1. Introduction

This glossary is adapted from "The INTEROP Pocket Glossary of Networking Terms" produced to help you understand the many terms--and in particular the myriad of acronyms--that can be encountered at the INTEROP Tutorials, Conference, and Exhibition.

To keep this document reasonably small we have deliberately omitted common computer and communications terms such as disk, modem, byte, and VLSI. In addition, the definitions have been kept brief. We recommend that you consult the glossaries found in the major computer networking textbooks for more comprehensive definitions.

We also realize that producing this glossary is akin to shooting at a moving target. The computer and communications industries are moving very rapidly, and terms and acronyms are born every day. You are invited to submit words which you think should be included in future editions.