Definition

keystone jack

A keystone jack is a female connector used in data communications, particularly local area networks (LANs). The jack is usually mounted in a wall plate or patch panel. A keystone plug is the matching male connector, usually attached to the end of a cable or cord.

A principal advantage of keystone connectors is their versatility. Several types of keystone jack can be mounted on a single patch panel. They are available in unshielded and shielded forms, and can accommodate cords and cables having various numbers of conductors.

The term keystone derives from the characteristic shape of the jack, resembling the standard RJ-11 wall jack used to connect telephone sets, fax machines, and dial-up computer modems to conventional telephone lines.

Related glossary terms: system administrator (sysadmin), ring, Internet, corporate area network (CAN), port, home server, LANDesk Client Manager (LDCM), HomeRF (home radio frequency), local access and transport area (LATA), Zmodem protocol

Contributor(s): Ray Goodman

This was last updated in September 2005

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Email Alerts

Register now to receive SearchNetworking.com-related news, tips and more, delivered to your inbox.

By submitting you agree to receive email from TechTarget and its partners. If you reside outside of the United States, you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Privacy

More News and Tutorials

Brocade HyperEdge: Manage a campus network as one giant switch stack

Brocade is previewing HyperEdge, a management layer technology that allows network managers to administer an entire campus network like they would manage a switch stack.
Network upgrade yields facilities automation, active-active data center

With an HP-based network upgrade, the University of North Florida can now support facilities automation and an active-active data center.
New HP campus core switches and architecture aim for a flat LAN

At Interop 2011, HP will push new campus core switches and an architecture that takes the enterprise LAN flat, but it will not announce a data center network fabric.

Articles

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know.

Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

Research More Tech Terms

Search thousands of tech definitions
Browse tech definitions
Browse Alphabetically:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
- #

Powered by WhatIs.com

File Extensions and File Formats

File Extension and File Formats List:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
#

Powered by WhatIs.com

More from Related TechTarget Sites

Enterprise WAN
Unified Communications
Mobile Computing
Data Center
Networking Channel

Enterprise WAN
- Wide area network resiliency best practices
  
  Learn about network resiliency best practices to keep your wide area network (WAN) services running during technical difficulties and outages.
- Business continuation and disaster recovery tips for your WAN services
  
  Understand the tools, technologies and strategies used to ensure business continuance (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) for your WAN services.
- IPv6 benefits: Making the IPv6 business case
  
  Depleted IPv4 addresses are not enough for many enterprises to deploy IPv6. Use these IPv6 benefits to make a business case for your IPv6 migration.
Unified Communications
- Cisco adds immersive video wall option to telepresence technology
  
  Cisco has added a video wall option to its telepresence technology, giving enterprises a more immersive telepresence room.
- Are wearable PoV cameras vulnerable to privacy issues and misuse?
  
  PoV cameras have the potential to be mishandled, but the same is true for all technology, according to unified communications expert Matt Brunk.
- Use network simulation tools to prevent UC from crashing your network
  
  To avoid real-time UC applications from crashing your network, analyze the stress points using network simulation tools, then eliminate the problems.
Mobile Computing
- Bringing BYOD to your enterprise
  
  Bring your own device (BYOD) can be a boon for both employees and enterprises, but clear policies and management tools are needed.
- Meeting technical requirements for mobile health care deployments
  
  IT departments deploying mobile health care solutions must ensure that using mobile devices in health care settings doesn't violate federal laws or compromise security.
- Making the call: Distributed antenna systems and in-building wireless
  
  Distributed antenna systems and in-building wireless solutions are two options to improve wireless cellular coverage within an enterprise facility.
Data Center
- Reinvented mainframe technology keeps big iron alive
  
  Mainframes are costly, arcane data center dinosaurs. Right? Wrong! Today's mainframe technology supports varied workloads securely, with TCO benefits.
- When to use Linux memory swap to solve server performance problems
  
  Adding physical memory may seem like the best way to solve a Linux server's memory shortage. But that's not the only way, so troubleshoot first.
- IBM power servers seek a boost from Google, Nvidia
  
  IBM will attempt to improve its Power-based server business through an open development consortium with Google, NVIDIA, and others.
Networking Channel
- Aruba Networks Partner Program Checklist
  
  Value-added resellers and service providers interested in reselling Aruba networking hardware and software can learn the benefits of becoming an Aruba Networks partner with this standardized checklist. Compare Aruba's reseller partner program with other vendors' offering similar products.
- NetScout Systems Partner Program Checklist
  
  Learn the benefits of becoming a NetScout Systems reseller partner with our Partner Program Checklist.
- Visage Mobile Partner Program Checklist
  
  Learn the benefits of becoming a Visage Mobile reseller partner with our Partner Program Checklist.

All Rights Reserved,Copyright 2000 - 2013, TechTarget