Unshielded Twisted Pair - pair of copper wires twisted together with no electromagnetic shielding around them.

Shielded Twisted-Pair - type of twisted pair cable in which the pairs are enclosed in outer braided shield.

Fiber-Optic Cable - cable containing one or more optical fibers.

Dark Fiber - unused fiber; a fiber containing on or more optical fibers.

Coaxial Cable - single conductor surrounded by insulation and a layer of shielding so the two conductors share a single axis.

Plenum - air handling space between walls, under structural floors and above drop ceilings when used to circulate or handle air in a building.

Riser - type of cable that runs inbetween floors; space for indoor cables that allow cables to pass between floors.

Rip Cord - length of string built into optical fiber cables that is pulled to split the outer jacket of the cable without using a blade.

Core - central part of a single optical fiber in which the light signal is transmitting; cladding that has a high refractive index.

Attenuation - general term indicating decrease in power; caused by poor quality connections, cable defects and loss due to heat.

Noise - extraneous electromagnetic signal that interferes with desired signal normally present in passing through a system.

Headroom - number of decibels by which a system exceeds the minimum defined requirements.

ANSI (American National Standards Institute) - mission is to encourage voluntary compliance with standards and methods.
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) - mission is to help reduce the risk of fire through codes, safety requirements, research and education.

FCC (Federal Communications Commission) - mission is to regulate electrical communication (including cable and radio) in the United States.

NIST (National Institute of Standards Technology) - mission is to foster improvement in manufacturing technology, improving product quality and encouraging scientific discovery.

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration) - mission is to make workplaces in the United States safe and protect employees from various types of job hazards.

Equipment Room - centralized space for telecommunications equipment that serves a campus environment.

Topology - physical/Electrical configuration describing a local communication network; shape or arrangement of a system.