API

API stands for Application Programming Interface.

Auto-MDIX

Auto-MDIX is a protocol, which allows two Ethernet devices to negotiate their use of the Ethernet TX and RX cable pairs. This allows two Ethernet devices with MDI-X or MDI connectors to connect without using a crossover cable. This feature is also known as Auto-crossover.

ARP

The address resolution protocol (ARP) is a protocol used by the Internet Protocol (IP), specifically IPv4, to map IP network addresses to the hardware addresses used by a data link protocol. It is used when IPv4 is used over Ethernet. The term address resolution refers to the process of finding an address of a computer in a network.

Default gateway

A configuration item for the TCP/IP protocol that is the IP address of a directly reachable IP router. Configuring a default gateway creates a default route in the IP routing table.

DHCP

See definition for: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

DNS

See definition for: Domain Name System (DNS)

DNS-SD

DNS Service Discovery. A protocol to advertise instance service names to enable zero address configuration scenarios for networked devices.

DNS server

A server that maintains information about a portion of the Domain Name System (DNS) database and that responds to and resolves DNS queries.

Domain

The term domain is used in three contexts in this specification. See Domain name for the definition in the context of DNS. The term is also used in Rules 3.3.2.1 and 4.3.2 as LXI Domain to define a scoping mechanism for the processing of LXI Events. For devices implementing IEEE 1588 there is also the concept of an IEEE 1588 domain, which defines a set of IEEE 1588 clocks participating in the IEEE 1588 protocol.

Domain name

In the context of DNS, the name given by an administrator to a collection of networked computers that share a common directory. Part of the Domain Name System (DNS) naming structure, domain names consist of a sequence of name labels separated by periods.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol provides a framework for passing configuration information to hosts on a TCPIP network. DHCP is based on the Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP), adding the capability of automatic allocation of reusable network addresses and additional configuration options. DHCP captures the behavior of BOOTP relay agents, and DHCP participants can interoperate with BOOTP participants. DHCP provides safe, reliable, and simple TCP/IP network configuration, prevents address conflicts, and helps conserve the use of client IP addresses on the network. DHCP uses a client/server model where the DHCP server maintains centralized management of IP addresses that are used on the network. DHCP-supporting clients can then request and obtain lease of an IP address from a DHCP server as part of their network boot process.

Hostname

A hostname is the unique name by which a network attached device is known on a network. The hostname is used to identify a particular host in various forms of electronic communication such as E-mail or Usenet.

HTML

See definition for: Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

HTTP

See definition for: Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

A simple markup language used to create hypertext documents that are portable from one platform to another. HTML files are simple ASCII text files with codes embedded (indicated by markup tags) to denote formatting and hypertext links.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

The protocol used to transfer information on the World Wide Web. An HTTP address (one kind of Uniform Resource Locator [URL]) takes the form: http://www.w3.org.

ICMP

Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is a required protocol tightly integrated with IP. ICMP messages, delivered in IP packets, are used for out-of-band messages related to network operation or misoperation.

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. A global technical professional society and standards-setting organization serving the public interest and its members in electrical, electronics, computer, information and other technologies.

IEEE 1588 (PTP)

IEEE 1588 is a standard for a precision clock synchronization protocol for networked measurement and control systems. It is also known as the Precision Time Protocol (PTP).

Front Panel User Interface

A front panel user interface is defined as consisting of control and displays functions, located on the front panel of a device that can be used to set up critical aspects of the LXI interfaces and instrument operation.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A routable protocol in the TCP/IP protocol suite that is responsible for IP addressing, routing, and the fragmentation and reassembly of IP packets.

IP

See definition for: Internet Protocol (IP)

IP address

An address used to identify a node on an IP internetwork. Each node on the IP internetwork must be assigned a unique IP address, which is made up of the network ID, plus a unique host ID. This address is typically represented with the decimal value of each octet separated by a period (for example, 192.168.7.27). You can configure the IP address statically or dynamically by using DHCP.

IVI

IVI stands for Interchangeable Virtual Instrument. The IVI Foundation is an open consortium founded to promote specifications for programming test instruments that simplify interchangeability, provide better performance, and reduce the cost of program development and maintenance.

LAN

See definition for: local area network (LAN)

LCI

LAN Configuration Initialize (LCI) is an LXI Devices recessed reset mechanism (e.g., a button) on the rear or front of the LXI Device that when activated places the LXI Device's network settings to a default state.

Local Area Network (LAN)

A communications network connecting a group of computers, printers, and other devices located within a relatively limited area (for example, a building). A LAN allows any connected device to interact with any other on the network.

LVDS

LVDS stands for Low-Voltage Differential Signaling.

LXI

LXI stands for LAN eXtensions for Instruments. LXI is the next generation instrumentation platform based on industry standard Ethernet technology and provides modularity, flexibility and performance to small- and medium-sized systems.

LXI Device

A device that conforms to this specification, See also: module

LXI Event

An event is an abstraction of a change in the realization of a signal or condition. AN LXI Event is an event occurring in an LXI Device or communicated by means of an LXI Event Message.

