I/O — An abbreviation for Input/Output

I/O Address — Input/Output Address. Reserved address in memory where the CPU looks for data that a device stores. CPUs know devices through their I/O addresses. An I/O address is also called Base I/O or I/O Port. These locations within the input/output address space of your computer are used by a device such as a printer or modem. See also input/output activity (I/O).

ICC — International Color Consortium

ICM — Image Color Matching

ICMP — Internet Control Message Protocol. An integral part of the Internet layer that provides error and other control information to upper layer protocols such as TCP.

Icon — A graphical representation of a resource in a graphical user interface, such as a disk drive, directory, group, application, or document. You can enlarge an application icon to a window when you want to use the application by clicking on the icon. Within applications, there are also toolbar icons for commands such as cut, copy, paste etc.

IDE — Acronym for integrated device electronics, a type of disk-drive interface in which the controller electronics reside on the drive itself, eliminating the need for a separate adapter card. It is a simple mass storage device interconnection bus that operates at 5Mbps and can handle no more than two attached devices. IDE devices are similar to but less expensive than SCSI devices.

IE — See Microsoft Internet Explorer

IEAK — Internet Explorer Administration Kit. A set of tools that make possible the fine-tuning of Internet Explorer browsing software installations

IEAK Profile Manager — A tool that network or workgroup administrators can use to create custom Active Desktop and Active Channel configurations and deploy them to users

IEEE — Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. The IEEE, the largest professional organization in the world, supports the development of computers and electrical engineering standards. It is active in the creation, promotion, and support of communications specifications and standards. The IEEE 802 series of standards are popular for LANs.

IEEE 802.3 — A physical layer standard that uses the CSMA/ CD access method on a bus topology LAN.

IEEE 802.5 (Token Ring) — The IEEE committee and its specification that defined a LAN protocol suite. Originated by IBM, now an IEEE standard for a token-passing, ring network that can be configured in a star topology. Token Ring cards are available in 4 Mb/s and 16 Mb/s versions. Subsequent upgrades for fiber are specified in ANSI X3T9.

IESG — Internet Engineering Steering Group. The executive committee of the IETF.

IETF — See Internet Engineering Task Force.

IF..THEN..ELSE — A login script command to execute commands if a certain condition logically exists.

IGMP — Acronym for Internet Group Management Protocol, used by workgroup software products and supported by Microsoft TCP/IP.

IIS — Acronym for Microsoft Internet Information Server, a tool for identifying your computer as an Internet server.

Immed Prg of Del Files — If this SET parameter is ON, the files are immediately purged; if it is OFF, the deleted files can be salvaged using the SALVAGE utility.

Impedance — A measurement of resistance to current that a transmission medium offers. It is measured in ohms. To be more specific, impedance is an electrical characteristic of a circuit dealing with the combination of the AC and DC resistance and the appearance of that resistance to attached circuits.

Impersonation — A technique by which one process can take on the security attributes of another process, as when a server process impersonates a client process to complete a task involving objects to which the server does not normally have access. Impersonation occurs when Windows NT Server allows one process to take on the security attributes of another.

Import — To create a package by inserting an existing file into Object Packager. When you import a file, the icon of the application you used to create the file appears in the Appearance window, and the name of the file appears in the Contents window. See also package.

Import computers — In directory replication, the servers or workstations that receive copies of the master set of directories from an export server. See also directory replication; export server.

Import path — In directory replication, the path to which imported subdirectories, and the files in those subdirectories, will be stored on an import computer. See also directory replication; import computer.

Inactive Window — A window that is open, but currently is unaffected by commands, such a window often has a gray title bar and is behind the active window.

INCLUDE — A login script command to run other login scripts (subscripts) from your current login script.

Incremental Backup — A backup strategy that selects only the new or modified files as determined by the archive bit. It marks files as having been backed up.

Independent Software Vendor (ISV) — A participant in the computing industry marketplace whose primary focus is development of software.

Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) — The design standard for 16-bit Intel compatible motherboards and peripheral buses. The 32/64-bit PCI bus is replacing the ISA standard. Adapters and interface cards must conform to the bus standard(s) used by the motherboard in order to be used with a computer.

INETCFG — Loadable module used to set up and customize the internetworking configuration for IPX, IP, and AppleTalk.

INETCFG.NLM — The Internetworking Configuration utility used to configure LAN and WAN boards as well as network protocols, and to bind these protocols to the network interfaces.

