Acronym (or abbreviation) soup

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: STEVE TAYLOR AND JIM METZLER ON WIDE
AREA NETWORKING
07/14/05
Today's focus: Acronym (or abbreviation) soup

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* How three little letters can mean so many different things
* Links related to Wide Area Networking
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Hewlett Packard
Special Report-Regulatory Compliance and the Role of Today's CIO

With a growing body of legislation dictating how enterprises may
create, use, share, and retain electronic records, CIOs must
develop data storage and management strategies that meet
regulatory compliance and support their organizations' overall
business goals. Fortunately, these objectives are not mutually
exclusive. Download this Special Report from Kahn Consulting to
learn about the confluence of information management and
regulatory compliance and how it can help your enterprise
realize tangible business benefits. Read now!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=108269
_______________________________________________________________
What you need to know about web-based collaboration

Enterprise messaging and collaboration expert, Paul Ritter
advises you on how to make the business case for web-based
collaboration. Gain insight on how firms have dramatically
improved the way they work together.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=107897
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: Acronym (or abbreviation) soup

By Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

In our recent discussion of MTUs and the various definitions of
MTUs, we asked you to let us know of acronyms that you often see
causing confusion and promised that we'd publish a summary of
your responses.

Of course, the first response that we got from a couple of
readers was a response that MTU is an abbreviation - not an
acronym. The readers pointed out that by some definitions, an
acronym should be something that makes a word that can be
pronounced. The example cited was that "radar" was an acronym,
while MTU was an abbreviation.

We're going to take a bit more liberal definition by allowing
abbreviations and acronyms to be interchangeable. After all, we
could have an endless debate as to whether a frame relay DLCI
(Data Link Connection Identifier) is an acronym or an
abbreviation. For years, the frame relay community has
pronounced DLCI as if it were spelled "delcie."

That said, one reader started the list with:

ATM: Telecom term for the high-speed Asynchronous Transfer Mode
protocol, but more affectionately known as an Automated Teller
Machine.

AAA: Telecom term for Authentication, Authorization and
Accounting, otherwise used for roadside assistance or special
discounts for die-hard American Automobile Association members.

SMS: Short Message Service (wireless instant messaging) vs.
System Management Server (corporate IT tool to manage enterprise
resources).

We also use the confusion about acronyms and terminology as a
way to distinguish implicitly the background of a person. As
our voice, data, and IT infrastructures converge, our
differential vocabulary often causes confusion until all are
clued in on the context.

MAC is a favorite example. To a LAN-oriented person, it's
obviously the "Media Access Control" layer of a protocol. For
instance, Ethernet and token ring are examples of MAC layers. At
the same time, a voice-oriented person hears MAC and immediately
thinks of "Moves, Adds and Changes" to the telephone system.
And the IT person sees it as an alternative to a PC.

RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS

What's in an acronym?
06/14/05
http://www.networkworld.com/nlwan3277
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates
and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed
information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter,
connect to Webtorials <http://www.webtorials.com/>, the premier
site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and
market research. Taylor can be reached at
<mailto:taylor@webtorials.com>

Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler &
Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging
technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine
product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and
services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure.
He can be reached at <mailto:jim@ashtonmetzler.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Hewlett Packard
Special Report-Regulatory Compliance and the Role of Today's CIO

With a growing body of legislation dictating how enterprises may
create, use, share, and retain electronic records, CIOs must
develop data storage and management strategies that meet
regulatory compliance and support their organizations' overall
business goals. Fortunately, these objectives are not mutually
exclusive. Download this Special Report from Kahn Consulting to
learn about the confluence of information management and
regulatory compliance and how it can help your enterprise
realize tangible business benefits. Read now!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=108268
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the WAN newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/frame/index.html
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE
THE ROI OF VOIP

When it comes to VoIP, most network managers are satisfied that
the technology works. But there are questions: What will the new
technology cost to roll out and support, and what benefits can
companies expect to reap? Check out NW's step-by-step guide on
how to determine the true cost and benefits of VoIP. Click here:
<http://www.networkworld.com/research/2005/071105-voip.html>
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