Glossary

This glossary was last updated with effect from 9th November 2022.

1. Definitions - General

1.1 In your Agreement, unless the context requires otherwise, terms have the meaning as per this glossary.
Access Point Network hardware that provides wireless connectivity to a network (within a school environment, normally located in classrooms, administration blocks, gyms and halls).
Agreement Your agreement with us as described in clause 2.1 (Your Agreement) of the:
Agreement to Proceed (ATP) A digital form capturing a school’s Agreement to Proceed. This digital form is used to sign up schools for various N4L services, e.g Equipment Support or Equipment Replacement and Secure Access.
Authorised Signatory The person authorised to sign off the Order Form for Equipment Replacement - normally the school principal, or other school designated authority.
Business Day Any day of the week other than Saturday, Sunday and regional and national public holidays in New Zealand.
CDN Content Delivery Network
Change The addition, modification or removal of any service or service component that could have an effect on network services.
Change Management The process of taking Changes to completion, through standard IT lifecycle management, to ensure minimal risk of disruption.
Charges At any specific time, all charges applicable to a Service that we have notified to you in writing, including the charges (if any):
  • set out in your Order Form;
  • set out in the applicable Service Descriptions (e.g. charges relating to moves, adds and changes); or
  • otherwise agreed in writing by you and N4L.
Confidential Information Has the meaning given to that term in clause 6.3 of the School General Terms.
Contract Completion The point at which the Authorised Signatory signs off the Order Form for Equipment Replacement.
Contribution Term The length of time a school contributes to the Te Mana Tūhono Programme, via the annual contribution fee.
Claim Any claim, demand, legal proceedings or cause of action whatsoever against N4L or N4L’s Personnel.
Customer Any user of our Services, e.g. a school or an End User.
Customer Support Team N4L’s centralised support team, who help support reliable internet and Wi-Fi connectivity in schools.
Cybersecurity Event A cybersecurity change that may have an impact on organisational operations (including mission, capabilities or reputation), including but not limited to the discovery of existing vulnerabilities, exposed services, or behaviour that may indicate a cybersecurity compromise.
Data Collection/ Monitoring The process of gathering network performance data to assist with troubleshooting and management of the network.
Disabling Code Any virus, Trojan horse, spyware, back door, time bomb, drop dead device, or other malware, ransomware or computer programming code, including source and object code, which has been maliciously used for the purposes of disrupting, impairing, disabling or otherwise adversely affecting, shutting down or gaining access to any software or systems (including any Confidential Information or commercially sensitive information on those systems).
Delegated Authority An individual or individuals in a school who have the approval of the Principal to make decisions on behalf of the school
Draft Design The drafted Network Design, prepared and provided by N4L for school review as part of Equipment Replacement.
eDMR Ethernet over Digital Microwave
Educational Organisation Refer to School below.
Equipment Any hardware and / or software that we provide, or have agreed to provide to you, as part of the Managed Network, including any such network routers, telephone handsets and hardware and software owned by our suppliers or licensors.
Equipment Replacement (ER) The process of designing and installing a new Wi-Fi network at a school, to replace ageing network equipment.
Equipment Support (ES) The Equipment Support service described in clause 2.3 of the Service Descriptions.
ES In Scope Equipment Switching and/or wireless equipment that was deployed via either the SNUP or WSNUP programmes and has been through the ES onboarding process. For clarity, this can include switches, stack switches, wireless access points, single POE injectors and 12 port POE injectors.
Event A change of state which has significance for the management of an IT service.
Excusable Event Has the meaning given to that term in clause 7.7 of the School General Terms.
F & E New Build Funding Funding allocated within a school’s furniture and equipment (“F & E”) budget to cover the cost of fitting out a new teaching space. Refer to Furniture and equipment funding for state schools on the Ministry website.
HTTPS Inspection The ability to look inside encrypted web traffic in order to filter appropriately.
Incident
  • Any unplanned interruption to any of our Services; or
  • Any reduction in the quality of any of our Services.
Incident Case A record that is created and maintained to enable tracking of an Incident.
In Scope Equipment
  • Any network equipment or network components designed by N4L and installed by an N4L Panel Provider during Equipment Replacement, or
  • Any network component retained and incorporated into the new network during Equipment Replacement, or
  • Any subsequent network equipment or network components added and activated by N4L after Equipment Replacement, through a “Move, Add or Change” Service Request.

