Object

1. A software service provider that encapsulates both the algorithm and the data structures necessary to provide a service. Usually, objects can inherit data and functionality from their parent objects, thus allowing complex services to be constructed from simpler objects. The term object oriented implies a tight relationship between algorithms and data structures. See also Module.
2. A record in the Active Directory database.

Objects

The representation, or abstraction, of an entity. For example, each Exchange server is represented as an object in the Exchange Administrator program. As an object, it contains properties, also called attributes, that can be configured. For example, an Exchange server object can have properties that give certain administrators permission to configure that server.

Object Class

A definition of a specific type of record in the AD database.

Object Counters

Containers built into each service object in Windows that store a count of the number of times an object performs its service or to what degree. You can use performance monitors to access object counters and measure how different objects in Windows are operating. See also
Object.

Object Identifiers (OIDs)

Identifiers that are used to define objects and attributes as they are applied to any directory service, from Microsoft Active Directory to Novell Directory Services. OIDs are registered with the International Standards Organization (ISO) issuing agency. By having a central group control how object classes and attributes are implemented, the industry can avoid incompatible network directories.

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

The Microsoft protocol that specifies how programs can share objects and therefore create compound documents.

Object Permissions

SQL Server permissions that generally allow users to manipulate data controlled by a database object. For example, to view the information in a table, you must first have the Select permission on that table. If you want to run a stored procedure, you must first have the Execute permission on that stored procedure. Object permissions can be granted by the SA, DBO, or DBOO.

OC

See Optical Carrier.

Octet

Exactly 8 bits of data. Bytes are usually, but not always, 8 bits. Octets are always 8 bits.

ODBC (Open Database Connectivity)

An API set that defines a method of common database access. Client applications can be written to the ODBC API. ODBC uses a Data Source Name (DSN) to make a connection to a database and to load an appropriate ODBC driver. This driver will translate client calls made to the ODBC API into calls to the native interface of the database. The goal of ODBC is to provide interoperability between client applications and data resources.

OEM Branding

Configuring a logo or background to display original equipment manufacturer (OEM) information. OEM branding is an option offered by the Setup Manager during answer file creation. See also
Answer File and Setup Manager.

Offline Address Book (OAB)

A copy stored on a client’s computer or part or all of the server-based Global Address List (GAL). An OAB allows a client to address messages while not connected to their server.

Offline Files and Folders

A Windows feature that allows network folders and files to be stored on Windows clients. Users can access network files even if the network location is not available.

Offline Storage Folder (OST)

Folders located on a client’s computer that contain replicas of server-based folders. An OST allows a client to access and manipulate copies of server data while not connected to their server. When the client reconnects to their server, they can have their OST resynchronized with the master folders on the server.

OID

See Object Identifiers.

OLE-DB

An API that allows low-level programming languages such as C and C++ to access dissimilar data stores through a common query language. OLE DB is seen as the replacement for Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). Data stores such as those in Exchange and SQL Server allow for OLE DB access, which makes application development easier and faster. High-level programming languages such as Visual Basic can use ADO to issue queries through OLE DB.

OLTP

See Online Transaction Processing.

On-Access Scanner

A real-time virus scanner that scans disks and files automatically and often in the background. An on-access scanner scans files for viruses as the computer accesses the files.

On-Demand Scanner

A virus scanner the user starts manually. Most on-demand scanners allow the user to set various configurations and to scan specific files, folders or disks.

One-Off Address

An e-mail address that does not exist in the Exchange GAL, but is specified as a message recipient by a user. One-off addresses are often used to send messages to Internet addresses that do not have corresponding custom recipients in the GAL.

Ones Density

Also known as pulse density, this is a method of signal clocking. The CSU/DSU retrieves the clocking information from data that passes through it. For this scheme to work, the data needs to be encoded to contain at least one binary 1 for each eight bits transmitted. See also Channel Service Unit and Data Service Unit.

Online Transaction Processing (OLTP)

A type of database activity that involves frequent changes to the data stored in your database. This is the opposite of online analytical processing (OLAP) that rarely changes data, but runs frequent ad hoc-type queries to generate MIS reports. See also Transaction Processing.

On-Screen Keyboard

A Windows utility that displays a keyboard on the screen and allows users to enter keyboard input by using a mouse or other input device.

Open Datalink Interface (ODI)

A Novell standard for network card drivers.

Open Datalink Interface/Network Driver Interface Specification Support (ODINSUP)

A Novell interface that allows the coexistence of two network driver interfaces: Microsoft’s NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification) and Novell’s ODI (Open Datalink Interface). ODINSUP allows an MS-DOS or Microsoft Windows workstation to connect to dissimilar networks through a single network interface card and to use them as if they were a single network. ODINSUP also allows NDIS protocol stacks to communicate through the ODI’s link-support layer (LSL) and multiple-link interface driver (MLID) so that ODI and NDIS protocol stacks can coexist in the same system, using a single ODI MLID.

OpenGL

See Open Graphics Language.

Open Graphics Language (OpenGL)

A standard interface for the presentation of two- and three-dimensional visual data.

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

OSPF protocol is a link-state route-discovery protocol that is designed to overcome the limitations of RIP. On large internetworks, OSPF can identify the internetwork topology and improve performance by implementing load balancing and class-of-service routing.

Open Source Software

Any software package that includes the original source code from which the product was originally created. Open source software allows knowledgeable users to make changes to the way the software actually works, unlike products from mainstream software developers which never include the source code. And while this mainstream software is certainly configurable, it is basically a take-it-or-leave-it package. See also Free Software Foundation and Linux.

