Definitions

SourcePro : Internet Protocols Module User’s Guide : PART I Overview of the Internet Protocols Module : Product Overview : Definitions

Definitions

The following definitions are important to understanding the features described in this guide.

Address

A unique identifier for a communication endpoint.

Client

A process that sends requests to a server to perform a given task. For example, a client can send a request for electronic mail to the mail server.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

A TCP/IP protocol for transferring files across a network.

Handle-body idiom (interface-implementation idiom)

A programming paradigm where separate objects are used to represent the interface and implementation of an abstraction. This paradigm allows the implementation object to change without changing the type of the interface object.

Host

A communication endpoint on a network. Any machine connected to a computer network can be called a host.

Internet

A network made up of several computer networks connected together.

Protocol

A set of rules and conventions for network communication.

RFC

Request for Comments. The official standards and guidelines of the Internet are issued as RFCs.

Server

A process that performs a task at the request of a client.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

A TCP/IP protocol for transferring electronic mail across a network.

Socket

An application program interface (API) to network and interprocess communication. It allows the user-level program to use communication services provided by underlying communication protocols.

TCP/IP (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

A collection of protocols that provide services and support for network communication.

UML (Unified Modeling Language)

A software system modeling language for object technology, used for the diagrams in this manual.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

An address in the format used by the HTTP protocol.