Glossary L - S

LAN – LOCAL AREA NETWORK

A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building.

LAN INTERCONNECTION

Using ISDN, an organisation can connect LANs at different locations into a WAN (wide area network) on a dial up basis, without the need for a permanent, expensive, leased data link.

LAN TELEPHONY

The convergence of voice and data on a LAN, eliminating the need for separate voice and data networks within an organisation.

LEASED LINE

Lines such as a telephone lines or fibre optic cables are rented for exclusive 24/7 use from your location to another location. The highest speed data connections require a leased line.

MUSIC ON HOLD

A music on hold (MOH) system plays a pre recorded program for callers to listen to while they are on hold. You can choose to have the system play music, a voice message, or a combination of both. The average length of a program is typically 4-6 minutes. If you prefer, you can also choose to broadcast a local radio station. In terms of equipment, an MOH system consists of a device that is plugged into your phone system that resembles a tape or CD player. MOH systems can be connected to nearly all office phone systems. Connections are less common, however, with smaller, KSU-less phone systems.

NETWORK

Any time you connect two or more computers together so that they can share resources, you have a computer network.

NGN OR NTS NUMBER

Non Geographic Numbers (or NGN's as they are known) such as 0845, 0870, 0871 and 0800 numbers are referred to as 'non geographic' because they do not have a particular geographic location associated with them. Indeed someone calling them can be diverted to a telephone line in any location in the UK. Effectively they are the opposite of normal (geographic) numbers where the area code tells you almost exactly where the line is located (for example 020 for London, 0151 for Liverpool etc.).

OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

Open Source Software is software for which the underlying programming is available to the users so that they may read it, make changes to it, and build new versions of the software to incorporate those changes. There are many types of Open Source Software, mainly differing in the licensing term under which (altered) copies of the source code may (or must) be redistributed.

OPERATOR CONSOLE

The Telephone Operator connects callers, handles messages, locates staff, dials destinations and welcomes visitors to reception. These tasks can be performed effortlessly with the introduction of Operator Console hardware. It is easy to use, with an easy to learn graphical user interface with icons, extensive and flexible name directories and a range of message facilities. Operator Console allows your telephone operator to combine call handling with other office applications.

OUTSIDE EXCHANGE LINES

Your telephone system lines will be connected to local exchange, the quantity of outside exchange lines needed is dependent upon your specific requirements and the number of users within your office. These lines could be digital i.e. ISDN2, ISDN30 or analogue. It is best to discuss this with your chosen supplier as it is possible that they can also help you ensure that all your existing lines are work cost effectively.

PACKET SWITCHING

The method used to move data and voice around a network. In packet switching, all the data is broken up into chunks – each chunk has the address of where it came from and where it is going. This enables chunks of data from many different sources to commingle on the same lines and be sorted and directed along different routes by special machines along the way. In this way many people can use the same lines at the same time.

POINT OF PRESENCE

A Point of Presence usually means a city of location where a network can be connected to, often with dial up phone lines.

PC BASED OPERATOR CONSOLE

The Telephone Operator connects callers, handles message, locate staff, dials destinations and welcomes visitors to reception. These tasks can be performed effortlessly with the introduction of PC based Operator Console software. It is easy to use, with an easy to learn graphical user interface with icons, extensive and flexible name directories and a range of message facilities. Operator Console allows your telephone operator to combine call handling with other office applications.

PORTAL

Usually used as a marketing term to describe a website that is or is intended to be the first place people see when they are using the Web. Typically, a Portal site has a catalogue of web sites, a search engine or both. A Portal site may also offer email and other services to entice people to use that site as their main 'point of entry' to the web.

PREDICITVE DIALLING

A third party CTI application, predictive dialling removes all dialling responsibilities from an agent. Once a call has been completed the software automatically dials the next number on the agent's call list.

PSTN – PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK

The regular, old fashioned telephone system

QOS – QUALITY OF SERVICE

Used to provide acceptable voice quality across IP networks.

ROUTER

A special purpose computer or software package that handles the connection between two or more packet switched networks. Routers spend all their time looking at the source and destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.

S BUS

Device used to connect data terminals such as video conferencing units to ISDN lines.

SERVER

A computer, or software package, that provides a specific kind of service to client software running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software or to the machine on which the software is running. A single server machine can have several different server software packages running on it, thus providing many different services to clients on the network.

SIP – SESSION INITIATION PROTOCOL

An Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard, SIP is an open, Internet genuine protocol for establishing and maintaining multi party, mixed media sessions over converged networks. SIP enables the creation and deployment of feature rich services that go far beyond simple VoIP calls.

SOFT PBX

The term used to describe a software application that provides server based telephony. Performing similar functions to a hardware PBX, Soft PBXs offer a range of PBX functions, voicemail and integration with other server based applications such as Unified Messaging and contact management systems.

STRUCTURED CABLING

A structured cabling system comprises standards compliant components, such s wall outlets and connections, and the cable itself, which is likely to be Category 5e UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) copper cabling along the floor, often leading to multimode fibre optic cable in the backbone or vertical riser of the building. Category 5 is currently installed in most buildings that have a structured cabling system. Category 5e is heralded as the solution guaranteeing access to broadband technologies and is fast becoming the cabling of choice. Category 6 is today's premium UTP cabling and supports even more bandwidth and even faster speeds.