# NP Net - Terms and Concepts

These concepts are discussed in more detail in later sections.

## Network Dialing Plan

The NuPoint Voice dialing plan has characters to support network mailboxes. If an N or P precedes a number in a dialing plan position, it means that all mailboxes represented by that position are network mailboxes and will be processed by the NP Net software. See Configuring Network Addressing for more information about the network dialing plan.

## Digits Translation Table

The Digits Translation Table determines which messages go to which node. All network messages are compared to this table before being sent to the appropriate node. See Configuring the Network Node Table for more information about the digits translation table.

## Network Queues

Network messages are stored in local network queues until they are transmitted to remote nodes. Separate queues are kept for urgent and batch (non-urgent) messages to each remote node. Messages are queued until a message threshold is reached and a message delivery time window is open. The local node then initiates a connection with the appropriate remote node. See Configuring the Network Queues for more information about network queues.

## Network Node Table

To initiate a connection to a remote node, the local NP Net node must have all of the following information:

- the node number of the remote node

- the string that must be outdialed to reach that particular node, or the IP address of the node

- whether access to the remote node is enabled or disabled

As described previously, NP Net uses the Digits Translation Table to find the node number of the destination node. The Network Node Table matches the node number of each remote node with its corresponding hardware type, outdial string (access code), and access status. See Configuring the Network Node Table for more information on the Network Node Table.

## Network Class of Service

Network Classes of Service (NCOS) are used to control user privileges such as making or answering messages across the network. See Configuring the Network Class of Service for more information on Network Class of Service.