- ACK (Acknowledgement): A signal sent between devices to acknowledge the successful receipt of a message or data packet.
- Active Directory (AD): A directory service by Microsoft for Windows domain networks, providing a variety of network services using a set of processes and initiatives.
- Active Matrix: A type of flat-panel display in which the screen is refreshed more frequently than in static screens, making them capable of displaying motion smoothly.
- Address Bar: A text field in a web browser where a user inputs a URL or search query, used to navigate to websites or perform web searches.
- Address Space: The amount of storage/memory available for allocation by a processor, often referring to either memory or I/O addresses.
- Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR): A computer security technique which involves randomly arranging the positions of key data areas, usually including the base of the executable and position of libraries, heap, and stack, in a process’s address space.
- ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line): A type of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines compared to a conventional voiceband modem.
- Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA): A standard interface for connecting hard drives into computer systems, typically using a 16-bit parallel connection.
- Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR): An audio data compression scheme optimized for speech coding, widely used in GSM and UMTS.
- Adaptive Replacement Cache (ARC): A page replacement algorithm with better performance than LRU (Least Recently Used) which keeps track of both frequently and recently used pages.
- Adaptive Routing: A networking technique that changes the path of data packet transmission on a network dynamically based on the network’s traffic load.
- Adobe Acrobat: A family of application software and web services developed by Adobe Inc. to view, create, manipulate, print, and manage files in Portable Document Format (PDF).
- Adware: Software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material (often unwanted) when a user is online.
- Advanced RISC Machines/Architecture (ARM): A family of Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) architectures for computer processors, configured for various environments.
- AES (Advanced Encryption Standard): A widely used symmetric encryption standard established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
- AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port): A high-speed point-to-point channel for attaching a video card to a computer’s motherboard, primarily to assist in the acceleration of 3D computer graphics.
- AI (Artificial Intelligence): The simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn like humans.
- Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML): A set of web development techniques using many web technologies on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications.
- ALG (Application Layer Gateway): A security component that enhances the firewall capability by managing specific application layer protocols, such as SIP, FTP, and so on.
- ALM (Application Lifecycle Management): Refers to the capability to integrate, coordinate, and manage the different phases of the software delivery process, from development through deployment.
- Alt Key: A modifier key on most computer keyboards, used in conjunction with other keys to execute specific operations.
- Alt Tag (Alternative Text): Text associated with an image on a website that gets displayed if the image cannot be loaded, and assists screen-reading tools in describing images to visually impaired readers.
- AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode): A display technology used in smartwatches, mobile devices, laptops, and televisions, known for its vibrant colors and low power consumption.
- Amplitude Modulation (AM): A modulation technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave.
- Analog: A type of signal that is continuous in both time and amplitude, commonly used in traditional telephone and radio communication systems.
- ANA (Allied Network Access): Not typically recognized in IT and Telecommunications. (The term might be used in a specific context or company, additional details would be needed.)
- ANSI (American National Standards Institute): A private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States.
- Anonymous FTP: A means of accessing a network site, typically a server, where the user logs in as “anonymous” and provides their email address as the password, often used to share public files.
- Antenna: A transducer that converts electric power into radio waves, and vice versa, typically used in radio and television broadcasting.
- Apache: An open-source web server software that facilitates the working of websites via the HTTP protocol.
- Apache Tomcat: An open-source implementation of the Java Servlet, JavaServer Pages, and Java Expression Language technologies, powering numerous large-scale web applications.
- API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules that allows different software entities to communicate with each other by defining the methods and data formats they can use.
- API Economy: The exposure of an organization’s digital services and assets through APIs in a controlled way, which can be used to build new business channels, create partnerships, and unlock new monetization opportunities.
- API Endpoint: The path of a URL of a server or service providing API access which the API can use to retrieve or modify data from the API server.
- API Gateway: A server that acts as an API front-end, receiving API requests, enforcing throttling and security policies, passing requests to the back-end service, and then passing the response back to the requester.
- API Key: A code passed in by computer programs calling an API to identify the calling program, its developer, or its user to the website.
- AOE (ATA Over Ethernet): A network protocol designed for simple, high-performance access of SATA storage devices over Ethernet networks.
- Ampere: The unit of electric current in the International System of Units.
- Android: A mobile operating system developed by Google, designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
- Angular: A platform and framework for building client-side applications with HTML, CSS, and TypeScript, developed and maintained by Google.