INF file — A file that provides Windows 95(8) Setup with the information required to set up a device, such as a list of valid logical configurations for the device, the names of driver files associated with the device, and so on. An INF file is typically provided by the device manufacturer on a disk

Infrared Data Association (IrDA) — Publisher of a wireless connectivity standard, which makes it possible to connect computers and hardware devices without using cables

INI files — Initialization files used by Windows-based applications to store per-user information that controls application startup. In Windows 95(8), such information is stored in the registry, and INI files are supported for backward compatibility

In-band signaling — Signaling that uses frequencies or time slots within the bandwidth or data stream occupied by the information channel.

In-Place Upgrade — An upgrade method primarily used to upgrade 2.x server to 4.1, but it can also be used to upgrade non-NetWare server to 4.1. 2XUPGRDE.NLM can be used to reformat 2.x partition to 3.1x partition. You can then upgrade the 3.1x server to 4.1 using INSTALL.

Input/output activity (I/O) — Read or write actions that your computer performs. Your computer performs a "read" when you type information on your keyboard or you select and choose items by using your mouse. Also, when you open a file, your computer reads the disk on which the file is located to find and open it. Your computer performs a "write" whenever it stores, sends, prints, or displays information. For example, your computer performs a write when it stores information on a disk, displays information on your screen, or sends information through a modem or to a printer. See also I/O addresses.

Insertion point — The place where text will be inserted when you type. The insertion point usually appears as a flashing vertical bar in an application's window or in a dialog box.

INSTALL — Management NLM utility used to complete the NetWare v3.12 installation and for maintenance purposes.

INSTALL.BAT — NetWare installation utility that is used to create the NetWare partition, enable disk mirroring, create volumes, create or edit configuration files, load NetWare system files, and load optional software products.

INSTALL.NLM — NetWare main installation utility that allows you to create NetWare partition, mirror hard disks, create volumes, copy NetWare files, create server boot files (AUTOEXEC.NCF and STARTUP.NCF), and to install NetWare optional products.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) — A type of phone line used to enhance WAN speeds, ISDN lines can transmit at speeds of 64 or 128 kilobits per second, as opposed to standard phone lines, which typically transmit at only 9600 bits per second (bps). An ISDN line must be installed by the phone company at both the server site and the remote site. See also bps.

Interactive logon — A network logon from a computer keyboard, when the user types information in the Logon Information dialog box displayed by the computer’s operating system. See also remote logon.

Interactive television — Television combined with interactive content and enhancements

Interface — A means of connection, communication or interaction between two objects, physical or otherwise. The term may be applied to 1) cables, cards, plugs, and other devices that connect peripherals, 2) software that facilitates communication, connections in software that allow an application to work with the operating system and the operating system to work with the hardware, or even 3) the presentation of a software application to a user as his means to use the program – the user interface.

Interface — The layer in the Internet suite of protocols responsible for transmission on a single physical network.

Interlacing — A video display technique in which the electron beam refreshes (updates) all odd-numbered scan lines in one sweep of the screen and all even-numbered scan lines in the next. Interlacing takes advantage of both the screen phosphor's ability to maintain an image for a short time before fading and the human eye's tendency to average subtle differences in light intensity. By refreshing alternate lines, interlacing halves the number of lines to update in one screen sweep

Intermediary devices — Microsoft RAS supports various kinds of intermediary devices (security hosts and switches) between the remote access client and the remote access server. These devices include a modem-pool switch or security host. See also Remote Access Service (RAS).

Internal command — Commands that are stored in the file Cmd.exe and that reside in memory at all times.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) — An international association of member countries, each represented by its leading standard-setting organization—for example, ANSI (American National Standards Institute) for the United States. The ISO works to establish global standards for communications and information exchange

Internet — (1) An interconnected global network of computers based upon the TCP/IP protocol suite. The Internet was formed by interconnecting several large networks such as DoD’s MILNET, the National Science Foundation network (NSFnet), and the Computer Science network (CSNET). The Internet now connects government agencies, educational institutions, and corporate organizations all over the world. Really, it is a global network of networks. TCP/IP was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency to facilitate the interconnection of military networks and was provided free to universities. The obvious utility of worldwide digital network connectivity and the availability of free complex networking software developed at universities doing military research attracted other universities, research institutions, private organizations, businesses, and finally the individual home user. Now the Internet is a widely used international medium for publishing, commerce, communication, and entertainment. See also World Wide Web. (2) A collection of networks that are interconnected by linking devices such as bridges, routers, and gateways to operate as a single large network. (3) In Windows NT, a collection of two or more private networks, or private inter-enterprise TCP/IP networks. In Novell or Macintosh terminology, refers to two or more physical networks connected by routers, which maintain a map of the physical networks on the internet and forward data received from one physical network to other physical networks. Network users in an internet can share information and network devices. You can use an internet with Services for Macintosh by connecting two or more AppleTalk networks to a computer running Windows NT Server.

Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) — The Internet group that assigns groups of IP addresses to organizations

Internet control message protocol (ICMP) — A maintenance protocol in the TCP/IP suite, required in every TCP/IP implementation, that allows two nodes on an IP network to share IP status and error information. ICMP is used by the ping utility to determine the readability of a remote system. See also ping; TCP/IP.

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) — A consortium that introduces procedures for new technology on the Internet. IETF specifications are released in documents called Requests for Comments (RFCs). See also RFC.

Internet group name — A name known by a DNS server that includes a list of the specific addresses of systems that have registered the name. See also DNS.

Internet Protocol (IP) — The messenger protocol of TCP/IP, responsible for addressing and sending TCP packets over the network. It is a Network layer protocol upon which the Internet is based. IP provides a best-effort, connectionless delivery system that does not guarantee that packets arrive at their destination or that they are received in the sequence in which they were sent. Other protocols such as UDP or TCP use IP to perform their connection-oriented or guaranteed delivery services. See also packet; TCP; TCP/IP.

Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) — A protocol used to configure, enable, and disable IP Protocol modules at both ends of the link

Internet router — A device that connects networks and directs network information to other networks, usually choosing the most efficient route through other routers. See also router.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) — A public provider of remote connections to the Internet

Internetworks — Networks that connect local area networks (LANs) together.

Interoperability — The ability to use application programs from different vendors within the same system.

Interprocess communication (IPC) — A generic term describing any manner of client/server communication protocols, specifically those operating in the Application layer. Interprocess communications mechanisms provide a method for the client and server to trade information. This ability, provided by a multitasking operating system, is so that one task or process is able to exchange data with another. Common IPC methods include pipes, semaphores, shared memory, queues, signals, and mailboxes. See also named pipes; queue.

Interrupt — An asynchronous operating condition that disrupts normal execution and transfers control to an interrupt handler. Interrupts are usually initiated by I/O devices requiring service from the processor

Interrupt Mode — A printer configuration option where the data port sends an interrupt to the port driver instructing the CPU to suspend its other processing activities to service the needs of the port.

Interrupt Request (IRQ) — A hardware signal from a peripheral device to the microcomputer indicating that it has I/O traffic to send. If the microprocessor is not running a more important service, it will interrupt its current activity and handle the interrupt request. IBM PCs have 16 levels of interrupt request lines. Under Windows NT each device must have a unique interrupt request line. The system board uses a programmable interrupt controller to monitor the priority of the requests from all devices. This is the method by which a device can request to be serviced by the device’s software driver.

Interrupt request lines (IRQ) — Hardware lines over which devices can send signals to get the attention of the processor when the device is ready to accept or send information. Typically, each device connected to the computer uses a separate IRQ.

Interrupts — A request-for-attention signal sent by either hardware or software to the CPU that causes the CPU to suspend some operations and transfer control to an interrupt handler (designated, for example, as Int 13).

Intranet — Use of Internet standards, technologies, and products within an enterprise to function as a collaborative processing infrastructure. The term is generally used to describe the application of Internet technologies on internal corporate networks.    May be connected to the Internet. See also Internet; TCP/IP.

IP — Internet Protocol. IP provides connectionless, non-guaranteed delivery of datagrams (packets at the Network layer are called datagrams) across an internetwork. See Internet Protocol.

IP address — Internet Protocol address. A unique address that identifies a host on an IP internetwork. It identifies a computer as a 32-bit address that is unique across a TCP/IP network. It is used to identify a node on a network and to specify routing information. Each node on the network must be assigned a unique IP address, which is made up of the network ID, plus a unique host ID assigned by the network administrator. This address is typically represented in dotted-decimal notation, with the decimal value of each octet separated by a period (for example, 138.57.7.27). In Windows NT, the IP address can be configured statically on the client or configured dynamically through DHCP. Internet IP addresses are assigned and administered by the Network Information Center (InterNIC). See also DHCP; node; octet.

IP datagrams — The basic internet protocol (IP) information unit. See also datagram; Internet Protocol (IP).

