Network Terms "W"

WAN (Wide Area Network)

A network whose computers and servers are geographically far apart but still connected.

WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)

WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) access points privacy, integrity, and authentication to wireless client devices and using WTLS (Wireless Transport Layer Security). WTLS is a wireless security services protocol. It protects data between the wireless hub/router/access point and all wireless NICs.

Warm Site

A warm site is a fault tolerant strategy which provides a redundant work location. If a disaster renders a work site unusable, the effected organization may have a warm site in which to relocate. Warm sites have the following characteristics:

• This is a facility readily available with power, A/C, and computers, but the applications may not be installed or configured.

• Extra communications links and other data elements that commonly take a long time to order and install will be present.

• The warm site is considerably cheaper than a hot (fully operational) site.

• Lower administrative and maintenance resources consumed.

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Weight attribute

The weight is a mandatory, optional (Cisco-proprietary) BGP attribute that allows a preferred path from a router to a specific network to be configured on a local router only.

Well-known discretionary attribute

The well-known discretionary attribute is understood by all BGP implementations, but its presence is not mandatory.

Well-known ports

Also called commonly-used ports. Ports numbers below 256 are defined as commonly used ports. Some of these ports are 21 (FTP), 23 (Telnet), and 53 (Domain Name Service).

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was designed to provide wireless networks the same type of protection that cables provide on a wired network. WEP requires that authorized users have a valid WEP key to communicate with the access point. Likewise, cables provide this type of protection in that a client can only communicate with a hub or router if they have an active network cable connected to them.

On a wireless network that is employing WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), only users with the correct WEP key are allowed to authenticate through the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) access points. That's the whole point of WEP, to prevent unauthorized users by employing a wireless session key for access.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

A network whose computers and servers are geographically far apart but still connected.

Windows 95

An operating system that runs on client computers. It is not a networking operating system.

Windows 98

An operating system that runs on client computers. It is not a networking operating system.

Windows Backup

A backup solution for Windows that allows you to transfer files to and from tape. You can either perform backups manually or schedule an unattended backup.

Windows for Workgroups

An operating system that runs on client computers. It is not a networking operating system.

Windows Installer package

A file with the .MSI extension that contains software installation instructions and data for use with the Windows Installer service.

Windows Installer Service

A Windows 2000 service that uses Windows Installer packages (MSI files) to automate software installation and re-installation.

Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS)

A component of Microsoft Windows NT Server that resolves NetBIOS names into IP addresses for computers and resources on the network using a dynamically-updated database.

Windows Media Player

An application that lets you use streaming audio, illustrated audio, and video to download real-time content from the Internet.

Windows NT

An operating system from Microsoft that you can use for both client and server computers. The two types of Windows NT are Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation.

Windows NT Diagnostics

A program that provides a graphical interface to view computer hardware and operating system information. It is used to gather information to help troubleshoot hardware and memory problems.

Windows NT Executive

The collective name for the Windows NT subsystems and components that run in kernel mode. These include the Executive Services, Microkernel, and HAL.

Windows NT Server

A file and application server product from Microsoft that allows applications and files to be stored on it. The latest Windows NT server version is 4.0.

Windows NT Workstation

A desktop operating system that can function alone or also be part of a network in a workgroup or Windows NT Server domain environment.

Windows Scripting Host (WSH)

A scripting host that lets you run scripts, batch files, and command files from the command prompt or the Windows desktop.

Windows socket service (Winsock)

Winsock provides a standard application programming interface to transport protocols such as TCP/IP and IPX. Network applications can use this interface to use the services of the TCP/IP protocol stack.

Windows Sockets

An NWLink API that provides an interface for communication between NetWare Loadable Modules (IPX/SPX sockets) and TCP/IP protocols.

Windows Sockets applications

The Windows Sockets service provides a standard application programming interface (API) to different transport protocols such as IPX and TCP/IP. Applications that take advantage of this service are known as Windows Sockets applications.

Windows-on-Windows (WOW)

Win16 on Win32. A 32-bit program inside Windows NT that lets you run Win16 applications. WOW works inside an NTVDM.

Winipcfg

A Microsoft Windows NT utility that is used to verify a TCP/IP configuration. For Windows 2000, use the IPCONFIG utility.

Winnt.exe

The executable you use to install Windows 2000 on a computer that does not have a previous version of Windows 95, 98, or NT installed.

Winnt32.exe

The executable you use to re-install or upgrade Windows 2000 on a computer that already has Windows 95, 98, or NT installed.

WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service)

A component of Microsoft Windows NT Server that resolves NetBIOS names into IP addresses for computers and resources on the network using a dynamically-updated database.

WINS Manager

A Microsoft utility that is used to manage the Microsoft Windows Internet Name Service. With this utility, you can make configuration changes to your WINS server such as disabling logging or configuring static mappings.

Winsock (Windows socket service)

Winsock provides a standard application programming interface to transport protocols such as TCP/IP and IPX. Network applications can use this interface to use the services of the TCP/IP protocol stack.

Wire crimper

A tool used to attach cable connectors to bare wires (by crimping), such as when you are making your own cables.

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was designed to provide wireless networks the same type of protection that cables provide on a wired network. WEP requires that authorized users have a valid WEP key to communicate with the access point. Likewise, cables provide this type of protection in that a client can only communicate with a hub or router if they have an active network cable connected to them.

On a wireless network that is employing WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), only users with the correct WEP key are allowed to authenticate through the WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) access points. That's the whole point of WEP, to prevent unauthorized users by employing a wireless session key for access.

Wireless

Wireless networking uses radio waves or infrared light (with the air as the transmission medium) to send data between hosts. Wireless networks are common in homes, businesses, airports, and hotels. Most wireless networks connect into larger wired networks (such as LANs) which are in turn connected to the Internet.

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)

WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) access points privacy, integrity, and authentication to wireless client devices and using WTLS (Wireless Transport Layer Security). WTLS is a wireless security services protocol. It protects data between the wireless hub/router/access point and all wireless NICs.

Workgroup

A peer-to-peer network where each Windows 2000 workstation is a member of a logical grouping of computers. The workgroup model has no central user account database or computer that validates a logon. Each Windows 2000 workstation in a workgroup must contain accounts for every person who needs to gain access to resources on that workstation. Workgroups are convenient for very small networks, but because there is no central database for maintaining accounts, administration is difficult.

Workstation-only backup

A backup technique that allows users to back up the critical information they store on their own local computer. Each computer needs its own backup device and storage media.

World Wide Web

A graphically-based and user-friendly part of the Internet. You need a software application called an Internet browser (to view the information on the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web uses the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to connect a system of graphical pages, called Web sites, formatted using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

Worms

Pieces of software code written expressly to cause problems with servers and workstations by "tunneling" through the data and code on the hard drive. Worms are a type of computer virus.

WOW (Windows-on-Windows)

Win16 on Win32. A 32-bit program inside Windows NT that lets you run Win16 applications. WOW works inside an NTVDM.

Write-ahead log

A method of logging transactions. Using this method, the log is always written to disk before the data.

WSH (Windows Scripting Host)

A scripting host that lets you run scripts, batch files, and command files from the command prompt or the Windows desktop.