Acronyms and Terms
These are acronyms you might see in the portal, in the API, or during discussions with PacketFabric support.
- CFR
- Core fabric router
- This is an acronym you might see when viewing port device information. These routers are large and can support many 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps connections.
- CFS
- Core fabric (label) switch
- CID
- Circuit ID or Connection ID
- All PacketFabric services have an ID (see Connection IDs below), and they are commonly required when opening a support ticket.
- CR
- Cloud Router
- CRID
- See Routing ID below.
- DCIM
- Data center information manager
- DCO
- Data center operator
- EFR
- Edge fabric router
- This is an acronym you might see when viewing port device information. These routers are usually smaller. If the POP already has a CFR setup, the EFR typically handles the 1 Gbps connections. At smaller sites, EFR can support a limited number of 100 Gbps connections.
- ELAN
- Ethernet private LAN (multi-point to multi-point)
- ENNI
- External network-to-network interface
- See ENNI Ports.
- EPL
- Ethernet private line
- This is a point-to-point service. However, in some circumstances, you can create an EPL virtual circuit. For more information, see Virtual Circuit Ethernet Features and Point-to-Point Overview.
- ESR
- Edge services router
- ETL
- Early termination liability
- This is the fee you pay when you want to delete a service that is still under contract. The ETL is typically the equivalent of what you would you pay for the remainder of the contract.
- EVPL
- Ethernet virtual private line
- Most virtual circuits are EVPLs, including virtual circuits to cloud on-ramps. For more information, see Virtual Circuit Ethernet Features and Virtual Circuit Overview.
- IFD
- Physical interface (Juniper terminology)
- IFL
- Logical interface (Juniper terminology)
- IX
- Internet Exchange (Point)
- LAG
- Link aggregation group
- LOA
- Letter of Authorization
- An LOA is required when ordering a cross connect. Whether you provide the LOA or whether you use a PacketFabric LOA depends on how you’re ordering the cross connect. For more information, see Cross Connects Overview.
- Long Haul
- A virtual circuit that extends between two markets.
- Market
- A market is not a single city; it is a geographical metropolitan area (also referred to as a “metro”). For example, the New York City market includes POPs located in New Jersey.
- See PacketFabric Network Hierarchy.
- Metro
- Often used interchangeably with “market.” When ordering a virtual circuit, a “metro” circuit means that its A and Z points fall within the same market.
- MRC
- Monthly recurring cost
- This is used when billing services.
- NFOR
- Network function on-ramp
- NNI
- Network-to-network interface
- This might refer to the connection between a PacketFabric port and a port on an outside network (such as Colt). But when you see the “NNI” label next to a port in the portal, it means that is an ENNI port.
- NRC
- Non-recurring cost
- Not all services have an NRC. This is typically only applicable when provisioning a new port-related service.
- OBCC
- Outbound cross connect
- This refers to customer inbound/PacketFabric outbound cross connects (these are the cross connects you can order via the portal). For more information, see Cross Connects Overview.
- P2P
- Point-to-point connection
- Outside of PacketFabric, “P2P” typically means “peer-to-peer.” However, PacketFabric often uses this as an abbreviation for point-to-point connections.
- PF
- PacketFabric!!
- POP
- Point of presence
- A POP (point of presence) is one or more sites in the same cross connect domain. This means that an operator can run a cross connect to every site within the POP.
- See PacketFabric Network Hierarchy.
- PTP
- Point-to-point connection
- SeePoint-to-Point Connections.
- Region
- A region doesn’t follow specific boundaries, but typically represents a general geopolitical area.
- See PacketFabric Network Hierarchy.
- Routing ID
- Previously called a ‘CRID’ or connection routing ID.
- Unique identifier for connections within the PacketFabric marketplace. You can use your Routing ID to allow another user to request a connection to your network, without having your account be visible in the marketplace. For more information, see Marketplace Settings.
- Site
- PacketFabric equipment is installed at the site level.
- A site can be any physical location with its own shipping address. For example, a site might be a floor or suite within a building, or it might be the entire building.
- See PacketFabric Network Hierarchy.
- UNI
- User-network interface
- This is a port on the user’s equipment and not PacketFabric equipment.
- VC
- Virtual circuit
- XC
- Cross connect
- See Cross Connects Overview.
- Xconnect
- Cross connect
- See Cross Connects Overview.
Circuit IDs
All PacketFabric services are assigned a unique identifier (e.g. PF-BC-LAX-NYC-123456), which is useful when troubleshooting services.
The letters used in the circuit ID also identify what kind of service it is:
PF-AE: LAG interfaces and aggregated dedicated cloud ports
PF-AB: Flex bandwidth container
PF-AP: Ports and non-aggregated dedicated cloud ports
PF-BC: Backbone virtual circuit
PF-CC: Hosted cloud connections and virtual circuits associated with dedicated cloud connections
PF-DC: Marketplace virtual circuit
PF-IX: IX virtual circuit
PF-L3-CUST: Cloud Router
PF-L3-CON: Cloud Router connection
PF-MC: A marketplace virtual circuit that connects to a cloud port
PF-PD: Point-to-point connection
PF-PS: Pseudo-interface
PF-TC: Test virtual circuit (no longer used)
Colt-powered port IDs start with CT-. If a virtual circuit has CT in its circuit ID, then one side of it lands on a Colt-powered port. For more information, see Colt-Powered Ports.