A ACF Admissions confirm message In an H.

323 environment, the ACF is the message from the Gatekeeper to an endpoint, granting the endpoint permission to connect to another endpoint. Acoustic Clarity Technology Polycom trademark describing the unique integration of full-duplex software and hardware that must be implemented in order to maintain quality full-duplex operation. These implementations include strict manufacturing guidelines that must be followed in order to support Polycoms level of full-duplex quality. AGC Automatic Gain Control AGC is an electronic circuit in tape recorders, speakerphones, and other voice devices, which is used to maintain consistent volume. This means that a person speaking one foot away from a microphone would be heard at the same volume level as someone that is nine feet away. The drawback to using AGC is that when no one is talking, background noise may increase in volume as the device is trying to maintain a constant volume level. ADSL Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Lines A communications technology used to transmit digital data over telephone wires. It is expected to transmit up to six megabits per second and be used for video-on-demand services to telephone company customers. Algorithms Specific, well-defined rules for solving a problem, many times including diagrams or flow charts. Although originally the term came from mathematics, computer programming brought it into linguistic use -computer programs were referred to as algorithms. Analog A means of storing and transmitting sound, pictures or other material as an electrical wave (or waveform) that is a facsimile, or analog, of the original signal. This analog signal, or waveform, may be amplified, attenuated, or otherwise altered but retains the characteristic of its original signal. Example: The sound that comes from my stereo speakers is basically the same waveform that was created by the microphone in the studio, even though it has been stored on a phonograph record. Analog Line A telephone line that transmits and receives signals in variable, continuous waveforms that are generated by telephones, fax machines, models, etc. The signal transmitted is a true electrical representation of the original source audio, as opposed to a coded digital signal, which must be decoded at the far end. Analog Devices Telephone equipment that interfaces directly with the PSTN or on specially designed interfaces in the proprietary PBX. Often referred to as a 2500 set.

ANI Automatic Number ID the calling number = number of the site calling. Called ID Source Number The calling Number ARJ Admission Reject Message In an H.323 environment, the ARJ is the message from the Gatekeeper to an endpoint, rejecting the endpoints request to connect to another endpoint. ARQ Admission Request Message In an H.323 environment, the ARQ is the message to the Gatekeeper from an endpoint requesting a connection to another endpoint.

Aspect ratio The ratio of width to height of a pixel or display screen. Televisions in America (NTSC) have an aspect ratio of 3X4. ASYNC Asynchronous Communication that is characterized by time-independence. That is, the sender and receiver do not communicate at the same time. Examples: electronic mail and voice mail. ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode A high-speed cell switching network technology for LANs and WANs that handles data and real time voice and video. It combines the high efficiency of packet switching used in data networks, with the guaranteed bandwidth of circuit switching used in voice networks. ATM is defined in the Broadband ISDN (BISDN) standard. Attenuation Loss in signal characteristics that could result in unacceptable bit error rates. Audio Bandwidth The audio frequencies a device can handle. This refers to the range of sound (treble and bass, or voices for speakerphones) that can accurately be reproduced or conveyed. Typical equipment has a bandwidth of 3 KHz covering the frequency range of 200 Hz to 3500 Hz. Automatic Voice Tracking A feature on Polycom ViewStation, which allows the camera to point towards the person speaking. Auto Tracking to presets will move the camera to the nearest speaker through voice activation.

B Backbone The part of a network that acts as the primary path for traffic moving between, rather than within, networks. Bandwidth The "data-carrying" capacity of a network connection, used as an indication of speed. For example, an Ethernet link is capable of moving 10 million bits of data per second. A Fast Ethernet link can move 100 million bits of data per second 10 times more bandwidth. Baud Baud was the prevalent measure for data transmission speed until replaced by a more accurate term, bps (bits per second). One baud is one electronic state change per second. Since a single state change can involve more than a single bit of data, the bps unit of measurement has replaced it as a better expression of data transmission speed. The measure was named after a French engineer, Jean-Maurice-Emile Baudot. It was first used to measure the speed of telegraph transmissions. Bit One binary digit, the smallest part of information with equally likely values or states, 1 or 0, yes or no, on of off. Bonding IMUX vendors developed the Bonding standard. Bonding Mode 1 all calls must compete for bandwidth request, sync at startup only. Other modes rob bandwidth. 3 pieces of information needed for call Destination # / Bandwidth / Mode.

BPS Bits Per Second. In data communications, bits per second (abbreviated bps) is a common measure of data speed for computer modems and transmission carriers. As the term implies, the speed in bps is equal to the number of bits transmitted or received each second. Larger units are sometimes used to denote high data speeds. One kilobit per second (abbreviated Kbps in the U.S.; kbps elsewhere) is equal to 1,000 bps. One megabit per second (Mbps) is equal to 1,000,000 bps or 1,000 Kbps.

Byte In most computer systems, a byte is a unit of data that is eight binary digits long. A byte is the unit most computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol (for example, "g", "5", or "?"). A byte can also hold a string of bits that need to be used in some larger unit for application purposes (for example, the stream of bits that constitute a visual image for a program that displays images or the string of bits that constitutes the machine code of a computer program). In some computer systems, four bytes constitute a word, a unit that a computer processor can be designed to handle efficiently as it reads and processes each instruction. Some computer processors can handle two-byte or single-byte instructions.

BRI In the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), there are two levels of service: the Basic Rate Interface (BRI), intended for the home and small enterprise, and the Primary Rate Interface (PRI), for larger users. Both rates include a number of B-channels and a Dchannel. Each B-channel carries data, voice, and other services. The D-channel carries control and signaling information. The Basic Rate Interface consists of two 64 Kbps B-channels and one 16 Kbps D-channel. Thus, a Basic Rate Interface user can have up to 128 Kbps service. The Primary Rate Interface consists of 23 B-channels and one 64 Kpbs D-channel in the United States or 30 B-channels and 1 D-channel in Europe. Bridge A device that passes packets between multiple network segments using the same communications protocol. If a packet is destined for a user within the senders own network segment, the bridge keeps the packet local. If the packet is bound for another segment, the bridge passes the packet onto the network backbone. Also, in videoconferencing, a Multipoint Control Unit. See MCU. BRTZ Bipolar Return to Zero Alternate Mark Inversion T1/E1/SW56 Distances up to a mile 0 = 0 volts 1 = +/- voltage C Cardioid microphone A microphone that has a heart shaped pickup pattern and as result picks up sound better from the front than the back. This is an ideal style for SoundStation as the speaker output is omitted from the pick-up pattern (null zone) of the three microphones.