Open System Interconnect Model (OSI)

A model defined by the ISO to conceptually organize the process of communication between computers in terms of seven layers, called protocol stacks. The seven layers of the OSI model helps you to understand how communication across various protocols takes place. See also Physical Layer, Data Link Layer, Network Layer, Transport Layer, Session Layer, Presentation Layer, and Application Layer.

Operating System

A collection of services that form a foundation upon which applications run. Operating systems may be simple I/O service providers with a command shell, such as MS-DOS, or they may be sophisticated, preemptive, multitasking, multiprocessing applications platforms like Windows. See also Network Operating System, Preemptive Multitasking, and Kernel.

Operating System 2 (OS/2)

A 16-bit (and later, 32-bit) operating system developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM as a successor to MS-DOS. Microsoft bowed out of the 32-bit development effort and produced its own product, Windows NT, as a competitor to OS/2. OS/2 is now a preemptive, multitasking 32-bit operating system with strong support for networking and the ability to run MS-DOS and Win16 applications, but IBM has been unable to entice a large number of developers to produce software that runs native under OS/2. See also Operating System and Preemptive Multitasking.

Operations Master

A server that is responsible, in a single-master manner, for a particular process.

Operator

A user who is notified about certain network events. In SQL Server, operators can be defined by name, along with their e-mail and pager addresses. Operator information is stored in the Msdb database. Operators are notified about the success and/or failure of scheduled jobs and alerts.

Optical Carrier (OC)

A series of physical protocols, designated as OC-1, OC-2, OC-3, and so on, for SONET optical signal transmissions. OC signal levels place STS frames on a multimode fiber-optic line at various speeds, of which 51.84Mbps is the lowest (OC-1). Each subsequent protocol runs at a speed divisible by 51.84. See also Synchronous Optical Network.

Optical Fiber

Glass filament cable that conveys signals using light rather than electricity.

Optimization

Any effort to reduce the workload on a hardware component by eliminating, obviating, or reducing the amount of work required of the hardware component through any means. For instance, file caching is an optimization that reduces the workload of a hard disk drive.

Organization

The highest level object in the Microsoft Exchange hierarchy.

Organizational Unit (OU)

An Active Directory object that contains other objects. Each domain can consist of multiple OUs, logically organized in a hierarchical structure. OUs may contain users, groups, security policies, computers, printers, file shares, and other Active Directory objects. See also Active Directory.

Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI)

Is assigned by the IEEE to an organization that makes network interface cards. The organization then puts this OUI on each and every card they manufacture. The OUI is 3 bytes (24 bits) long. The manufacturer then adds a 3-byte identifier to uniquely identify the host on an internetwork. The total length of the address is 48 bits (6 bytes) and is called a hardware address or MAC address.

Originating Write

An attribute of an object, it identifies the domain controller at which a change to that object was first implemented.

Originator/Recipient Address (O/R Address)

An X.400 address scheme that uses a hierarchical method to denote where on an X.400 network a recipient resides. An example is: c=us;a=;p=widgetnet;o=widget;s=wilson;g=jay;.

OS/2

See Operating System 2.

Oscilloscope

An oscilloscope measures fluctuations in signal voltage and can help find faulty or damaged cabling. Oscilloscopes are often more expensive electronic devices that show the signal fluctuations on a monitor.

OSI Model

See Open Systems Interconnect Model.

OSPF

See Open Shortest Path First.

osql

A command-line utility that uses ODBC and provides a query interface to the SQL Server. You can run Transact-SQL statements as well as stored procedures and DBCC commands from osql; isql (which uses DB-Library) is also supported in SQL for backward-compatibility.

OU

See Organizational Unit.

OUI

See Organizationally Unique Identifier.

Outbound Connections

Connections that allow users to dial out to external resources through an RAS server.

Outlook Web Access

The Web browser interface to Exchange Server mailbox and public folder data. The Outlook Web Access client in Exchange 5.x Server uses Active Server Pages to render collaboration data into HTML, whereas the Outlook Web Access Client in Exchange 2000 and later uses native access to the store.

Out-of-Band Management

Management “outside” of the network’s physical channels. For example, using a console connection not directly interfaced through the local LAN or WAN or a dial-in modem. See also In-Band Management.

Out-of-Band Signaling

Within a network, any transmission that uses physical channels or frequencies separate from those ordinarily used for data transfer. For example, the initial configuration of a Cisco Catalyst switch requires an out-of-band connection via a console port.

Outsourcing

Using an outside individual or firm to provide some ongoing service.

Oversampling

A type of synchronous communication in which the receiver samples the signal at ten times the data rate. One of the ten samples provides the data; the other nine provide clocking information.

Overwriting Virus

An overwriting virus copies its code over its host file’s data, thus destroying the original program. Disinfection is possible, although files cannot be recovered. It is usually necessary to delete the original file and replace it with a clean copy. Also known as Overwrite Virus.

Owner

Used in conjunction with NTFS volumes. All NTFS files and directories have an associated owner who is able to control access and grant permissions to other users. See also New Technology File System.

Ownership Chain

In SQL Server, the result of a user who owns an object creating another object based on the original one, such as when a user creates a view based on a table. This ownership chain has only one object owner. If another user creates an object based on the original owner’s object, this now becomes a broken ownership chain, because different users own objects within the permission chain. If a person who owns objects that are dependent on each other grants another person rights to the final object, then the ownership chain is unbroken. However, if the second person then grants rights to a third person, the ownership chain becomes broken, as the third person needs rights from the first person, not the second person.

Owner-Version Mapping Table

It keeps track of which WINS server owns (or holds) a particular registration, along with the highest version ID received from that server.