Glossary

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General Terms related to AAISP

21CN
21st Century Network.
ALG
Application Layer Gateway - typically software in a router to try to help with VoIP calls, often needing to be disabled
Bonding
Bonding more than one broadband line.
BT
British Telecom
BTOR
British Telecom Openreach
BTW
BT Wholesale
CDR
Call Detail Records - Call logs
CIDR
Classless inter-domain routing. The /24 (IPv4) and /32 (IPv6)
Circuit ID
The ID for the line when talking to carriers. i.e. BBEU or FTTC
CLI
Caller Line Identification (re telephony)
CLI
Command Line Interface
Copper Pair
ADSL and VDSL lines ‘piggy back’ off of the copper pair. This is the ‘phone line’ - two copper wires twisted together.
CQM
Constant Quality Monitoring - the name given to the monitoring graphs used on the control pages and FireBricks. Customers and staff can view these graphs in near real time and historical graphs. It’s updated every 100 seconds. Sends an LCP echo every second (a bit like a PING).
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Makes sure your computer has the IP address and other network config when you’re online.
DNS
Domain Name System/Server. Translates domain name to an IP address to have an internet location.
Domain
Text/written address of an IP address. DNS translates this to an IP address to be understood by a computer.
Download/Upload
Receiving data over the internet/Sending data to another system over the internet.
DS
Delegation signer (The record used to identify the DNSSEC signing key of a delegated zone)
EMI
Electro-magnetic interference. Disturbance from electronic sources. Can also be from sun, northern lights and thunderstorms.
Ethernet
Cable to connect device directly to the router – gives much quicker and more accurate speeds.
Firebrick
The FireBrick is a router, bonding box and traffic shaper. It can act as a SIP PBX, VPN tunnel endpoint and concentrator. Most commonly it is used as a general purpose network appliance in office environments, but many small ISPs/ITSPs also use them in core network situations.
Gigaset
Model of VOIP handset sold by AAISP.
Hostname
Used in association with domain name. E.g. support.aa.net.uk.
IDN
Internationalised Domain Name
IP
Internet Protocol
IPv4
IPv4 is the most widely used version of the Internet Protocol. It defines IP addresses in a 32-bit format, which looks like 123.123.123.123. IPv4 allows 4,294,967,296 addresses to be used (2^32).
IPv6
IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, which increases the number of possible addresses by an exponential amount. They are typically written in this format: hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh:hhhh

Each "hhhh" section consists of a four-digit hexadecimal number, which means each digit can be from 0 to 9 and from A to F. IPv6 allows for over 340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 IP addresses.

ISP
Internet service provider.
LAN
Local Area Network.
Latency
The delay in transmitting data/processing data, sending a packet and seeing how long it takes to return. e.g. a PING from terminal.
LCP
Link Control Protocol
Legacy IP
IPv4.
LNS
A bridge between carrier and ISP. E.g. BT and AAISP.
Logs/Notes
Where we log information and history in regards to the circuit or service.
Loop Fault
The two wires that makeup the line are in contact with each other and are causing a loop.
MRU
Maximum Receive Unit
MSO
Major Service Outage - some sort of fault that will be affecting lots of customers - should be on https://aastatus.net.uk
MTU
Maximum Transmission Unit. The size of packets that can be received. If a computer has a lower MTU than it’s data recipient, it will resend again using smaller packets.
Nameserver
Servers that hold information on a regustered domain. E.g. primary-dns.co.uk (main)/secondary-dns.co.uk (backup).
Open DNS
A company that has DNS for anyone. E.g. Can set up parental advisory blocks for children’s usage.
OR
Openreach
OSI
Opens systems interconnection model. Explains functions of computing systems communications.
Packet loss
Bits of information split into ‘packets’ to send from one IP address to another, in order to find the fastest route. Packets aren’t formed properly when a link is full, causing packet loss.
PEIN
Prolonged electrical impulse noise. Random bursts. SNR spikes, BIT errors.
Port
All data transmitted over the internet is sent and received using a specific set of commands, also known as a protocol. Each protocol is assigned a specific port number. For example, all website data transferred over HTTP uses port 80. Data sent over HTTPS uses port 443.
PPP
Point to point protocol. Enables communication and data transfer between two points (nodes). PPPoE – way to connect to internet using DSL modem. Uses TCP, UDP or IP to transfer data over internet.
PSTN
Public switched telephone network. Circuit telephone network. Uses underground copper wires. AAISP do not use copper lines as traditional ‘phone line’. FTTP does not use PSTN as it is solely fibre optic cables.
Quota
‘Data allowance’.
REIN
Repetitive electrical impulse noise. Can cause broadband line to perform below it’s expected performance. Can cause frequent loss of ADSL signal from the exchange.
RFI
Radio frequency interference. Can be picked up by nearby wireless devices.
RIPE
The Réseaux IP Européens Network - the organisation in Europe who manage IP addresses.
Server
Computer that provides data to other computers. Serves data to LAN and WAN. Different servers run software specific to the purpose of the server.
SFI
Special faults investigation. Engineer visit. If no fault found then £160 fee will be charged. Must make sure all appropriate tests have been ran first.
SHINE
Single high level impulse noise event. A single brief burst of noise. Will show as a single sharp spike on CQM graphs. Can cause the line to drop enough to cause a re-sync.
SIM
Subscriber identity module
SIP
Session initiation protocol.

SIP – Sets up phone call. RTP – Real-time transport. These two protocols run VOIP.

