Glossary

A

ACLS (Access Control List Service) –

Restricts access to computer resources such as files and directories.

Active Server Page (ASP) –

A dynamically created web page that employs ActiveX scripting. When a surfer requests an ASP page through their browser, the web server generates, in real-time, a page with HTML code, which it then sends to the browser.

Active X –

An architecture that lets a program (the Active X control) interact with other programs over a network such as the Internet.

Active X Controls –

The interactive objects in a web page that provides interactive and user-controllable functions.

American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) –

One of three Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) worldwide that collectively provide IP registration services to all regions around the globe. The other two RIRs are APNIC (Asia Pacific network Information Center) and RIPE (Reseaux IP Europeens).

API –

See Application Programming Interface.

Applet –

Small software programs that can be downloaded quickly and used by any computer equipped with a Java-capable browser. See also, Java.

Application –

A software program that does some type of task. MSWord, Netscape, Winzip, and anti-virus programs are a few examples of an application.

Application Programming Interface (API) –

Software that an application uses to request and carry out lower-level services performed by a computer’s operation system. In short, an API is a hook into software. An API is a set of standard software interrupts, calls and data formats that applications use to initiate contact with network services, mainframe communication programs, etc. Applications use APIs to call services that transport data across a network.

Application Service Provider (ASP) –

A third party that manages and distributes software-based services and solutions to its customers from a centralized server base.

Architecture –

Refers to the overall organizational structure of a given system, i.e. processor architecture or proprietary architecture. Central to the architecture is the decision about the selection of structural elements and their behavior, as defined by collaborations of larger subsystems, therefore the architectural style is the definitive guide for the system.

Autoresponders –

A mail utility that automatically sends a reply to an e-mail message. They are used to send back boilerplate information on a topic without having the requester do anything more than e-mail a particular address. They are also used to send a confirmation that the message has been received.

ASP –

See Active Server Page and Application Service Provider.