CAS Channel Associated Signaling In telecommunications, CAS (channel associated signaling) is signaling (for example, in a T-carrier system line) in which control signal, such as those for synchronizing and bounding frames, are carried in the same channels along with voice and data signals. This arrangement is an alternative to CCS (common channel signaling) in which a group of voice-and-data channels share a separate channel that is used only for control signals. CBR Constant Bit Rate

CIF Common Intermediate Format A video format used in videoconferencing systems that easily supports both NTSC and PAL signals. CIF is part of the ITU H.261 videoconferencing standard. It specifies a data rate of 30 frames per second (fps), with each frame containing 288 lines and 352 pixels per line. A related standard, QCIF (Quarter CIF), transfers one fourth the amount of data and is suitable for videoconferencing systems that use telephone lines. CIF is sometimes called Full CIF (FCIF) to distinguish it from QCIF.

CLEC Competitive Local Exchange Carriers In the United States, a CLEC (competitive local exchange carrier) is a company that competes with the already established local telephone business by providing its own network and switching. The term distinguishes new or potential competitors from established local exchange carriers (LEC) and arises from the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was intended to promote competition among both long-distance and local phone service providers. Class of service The privileges that are assigned to particular telephone line/extension (conference, transferring, call waiting, Caller ID, etc.). This applies to PBX extensions as well as lines from the central office. Analog extensions on digital PBXs typically have a limited class of service in comparison to standard digital lines. The ISDN network also has several classes of service that include PRI (Primary Rate Interface), BRI (Basic Rate Interface), ISDN to analog network calling, and several other types of setup options. See ISDN for more information. Client A networked PC or terminal that shares "services" with other PCs. These services are stored on or administered by a server.

Clipping The loss of the beginnings of words or sentences as the speakerphone switches between receive and transmit. CO Central Office Facility owned by the local phone company where all call switching takes place. Call switching is the act of connecting a phone call to the desired far end location. The telephone switching equipment at the CO decides how your phone call is going to be completed . CODEC COmpression/DECompression or COder/DECoder - A device or software that is used to encode analog audio, video or images into digital data streams, and decode digital data streams into standard analog audio, video or images. A single codec may include the functions of A/D and D/A conversion as well as compression and decompression. Conference Call Any voice or data call that establishes contact with two or more endpoints, such that each endpoint is able to communicate to the other end points. Conference calls require a service that links all the endpoints together, and transmits all voice/data to each endpoint. This service can be provided by a PBX (typically by using the flash key), or by a conference bridge. Conference Bridge A facility or service that permits callers from several locations to be connected together for a conference call. The conference bridge contains the necessary circuitry for amplifying and balancing the combined calls so all parties can hear and speak to each other. A PBX is a form of conference bridge since it has an ability to link callers together. Bridging service can also be obtained by contacting an offsite Conference Bridge provider who specializes in small or large conference calls. Convergence In order for full-duplex speakerphones to operate properly, audio samples are required from both ends of the call so that the system can train itself to its environment. This period of evaluating the audio samples is called convergence, because the system is attempting to converge on full-duplex operation. Typically this period lasts for 15-25 seconds, and requires consistent audio input from both sides of the telephone call to converge properly. CPE Customer Premise Equipment Modem, Telephone, CSU-DSU, TA, NT1, IMUX CSMA/CD

Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection An access method for Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. It is also a set of rules for sharing the bandwidth on the network. Carrier Sense = The device listens to the network before sending data to see if the line is free. If the line is available the device sends its data. Multiple Access = Multiple devices may be attached to this network and also listening to see if the line is free. If multiple users send their data at the same time there will be a collision of data on the network. Collision Detection = The devices can detect if a collision occurred on the network. Ending devices will then prepare to resend their data at a random time interval so as to limit the possibility of another collision. CSU Channel Service Unit Connection device for T1/PRI service from a service provider. The CSU monitors the T1 for errors and regenerates the T1 signal. It also coverts one digital format to another such as Polarized None Return to Zero (PNRZ) --- to --- Bipolar Return to Zero (BRTZ (AMI)) Functions of CSU Over Voltage Protection Maintain Ones Density Correct Bipolar Variations (BPV) Respond to loop back codes Generate Test patterns for testing BERT Bit Error Rate Testing All ones/zeros/alternating ones & zeros/random good error rate = 1 x 10^-9 Stress Tests 511 324 2047 best quasi random better than best 5. Send a steady stream of Ones to network when DTE is disconnected to keep the connection alive! 6. Isolate Sealing Current o Comes from network 48 volts? o Wet Loop? o Improves performance as it goes through punch downs and crimps See also DSU. D Data Conferencing Enables people in different locations to work on the same document via networked computers. Also referred to as collaborative computing.

DCE Data Communications Equipment

Originally called Data Carrier Termination Equipment network connection or IMUX, TDM, FDM, StatMUX, CSU/DSU DCE crossover DCE DCP Version Polycom products equipped with an interface that allows direct connection to certain models of Definity phonesets. DDN Digital Data Network

DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP servers permit multiple devices to share a group of IP addresses, assigning one to a specific device as needed. Digital Line A telephone line that carries signals in discontinuous streams of on and off pulses. The audio source must be coded into on and off pulses, and decoded into an analog signal at the end destination. PBX telephone systems, and ISDN are examples of systems which use digital signaling. PBX and digital Centrex systems use proprietary non-standard signaling, forcing customers to purchase proprietary phones. Digital or Proprietary Device Telephone equipment designed specifically for connection to a particular brand and model of PBX. Distance From Mics The distance the user is from the microphone, extended or mounted in the base unit. DNIS Dialed Number Identification Service A telephone service that identifies for the receiver of a call the number that the caller dialed. It's a common feature of 800 and 900 lines. If you have multiple 800 or 900 numbers to the same destination, DNIS tells which number was called. DNIS works by passing the touch tone digits (dual tone multi frequency or MF digits) to the destination where a special facility can read and display them or make them available for call center programming.