Equipment purchased and installed independently via other providers is out of scope.
Installation Runsheet A prescribed list of installation tasks for the Installer to complete at a school during Equipment Replacement.
Installer The technician(s) assigned from the N4L Panel to complete physical installation and configuration work at the school during Equipment Replacement.
Intellectual Property Copyright, all rights in relation to inventions (including patents), registered and unregistered trademarks, registered and unregistered designs and any other rights in intellectual property which are recognised or protected under law, anywhere in the world, whether or not registered or capable of registration.
IP Internet Protocol
IT Provider An individual or organisation that provides technology services and support to your school.
LAN Local Area Network
LFC Local Fibre Company
Loss All losses, liabilities, damages, compensation, costs, interest, fees, penalties, fines, and expenses
MAC Moves, Adds and Changes.
MAC Type Description
Onsite MAC Case by Case basis Complex MAC requests normally require detailed investigation or design work to implement.
Simple MAC Simple change that can be completed in less than 30 minutes 8:00am - 5.00pm local business days.
Complex Remote MAC Simple change that can be completed in less than 60 minutes 8:00am - 5.00pm local business days.
Managed Components The network equipment (Switches and Access Points) for which N4L provides the Managed Wi-Fi Service.
Managed Network An umbrella term to describe all of the Services N4L offers.
Managed Wi-Fi Service The N4L Managed Wi-Fi Service as described here.
Managed Network - Internet The Services described in clause 1 of the Service Descriptions.
Managed Router The router located on the edge of the Managed Network - Internet service.
Mbps Megabits per second
Metro Any location within 30 kilometres of the Centres of:
  • Auckland’s commercial centres in Auckland central, Takapuna, Manukau and Waitakere
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Gisborne
  • Greymouth
  • Hamilton
  • Hastings
  • Invercargill
  • Nelson
  • New Plymouth
  • Palmerston North
  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Wellington
  • Whanganui
  • Whangarei
The Ministry / Ministry The New Zealand Ministry of Education.
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPLS Multiprotocol Label Switching
MyN4L The "MyN4L" service described in the MyN4L Service Description.
N4L Panel A contracted list of qualified technicians who can supply network installation and/or onsite IT support services to schools. Panel members have been vetted and approved by N4L to meet Te Mana Tūhono standards.
N4L Panel Provider A specific provider from the N4L Panel.
N4L’s Personnel N4L’s officers, employees and contract staff.
Network Boundary The point where traffic exits our Managed Network - Internet service.
Network Design A design outlining the physical, virtual and logical arrangement of infrastructure in an IT network.
Network Operations Centre (NOC) A centralised location where IT teams can continuously monitor the performance and health of a network. The NOC serves as the first line of defence against network disruptions and failures.
Non-Metro Any location that is not Metro.
Order Form A document that has been signed and submitted to us on your behalf, recording your order for a particular Service.
Policies At any specific time, means any policies, rules and requirements that are posted in the “Terms” section of our Website at that time.
Priority Level For any Incident means the highest priority level (from “P1” being highest to “P4” being lowest) that is applicable to the Incident, determined by reference to the following table:
Priority Level Impact Examples of Incidents
P1 All Users at multiple sites
  • Major Internet Connection Outage.
  • Outage of N4L WAN connectivity at multiple sites.
  • Outage of school WAN connectivity affecting all users at multiple sites.
P2 All Users at a single site
  • Outage of N4L WAN connectivity at a single site.
  • Failure of a Managed Router at a single site.
  • Failure of network access to a school for a single site.
P3 Multiple Users at several sites
  • Degraded service for multiple Users at several sites.
  • Users experiencing slow speed to school resources.
P4 One or more Users at one site
  • Degraded service for one or more Users at one site.
  • Single user experiencing slow speed to school resources.
Problem A cause or potential cause of one or more Incidents.
Problem Case A record that is created and maintained to enable tracking of a Problem.
Purchase Order An official document issued by a buyer committing to pay the seller for the sale of specific products or services to be delivered in the future.
QoS Quality of Service
Quote A document providing the estimated cost of a product or service, under a given set of conditions.
RBI The Government’s “Rural Broadband Initiative” covering most of the 25% of New Zealanders that live outside of the UFB candidate areas.
Reactive Monitoring The provision of network monitoring data (logs) to support incident management.
Reporting Services Any N4L-provided reporting to your School, including but not limited to reporting provided using MyN4L.
Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA) A part of the process of returning a product to receive a refund, replacement, or repair during the product's warranty period.
Safe and Secure Internet The Safe and Secure component of the Managed Network described in clause 1.2.4 of the Service Descriptions.
School or Educational Organisation
  • Any “service provider” (i.e. early childhood), “registered school” or “tertiary education provider” as those terms are defined in the Education Act 1989; or
  • Any other organisation that we allow to use our Services as an Educational Organisation.
School Property Guide (SPG) A Ministry guide that provides formulae for calculating how much space a school needs for teaching and non-teaching use, which in turn determines funding entitlements for the school. Space is based on the school’s student roll.
Secure Access A network security capability that enables schools to properly manage access to their school network across their staff, student and guest users.
Service Activation The switching on or “going live” of the service.
Service Description A definition of what a service provides and how it is accessed and used. A service description includes descriptions of the functional and nonfunctional properties of the service, service interfaces, and the legal and technical constraints or rules for its usage.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs)s A commitment between a service provider and a customer. Particular aspects of the service – quality, availability, responsibilities – are agreed between the service provider and the customer.
Service Onboarding The process of a customer getting set up onto a new service. For the N4L Managed Wi-Fi Service, this involves the design and installation of a new Wi-Fi network, known as Equipment Replacement.
Service Request A request from a customer (school) or a customer's authorised representative that initiates a service action which has been agreed as a normal part of service delivery.
Services (IT context) - the application of business and technical expertise to support customers in the creation, management and optimisation of their IT systems.
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SNUP School Network Upgrade Project
Support Hub The functionality and information we make available on or from the “Support Hub” section of our Website
Support Hub School Account A Support Hub account for a representative or employee of the school that uses N4L’s Services on behalf of the school, for instance a Principal, a Deputy Principal, Teacher or ICT Lead.
Support Hub IT Provider Account A single Support Hub account for an IT Provider that is shared by individuals within the IT Provider’s organisation. The Support Hub IT Provider Account may be associated with multiple schools.
Switch A network component that connects devices (such as computers, printers, Access Points) in a network to each other, and allows them to 'talk' by exchanging data packets.
Te Mana Tūhono (TMT) / TMT Programme The Ministry’s opt-in ICT network and cybersecurity support programme for schools, delivered by N4L. Refer to Te Mana Tūhono.
The Network for Learning, N4L, we, us and our Means The Network for Learning Limited.
Third Party Any person other than you and N4L, including Your Users, N4L’s other Customers, N4L’s stakeholders and the public at large.
UFB The Government’s “Ultra-Fast Broadband” initiative intended to provide ultra-fast broadband to 75% of New Zealanders, concentrating in the first six years of the initiative on priority broadband users (including schools).
Up/Down Events The detection of change through monitoring the online (“Up”) / offline (“Down”) status of Managed Components.
User or End User Any individual using any of our Services.
VPN Virtual Private Network
WAN Wide Area Network
Warranty fulfilment The process of repairing or replacing a faulty product within a stated window of time after purchase (warranty period).
Website The website available at www.n4l.co.nz.
Wholesale Access Service A wholesale, bit-stream telecommunications service that connects your premises to the Managed Network. Wholesale Access Services are part of the Managed Network and are provided by local fibre companies or RSBI providers.
you or your The person or entity that the relevant document applies to, as the context requires.

