Extranet

A Web site for customers rather than the general public. It can provide access to research, current inventories and internal databases, virtually any information that is private and not published for everyone. An extranet uses the public Internet as its transmission system, but requires passwords to gain entrance.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

A technology that significantly increases the digital capacity of ordinary telephone lines (the local loops) into the home or office. DSL speeds are based on the distance between the customer and telco central office. There are two main categories

Communication Channels

Also called a "circuit" or "line," it is a pathway over which data are transferred between remote devices. It may refer to the entire physical medium, such as a telephone line, optical fiber, coaxial cable or twisted wire pair, or, it may refer to one of several carrier frequencies transmitted simultaneously within the line.

Client/Server network

A communications network that uses dedicated servers. In this context, the term is used to contrast it with a peer-to-peer network, which allows any client to also be a server.

Client

A computer or program that can download files for manipulation, run applications, or request application-based services from a file server.

Cable Modem

A device that converts the signals used in a computer to signals that can be transmitted over cable television networks, and vice versa.

Biometric Security Measures

In a study of biometric measures related to the identity of those taking a school admission test, the research used fingerprints, signature on an electronic screen and capturing the individual image through digital means.