L

Last Known Good Configuration

The control set stored in the Registry that was used the last time the computer was successfully booted and logged onto. You can revert back to this control set using the tools in advanced startup options by pressing F8 at startup.

Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)

A protocol that is used to secure data transfer and to prevent data from being modified during transit between two computers on a network.

LC connector

A fiber-optic type of connector that is used for local connections within the network closet.

lease

A specified time that a client is allowed to have an IP address as defined by the scope of a DHCP server.

light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

Special lights that are installed in network devices, such as hubs, switches, and routers, that can indicate whether they have a link, whether they are experiencing collisions in the network, and so on.

Line Printer Daemon/Line Printer Remote (LPD/LPR)

A printer protocol used to establish connections between computers and printers on a TCP/IP network.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)

A set of protocols based on the X.500 standard that are used for accessing information directories. LDAP is the protocol that runs Microsoft Windows Active Directory.

Linux

A spinoff of Unix, first developed by Linus Torvalds that offers an open source architecture and some GUI features.

Lmhosts file

A static file that is sometimes used for NetBIOS name resolution instead of, or as a backup to, WINS.

loadstate

The User State Migration Tool component in Windows 2000 Professional and later clients that is used to configure other computers with the configuration captured using the scanstate utility.

local printer

The software used to control a print device that is physically attached to the computer on which the software is installed.

Localization

The language that is displayed by the operating system itself. This includes the Start Menu, Taskbar, and Help screens. There are 24 Localizations of Windows XP, including the English version.

Local Security Authority (LSA)

A system that operates on a local computer, providing the logon screen and communicating with the domain controller when necessary.

Local User Accounts and Groups

A GUI-based tool within Computer Management that allows an administrator to create and manage users and groups that are being given access to the local computer.

log

A file that holds records of noteworthy events.

Logical Link Control (LLC)

A networking technology defined by IEEE 802.2. LLC defines the standards for controlling the data sent and received by a computer system.

low-level format

The factory formatting of a hard drive that creates the sectors that will later be used to store data.