DS Digital Service - copper DS0 = 56k or 64k DS-1 = 1.544 mps=24 DS0 CEPT=E1=2.048 mps=30 DS0 DS2 = 3.152 Mbps DS3 = 44.736 = T3 = 28 T1s DACS

Digital Access Cross Connect System A digital switching device in telecommunications for routing T1 lines. The DACS can crossconnect any T1 line in the system with any other T1 line also in the system. DACS can also connect any DS-0 channel or group of channels on a T1 line to any DS-0 time slots of any other line. DS0 Digital Signal 0 Digital signal X is a term for the series of standard digital transmission rates or levels based on DS0, a transmission rate of 64 Kbps, the bandwidth normally used for one telephone voice channel. Both the North American T-carrier system and the European E-carrier system of transmission operate using the DS series as a base multiple. The digital signal is carried inside the carrier system. DS0 is the base for the digital signal X series. DS1, used as the signal in the T-1 carrier, is 24 DS0 (64 Kbps) signals transmitted using pulse-code modulation (PCM) and timedivision multiplexing (TDM). DS2 is four DS1 signals multiplexed together to produce a rate of 6.312 Mbps. DS3, the signal in the T-3 carrier, carries a multiple of 28 DS1 signals or 672 DS0s or 44.736 Mbps. 64 Kbps. There are 24 DS0s in a DS-1 Digital signal X is based on the ANSI T1.107 guidelines. The ITU-TS guidelines differ somewhat

DTMF Dial Tone Multi-Frequency DTMF (dual tone multi frequency) is the signal to the phone company that you generate when you press an ordinary telephone's touch keys. In the United States and perhaps elsewhere, it's known as "Touchtone" dialing (formerly a registered trademark of AT&T). DTMF has generally replaced loop disconnect ("pulse") dialing. With DTMF, each key you press on your phone generates two tones of specific frequencies. So that a voice can't imitate the tones, one tone is generated from a high-frequency group of tones and the other from a low frequency group of tones.

DSL Digital Subscriber Line. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines. xDSL refers to different variations of DSL, such as ADSL, HDSL, and RADSL. Assuming your home or small business is close enough to a telephone company central office that offers DSL service, you may be able to receive data at rates up to 6.1 megabits (millions of bits) per second (of a theoretical 8.448 megabits per second), enabling continuous transmission of motion video, audio, and even 3-D effects. More typically, individual connections will provide from 1.544 Mbps to 512 Kbps downstream and about 128 Kbps upstream. A DSL line can carry both data and voice signals and the data part of the line is continuously connected. DSL installations began in 1998 and will continue at a greatly increased pace through the next decade in a number of communities in the U.S. and elsewhere. Compaq, Intel, and Microsoft working with telephone companies have developed a standard and easier-toinstall form of ADSL called G.lite that is accelerating deployment. DSL is expected to replace ISDN in many areas and to compete with the cable modem in bringing multimedia and 3-D to homes and small businesses.

DSU Data Service Unit A device used to transmit digital data on digital transmission facilities. See also CSU. DSX Digital Signal Crossconnect DTE Data Terminal Equipment Video Conference Unit or MCU DTE null modem - DTE E E1 A European based digital system for transmitting voice and data over 31 channels operating at a combined rate of 1920 Kbps.

Endpoint A terminal, site, gateway, conferencing system, or MCU. Echo Any waveform which is reflected back to the original source. This applies to both physical environments (room echo), and to telephone lines (line echo). Echo Cancellation The ability to differentiate original sound waves generated by voices and eliminate the resulting echoes generated by voices bouncing off walls and other objects in the room. . Echo Suppresser Software which reduces the effects of line echo created by the duplex operation of the telephone circuitry versus sound waves in physical room echos. Ethernet 10Mbps LAN technology based on CSMA/CD. The Ethernet standard is called 802.3 and was ratified by the IEE. Ethernet was one of the first LAN technologies and has been very popular for workgroups. Extranet An extranet is a private network that uses the Internet protocol and the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business's information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, or other businesses. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company. It has also been described as a "state of mind" in which the Internet is perceived as a way to do business with other companies as well as to sell products to customers. F Far End The party or parties connected to a call. Fast Ethernet 100Mbps LAN technology based on CSMA/CD used for both high bandwidth users in workgroups and for backbones.

FDDI Fiber Distributed Data Interface

Standard name X3T9.5. LAN technology that transfers data at a rate of 100 Mbps. This technology uses a token passing access method for sharing bandwidth. The device with the token is the only device that can send data. Devices pass the token in a circle. If the circle is broken for any reason, a faulty device or cable, the token ring network has the ability to wrap the signal back to bypass the faulty device and complete the circle. FDDI is often used as backbone technology for its high speed and reliability. It is often configured using fiber cabling, but there is a standard for running FDDI over copper cabling: TP/PMD (Twisted Pair/Physical Media Dependent). FDM Frequency Division Multiplexing Frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) is a scheme in which numerous signals are combined for transmission on a single communications line or channel. Each signal is assigned a different frequency (sub channel) within the main channel like Cable TV or Closed Circuit TV

File Server PC with enhanced memory and processing power. Accessible by a common workgroup or even the whole network depending on its location. Houses files to be shared by the network and the Network Operating System (NOS). File Sharing The ability for participants to work on the same file/application at the same time. On the ViewStations this is accomplished by both the remote a local site using NetMeeting on an external PC. File Transfer The ability to send a file from one PC to another PC. On the ViewStations this is accomplished by both the remote a local site using NetMeeting on an external PC. Firewall A network node set up as a boundary to prevent traffic from one segment to cross over into another. Frame Relay A high-speed packet switching protocol used for wide area networks (WANs). It is faster than traditional X.25 networks, because it was designed for today's reliable circuits and performs less rigorous error detection. It provides for a granular service up to DS1 rates of 1.544 Mbps and is suited for data and image transfer. Because of its variable-length packet architecture, it is not the most efficient technology for real-time voice and video. Flash Key A 600-millisecond switch hook button with which all Polycom products with keypads are equipped. The flash key is most used with PBX and Key systems for conferencing and transferring. Feedback

