Intelligent gateway is a technology which makes the complexities of on-line database connection and authorized interrogation transparent to users. Intelligent gateways provide transparent logos, transfer user prompted queries into that can be read by non-standard database retrieval programs.

Inter-operability testing addresses the problem of data interchange between two vendor products within a data system, or between two data systems.

A standard that describes how packets of data are transported across the Internet and recognized as an incoming message.

A common product data base enables changes and modifications available to users simultaneously.

IRDS is a standard, not a system. It specifies services performed by a data administrator in cataloguing, documenting, managing, and using data dictionaries. It is based on the entity- relationship model, and allows attributes on relationships.

Interrupt request, used to get the attention of the system to perform a task.

A voluntary, non-treaty organization established in 1949 to promote international standards.

A standard, modular approach to network design that divides the required set of complex functions into manageable, self- contained, functional layers.