N

name server

A server that contains a databases of name resolution information used to resolve network names to network addresses.

NAS (network attached storage)

A storage device, such as a disk drive or CD-ROM, that is connected directly to the network medium rather than to a server or another system.

NAT (Network Address Translation)

A standard that enables the translation of IP addresses used on one network to a different IP address that is acceptable for use on another network. This translation allows multiple systems to access an external network, such as the Internet, through a single IP address.

NBNS (NetBIOS name server)

A central server that provides name resolution for NetBIOS names to IP addresses.

NBTSTAT

A Windows operating system command-line utility that displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NBT).

NCP (NetWare Core Protocol)

A protocol that provides a method for hosts to make calls to a NetWare server for services and network resources. NCP is part of the IPX/SPX protocol suite.

NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification)

A specification for NIC drivers that allows multiple protocols to be bound to a single network interface.

NDS (Novell Directory Services)

A standards- compliant directory services system implemented by Novell in NetWare 4.x. NDS has since been renamed eDirectory.

NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface)

A nonroutable, Microsoft-proprietary networking protocol that is designed for use in small networks.

NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System)

A software application that allows different applications to communicate between computers on a LAN.

NETSTAT

A Windows operating system command-line utility that displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections.

NLM (NetWare loadable module)

A service or process that runs on a NetWare server.

NLSP (NetWare Link State Protocol)

A link-state routing protocol that is used on networks that use Novell's IPX/SPX protocol suite.

network card

See [NIC]

network ID

The part of a TCP/IP address that specifies the network portion of the IP address. The network ID is determined by the class of the address, which in turn is determined by the subnet mask used.

network interface layer

The bottom layer of the TCP/IP architectural model, which is responsible for sending and receiving frames.

network layer

Layer 3 of the OSI model, which is where routing that is based on node addresses (that is, IP or IPX addresses) occurs.

network operating system

An operating system that runs on the servers on a network. Network operating systems include NetWare, Unix, Windows NT, and Windows 2000.

newsgroup

A discussion group that focuses on a specific topic and is made up of a collection of messages posted to an Internet site. Newsgroups are useful resources for support personnel.

NIC (network interface card)

A hardware component that serves as the interface, or connecting component, between a network and the node. It has a transceiver, a MAC address, and a physical connector for the network cable. Also known as a network adapter or a network card.

NIS (Network Information Services)

The user, group, and security information database that is utilized in a Unix internetwork.

NMS (Network Management System)

An application that acts as a central management point for network management. Most NMS systems use SNMP in order to communicate with network devices.

NMTP (Network News Transfer Protocol)

An Internet protocol that controls how news articles are to be queried, distributed, and posted.

noise

Another name for EMI.

See also [EMI]

NTP (Network Time Protocol)

A protocol that is used to communicate time synchronization information between devices on the network. NTP is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite.