Computer Network

Definition: A computer network is a set of computers sharing resources located on or provided by network nodes. The computers use common communication protocols over digital interconnections to communicate with each other.

Packet 

Definition: In networking, a packet is a small segment of a larger message. Data sent over computer networks*, such as the Internet, is divided into packets. These packets are then recombined by the computer or device that receives them.

Local Area Network

Definition: A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a residence, school, laboratory, university campus or office building. By contrast, a wide area network not only covers a larger geographic distance, but also generally involves leased telecommunication circuits.

Wide Area Network

Definition: A wide area network is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area. Wide area networks are often established with leased telecommunication circuits.

Node

Definition: A network node is a connection point in a communications network. Each node is an endpoint for data transmissions or redistribution. Nodes have either a programmed or engineered capability to recognize, process and forward transmissions to other network nodes.

Media Access Control

Definition: In IEEE 802 LAN/MAN standards, the medium access control sublayer is the layer that controls the hardware responsible for interaction with the wired, optical or wireless transmission medium. The MAC sublayer and the logical link control sublayer together make up the data link layer.

IP Address

Definition: An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label such as 192.0.2.1 that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two main functions: network interface identification and location addressing.

Bus Topology

Definition: A bus network is a network topology in which nodes are directly connected to a common half-duplex link called a bus. A host on a bus network is called a station. In a bus network, every station will receive all network traffic, and the traffic generated by each station has equal transmission priority.

Ring Topology 

Definition: A ring network is a network topology in which each node connects to exactly two other nodes, forming a single continuous pathway for signals through each node – a ring. Data travels from node to node, with each node along the way handling every packet.

Network Token

Definition: Network tokenization refers to payment card tokenization that payment networks like Mastercard, Visa, American Express, and Discover offer to replace primary account numbers, also called PANs and other details, with a token provided by the card brand.

Star Topology

Definition: A star network is an implementation of a spoke–hub distribution paradigm in computer networks. In a star network, every host is connected to a central hub. In its simplest form, one central hub acts as a conduit to transmit messages. The star network is one of the most common computer network topologies.

Tree Topology

Definition: A tree topology, or star-bus topology, is a hybrid network topology in which star networks are interconnected via bus networks. Tree networks are hierarchical, and each node can have an arbitrary number of child nodes.

Protocol

Definition: Protocol, in computer science, a set of rules or procedures for transmitting data between electronic devices, such as computers. In order for computers to exchange information, there must be a preexisting agreement as to how the information will be structured and how each side will send and receive it.

Peer-Peer Architecture 

Definition: Peer-to-peer architecture (P2P architecture) is a commonly used computer networking architecture in which each workstation, or node, has the same capabilities and responsibilities. It is often compared and contrasted to the classic client/server architecture, in which some computers are dedicated to serving others.

Client/Server Architecture

Definition: Client-server model is a distributed application structure that partitions tasks or workloads between the providers of a resource or service, called servers, and service requesters, called clients.