Terminologies In Web Development
Web Terminology
This section provides an overview of standard web terminology you may encounter.
ASP
Active Server Page, a specification for a dynamically created web page with an *.asp extension that contains either Visual Basic or JavaScript code. When a browser requests an ASP page, the Web server generates a page with HTML code and sends it back to the browser.
Cache
Cache is computer memory with a very short access time. A computer uses it to store frequently used instructions or data. Most web browsers have a cache setting that stores recently used objects (such as web pages) for quick viewing. This cache is used primarily for the browser’s Back button or on websites with the same images on multiple pages.
DMZ
Demilitarized zone, a computer host or small network inserted as a “neutral zone” between a company’s private network and the outside public network. It prevents outside users from getting direct access to a server that has company data.
Domain
A group of computers and devices on a network.
Domain name
A name that identifies one or more computers on the network. Domain names are also used in web addresses (see URL). For example, blogspot.com is the domain name of Blackbaud’s web server located at www.blogspot.com.
Encryption
The translation of data into a secret code. Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security.
FAT
File Allocation Table, the table used by an operating system to locate files on a disk.
Firewall
A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks, especially intranets, connected to the Internet. All messages that enter or leave the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol, the protocol used on the Internet for sending files from one computer to another.
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language, one of the authoring languages used to create documents on the World Wide Web.
HTTP
Hypertext Transfer Protocol, a set of standards that allows web browsers and web servers to exchange data. The “http” part of a web address lets the browser know that the content to follow is HTTP-compatible.
IE
Internet Explorer, Microsoft’s web browser you use to view web pages. IE is a “graphical browser,” which means it can display graphics as well as text. It can also present multimedia information, including sound and video. Other examples of graphical browsers are Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.
IIS
Internet Information Services, Microsoft’s software that turns regular Windows servers into web servers. IIS 6.0 is bundled with Windows Server 2003. Because IIS is tightly integrated with the operating system, it is relatively easy to administer.
Internet
A global network connecting millions of computers.
Internet Service Provider
See ISP.
Intranet
A network within an organization accessible only by the organization’s members, employees, or others with authorization.
IP address
An identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination. The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. Each number can be zero to 255. An example of an IP address is 172.20.0.0.
IPX
Internetwork Packet Exchange, a networking protocol used primarily by the Novell NetWare operating systems.
ISP
Internet Service Provider, a company that provides access to the Internet.
LAN
Local area network, a computer network that spans a small area, such as a single building or group of buildings.
NetBIOS
Network Basic Input Output System, an application programming interface (API) that augments the DOS BIOS by adding special functions for local area networks (LANs). Almost all LANs for PCs are based on the NetBIOS. Some LAN manufacturers have extended the NetBIOS, adding additional network capabilities.
NTFS
NT File System, a system Windows 2003 can use to help keep track of the files on a computer. NTFS provides more security control for the file system than FAT.
Protocol
An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol determines:
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The type of error checking used.
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Data compression method (if any).
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How the sending device indicates it has finished sending a message.
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How the receiving device indicates it has received a message.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a protocol for sending e-mail messages between servers. Most e-mail systems that send mail over the Internet use SMTP to send messages from one server to another.
SSL
Secure Sockets Layer, a protocol for transmitting private documents via the Internet that encrypts data. Conventionally, URLs that require an SSL connection start with https: instead of http:.
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, the suite of communications protocols used to connect hosts on the Internet. TCP/IP uses several protocols, primarily TCP and IP. TCP deals with how data is broken down for transmission. IP dictates how packets of information are sent. TCP/IP is the standard for transmitting data over networks. Even network operation systems with their own protocols, such as NetWare, support TCP/IP.
Topology
Geometric arrangement of devices on a network, such as in a ring or straight line.
URL
Uniform Resource Locator, the global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. For example, the URL of Blackbaud’s website is https://www.blackbaud.com.
User name
A name used to gain access to a computer system. User names, and often passwords, are required in multi-user systems. In most such systems, users can select their own user names and passwords.
Virtual directory
A directory name used in an address that corresponds to a physical directory on a web server.
WAN
Wide-area network, a computer network that spans a large area. Usually a system of multiple Local Area Networks connected via public systems, such as telephone lines or satellites. The Internet is the largest existing wide-area network.
Web browser
A software application used to locate and display web pages. For example, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Mozilla’s Firefox are web browsers.
Web server
A computer that delivers (serves up) web pages. Every web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. Any computer can be turned into a web server if you install web server software and connect the computer to the Internet.
WWW
World Wide Web, a system of Internet servers that support specially formatted documents. The documents are formatted in a language called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) that supports links to other documents, graphics, audio, and video files. Not all Internet servers are part of the World Wide Web.
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