The effect of the output of an electronic signal being fedback into the input. This results in some of the original signal components being amplified to the limit of the circuits response. Feedback is characterized by a high pitched howl or shrieking noise in audio circuits The close proximity of a microphone and a speaker can result in Feedback when both the microphone and speaker are live at the same time. FTP File Transfer Protocol File Transfer Protocol (FTP), a standard Internet protocol, is the simplest way to exchange files between computers on the Internet. Like the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which transfers displayable Web pages and related files, and the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which transfers e-mail, FTP is an application protocol that uses the Internet's TCP/IP protocols. FTP is commonly used to transfer Web page files from their creator to the computer that acts as their server for everyone on the Internet. It's also commonly used to download programs and other files to your computer from other servers. Full Duplex Transmission in two directions simultaneously (bi-directional communication). Full-duplex speakerphones allow for both sides of the call (or multiple sides) to be talking simultaneously without any clipping of words or loss of volume. G G.711 Compression algorithm for audio that uses 48, 56, and 64 Kbps bandwidth and has a frequency response of 3.5 Khz. G.722 Compression algorithm for audio that uses 64 Kbps bandwidth and has a frequency response of 7 Khz. G.723 Speech encoders G.723.1 Dual rate speech encoder for multimedia communications transmitting at 5.3 and 6.3 kbps G.728 Compression algorithm for audio that uses 16 Kbps bandwidth and has a frequency response of 3.5 Khz.

Gatekeeper An H.323 entity that provides address translation, control access, and bandwidth management to the LAN.

Gateway An H.323 entity that provides real-time, two-way communication between dissimilar (h.323 and H.320) endpoints operating across dissimilar networks by reformatting data and protocols. GUI Graphical User Interface A graphics-based user interface that incorporates icons, pull-down menus and a mouse. The GUI has become the standard way users interact with a computer. The three major GUIs are Windows, Macintosh and Motif. In a client/server environment, the GUI resides in the user's client machine. H H.221 Frame Structure for a 64 to 1920 kbps channel in audiovisual teleservices. The recommendation specifies synchronous operation where the coder and decoder handshake and agree upon timing. H.223 Multiplexing Protocols for Multimedia Terminals. H.225 Call-signaling protocols and media stream packetization. H.230 Frame-synchronous Control and Indication Signals for Audiovisual Systems. This recommendation specifies how individual frames of audiovisual information are to be multiplexed onto a digital channel. H.231 Multipoint Control Unit for Audiovisual Systems Using Digital Channels up to 2 Mbit/s. This recommendation was formally added to the ITU-Ts H.320 family of recommendations in March 1993 to specify how to bridge three or more H.320 compliant codecs together in a multipoint conference. H.242 System for Establishing Communication Between Audiovisual Terminals Using Digital Channels up to 2 Mbit/s. H.243 System for Establishing Communication Between Three or More Audiovisual Terminals Using Digital Channels up to 2 Mbit/s. H.245

Control of Communications Between Multimedia Terminals. Provides signaling necessary to establish a call. H.261 Video Codecs For Audiovisual Services at Px64 Kbps. H.263 Video Coding with improved compression over H.261. H.320 Narrow-band Visual Telephone Systems and Terminal Equipment. ISDN, T1, E1, PRI. H.321 Visual Telephone Terminals over ATM. H.322 Visual Telephone Terminals over Guaranteed Quality of Service LANs. H.323 Serves as the umbrella for a set of standard defining real time multimedia communications for packet based networks otherwise known as IP telephony. H.323 is comprised of the following standard: H.225, H.245, G.711, G.722, G.723.1, G.728, G.729. H.324 ITU-T standard, which defines multimedia systems for communication on the public, switched telephone network (Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS). Half Duplex Transmission and reception in only one direction at a time. Half-duplex speakerphones only allow for one party to be speaking while the other party listens. The speakerphone changes its focus based on who is speaking, or more precisely who is speaking the loudest. Terms commonly used to describe the experience of half-duplex include clipping, breaking up, etc. Headroom Amount of visual space between your head and the top of the screen. Too much headroom is a waste of space. To little headroom and the picture looks compressed.

HTML Hypertext Markup Language Simple document formatting language used for preparing documents to be viewed by a tool such as a worldwide web browser.

HTTP Hypertext Transmission Protocol Protocol that governs transmission of formatted documents over the Internet.

Hub In general, a hub is the central part of a wheel where the spokes come together. In data communications, a hub is a place of convergence where data arrives from one or more directions and is forwarded out in one or more other directions. A hub usually includes a switch of some kind. (And a product that is called a "switch" could usually be considered a hub as well.) The distinction seems to be that the hub is the place where data comes together and the switch is what determines how and where data is forwarded from the place where data comes together. Regarded in its switching aspects, a hub can also include a router. In describing network topologies, a hub topology consists of a backbone (main circuit) to which a number of outgoing lines can be attached ("dropped"), each providing one or more connection ports for devices to attach to. For Internet users not connected to a local area network, this is the general topology used by your access provider. Other common network topologies are the bus network and the ring network. (Either of these could possibly feed into a hub network, using a bridge.)

Hypercardioid Microphone A cardioid type microphone, which has a narrow segment of response to the rear (behind) of the microphone. This microphone style offers better clarity than the cardioid, and is used in SoundStation Premier (console and extended mics) and SoundPoint. I IEC Inter Exchange Carriers. Also IXC. The long distance carriers. IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers A membership organization that includes engineers, scientists and students in electronics and allied fields. Founded in 1963, it has over 300,000 members and is involved with setting standards for computers and communications. IETF Internet Engineering Task Force A working group within the Internet. The IETF works on the specifications of new standards. ILS Internet Locator Service A directory service that allows users to find each other. IMUX Inverse Multiplexing High Speed Data divided up in and transmitted over 2 or more lower speed channels.

