Acronyms and definitions

Here is a list of numerous acronyms used throughout this document.

AWS-specific acronyms and terminology have a separate topic.

CA

Certificate Authority : the top-most entity of a Public Key Infrastructure (see PKI)

CoC

Call of Cthulhu : a well known RPG

D&D

Dungeons & Dragons : the most famous tabletop RPG

DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol : a protocol used to automatically distribute networking parameters to devices on a network, including an IP address.

The usual basic parameters managed by DHCP servers are : IP address, network mask, default router/gateway IP, and the IP(s) of DNS server(s)

DM

Depending on context :

• Dungeon Master = the GM in a D&D game.

• Direct Message (also called PM=Private Message) on forums and on-line chat platforms

DDNS

Dynamic DNS : a service offer where you can manage one or more DNS names (FQDNs) that are reserved for you : you can make them point to the public IP of your choice, and they are usuall updatable atomatically through an API or a utility pogram. Many models of "Internet routers" support auto-updating DDNS services.

DNS

Domain Name System : the way machines are named in the Internet

See also : FQDN

FG

Fantasy Grounds 😁 - Soon to be called FG "Classic" when FG "Unity" is released.

FGC

Depending on context :

• Fantasy Grounds College : a fantastic group of FG fans (GMs and players) providing voluntary help and training about FG (see the More Help topic)

• Fantasy Grounds "Classic" : the current major version of FG (v3.x)

FGU

Fantasy Grounds "Unity" : the next major version of FG planned to be released at the end of 2019. See the very successful launch of the FGU KickStarter project at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smiteworks/fantasy-grounds-unity

FQDN

Fully Qualified Domain Name : a complete DNS name, where no part has been omitted. When browsing the Internet (as opposed to private intranets), you always use FQDNs.

Gateway

See Router

GM

Game Master (usually called DM for D&D).

IaaS / PaaS / SaaS

3 types of cloud hosting services :

Infrastructure as a Service : a cloud offer where customers can create virtual environments "from the ground up" and have full control of the networks and servers

Platform as a Service : a cloud offer where customers get access to pre-installed core software installations on servers that they can customize up to a point

Software as a Service : a coud offer where customers subscribe to a specific software usage without managing servers and generally without installing software on individual computers

IP

Internet Protocol.

IP Stack

The most widely used communication protocols, based on IP at the "network" level (OSI layer 3) : IP, ICMP, TCP, UDP, HTTP, SMTP, etc...

Fantasy Grounds "Classic" uses IPv4 and specifically TCP port 1802

ISP

Internet Service Provider

IT

Information Technology : everything "computer-related"...

LAN

Local Area Network : local network where every device is connected on a shared physical cabling system like Ethernet with a central hub or switch device (the wireless variant is a WLAN). LAN is now used as a generic term both for "physical" LAN and WLAN.

A device connected to a LAN should have a "Private IP" address

Your "home" network is a LAN (and most likely a WLAN).

NAT/PAT

Network Address Translation/Port-Address Translation. The main technique used in gateways/routers to share a single "public IP" address for all the devices/"private IP" addresses on a (W)LAN

OS

Operating System : A version or distribution of Windows / MacOS / Linux

PaaS

See : IaaS / PaaS / SaaS

PKI

Public Key Infrastructure : From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_key_infrastructure

A public key infrastructure (PKI) is a set of roles, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, use, store & revoke digital certificates and manage public-key encryption.

PF

PathFinder : a well known RPG

PM

Private Message on forums and on-line chat platforms (also call DM=Direct Message)

Router

Router (or Gateway) : a network device used to link remote networks : your Internet access "box" is also a router.

RPG

Role-Playing Game 😁

SaaS

See : IaaS / PaaS / SaaS

SF

StarFinder : a well known RPG

SSH

Secure Shell : Cryptographic protocol mainly used to open a command line terminal on a remote server in an encrypted channel.

SSL/TLS

Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security : cryptographic protocols providing communications security.

SW

Savage Worlds : a well known RPG

TLS

See SSL/TLS

VLAN

Virtual LAN

VPN

Virtual Private Network

VTT

Virtual TableTop software : Fantasy Grounds is the best ! 😁

WAN

Wide Area Network : any kind of remote connection linking different LANs or devices, usually through routing devices. The Internet is a public WAN.

WLAN

Wireless LAN = Wireless Local Area Network : a LAN where every device is connected on a shared wireless domain (identified by its SSID) instead of using physical cables. Your average "home" network is generally a WLAN.