. Worm A computer Worm is a malicious piece of software that replicates itself and then spreads itself to other computers that are on a network. The purpose of a Worm can be to slow the network down as it spreads across and pass on the malicious code to others over the Internal, or as an example sending emails out the senders of emails in Microsoft Outlook as an attached file, therefore going outside of the original.
COMPUTER COMPONENTS CPU Central Processing Unit RAM Random Access Memory Commonly referred to as the processor, this is the brains of the Computer, where calculations are carried out. Terms such as Dual core and Quad core are associated with the processor and is the basic calculation component of the Processor RAM is used for storing data once it has been retrieved from a data storage device such as Hard Drive or Solid State Disk, allowing for faster calculations to be carried out. A greater amount of RAM allows for more programs and documents to be opened at once, without affecting performance. Motherboard A motherboard is the main circuit board found in a Computer. It is used to control all of the other components, and the flow of data between these.
DATA STORAGE This component found in a PC that holds all of the data. This includes the Operating System files (Such as Windows 10), Any applications (such as Microsoft Word or Excel), and your Personal data (such as Pictures, Music, Videos and documents). HDD Hard Disk Drive It works by using a rotating disk at a high speed of between 5400 and 15000rpm, and a mechanical arm that moves to the area where the data is held, or where it will be stored. Although these drives are very common, their use as the main storage device is declining, and is now being used for a secondary storage device, or as an external device such as a USB External HDD. Typical hard drive sizes are 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, but can reach 8TB per SSD Solid State Drive The SSD is becoming more popular as a choice for data storage. It does not involve the use of a rotating disk or arm, but instead uses flash memory (similar to the memory found in modern smartphones), but at a larger and faster capacity. They run silently, produce less power and are also better at withstanding physical knocks, which make them especially useful in laptops. Popular sizes of SSD are 120GB, 240GB and 480GB but can reach storage sizes of 3.2TB, although the cost significantly raises Flash Memory Flash memory is found in many different forms. This can be either an SD Card used in many digital cameras, MicroSD found in many phones for additional storage, or USB Flash drives (commonly known as USB Sticks). They range in data storage capacity, currently 32GB, 64GB or 128GB are popular given the cost, but 512GB flash memory types are available. If you found this article useful or would like to talk more about how we can help you, your business or enterprise don t hesitate to get in touch on 0800 069 9788 or hello@dynamiq.co