Intranet A new network model based on the idea of making information and communications as accessible on internal corporate networks as it is on the public Internet. ISP Internet Service Provider Currently, there are more than 1,500 ISPs around the world. Beyond providing the network connections, an ISP worth having has to guarantee 7-by-24 service and support. That means constant security monitoring, configuration management, auditing, and load planning. At the high end of the ISP spectrum, they provide end-to-end connectivity and outsourcing services, to calibrate every part of the solution, ranging from the physical plant and telephony services to packet filtering and router configuration. IMUX Inverse Multiplexer Equipment that combines 64Kbps channels and presents them to the user's terminal equipment as if it were a single channel of larger bandwidth. Inter LATA Interexchange carriers that carry traffic from one LATA to another. Intra LATA Local Exchange Carriers that carry traffic within LATA boundaries. IP The Internet Protocol (IP) is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the Internet. Each computer (known as a host) on the Internet has at least one IP address that uniquely identifies it from all other computers on the Internet. When you send or receive data (for example, an e-mail note or a Web page), the message gets divided into little chunks called packets. Each of these packets contains both the sender's Internet address and the receiver's address. Any packet is sent first to a gateway computer that understands a small part of the Internet. The gateway computer reads the destination address and forwards the packet to an adjacent gateway that in turn reads the destination address and so forth across the Internet until one gateway recognizes the packet as belonging to a computer within its immediate neighborhood or domain. That gateway then forwards the packet directly to the computer whose address is specified. Because a message is divided into a number of packets, each packet can, if necessary, be sent by a different route across the Internet. Packets can arrive in a different order than the order they were sent in. The Internet Protocol just delivers them. It's up to another protocol, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to put them back in the right order. IP is a connectionless protocol, which means that there is no continuing connection between the end points that are communicating. Each packet that travels through the Internet is treated as an independent unit of data without any relation to any other unit of data. (The reason the packets do get put in the right order is because of TCP, the connection-oriented protocol that keeps track of the packet sequence in a message.) In the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communication model, IP is in layer 3, the Networking Layer. The most widely used version of IP today is Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4). However, IP Version 6 (IPv6) is also beginning to be supported. IPv6 provides for much longer addresses and therefore for the possibility of many more Internet users. IPv6 includes the capabilities of IPv4 and any server that can support IPv6 packets can also support IPv4 packets.

IP Address An IP address is a number that identifies a computer connected to the Internet. Every computer that is connected to the Internet must have unique IP address. Currently, an IP address consists of four sections separated by periods. Each section contains an 8-bit value represented as a number ranging from 0 to 255. The allocation of these IP addresses follows a two-level architecture that assigns IP numbers to a network and hosts on that network. IP Precedence IP precedence tells downstream networking equipment (mainly routers) to give priority to audio and video data. It marks each audio and video packet with a user defined precedence (the default is 5). Only audio, video and far end camera control packets are marked. Control packets (such as opening and closing of connections, channels, etc.) are not marked with precedence. The user may specify any one of 8 levels (0-7) of precedence with 0 signifying no priority and 7 signifying the highest priority. It is recommended by networking equipment vendors to use 5 for multimedia data. By default, IP precedence is disabled by most routers and is not enabled on the Internet. ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network Fully digital telephony service, available at 128Kbps (BRI), 1.544Mbps (PRI), and Broadband ISDN (2Mbps - 600Mbps). ISDN usually consists of 2 B channels or 64 Kbps, and one D channel of 16 Kbps on one RBI (basic rate interface). The D channel is used for out-of-band signaling which does not interfere with the flow of information going through the B channels. ISU Integrated Service Unit CSU/DSU available as one unit. ITU-T International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Formerly called the CCITT, the world's leading telecommunications standards organization. The ITU-T is the international organization that defines standards for telegraphic and telephone equipment. L LAN Local Area Network A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. It is made up of servers, workstations, a network operating system and a communications link. LATA Local Access and Transport Area. A geographical boundary set up by the governments of each country of the world. This is the area that a Local Exchange Carrier has local copper and fiber connections to customer locations. LEC Local Exchange Carrier

The local telephone company. Regional Bell Operating Companies providing dial tone, local calling and regional calling (tolls). Line Level Industry standard set for auxiliary audio input and output signals for most media recording and playing devices. All Polycom WallMod and UniMod Aux Out jacks are set for Line Level (not all UniMod have Aux Out jacks). Looking Room/Space When composing a graphic, a picture, or yourself on camera, the space between the object and the edge of the screen. Too much looking room makes the picture look empty. To little looking space feels cramped. M MCU Multipoint Conferencing Unit or Multi Control Unit. Hardware at a central site in a videoconferencing network that allows 3 or more videoconferencing systems to participate in an interactive multi-way conference. Multicast To transmit a message to multiple recipients at the same time. Multicasting is used in teleconferencing and data communications networks. Multicast is a one-to-many transmission that implies sending to several designated recipients, whereas broadcast implies sending to everyone connected to the network. Multiplexing Multiplexing is sending multiple signals or streams of information on a carrier at the same time in the form of a single, complex signal and then recovering the separate signals at the receiving end. analog signals are commonly multiplexed using frequency-division multiplexing (FDM), in which the carrier bandwidth is divided into subchannels of different frequency widths, each carrying a signal at the same time in parallel. digital signals are commonly multiplexed using time-division multiplexing (TDM), in which the multiple signals are carried over the same channel in alternating time slots. In some optical fiber networks, multiple signals are carried together as separate wavelengths of light in a multiplexed signal using dense wavelength division multiplexing(DWDM). Digital electronics system that allows for the transmission of two or more signals on a single cable. N Near End Polycom product users local Site

Neodymium Speaker A speaker which uses a rare-earth magnet called Neodymium which is 8 times stronger

than the standard speaker magnet. This allows you to reproduce the full range or the human voice (especially low frequency) in a substantially smaller package than the conventional speaker used on speakerphones and other media devices. Polycom uses a Neodymium speaker in the SoundPoint product line. NIC Network Interface Card Electronics board that fit into expansion slot of PCs or other devices on a network. It provides a port to connect to the network. It also formats data into the correct networking technology i.e. Ethernet packets or Token Ring frames. Network Operating System (NOS) Software residing on a file server that acts as a traffic cop for the network much like Windows and DOS acts as a traffic cop for the PC. Microsoft NT and Novell NetWare are the most popular Network Operating Systems. NT1 Network Termination type 1. The device that converts the ISDN BRI "U" interface from the telecommunications service provider to the "S/T" interface used by ISDN products and systems. NT3 Network Termination type 3. This device carries the equivalent of 3 ISDN lines. NTSC National Television Systems Committee The American engineering standard for horizontal video resolution lines--525. O OC Optical Carriers - fiber OC1=51.84 Mbps OC3=155.520 OSI Open System Interconnect Network Layers Important for H.323 Calls Layer 1 Physical Layer Layer 2 Data Link = hardware Layer 3 Network = software

= Ethernet MAC address = IP Address

P Packet A block of data with a "header" attached that can indicate what the packet contains and where it is headed. Think of a packet as a "data envelope," with the header acting as an address.

