Glossary

alert. Alerts are time-critical messages that users instantly receive as a pop-up message. The sender knows who has received the message and is notified that the message is read when the alert is either closed or clicked, as long as the "Show message status" option was used. If the alert message requires a response, right clicking on the alert brings up a pop-up menu with an option to Chat with Sender.

authentication. The process of determining whether someone or something is, in fact, who or what it is declared to be. In private and public computer networks (including the Internet), authentication is commonly done through the use of logon passwords. Knowledge of the password is assumed to guarantee that the user is authentic.

certificate. An electronic document used to identify an iIM server, and associated with a public key. iPlanet Instant Messaging Server supports the exchange of certificates between iIM servers. The certificate exchange is transparent to individual users.

CA. Certificate Authority. An authority in a network that issues and manages security credentials and public keys for message encryption and decryption. As part of a public key infrastructure (PKI), a CA checks with a registration authority (RA) to verify information provided by the requestor of a digital certificate. If the RA verifies the requestor's information, the CA can then issue a certificate.

chat. iIM Server's version of instant messaging, chat is a real-time conversation capability that enables users to complete projects, answer customer questions, and complete other time-critical work assignments. Chat sessions are held either in chat rooms created on an as-needed basis or in pre-established conference rooms.

cn. LDAP alias for common name.

conference room. A pre-established chat room, configured by an administrator or other user with sysRoomsAdd privilege, who also determines which users can view and access conference rooms.

contact. The userID (name) of a user or LDAP group that you send and receive instant messages with. You add contacts to your personalized contact groups so that you can monitor their online status. Also known as "buddy" in other instant messaging environments.

contact group. A list of contacts that a user maintains. The actual list is stored on the iIM server. You can create contact groups to keep track of different people in a logical way.

contact list. In iPlanet Instant Messenger, the list of all your contact groups.

cooperating server. A server that wants to communicate with your server, and one your server wants to communicate with. Also known as a coserver. Each cooperating server is given a symbolic name, which is a string consisting of letters and digits. For example, coservern, where n is a number.

coserver. See cooperating server.

directory service. A logically centralized repository of information. iIM Server depends on a directory service for user authentication. See also LDAP.

distinguished name. The comma-separated sequence of attributes and values that specify the unique location of an entry within the directory information tree. Often abbreviated as DN.

DN. Distinguished name.

dn. LDAP alias for distinguished name.

DNS. Domain Name System. A distributed name resolution software that enables computers to locate other computers on a UNIX® network or the Internet by domain name. DNS servers provide a distributed, replicated, data query service for translating hostnames into Internet addresses.

firewall. A dedicated gateway machine with special security precautions used to service outside network, especially Internet, connections and dial-in lines. The idea is to protect a group of more loosely administered machines hidden behind the firewall from unwanted entry from outside the firewall.

HTTP. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. A standard protocol that allows the transfer of hypertext documents over the Web. iIM Server uses HTTP to support data flow between itself and iPlanet Instant Messenger clients.

iIM multiplexor. Improves iIM Server scalability by allowing a large number of concurrent client connections to require only a few connections to the backend iIM server. iPlanet Instant Messenger clients connect to the multiplexor rather than the iIM server itself. When installed on the public side of a firewall, the multiplexor protects the user database from intruders, leaving the iIM server behind the firewall.

iIM Server. Refers to the iPlanet Instant Messaging Server product itself, including all components (server, multiplexor, and iPlanet Instant Messenger).

iIM server. The backend server process within the product that handles incoming commands from iPlanet Instant Messenger client (via the iIM Server multiplexor). The iIM server also communicates with the LDAP server in the authentication of iIM users. See also iIM multiplexor.

iPlanet Delegated Administrator. A set of interfaces (GUI and CLI) that enable administrators to add and modify users and groups to a directory in a hosted domain.

iPlanet Instant Messenger. The iPlanet Instant Messaging Server client that enables users to send and receive instant messages and alerts.

iPlanet Portal Server. A software product that enables remote users to securely access their organization's network and its services over the Internet. Additionally, it creates a secure Internet portal, providing access to content, applications, and data to any targeted audience-employees, business partners, or the general public.

iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack. iPlanet's instant messaging product, which includes the server, multiplexor, and iPlanet Instant Messenger components. Also known as iPlanet Instant Messaging Server.

Java applet. A small application program, written in Java, that can be sent along with a web page to a user's browser. Java applets can perform tasks without having to send a user request back to the server. (iPlanet Instant Messenger client is a Java applet.)

Java Web Start. A Web application launcher. With Java Web Start, applications are launched by clicking on the web link. If the application is not present on your computer, Java Web Start automatically downloads it and caches it on your computer. Once an application is downloaded to its cache, it can be launched from a desktop icon, or from a browser link. No matter which method is used to launch the application, the most current version of the application is always presented.

LDAP. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. LDAP is a protocol used for the storage, retrieval, and distribution of information.

LDAP server. A software server that maintains an LDAP directory and services queries to the directory. The Sun Directory Services and the Netscape Directory Services are implementations of an LDAP Server.

news channel. News channels are forums for posting and sharing information. Users subscribe to news channels of interest in order to see updates. The information in a news channel is usually published automatically by way of a URL, or by a user with proper privilege. Administrators can control news channel access by assigning users to the channels they need, and decide who can see or publish information to news channels.

news channel list. A window that shows all the news channels you are currently subscribed to. Each news channel is indicated by a separate tab.

plug-in. Code extensions to the browser that display or execute content inside a web page. Plug-ins enable the browser to display page content elements that the browser would otherwise not be able to display.

poll. The polling function in iPlanet Instant Messenger enables you to query users for their response to a question. You send a question and possible answers to selected users and they respond with their selected answer.

server process. A self-contained, fully functional execution environment set up by an operating system. Each instance of an application typically runs in a separate process.

service. A Windows NT program which runs under the Windows NT service manager. As such, it can be started automatically at boot time. A default Windows NT installation has several services configured. One example is the DHCP client. The iIM Server installation tool configures two Windows NT services: the iPlanet Connection Multiplexor, and the iPlanet Instant Messaging Server.

sn. LDAP alias for surname.

SSL. Secure Sockets Layer is an open, non-proprietary security protocol for authenticated and encrypted communication between clients and servers. iPlanet Instant Messaging Server supports server-to-server SSL.

status event. Status of a user including whether online.

user ID. User identification. A unique string identifying a user to a system. Also referred to as a userid.