- Ansible: An open-source automation tool, or platform, used for IT tasks such as configuration management, application deployment, intraservice orchestration, and provisioning.
- ANT (Another Neat Tool): A Java library and command-line tool whose mission is to drive processes described in build files as targets and extension points dependent upon each other.
- Anti-Aliasing (AA): A technique used in computer graphics to reduce aliasing, which are unwanted artifacts or distortions that appear when high-resolution images are displayed in a lower resolution.
- Apache Kafka: An open-source distributed event streaming platform used for building real-time streaming data pipelines and streaming applications.
- App: Short for “application,” typically referring to software developed for use on wireless devices, such as smartphones or tablets.
- Apple: An American multinational technology company known for producing consumer devices, software, and online services.
- AppleTalk: A discontinued proprietary suite of networking protocols developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh computers.
- Applet: A small application designed to perform a specific task within a larger program, commonly used in relation to Java applets.
- Application Layer: In networking, the application layer is a layer in a network protocol stack that controls the communication methods between two computers.
- Application Lifecycle Management (ALM): A set of pre-defined processes that start when a software application is conceived and ends when it is no longer in use, involving design, development, testing, deployment, and support phases.
- Application Performance Management (APM): Encompasses performance, availability, and user experience management to ensure that both hardware and software are operating correctly.
- Application Portability: The ability of an application to be portably installed, executed, and accessed across various computing environments.
- Application Programming Interface (API): Allows software applications to communicate with each other via defined methods of interaction.
- Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU): A packet of data exchanged between two application programs across a network.
- Application Server (App Server): Software that provides the business logic for an application program, serving the user interface and database management.
- App Server: Often abbreviated as Application Server, it manages app operations between a user and an organization’s backend business applications or databases.
- Architecture: In IT, refers to the logical and structural layout of a system, defining how different components interact.
- Architecture Driven Modernization (ADM): Focuses on the architecture of the system being developed, including its components and their relationships.
- Arduino: An open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software, intended for anyone making interactive projects.
- ARP (Address Resolution Protocol): A protocol used to map an IP address to a MAC address on a local area network.
- Array: In computing, an ordered series of elements of identical type, each of which can be identified by an array index.
- ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange): A character encoding standard for electronic communication, representing text in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that use text.
- ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit): An integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use.
- ASP (Active Server Pages): An older server-side script engine for dynamically-generated web pages from Microsoft.
- Aspect Ratio: The ratio of the width to the height of an image or screen.
- Assembler: A computer program that translates assembly language into machine language (binary code).
- Assembly Language: A low-level programming language that uses a strong correspondence between its instructions and the architecture’s machine code instructions.
- Authentication: The process of verifying the identity of a person, device, or system.
- AutoCAD: A software application developed by Autodesk, which is used for 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting.
- Autoresponder: An automated program that sends out a pre-written response when it receives an email, commonly used for out-of-office replies.
- Autonomous System (AS): A collection of IP networks and routers under the control of a single organization that presents a common routing policy to the internet.
- Availability: In IT, it refers to the time a system remains operational and accessible, ensuring that a system’s components are functioning and available when needed.
- Avatar: A graphical representation of a user or the user’s alter ego or character, often used in virtual worlds and gaming environments.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services): A comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform offered by Amazon, providing a mix of infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and packaged software as a service (SaaS) offerings.
- Azure: A cloud computing service created by Microsoft, which developers and IT professionals use to build, deploy, and manage applications through Microsoft’s global network of datacenters.
- Azure Active Directory (AAD): Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service, which helps your employees sign in and access resources.
- Algorithm: A set of rules or procedures for performing a task, typically by a computer. In IT, algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning tasks.
- Alias: In computing, an alias is an alternate name or label that refers to a file, command, address, or other data, used to facilitate user interaction.
- Agile Development: A methodology for software development that prioritizes flexibility, collaboration, and customer needs, typically involving iterative progress through small, manageable units of work or ‘sprints’.
- API Economy: The exchange of services, functionalities, or data through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) between businesses, often resulting in the development of new applications or business models.
- Attack Vector: A path or means by which a hacker can gain unauthorized access to a computer or network to deliver a payload or malicious outcome.
- Augmented Reality (AR): An interactive experience where objects residing in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information.
- Authentication Header (AH): A part of the Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) protocol suite, which provides a way to authenticate the origin of IP packets.