PAL The PAL (Phase Alternating Line) standard was introduced in the early 1960's and implemented in most countries except for France. The PAL standard utilizes a wider channel bandwidth than NTSC, which allows for better picture quality. PAL runs on 625 lines/frame. PBX/PABX Private Branch Exchange A PBX (private branch exchange) is a telephone system within an enterprise that switches calls between enterprise users on local lines while allowing all users to share a certain number of external phone lines. The main purpose of a PBX is to save the cost of requiring a line for each user to the telephone company's central office. The PBX is owned and operated by the enterprise rather than the telephone company (which may be a supplier or service provider, however). Private branch exchanges used analog technology originally. Today, PBXs use digital technology (digital signals are converted to analog for outside calls on the local loop using plain old telephone service).

PIC Preferred Inter Exchange Carrier PIC code identifies preferred long distance company. PTZ Pan/Tilt/Zoom Pan rotating camera to the left or right Tile rotating camera up or down Zoom making image larger (telephoto) or smaller (wide angle). PNRZ Polar Return to Zero 1 = negative voltage 0 = positive voltage signal doesnt travel very far.

POTS Plain Old Telephone Service The basic service that supplies a single analog telephone unit with access to the public switched network (via the local telephone service provider). Refers to the worldwide voice telephone network accessible to all those with telephones and access privileges.

Private Branch Exchange (PBX) A private telephone switching system, usually located on a customers premises with an attendant console. It is connected to common group of lines from one or more central offices to provide service to a number of individual phones. Most PBXs allow analog extensions on the system, allowing access to special features such as conferencing and transferring to analog devices. A PBX connects to the telephone lines supplied by CO (Central Office). PRI Primary Rate Interface ISDN service providing 23 64Kbps channels plus one 64Kbps control channel or D channel (23B+D). Equivalent in bandwidth to T1 - 1.544 Mbps. In Europe, PRI includes 30 B channels and one D channel, which is equivalent to European E1. Proprietary Adapter Adapters for some models of proprietary Lucent phone systems that eliminate the need to set up a separate analog line. PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network. The nationwide telephone switching system that allows the general public to connect via dialed telephone. PTT Postal Telephone and Telegraph May be operated by the government. The local telephone company overseas? PVC Permanent Virtual Circuit Permanent connection in packet switched network that requires no signaling.

Q QCIF Quarter CIF A quarter of the Common Intermediate Format = 176 x 88 pixels. QoS Quality of Service This allows guaranteed bandwidth and packet delivery between endpoints over a packet network. R RAS Registration Admission Status Information about the end point that is sent to the gatekeeper when an endpoint is powered on. RBOC Regional Bell Operating Company local telephone company.

Overseas it is known as the PTT Postal Telephone and Telegraph. May be operated by the government. RBS Robbed Bit Signaling E1 Circuit Providers call this CAS Channel Associated Signaling. RCA Jack Audio jack commonly used for consumer media recording and playback devices (tape decks, CD players, VCRs, etc.). All Polycom WallMod and UniMod Aux Out jacks are RCA standard size (not all UniMods have Aux Out jacks). RFC Request For Comment. The contents of an RFC may range from an official standardized protocol specification to research results or proposals. A set of papers in which the Internet's standards, proposed standards and generally agreed-upon ideas are documented and published. RJXXX Registered Jack XXX RJ-9 Four-conductor telephony jack commonly used for telephone handsets. Polycom uses RJ9 connectors for all of the Extension Microphone connections used on SoundStation and SoundStation Premier. RJ-11 A six- conductor modular jack that is typically wired with four conductors (four wires). Polycom uses RJ-11 modular jacks for access to the analog telephone network. RJ-11 is used on all standard telephones in the US for connecting to a PSTN. RJ-14 Exactly the same jack as RJ-11, however it has two telephone lines provided to it. The center pair of wires defining line one, and the outer pair of wires defining line two. RJ-45 An eight conductor modular jack commonly used for data communications over standard telephone wire. Polycom uses RJ-45 connections for connecting from the WallMod or UniMod to SoundStation and SoundStation Premier, and for the Lucent SoundPoint connection to Definity phones. Room Acoustics The acoustic characteristics of the room, as a result of the furnishings and decor. Optimal room acoustics include carpeting, soft furniture, dropped tile acoustic ceilings, wood tables and some sort of wall treatment. Less then optimal room acoustics include large or many windows, polished wood or tile floors, metal, glass or stone tables, plain plaster walls and high plaster ceilings. Router A device with ports for connectiing to hubs and switches. It provides central connectivity for multiple workgroups and LANs. It also provides security by examining each packet and comparing its addressing to a central access list. Often used for connectivity to the LAN because of its security features. Primary router vendors are Cisco and Bay Networks.

