NCSA
National Center for Supercomputing Applications is a scientific research center that is developing and implementing a national strategy to create, use, and transfer advanced computing and communication tools and information technologies. Developed one of the first Web browsers.
NDS
See NetWare Directory Services.
NetBEUI
A network protocol usually used in small, department-size local area networks of 1 to 200 clients. It can use Token Ring source routing as its only method of routing. See also router.
NetBIOS
See network basic input/output system.
NetWare Directory Services (NDS)
A NetWare service that runs on NetWare servers. The service enables the location of resources on the network.
network basic input/output system (NetBIOS)
An application programming interface (API) that can be used by applications on a local area network. NetBIOS provides applications with a uniform set of commands for requesting the lower-level services required to conduct sessions between nodes on a network and to transmit information back and forth. See also application programming interface.
network card
An expansion card or other device used to connect a computer to a local area network (LAN). Also called a network adapter; network adapter card; adapter card; network interface card (NIC).
network drive
See shared directory.
Network File System (NFS)
A service for distributed computing systems that provides a distributed file system, eliminating the need to keep multiple copies of files on separate computers.
network interface card (NIC)
See network card.
Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP)
The protocol used to distribute network news messages to NNTP servers and to NNTP clients (news readers) on the Internet. NNTP provides for the distribution, inquiry, retrieval, and posting of news articles by using a reliable stream-based transmission of news on the Internet. NNTP is designed so that news articles are stored on a server in a central database, thus enabling a user to select specific items to read. Indexing, cross-referencing, and expiration of aged messages are also provided. Defined in RFC 977.
network protocols
Software that enables computers to communicate over a network. The Internet protocol is TCP/IP.
NFS
See Network File System.
NIC
See network card.
node
Any workstation, server, printer, or other device on a network that uses TCP/IP. Also called host.
NTFS
See Windows NT File System.
NWLink IPX/SPX Compatible Transport
A standard network protocol that supports routing, and can support NetWare client/server applications, where NetWare-aware sockets-based applications communicate with IPX\SPX sockets-based applications.