# In Search Of: Network Admin Terminology **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 17, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877 "2017-05-17T23:27:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/1 "2017-05-17T23:27:45Z")
I am hoping someone can confirm / correct my understanding of the term “enclave” in network admin terminology? I believe I have heard the term “enclave” to refer to servers in a server farm under the umbrella of an admin who will perform server maintenance (updates, service pack pushes, etc.) - as opposed to a tenant’s server who might be granted physical rack space in the server farm to place a server BUT the admin will not perform any server maintenance. Is my understanding of the term “enclave” correct? Feel free to enlighten me. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/2 "2017-05-17T23:30:54Z")
An enclave is a separated network. It could mean lots of things depending on what you are defining or why you are defining it. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/3 "2017-05-17T23:54:57Z")
Manson1972, that makes sense and I understand completely that often the terminology gets nebulous since networks can be configured and/or the system architecture can be structured in so many ways. Speaking of vague terms, what defines a difference between a networked solution and an enterprised solution? As I understand it, is it fair to say an enterprise is huge relative to a network. And, is it safe to say an enterprised solution synonymous with a WAN? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/4 "2017-05-18T00:05:16Z")
IMHO, if somebody uses “Enterprise” as an adjective like “Enterprised Solution” they are just using catch phrases as a way to seem like they are saying smart things 🙂 An enterprise is the entirety of an organizations network, which may include all infrastructure (routers, switches, cabling), servers (database, directory services, authentication services, application servers, proxy servers), security (firewalls, IDS, IPS, VPN), and end user devices (workstations, printers, mobile devices). A “networked solution” is vague enough to enable the person to sound smart. There are very few things today that are not “networked solutions” Although, a smart person would use that instead of “cloud solution” to describe where the physical machines would be located. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/5 "2017-05-18T00:22:24Z")
And don’t forget “…as a service.” ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/6 "2017-05-18T00:24:55Z")
Oh right. “Implement a holistic approach across the Enterprise as a cloud-based networking solution that provides software as a service functionality” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of-network-admin-terminology/786877/7 "2017-05-19T14:26:49Z")
In bed. 😃 And you totally forgot “seamless”. Despite it being last decade’s buzzword, it is still totally necessary in every bit of marketing-speak blather.