IP Relay — IP relay is used to tunnel IPX packets over a WAN link. It is a WAN driver that simulates Permanent Virtual Connections (PVCs) between routers.

IP router — A system connected to multiple physical TCP/IP networks that can route or deliver IP packets between the networks. See also packet; routing; TCP/IP.

IP Tunneling — A process of encapsulating an IPX packet within a UDP/IP packet. Using IP tunneling, a NetWare TCP/IP server can route IPX packets from NetWare network over an IP internetwork.

IPC — See interprocess communication.

IPCP — Acronym for Internet Protocol Control Protocol, specified by RFC 1332. Responsible for configuring, enabling, and disabling the IP protocol modules on both ends of the point-to-point (PPP) link. See also PPP; RFC.

IPng — IP Next Generation. Name for the efforts of the Internet Engineering Task Force to define a new version of the Internet Protocol (IP) to handle larger IP addresses. There were three candidates - CATNIP, TUBA, and SIPP.

IPX — Internetwork Packet eXchange. A connectionless communication protocol for routing and addressing.

IPX (utility) — This utility loads the Internetwork Packet eXchange protocol.

IPX external Network Num — See Network Number.

IPX Internal Network Num — A logical eight-digit hexadecimal number used to uniquely identify each server on the network.

IPX RETRY COUNT — A NET.CFG parameter that sets the number of times the workstation resends a packet.

IPX/SPX — Acronym for Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange, transport protocols used in Novell NetWare networks. Windows NT implements IPX through NWLink. On Novell NetWare systems, IPX is a network layer protocol used in the file server operating system; SPX is a transport layer protocol built on top of IPX and used in client/server applications

IPXCON — A NetWare 4 loadable module used to troubleshoot, monitor, and view the status of IPX routers on the network.

IPXNCP.VLM — A VLM that builds packets with NCP headers and hands the packets to IPX.

IPXODI — Internetwork Packet Exchange Open Data-Link Interface.A module that takes the workstation’s requests, packages them with transmission information, and transfers them to the LSL.

IPXPING — A NetWare 4 loadable module used to check server connectivity on IPX network.

IRF — Inherited Rights Filter. A mechanism used to block the right. By default, the IRF allows every right to be inherited from the parent container or directory. IRF is similar to IRM that is used with NetWare 3.1x

IRM — Inherited Rights Mask. Determines what rights a user can inherit from the parent directory. A user can inherit only those rights from a parent directory that the user has in that directory. A user cannot inherit rights from a directory that he has not been granted. IRM is similar to IRF that is used with NetWare 4

IRQ — Abbreviation for "interrupt request lines," which are hardware lines over which I/O devices, keyboards, and disk drives can send interrupts to the CPU. The IRQs are built into the hardware, with preassigned priority levels. See interrupt request

ISA — Abbreviation for Industry Standard Architecture, an unofficial designation for the bus design of the IBM PC/XT. It refers to an 8-bit (and later, a 16-bit) expansion bus that provides a buffered interface from devices on expansion cards to the PC internal bus

ISDN — (1) A set of standards defined by CCITT whose purpose is to transform the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) into a worldwide circuit-switched digital network for digitized voice and non-voice (data, video) communications. (2) A completely digital telephone /telecommunications network that carries voice, data, and video information over the existing telephone network infrastructure. It is designed to provide a single interface for hooking up a telephone, fax machine, computer, and so on

ISO — Abbreviation for the International Standards Organization, an international association of member countries (approximately 100 countries are represented), each of which is represented by its leading standard-setting organization—for example ANSI (American National Standards Institute) for the United States. The ISO works to establish global standards for communications and information exchange.

ISO/OSI model — The International Standards Organization Open Systems Interconnection model, which standardizes levels of services and types of interaction for exchanging data through a communications network. The model separates computer-to-computer communications into seven layers the application layer, data-link layer, network layer, physical layer, presentation layer, session layer, and transport layer.

Isochronous Frame Synch — A frame synchronization method that uses a constant, fixed frequency transmission clock generated by a designated network device to create set time slots.

ISP — Acronym for internet service provider, a company or educational institution that enables remote users to access the Internet by providing dial-up connections or installing leased lines.

ITEM — A NetWare NMENU organizational command that defines the options (selections) of each menu component.

Item — A reference to a piece of data (such as an integer, a string, a range of cells in a worksheet, a chart, or a bitmap) that can be passed between two applications engaged in a DDE conversation.