Definitions for teachers by teachers

Upstream

An ISP that is upstream of your ISP is closer to the backbone or main hub. It would have a shorter distance to go before connecting to the larger ISP. So, if the backbone is in Chicago, my ISP provider Soltec.net would be downstream from the larger ISP. The larger ISP would be upstream from Soltec.net.

by Marty Sierra-Perry

UPSTREAM

Upstream, when used in a network, pertains to the direction from which the data flows.

In a hierarchical network structure, it indicates the location of a network entity that is higher in the heirarchy. For example, a small ISP that connects to the Internet through a larger ISP that has their own connection to the backbone is downstream from the larger ISP, and the larger ISP is upstream from the smaller ISP. A server would be upstream from a client.

Free Online Dictionary of Computing - http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?query=upstream

IBM Dictionary of Computing - http://www.networking.ibm.com/nsg/Gatmst11.htm

by Gloria Henke

NetHandbook Glossary | NetHandbook Home page