A

These database log files contain data that has not yet written into the database. It is important to keep active log files until they become redundant. See also redundant logs and removable logs.

A watchdog agent is a daemon process that is used to monitor, stop, start and restart BAC component processes such as the RDU, JRun, and the SNMP agent.

A syslog or SNMP message notifying an operator or administrator of a network problem.

Application programming interface. Specification of function-call conventions that defines an interface to a service.

A log file containing a summary of major changes in the RDU database. This includes changes to system defaults, technology defaults, DHCP criterias, and classes of service.

B

Difference between the highest and lowest frequencies available for network signals. The term is also used to describe the rated throughput capacity of a given network medium or protocol.

An integrated solution for data-over-cable service providers to configure and manage broadband modems, and enable and administer subscriber self-registration and activation. BAC is a scalable product capable of supporting millions of devices.

Transmission system that multiplexes multiple independent signals onto one cable. In Telecommunications terminology; any channel having a bandwidth greater than a voice-grade channel (4 kHz). In LAN terminology; a co-axial cable on which analog signaling is used.

See BAC.

C

See CMTS.

Form of replication in which information learned during a previous transaction is used to process later transactions.

A Network Registrar feature that provides differentiated services to users that are connected to a common network. The client-class is used in the BAC DHCP criteria to provide differentiated DHCP services to devices.

Cable modem termination system. A CMTS is a component that exchanges digital signals with cable modems on a cable network. The CMTS is usually located in the cable provider's local office.

See shared secret.

A file containing configuration parameters for the device to be provisioned.

The process of combining a set of attributes to be delivered to a device using either DHCP, TFTP, or SNMP.

Customer premises equipment. Terminating equipment, such as telephones, computers, and modems, supplied and installed at a customer location.

See CPE.

D

See DPE.

Device provisioning engine. The DPE caches device information to ensure BAC scalability and handles configuration requests including downloading configuration files to devices.

Digital set-top box. A device that enables a television to become a user interface to the Internet and to receive and decode digital television signals.

A dynamically created configuration file that uses template files to provide greater flexibility and security in the provisioning process.

F

Fully qualified domain name. FQDN is the full name of a system, rather than just its hostname. For example, cisco is a hostname and www.cisco.com is an FQDN.

See FQDN.

I

An IP address is a 32-bit number that identifies each sender or receiver of information that is sent in packets across the Internet.

K

See KDC.

A key distribution center that implements limited Kerberos functionality. Used in the provisioning of PacketCable MTAs.

M

Standardized data link layer address that is required for every port or device that connects to a LAN. Other devices in the network use these addresses to locate specific ports in the network and to create and update routing tables and data structures. MAC addresses are 6 bytes long and are controlled by IEEE, Also known as hardware address, MAC-layer address, or physical address. Compare with network address.

See MTA.

Multiple system operator. A company that operates more than one cable TV or broadband system.

Equipment at the customer end of a broadband (packetcable) network.

See MSO.

N

Network address translation. Mechanism for reducing the need for globally unique IP addresses. NAT allows an organization with addresses that are not globally unique to connect to the Internet by translating those addresses into globally routeable address space. This is also known as Network Address Translation.

See NAT.

Person responsible for operation, maintenance, and management of a network. See also network operator.

Person who routinely monitors and controls a network, performing such tasks as reviewing and responding to alarms, monitoring throughput, configuring new circuits, and resolving problems. See also network administrator.

See NTP.

Cisco Network Registrar. A software product that provides IP addresses, configuration parameters, and DNS names to DOCSIS cable modems and PCs, based on network and service policies.

Network Time Protocol (NTP). The NTP is a protocol designed to synchronize server clocks over a network.

P

A series of BAC functions that programs can use to make the operating system perform various functions.

Groupings of DPE and DHCP servers, based on either network topology or geography.

Publishing provisioning information to an external datastore in real time. Publishing plug-ins must be developed to write data to a datastore.

R

Regional distribution unit. The RDU is the primary server in the BAC provisioning system. It manages generation of device configurations, processes all API requests, and manages the BAC system.

The logical network served by a single Kerberos database and a set of Key Distribution Centers.

By convention, realm names are generally all uppercase letters, to differentiate the realm from the Internet domain. See realm.

In internetworking, the duplication of devices, services, or connections so that, in the event of a failure, the redundant devices, services, or connections can perform the work of those that failed.

Database log files become redundant once its data has been written into the database. See also active logs and removable logs.

Database log files become removable after either being backed up, or when the complete database that contains data for this log file has been backed up. See also active logs and redundant logs.

S

Selection tags associated with Network Registrar scopes. These define the clients and client-classes associated with a scope.

A character string used to provide secure communication between two servers or devices.

These files are used as a configuration file for a device. For example, a static configuration file called gold.cm would identify the gold DOCSIS class of service. BAC treats this file type like any other binary file.

T

Text files that contain DOCSIS or PacketCable MTA options and values that, when used in conjunction with a DOCSIS or PacketCable MTA class of service, provide dynamic file generation.

Trivial File Transfer Protocol. Simplified version of file transfer protocol (FTP) that allows files to be transferred from one computer to another over a network.

Type-Length-Value. A tuple within a DOCSIS or PacketCable configuration file.

See TFTP.

In programming languages, a tuple is an ordered set of values. Common uses for the tuple as a data type are: for passing a string of parameters from one program to another, or to represent a set of value attributes in a relational database.

See TLV.

U

Universal Broadband Router (such as the Cisco 7246 or 7223), which is the Cisco router implementation of a DOCSIS CMTS.

V

See VoIP.

Voice over IP. VoIP is the ability to make telephone calls and send faxes over IP-based data networks with a suitable quality of service (QoS) and superior cost/benefit.

X

A Gateway Control Protocol used to pass data between networks. This includes that M (for Media) GCP and S (Simple) GCP.