- Authentication Server: A server used to authenticate user or device credentials on a network, often interacting with a user directory or database.
- Auto Scaling: A cloud computing feature that enables organizations to scale cloud services such as virtual machines (VMs) and containers up or down automatically, based on defined conditions.
- Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ): An error-control method for data transmission that uses acknowledgements and timeouts to achieve reliable data transmission.
- Average Handling Time (AHT): A metric in customer service that measures the average duration taken by an agent to resolve a customer’s issue from start to finish.
- Availability Zones: Distinct locations within a cloud platform, designed to safeguard applications from failures with physically separated data centers, often in a single region.
- Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL): A type of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, enabling faster data transmission over copper telephone lines compared to a conventional voiceband modem.
- Authentication Protocol: A type of protocol used to authenticate the identity of a user, device, or system, commonly utilized in communications and data storage.
- Authorization: The process of giving someone permission to do or have something. In IT, it’s the process of giving authenticated users permission to access specific resources or operations.
- Automatic Payment: A financial transaction that is scheduled to occur automatically according to a preset schedule.
- Application Service Provider (ASP): A business that provides computer-based services to customers over a network, such as accessing a particular software application.
- Active Directory (AD): A Microsoft technology used to manage and store network, domain, and user information, essentially serving as a directory service for networks.
- Address Book: A feature or application that stores and manages details about clients, such as email addresses, phone numbers, and postal addresses.
- Algorithm Analysis: The process of evaluating algorithms in order to understand their characteristics, such as runtime and memory requirements.
- Apache Hadoop: An open-source software framework used for distributed storage and processing of dataset of big data using the MapReduce programming model.
- API Management: The process of designing, publishing, documenting, and analyzing APIs in a secure development environment.
- Audio Codec: A program capable of coding or decoding a digital data stream of audio.
- Application Layer Gateway (ALG): A security component that augments a firewall or NAT employed in a computer network, by managing the opening and closing of ports and translating the network and transport layer headers.
- ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line): Enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines compared to a conventional voiceband modem.
- Address Book: Stores and manages details about clients, such as email addresses, phone numbers, and postal addresses.
- AD (Active Directory): Microsoft technology used to manage and store network, domain, and user information.
- ALG (Application Layer Gateway): Manages the opening and closing of ports and translates the network and transport layer headers.
- AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages): A website publishing technology developed by Google to improve the performance of web content and advertisements.
- API (Application Programming Interface): Allows software applications to communicate with each other via defined methods of interaction.
- API Economy: Involves the exchange of services, functionalities, or data through APIs between businesses, often resulting in the development of new applications or business models.
- API Endpoint: The path of a URL of a server or service providing API access.
- API Gateway: A server that acts as an API front-end, receiving API requests, enforcing throttling and security policies, passing requests to the back-end service, and then passing the response back to the requester.
- API Key: A code passed in by computer programs calling an API to identify the calling program, its developer, or its user to the website.
- API Management: Involves designing, publishing, documenting, and analyzing APIs in a secure development environment.
- APM (Application Performance Management): Ensures that both hardware and software are operating correctly by managing performance, availability, and user experience.
- App: Short for “application,” typically a software developed for use on wireless devices.
- App Server: Manages app operations between a user and an organization’s backend business applications or databases.
- Apache Hadoop: Open-source software framework used for distributed storage and processing of big data using the MapReduce programming model.
- Apache Kafka: Open-source distributed event streaming platform used for building real-time streaming data pipelines and streaming applications.
- Apple: An American multinational technology company known for producing consumer devices, software, and online services.
- AppleTalk: Discontinued proprietary suite of networking protocols developed by Apple Inc.
- Applet: A small application designed to perform a specific task within a larger program, commonly used in relation to Java applets.
- Application Layer: A layer in a network protocol stack that controls the communication methods between two computers.
- Application Layer Gateway (ALG): Manages the opening and closing of ports and translates the network and transport layer headers in a network.
- Application Portability: Pertains to the capability of an application to be portably installed, executed, and accessed across various computing environments.
- Application Programming Interface (API): Enables software applications to communicate through a set of rules and protocols.
- Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU): A packet of data exchanged between two application programs across a network.
- Application Server (App Server): Manages and provides the business logic for an application program.
- Application Service Provider (ASP): A business providing computer-based services to customers over a network.
- Arduino: An open-source electronics platform for making interactive projects, focused on easy-to-use hardware and software.
