Glossary

A
 
alert
A syslog or SNMP message notifying an operator or administrator of a problem.
API
Application programming interface. Specification of function-call conventions that defines an interface to a service.
audit log
A log file containing a summary of major changes in the RDU database. This includes changes to system defaults, technology defaults, DHCP criteria, and Class of Service.

B
 
bandwidth
The 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.
BACC
See Broadband Access Center.
broadband
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.
Broadband Access Center
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.

C
 
cable modem termination system
See CMTS.
CableHome
A CableLabs initiative to develop a standardized infrastructure to let cable operators extend high-quality, value-added services to the home local area network.
caching
A form of replication in which information learned during a previous transaction is used to process later transactions.
client class
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.
CMTS
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.
CMTS shared secret
See shared secret.
configuration file
A file containing configuration parameters for the device to be provisioned.
configuration generation
The process of generating configurations at the RDU for devices and distributing them to the DPE. The configuration instructions are cached by the DPE and informed about action needed to be performed on the CPE.
CPE
Customer premises equipment. Terminating equipment, such as telephones, computers, and modems, supplied and installed at a customer location.

D
 
Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
See DOCSIS.
device provisioning engine
See DPE.
DOCSIS
Data over cable service interface specification. DOCSIS defines functionality in cable modems involved in high-speed data distribution over cable television system networks.
DOCSIS Shared Secret
Shared secret for communication between DOCSIS devices in a BAC deployment.
DPE

Device provisioning engine. The DPE caches device information. These distributed serves automatically synchronize with the RDU to obtain the latest configurations and provide BAC scalability.

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

F
 
FQDN
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.

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

M
 
MAC address
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.
MTA
Media Terminal Adapter. Equipment at the customer end of a broadband (PacketCable) network.

N
 
NAT
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.
network administrator
Person responsible for operation, maintenance, and management of a network. See also network operator.
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.
Network Time Protocol
See NTP.
NR
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.
NTP
Network Time Protocol. NTP is a protocol designed to synchronize server clocks over a network.

P
 
provisioning API
A series of BAC functions that programs can use to make the operating system perform various functions.
provisioning groups
Groupings of devices with a defined set of associated DPE and DHCP servers, based on either network topology or geography.
publishing
The process of publishing provisioning information to an external datastore in real time. Publishing plug-ins must be developed to write data to a datastore.

R
 
RDU
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.
realm
The logical network served by a single Kerberos database and a set of Key Distribution Centers.
realm names
By convention, realm names are generally all uppercase letters, to differentiate the realm from the Internet domain. See realm.
redundancy
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.

S
 
selection tags
Selection tags associated with Network Registrar scopes. These tags define the clients and client classes associated with a scope.
shared secret
A character string used to provide secure communication between two servers or devices.
static configuration files
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
 
template files
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.
TFTP
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.
TLV
Type-Length-Value. A tuple within a DOCSIS or PacketCable configuration file.
tuple
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.
Type Length Value
See TLV.

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

V
 
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.

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

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