For example:

  • In the Privacy Statement “you” means a school, an End User or an Organisation Representative; and
  • In the Acceptable Use Policy, “you” means a school or an End User.
Your Users Users who are accessing any of our Services via your device, account or infrastructure, including:
  • A known or unidentified Users accessing a Service via your via your device, account or infrastructure; and
  • If you are an Educational Organisation, your:
    • Students enrolled at your Educational Organisation (including their kaitiaki and guardians); and
    • Teachers, staff, contractors and other personnel working for your Educational Organisation; or
  • If you are any other type of organisation, your employees, contractors and other individuals working for or with you.

Interpretation

In your Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

  • the singular includes the plural, and vice versa;
  • references to “including”, “for example” and similar words, are illustrative only and do not imply any limitations;
  • clause and other headings are for ease of reading only and do not affect the interpretation of your Agreement;
  • words or phrases appearing in your Agreement with capitalised initial letters are defined terms and have the meanings given to them in your Agreement;
  • reference to any document, Service or our Website includes reference to it as amended or replaced from time to time;
  • reference to a person or entity includes any type of entity (including a corporation, a body of persons (whether corporate or unincorporated), a trust, and any government body or agency;
  • where a word or expression is defined in your Agreement, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of that word or expression have corresponding meanings;
  • a reference to a statute or regulations includes:
    • any regulations made under that statute
    • any amendments to that statute or those regulations; and
    • any statute or regulations which replace that statute or those regulations.
  • reference to “written ” or “in writing ” includes email (and any other modes of presenting or reproducing text in a form that is legible, permanently visible and capable of being retained and stored);
  • if a party comprises more than one person, the liability of those persons is joint and several;
  • references to “$” or “dollars” or “NZ$” are references to New Zealand dollars;
  • your Agreement must not be construed adversely to a party just because that party prepared it or caused it to be prepared; and
  • reference to a party is to you or us and includes your or our successors and permitted assigns.