- ARP (Address Resolution Protocol): Protocol mapping an IP address to a MAC address on a local area network.
- Array: An ordered series of elements of identical type, each of which can be identified by an array index.
- ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange): A character encoding standard for electronic communication.
- ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit): An integrated circuit customized for a specific use, rather than general-purpose use.
- ASP (Active Server Pages): An older server-side script engine for dynamically generated web pages from Microsoft.
- Aspect Ratio: The width-to-height ratio of an image or screen.
- Assembler: A computer program that translates assembly language into machine language (binary code).
- Assembly Language: A low-level programming language with a strong correspondence to a machine’s code instructions.
- Attack Vector: A path or means by which a hacker can gain unauthorized access to deliver a payload or malicious outcome.
- Authentication: The process of verifying the identity of a person, device, or system.
- Authentication Header (AH): A part of the Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) protocol suite, which authenticates the origin of IP packets.
- Authentication Protocol: A protocol used to authenticate a user, device, or system’s identity, commonly used in communications and data storage.
- Authentication Server: A server used to authenticate user or device credentials on a network, often interacting with a user directory or database.
- Auto Scaling: Enables organizations to automatically scale cloud services, such as virtual machines and containers, based on defined conditions.
- AutoCAD: A software application by Autodesk used for 2D and 3D computer-aided design and drafting.
- Automatic Payment: A scheduled financial transaction that occurs automatically.
- Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ): An error-control method for data transmission that uses acknowledgements and timeouts to achieve reliable data transmission.
- Autoresponder: An automated program that sends out a pre-written response when it receives an email.
- Avatar: A graphical representation of a user or their alter ego or character, often used in virtual worlds and gaming environments.
- Availability: Pertains to the time a system remains operational and accessible, ensuring functioning components when needed.
- Availability Zones: Distinct locations within a cloud platform that safeguard applications from failures by utilizing physically separated data centers.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services): A comprehensive and widely adopted cloud platform offered by Amazon, providing various services such as IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS.
- Azure: A cloud computing service created by Microsoft for building, deploying, and managing applications through Microsoft’s global network of data centers.
- Azure Active Directory (AAD): Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service, aiding employees in signing in and accessing resources.
- Azure Functions: An event-driven, serverless compute platform component of Azure, allowing execution of code in response to events.
- B2A (Business-to-Administrator): Refers to transactions conducted between businesses and administrators or government agencies utilizing the internet.
- B2B (Business-to-Business): Pertains to transactions between two businesses rather than between a business and individual consumer.
- B2C (Business-to-Consumer): Describes businesses selling products or services directly to end-users.
- B2E (Business-to-Employee): Refers to interactions and transactions taking place between a business and its employees, often in an online environment.
- B2G (Business-to-Government): Entails businesses selling products, services, or information to governments or government agencies.
- B2M (Business-to-Manager): Often involves an intra-business category where all transaction activities might be carried out within a single business.
- B2P (Business-to-Partner): Deals with transactions or interactions between businesses and their partners or associates.
- B4N (Bye for Now): A casual farewell expression, typically used in online and text message conversations.
- Backbone Network: A high-speed network that connects and provides a path for data between smaller networks, ensuring communication among the connected networks.
- Backend: Refers to any server-side technologies, processes, and database management that enable the client-side of a program to work.
- Backdoor: A method of bypassing normal authentication in a product, computer system, cryptosystem, or algorithm, often concealed for illicit uses.
- Backup: A copy of data that can be used to restore and recover data after an event like a data loss.
- Bandwidth: The maximum rate of data transfer across a particular path or network.
- Baseband: A communication technique wherein digital or analog data is sent across a dedicated channel without modulating it to different frequencies.
- Bash (Bourne Again SHell): A command processor that typically runs in a text window where the user types commands that cause actions.
- Basic Input/Output System (BIOS): An embedded software on a motherboard; it is the first software a PC starts, managing data flow between the computer’s OS and attached devices.
- Baud Rate: The speed of data transmission in terms of bits per second (bps).
- Bayesian Filter: A method of filtering spam by analyzing the header and content of incoming email messages, utilizing Bayesian statistical methods.
- Binary: A base-2 numeral system, using 0s and 1s to represent all numerical values.
- Binary Digit (Bit): The most basic unit of data in computing and digital communications, which can be in one of two states, 0 or 1.
