Port

Either a Serial ATA or Serial Attached SCSI connection from a controller to a diskdrive.

The physical connection point on computers, switches, storage arrays, etc, which is used to connect to other devices on a network. Ports on a Fibre Channel network are identified by their Worldwide Port Name (WWPN) IDs; on iSCSI networks, ports are commonly given an iSCSI name. Not to be confused with TCP/IP ports, which are used as virtual addresses assigned to each IP address.

An implanted device through which blood may be withdrawn and drugs may be infused without repeated needle sticks. Also called port-a-cath.

A number used by a process to communicate with another process across a network, using the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP), for instance. See TCP endpoint {Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)!endpoint}.

The part of the address of a TCP or UDP socket that directs packets to the correct process after finding the right machine, something like the phone extension you give when you reach the company operator. Also, the result of converting code to run on a different platform than originally intended, or the verb denoting this conversion.

A physical entry or exit point of a cryptographic module that provides access to the module for physical signals, represented by logical information flows (physically separated ports do not share the same physical pin or wire).

Of a device or network, a point of access where signals may be inserted or extracted, or where the device or network variables may be observed or measured. 2. In a communications network, a point at which signals can enter or leave the network en route to or from another network.

The left side of a ship.