LXI Event Message

A data packet used for module-to-module communication of LXI Events in an LXI system. The format and semantics of LXI Event Messages are defined in this standard.

LXI Identification XSD Schema

An XML Schema that conforms to XSD standards and is defined by the LXI Consortium to specify XML documents that provide identification information about LXI Devices.

M-LVDS

Multipoint Low-Voltage Differential Signaling conforming to the TIA/EIA-899 standard, which allows multiple transmitters and receivers to be interconnected on a single, balanced, doublyterminated media pair. Multipoint operation allows for bidirectional, half-duplex communication between multiple devices connected to the same transmission line.

M-LVDS Type-1

One of two classes of M-LVDS receivers, having a differential input voltage threshold centered about zero volts. Differential input signals below -50 mV are defined by the TIA/EIA-899 standard to be in the low state, and signals above +50 mV are defined to be in the high state. When the input of a Type-1 receiver is connected to an undriven twisted pair, the differential input voltage is defined to be in the threshold transition region. This condition will result in a stable, but undefined, output.

MAC

See definition for: media access control

MAC Address

Media Access Control address. A unique hardware number that identifies each device on a network. A device can be an Instrument, computer, printer, etc.

Media Access Control (MAC)

A sublayer of the IEEE 802 specifications that defines network access methods and framing.

mDNS

One of the discovery protocols specified for use in LXI Devices. mDNS stands for multicast Domain Name Service and is a protocol developed by the IETF Zeroconf Working Group.

MIB

Short for Management Information Base, a database of objects that can be monitored by a network management system. Both SNMP and RMON use standardized MIB formats that allows any SNMP and RMON tools to monitor any device defined by a MIB.

Module

A device that communicates or interacts with an LXI Device. An LXI Device is a special case of a module, See also: LXI Device.

Ping

A utility that verifies connections to one or more remote hosts. The ping command uses the ICMP echo request and echo reply packets to determine whether a particular IP system on a network is functional. Ping is useful for diagnosing IP network or router failures.

PoE

IEEE 802.3af Power Over Ethernet is a technology for wired Ethernet LAN that allows the electrical current, necessary for the operation of each device, to be carried by the CAT5 data cables instead of a traditional power cord.

PTP

See definition for IEEE 1588.

Schema

A document that describes a language or parameters of a language. Thus, XML Schemas provide a means of describing the structure, content, and semantics of XML documents.

SCPI

The Standard Commands for Programmable Instrumentation (SCPI) defines a standard set of commands to control programmable test and measurement devices in instrumentation systems. The SCPI Standard is built on the foundation of IEEE-488.2, Standard Codes and Formats.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

A network protocol used to manage TCP/IP networks. In Windows, the SNMP service is used to provide status information about a host on a TCP/IP network.

SNMP

See definition for: Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

Star Hub

An LXI Device that can be used to connect LXI Trigger Bus chains together, in doing so providing electrical isolation between the chains. They can be used to extend the maximum number of LXI Devices that can participate in a LXI Trigger Bus event by providing a mapping function between the LXI Trigger Bus chains. Star Hubs can be stand-alone devices or can be embedded LXI Devices having other functionality. They are the only LXI Device that is permitted to have an embedded termination for an LXI Trigger Bus.

Subnet

A subdivision of an IP network. Each subnet has its own unique subnetted network ID.

Subnet Mask

A 32-bit value that enables the recipient of IP packets to distinguish the network ID and host ID portions of the IP address. Typically, subnet masks use the format 255.x.x.x.

TCP/IP

See definition for: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

A set of networking protocols widely used on the Internet that provides communications across interconnected networks of computers with diverse hardware architectures and various operating systems. TCP/IP includes standards for how computers communicate and conventions for connecting networks and routing traffic.

UDP

The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is one of the core protocols of the Internet protocol suite. Using UDP, programs on networked computers can send short messages known as datagrams to one another.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

An address that uniquely identifies a location on the Internet. . Generally, an URL specifies the connection protocol and a file name. The connection protocol can be: telnet, ftp, gopher, etc., and for web pages, http is the usual protocol as in the fictitious URL http://www.example.microsoft.com.

URL

See definition for Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

UTC

Coordinated Universal Time (abbreviated UTC) is the basis for the worldwide system of civil time. This time scale is kept by time laboratories around the world, including the U.S. Naval Observatory, and is determined using highly precise atomic clocks.

VISA

Most of the instrument drivers communicate to the instrumentation hardware through an I/O Library. The VISA library is used for the GPIB, VXI, PXI, Serial, Ethernet, and/or USB interfaces, while other buses can utilize either VISA or another library.

W3C

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential as a forum for information, commerce, communication, and collective understanding.

XSD

An XML Schema Definition, as defined by the W3C (http://www.w3.org/XML/Schema). It defines a type of XML document in terms of the constraints upon what elements and attributes may appear, their relationship to each other, what types of data may be in them, and so forth.