- Binary Large Object (BLOB): A collection of binary data stored as a single entity, typically as images, audio, or multimedia objects.
- BIOS (Basic Input/Output System): Essential firmware used during the booting process to initialize and test system hardware components.
- Bit Rate: The number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time, typically measured in bits per second (bps).
- Bitcoin: A decentralized digital currency, operating without a central bank, that allows peer-to-peer transactions via a blockchain.
- BitLocker: A full-disk encryption feature available in Windows Vista and later, designed to protect data by providing encryption for entire volumes.
- Bitwise Operation: An operation that directly manipulates bits, commonly used in programming, communications, and encryption algorithms.
- Bluetooth: A wireless technology standard used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances.
- Boot: The process of starting up a computer, initiating the operating system, and checking the connected hardware.
- Bootstrap: The procedure of starting a computer, including the loading of the operating system into RAM.
- Boot Sector: The section of a hard drive or other storage device containing the files required to start the boot sequence.
- Bot: Short for “robot,” it represents a program that operates as an agent for a user or another program and simulates a human activity.
- Botnet: A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge.
- Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who navigate away from a website after viewing only one page.
- Breadcrumb Navigation: A control element that provides a user with a hierarchical path to their current location in the application or platform.
- Bridge: A device that connects and filters traffic between two or more network segments, making them function as a single network.
- Broadband: A high-capacity transmission technique that enables a large number of messages to be communicated simultaneously.
- Browser: A software application that allows users to access, retrieve, and view documents on the World Wide Web.
- Buffer: A temporary memory area typically used to store data that is being transferred from one place to another.
- Buffer Overflow: A situation where a program writes more data to a block of memory, or buffer, than it was allocated for, leading to a potential execution of arbitrary code.
- Bug: An error, flaw, or fault in a computer program that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result, or to behave in unintended ways.
- Build: A specific version of a software, typically one that is in the development process and has not yet been released to the public.
- Bus: A communication system that transfers data between components inside a computer, or between computers.
- Bus Network: A network architecture in which a set of clients share a common communication line or bus.
- Bus Topology: A type of network design where each computer and network device is connected to a single cable or path.
- Byte: A unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits, representing a binary number.
- Bytecode: A form of instruction set designed for efficient execution by a software interpreter, typically used in relation to Java.
- C (Programming Language): A general-purpose, procedural computer programming language that supports structured programming, lexical variable scope, and recursion.
- C++ (Programming Language): An extension of the C programming language that includes features like classes and objects, making it one of the first widely accepted Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) languages.
- Cache: A hardware or software component that stores data to serve future requests more rapidly.
- CAPTCHA: A system designed to differentiate human from machine input, typically used to thwart spam and automated extraction of data from websites.
- CDN (Content Delivery Network): A system of distributed servers that work together to provide fast delivery of internet content.
- Circuit Switching: A communication method which creates a direct physical connection between two devices.
- Class (in programming): A blueprint for creating objects (a particular data structure), providing initial values for state and implementations of behavior.
- Cloud Computing: Storing and accessing data and programs over the internet instead of your computer’s hard drive.
- CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor): A technology used for constructing integrated circuits, widely used for creating transistors.
- Compiler: A software that translates computer code written in one programming language into another language.
- Cookies: Small files which are stored on a user’s computer, designed to hold a modest amount of data specific to a client and website.
- Cryptography: The practice and study of techniques for securing communication and data from adversaries.
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): A stylesheet language used for describing the look and formatting of a document written in HTML.
- Cybersecurity: The practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information.
- Cyberspace: The interconnected technology environment that includes the internet and the computer systems connected to it.
- Cyberware: Hardware or machine parts implanted or attached to the human body, typically found in science fiction.
- Data Breach: An incident where unauthorized individuals access data, typically containing sensitive, protected, or confidential information.
- Data Center: A facility composed of networked computers and storage used to organize, process, store, and disseminate large amounts of data.
- Data Encryption Standard (DES): A symmetric-key algorithm for the encryption of digital data, once widely used in the U.S.
- Data Mining: The process of discovering patterns, correlations, and anomalies within large data sets to predict outcomes.
- Data Warehouse: A central repository of integrated data from one or more disparate sources, used for reporting and data analysis.
- Database: A structured set of data held in a computer, especially one that is accessible in various ways.
- DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service): An attack where multiple compromised systems are used to target a single system, causing a denial of service.
- Debugger: A tool used by programmers to test/inspect and debug code, ensuring it functions as intended.