RTP/RTCP Real Time Protocol/ Real Time Control Protocol. These protocols define how to packetize and synchronize compressed video and audio. S SCN Switched Circuit Network SECAM Systeme Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire Acronym for A television standard used in France, Eastern Europe and some African countries. It has 625 lines and 25 frames per second. Server A computer or even a software program that pro-vides services to clients such as file storage (file server), programs (application server), printer sharing (print server), fax (fax server) or modem sharing (modem server). See also client. SONET Synchronous Optical Network SONET is the American National Standards Institute standard for synchronous data transmission on optical media. The international equivalent of SONET is synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH). Together, they ensure standards so that digital networks can interconnect internationally and that existing conventional transmission systems can take advantage of optical media through tributary attachments. SONET provides standards for a number of line rates up to the maximum line rate of 9.953 gigabits per second (Gbps). Actual line rates approaching 20 gigabits per second are possible. SONET is considered to be the foundation for the physical layer of the broadband ISDN (BISDN). asynchronous transfer mode runs as a layer on top of SONET as well as on top of other technologies. SONET defines a base rate of 51.84 Mbps and a set of multiples of the base rate known as "Optical Carrier levels (OCx)."

STDM Statistical Time Division Multiplexing STDM, or statistical time division multiplexing, is one method for transmitting several types of data simultaneously across a single transmission cable or line (such as a T1 or T3 line). STDM is often used for managing data being transmitted via a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In these situations, the data is often simultaneously transmitted from any number of input devices attached to the network, including computers, printers, or fax machines. STDM can also be used in telephone switchboard settings to manage the simultaneous calls going to or coming from multiple, internal telephone lines. The concept behind STDM is similar to TDM, or time division multiplexing. TDM allows multiple users or input devices to transmit or receive data simultaneously by assigning each device the same, fixed amount of time on one of many "channels" available on the cable or line. The TDM method works well in many cases, but does not always account for the varying data transmission needs of different devices or users.

In comparison to TDM, the STDM method analyzes statistics related to the typical workload of each input device (printer, fax, computer) and determines on-the-fly how much time each device should be allocated for data transmission on the cable or line. In the above example, STDM would allocate more time to the group printer, based on its past and current transmission needs and less time to the data-entry computer. Many believe the STDM method is a more efficient use of total bandwidth available than the TDM method.

Frame Relay Frame relay is a telecommunication service designed for cost-efficient data transmission for intermittent traffic between local area networks (LANs) and between end-points in a wide area network (WAN). Frame relay puts data in a variable-size unit called a frame and leaves any necessary error correction (retransmission of data) up to the end-points, which speeds up overall data transmission. For most services, the network provides a permanent virtual circuit (PVC), which means that the customer sees a continous, dedicated connection without having to pay for a full-time leased line, while the service provider figures out the route each frame travels to its destination and can charge based on usage. An enterprise can select a level of service quality - prioritizing some frames and making others less important. Frame relay is offered by a number of service providers, including AT&T. Frame relay is provided on fractional T-1 or full T-carrier system carriers. Frame relay complements and provides a mid-range service between ISDN, which offers bandwidth at 128 Kbps, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), which operates in somewhat similar fashion to frame relay but at speeds from 155.520 Mbps or 622.080 Mbps. Frame relay is based on the older X.25 packet-switching technology which was designed for transmitting analog data such as voice conversations. Unlike X.25 which was designed for analog signals, frame relay is a fast packet technology, which means that the protocol does not attempt to correct errors. When an error is detected in a frame, it is simply "dropped." (thrown away). The end points are responsible for detecting and retransmitting dropped frames. (However, the incidence of error in digital networks is extraordinarily small relative to analog networks.) Frame relay is often used to connect local area networks with major backbones as well as on public wide area networks and also in private network environments with leased lines over T-1 lines. . It requires a dedicated connection during the transmission period. It's not ideally suited for voice or video transmission, which requires a steady flow of transmissions. However, under certain circumstances, it is used for voice and video transmission. Frame relay relays packets at the Data Link layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model rather than at the Network layer. A frame can incorporate packets from different protocols such as Ethernet and X.25. It is variable in size and can be as large as a thousand bytes or more. DLCI = Data Link Connection ID FRAD Frame Relay Access Device not PAD but FRAD Public Frame Relay is VBR / cannot deliver CBR Private Frame Relay can deliver CBR

ATM ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) a dedicated-connection switching technology that organizes digital data into 53-byte cell

units and transmits them over a physical medium using digital signal technology. Individually, a cell is processed asynchronously relative to other related cells and is queued before being multiplexed over the transmission path. Because ATM is designed to be easily implemented by hardware (rather than software), faster processing and switch speeds are possible. The prespecified bit rates are either 155.520 Mbps or 622.080 Mbps. Speeds on ATM networks can reach 10 Gbps. Along with Synchronous optical Network (SONET) and several other technologies, ATM is a key component of broadband ISDN (BISDN). VPI-VCI = Virtual Path ID / Virtual Channel ID X.25 LCN = Logical Channel Number X.25 PAD packet assembler and disassemble device that takes a data stream and converts it to packets and back to a data stream

Streaming Rather than waiting for an entire file to download to your computer, some of the file in buffered and then begins playing. Streamed content can be pre-recorded or live (actually it is delayed 15-30 seconds due to buffering). S/T Interface Four unshielded twisted pair wires for ISDN. SVC Switched Virtual Circuit In a network, a switched virtual circuit (SVC) is a temporary virtual circuit that is established and maintained only for the duration of a data transfer session. A permanent virtual circuit (PVC) is a continuously dedicated virtual circuit. A virtual circuit is one that appears to be a discrete, physical circuit available only to the user but that is actually a shared pool of circuit resources used to support multiple users as they require the connections. Switched virtual circuits are part of an X.25 network. Conceptually, they can also be implemented as part of a frame relay network. Switch In telecommunications, a switch is a network device that selects a path or circuit for sending a unit of data to its next destination. A switch may also include the function of the router, a device or program that can determine the route and specifically what adjacent network point the data should be sent to. In general, a switch is a simpler and faster mechanism than a router, which requires knowledge about the network and how to determine the route. Relative to the layered Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communication model, a switch is usually associated with layer 2, the Data-Link layer. However, some newer switches also perform the routing functions of layer 3, the Network layer. Layer 3 switches are also sometimes called IP switches. On larger networks, the trip from one switch point to another in the network is called a hop. The time a switch takes to figure out where to forward a data unit is called its latency. The