SIP2SIM
VOIP over a SIM card.
SNOM
Model of VOIP phone sold by AAISP.
Sync Rate
DSL connection rate. The PHYSICAL speed of the connection between your router and local telephone exchange.
TCP/UDP
Transmission control protocol. Determines how to break down packets, sends them and resends when there is errors.
Terminal
Command lines or consoles. Carry out tasks without a graphical user interface.
Throughput
Amount of data going through a single connection per second (speed). Expressed in KB/s, MB/s, GB/s.
TR-069
Protocol for managing network equipment. TR-069 is what configures AAISP’s routers, phones etc.
Traffic
Activity on the network/line.
TTW
TalkTalk Wholesale
Tx Rate
Tx – Download rate.

Rx – Upload rate.

VLAN
Virtual local area network.
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol
WAN
Wide area network. External.

DSL Related

ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
BRAS
Broadband Remote Access Server (Takes PPP from EU and passes it to ISP by L2TP)
CPE
Customer Premise Equipment (router or modem)
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line. E.g. ADSL, FTTC/VDSL, Gfast.
DSLAM
Digital Subscriber Line Access Modulator
DLM
Dynamic Line Management
FTTC
Fibre to the Cabinet. Fibre optic cables to the cabinet, and then copper to the premises.
FTTP
Fibre to the Premises. Broadband running over fibre optic cables. The data is sent through light lasers. No copper pair is required. Fastest speed.
G-Fast
Addition on the cabinet that gives faster speed. Higher frequencies.
L2TP
A standard system called Layer Two Tunnelling Protocol (L2TP) which allows you (using suitable software or equipment) to connect to us via another Internet access service.
LTS
L2TP tunnel switch - the router on the wholesaler's network (eg TalkTalk) that forwards the LT2TP to the ISP. Also see; L2TP on Juniper's website
TAM
Test Access Module
VDSL
Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line
VP
Virtual Path - a link between an Exchange and the BRAS

BT Fault Terms

See also BT's jargon buster at https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/serviceproducts/orderandfaulttracker/faulthandling/faulttrackerjargonbuster.do

AI
Action Item
BBCR
BroadBand Customer Reporting (BT)
BBEU
WBC EUA Service ID (Circuit ID)
CA
Customer Apparatus
CDTA
Conscious Decision To Appoint - force booking an Openreach engineer
CP
Communications Provider
CRD
Customer Required by Date
DP
Distribution Point
ELF
Early Life Failure - A fault soon after an install
EU
End User
FaultReportAdvised C
The result after running a PSTN line test. Usually Y or N, bur C means test Inconclusive/ Not Completed - Fault Report may be raised if CP believes there is a problem on BT network charges may be incurred if the fault is subsequently shown to be off BT network
FTR
Fault Threshold Rate - The speed at which the line is considered at fault
KBD
Knowledge Based Diagnostics
KCI
Keep Customer Informed. SMS or Email informing customers of any line discrepancies.
MBORC
Matters Beyond Our Reasonable Control. Used by BT to indicate that they're suspending normal fix guarantees as some external event has made it impossible to achieve them (e.g. a fire, storms, terror attack).
MFL
Main Fault Location
MPF
Metallic Path Facility
NTE
Network Termination Equipment
NTE5
Network Termination Equipment, 5th version
PONR
Point of No Return - e.g. when an engineer is booked and cannot now be cancelled.
PCP
Primary Cross-connect Point
PEW
Planned Engineering Works
POH
Point of Handover
RA
Rate Adaptive
REIN
Repetitive Electrical Impulse Noise - some sort of interference causing problems with a broadband line - tricky to pinpoint, patience needed in diagnosing these faults.
RWT
Right When Tested
SIN
Supplier Information Note [BT]
SMPF
Shared Metallic Path Facility
SP
Service Provider (e.g. AAISP)
SSFP
Service Specific Front Plate
TPM
Tie Pair Modify - The cable from the MDF (main distribution frame) to the DSLAM port is replaced
TSO
Technology Service and Operations - a department within BT
WAC
Work Allocation Controls (team)
WLR
Wholesale Line Rental

BT Fault Locations

See also BT's jargon buster at https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/serviceproducts/orderandfaulttracker/faulthandling/faulttrackerjargonbuster.do

CA
Fault located at Customer Apparatus
CE
Fault located at Customer Equipment. Provides further breakdown of a CA fault
DT
Diagnostic Test required to establish fault
EX
Fault located in Exchange
FU
Fault Located at Frames Unit. Provides further breakdown of an EX fault.
LN
Fault Located in Local Network

Openreach PSTN Fault Types

Terms used to describe a fault type on a PSTN phone line. When reporting a PSTN fault to Openreach one of these terms is used to describe the fault.

BNR
Bell not ringing
BR
Bell ringing continuous
CCS
Call minder problems
CDT
Continuous Dial Tone
CO
Cuts off
DRO
Damage to aerial cables
DRU
Damage outside end user premises
DRW
Damage at the end users site
DRA
Damage Report Apparatus
ESF
Exchange Service Facility
FNT
Faint Transmission
MOD
No other equipment, retried
NDT
No dial tone
NR
Dial tone no answer
NSY
Noisy
NT
No Tone
NU
Number not Obtainable
OHR
Overhearing
OWT
One Way Transmission
PET
Permanently engaged tone
RTP
Ring Trip
UTR
Unable to trip ringing
WNO
Wrong Numbers Obtained
XL
Crossed lines

Email Related

IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol
POP3
Post Office Protocol, Version 3
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Other

IRC
Internet Relay Chat - an online chat room, AAISP have one, see the contact page. You can talk to staff and customers
TCH
Telecity Hex - a datacentre in London run by Equinix AKA HEX, LD8, LOH - A&A have racks there
THN
Telehouse North - a datacentre in London - A&A have racks there