Cyclades 2.3.0 Marine Instruments User Manual


 
Glossary
154 AlterPath Console Server User Manual
VPN Virtual Private Networking allows local area networks to
communicate across wide area networks, typically over an
encrypted channel. See also: IPsec.
Watchdog Timer A watchdog timer (WDT) is a device or electronic card that
performs a specific operation after a certain period of time if
something goes wrong with an electronic system and the
system does not recover on its own.
A common problem is for a machine or operating system to
lock up if two parts or programs conflict, or, in an operating
system, if memory management trouble occurs. In some
cases, the system will eventually recover on its own, but this
may take an unknown and perhaps extended length of time.
A watchdog timer can be programmed to perform a warm
boot (restarting the system) after a certain number of seconds
during which a program or computer fails to respond
following the most recent mouse click or keyboard action.
The timer can also be used for other purposes, for example, to
actuate the refresh (or reload) button in a Web browser if a
Web site does not fully load after a certain length of time
following the entry of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).