price paid for having the flexibility that switches provide in a network is this latency. Switches are found at the backbone and gateway levels of a network where one network connects with another and at the sub network level where data is being forwarded close to its destination or origin. The former are often known as core switches and the latter as desktop switches. In the simplest networks, a switch is not required for messages that are sent and received within the network. For example, a local area network may be organized in a token ring or bus arrangement in which each possible destination inspects each message and reads any message with its address. Circuit-Switching version Packet-Switching A network's paths can be used exclusively for a certain duration by two or more parties and then switched for use to another set of parties. This type of "switching" is known as circuitswitching and is really a dedicated and continuously connected path for its duration. Today, an ordinary voice phone call generally uses circuit-switching. Most data today is sent, using digital signals, over networks that use packet switching. Using packet switching, all network users can share the same paths at the same time and the particular route a data unit travels can be varied as conditions change. In packet switching, a message is divided into packets, which are units of a certain number of bytes. The network addresses of the sender and of the destination are added to the packet. Each network point looks at the packet to see where to send it next. Packets in the same message may travel different routes and may not arrive in the same order that they were sent. At the destination, the packets in a message are collected and reassembled into the original message.

SYNC Synchronous In general, synchronous (pronounced SIHN-kro-nuhs, from Greek syn-, meaning "with," and chronos, meaning "time") is an adjective describing objects or events that are coordinated in time. In information technology, the term has several different usages. 1) In telecommunication signaling within a network or between networks, synchronous signals are those that occur at the same clock rate when all clocks are based on a single reference clock. (plesiochronous signals are almost but not quite in synchronization and asynchronous signals are those that run from different clocks or at a different transition rate.) 2) In program-to-program communication, synchronous communication requires that each end of an exchange of communication respond in turn without initiating a new communication. A typical activity that might use a synchronous protocol would be a transmission of files from one point to another. As each transmission is received, a response is returned indicating success or the need to resend. Each successive transmission of data requires a response to the previous transmission before a new one can be initiated. Synchronous program communication is contrasted with asynchronous program communication.

T TDM Time Division Multiplexing

Time-division multiplexing (TDM) is a method of putting multiple data streams in a single signal by separating the signal into many segments, each having a very short duration. Each individual data stream is reassembled at the receiving end based on the timing. The circuit that combines signals at the source (transmitting) end of a communications link is known as a multiplexer. It accepts the input from each individual end user, breaks each signal into segments, and assigns the segments to the composite signal in a rotating, repeating sequence. The composite signal thus contains data from multiple senders. At the other end of the long-distance cable, the individual signals are separated out by means of a circuit called a demultiplexer, and routed to the proper end users. A two-way communications circuit requires a multiplexer/demultiplexer at each end of the longdistance, high-bandwidth cable. If many signals must be sent along a single long-distance line, careful engineering is required to ensure that the system will perform properly. An asset of TDM is its flexibility. The scheme allows for variation in the number of signals being sent along the line, and constantly adjusts the time intervals to make optimum use of the available bandwidth. The Internet is a classic example of a communications network in which the volume of traffic can change drastically from hour to hour. In some systems, a different scheme, known as frequency-division multiplexing (FDM), is preferred. Digital Technique used on Digital Trunks. Each Channel has its own time slot. T1 Trunk Level An American based digital system for transmitting voice and data over 24 channels operating at a combined rate of 1536 Kbps. Also called a DS-1. T2 Carries 4 times a T1 (96 channels). North American Standard for DS-2. Carries 6.312 Mbps. T3 Carries 28 times a T1 (672 channels). North American Standard for DS-2. Carries 44.736 Mbps. Tandem CO Office that connects several local central offices.

Token Ring A token ring network is a local area network (LAN) in which all computers are connected in a ring or star topology and a binary digit- or token-passing scheme is used in order to prevent the collision of data between two computers that want to send messages at the same time. The token ring protocol is the second most widely-used protocol on local area networks after Ethernet. The IBM Token Ring protocol led to a standard version, specified as IEEE 802.5. Both protocols are used and are very similar. The IEEE 802.5 token ring technology provides for data transfer rates of either 4 or 16 megabits per second. Very briefly, here is how it works: 7. Empty information frames are continuously circulated on the ring. 8. When a computer has a message to send, it inserts a token in an empty frame (this may consist of simply changing a 0 to a 1 in the token bit part of the frame) and inserts a message and a destination identifier in the frame. 9. The frame is then examined by each successive workstation. If the workstation sees that it is the destination for the message, it copies the message from the frame and changes the token back to 0. 10. When the frame gets back to the originator, it sees that the token has been changed to 0 and that the message has been copied and received. It removes the message from the frame. 11. The frame continues to circulate as an "empty" frame, ready to be taken by a workstation when it has a message to send. The token scheme can also be used with bus topology LANs. The standard for the token ring protocol is Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.5. The Fiber Distributed-Data Interface (FDDI) also uses a token ring protocol.

U U Interface Two unshielded twisted wire pairs for ISDN. The public telephone carrier usually delivers ISDN service over two wires The U interface twisted-pair is usually connected at the home or business to a network terminator 1 (NT1) box, sometimes called a network terminating unit. (In the UK and some other countries, the NT1 is located at the central office.) The other side of the NT1 has plugs for four wires, which can be connected on a loop configuration known as an S-bus or S interface to up to eight devices (for example, two computers and six phones) or to a T interface. An NT1 can also be integrated into a modem or other device, in which case the ISDN connection can only serve that device. The U-loop or U-V loop, as it is sometimes called, uses the 2B1Q line code protocol, meaning that two binary digits are used to represent one quadratude - that is, four possible variations of signal level (amplitude and polarity). Communication is full-duplex, meaning that data can be arriving at the same time you are sending data.. The U-V loop replaces the traditional local loop. The maximum distance for the ISDN loop is 6,500 meters (about 18,000 feet).

V V.35 An ITU standard for high-speed synchronous data exchange. In the U.S., V.35 is the interface standard used by most ROUTERS and DSUs that connect to T-1 carriers. VBR Variable Bit Rate

W WAN Wide Area Network Business with multiple LANs geo-graphically dispersed locations will use the public carrier network to carry data between these locations. Here public carrier services are used is called the WAN. Typical WAN services provided by the pubic carrier are Frame Relay, X.25, and ISDN for carrying data. Whiteboard Software that allows you to share images and to annotate on those images.