Glossary

A

AAA

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. AAA is a suite of network security services that provides the primary framework through which you can set up access control on your Cisco router or gateway.

ANI

Automatic number identification. Same as calling party.

D

DNIS

Dialed number identification service. Same as the called number.

G

gatekeeper

A gatekeeper maintains a registry of devices in the multimedia network. The devices register with the gatekeeper at startup and request admission to a call from the gatekeeper. An H.323 gateway is an endpoint on the LAN that provides real-time, two-way communications between H.323 terminals on the LAN and other ITU-T terminals in the WAN or to another H.323 gateway.

gateway

A gateway allows H.323 terminals to communicate with non-H.323 terminals by converting protocols. A gateway is the point where a circuit-switched call is encoded and repackaged into IP packets.

I

IFS

Cisco IOS file system.

IVR

Interactive voice response. When someone dials in, IVR responds with a prompt to get a personal identification number (PIN), and so on.

P

POTS

Plain old telephone service. Basic telephone service supplying standard single line telephones, telephone lines, and access to the PSTN.

PSTN

Public Switched Telephone Network. PSTN refers to the local telephone company.

V

VoIP

Voice over IP. The ability to carry normal telephone-style voice signals over an IP-based network with POTS-like functionality, reliability, and voice quality. VoIP is a blanket term that generally refers to the Cisco open standards-based (for example, H.323) approach to IP voice traffic.