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Glossary

Bandwidth

When referring to computer networks, bandwidth is a term used to describe the rate at which data is transferred within that network. This 'data throughput' is usually measured in seconds and is expressed as a volume of data per second. Therefore 128kbps transcribes to 128 thousand bits per second and 2Mbps describes a transfer speed of two million bits per second. A higher volume usually indicates higher network speeds, however this may not always be the case.

Caching

This refers to a local and temporary copy of a webpage stored on a server. When you access a webpage, a copy of it is automatically stored in a cache, on your web server if your school has one.

Intranet

This is a type of private website restricted to school staff. It may look and feel similar to an Internet site, but it will not be publicly available. The purpose of an intranet is to share documents and information.

Proxy Server

This piece of hardware serves a variety of purposes including the provision of a caching service. All Internet requests from a user will pass through the proxy server.

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