- Deep Web: Parts of the World Wide Web that are not indexed by traditional search engines.
- DevOps: A set of practices, tools, and philosophies that improve collaboration between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops), aiming to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery.
- DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): A network management protocol used on IP networks wherein a DHCP server dynamically assigns an IP address and other network configuration parameters to each device on a network.
- Digital Certificate: A digital form of identification, issued by a Certificate Authority (CA), to validate and certify the identity of the holder.
- Digital Signature: A mathematical scheme for verifying the authenticity of digital messages or documents.
- DMA (Direct Memory Access): A feature that allows peripherals to communicate with memory without utilizing the central processing unit.
- DNS (Domain Name System): A hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network.
- Docker: An open-source platform that uses OS-level virtualization to deliver software in packages called containers.
- Domain: A realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control within the internet, defined by the domain name system (DNS).
- Dongle: A small device that connects to a computer and has a specific use, like providing access to Wi-Fi, storing data, or added security.
- DoS (Denial of Service): An attack that disrupts the regular functioning of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of internet traffic.
- Driver: Software that enables the operating system to communicate and control a specific piece of hardware.
- DRM (Digital Rights Management): A systematic approach to copyright protection for digital media, restricting the use of proprietary hardware and copyrighted works.
- DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): A technology for the fast transmission of data over standard copper telephone lines, commonly used for internet access.
- Edge Computing: A distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the location where it is needed, to improve response times and save bandwidth.
- EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol): A Cisco proprietary routing protocol, which helps to automate the routing decisions and configuration of routers on a network.
- Elastic Computing: The ability to quickly expand or decrease computer processing, memory, and storage resources to meet changing demands without worrying about capacity planning and engineering for peak usage.
- Encryption: The method of converting plaintext or data into an encoded version to protect it from unauthorized access, especially during transmission or when stored on a transport medium.
- Endpoint: In networking, an endpoint refers to a remote computing device that communicates back and forth with a network to which it is connected.
- Ethernet: A widely used LAN technology that uses a protocol to manage the placing of data frames on the network.
- ETL (Extract, Transform, Load): A data warehousing process that involves extracting data from source systems, transforming it into a format that can be analyzed, and loading it into a data warehouse.
- Exabyte: A unit of information or computer storage equal to one quintillion bytes (short scale), or 1×10181×1018 bytes.
- Extranet: A controlled private network allowing access to partners, vendors and suppliers or an authorized set of customers – normally to a subset of the information accessible from an organization’s intranet.
- Failover: The constant capability to automatically and seamlessly switch to a highly reliable backup.
- Firewall: A network security device that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing network traffic based on an organization’s previously established security policies.
- Firmware: Permanent software programmed into a read-only memory, essential for controlling hardware.
- Front-end: The interface and other parts of the application which interact with the user.
- FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A standard network protocol used for the transfer of computer files between a client and server on a computer network.
- Full Stack Development: The development of both front end(client side) and back end(server side) portions of web application.
- Gateway: A network point that acts as an entrance to another network, often interfacing different types of network and data formats.
- Git: A distributed version control system used to track changes in any set of files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers collaboratively developing source code.
- GitHub: A web-based platform that uses Git for version control, enabling multiple people to work on projects at once, making it easier for them to collaborate on projects.
- GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): A specialized electronic circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device.
- Grid Computing: A form of distributed computing whereby a ‘super and virtual computer’ is composed of a cluster of networked, loosely coupled computers acting in concert to perform large tasks.
- GUI (Graphical User Interface): A type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and visual indicators.
- Hacker: A person who uses computers to gain unauthorized access to data.
- Hard Drive: A data storage device used for storing and retrieving digital information using one or more rigid rapidly rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material.
- Hash Function: A function that converts an input (or ‘message’) into a fixed-length string of bytes, typically a digest that appears to be random.
- HCI (Human-Computer Interaction): A field of study focusing on the interfaces between people and computers, striving to make technology more user-friendly and interactive.
- HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The standard markup language for documents designed to be displayed in a web browser, utilized to create structured content on the web.
- HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol): The foundation of data communication on the World Wide Web, facilitating the transmission of hypertext between users and servers.
- HTTPS (HTTP Secure): An extension of HTTP, used for secure communication over a computer network within a web browser.
- Hybrid Cloud: A computing environment that combines a public cloud and a private cloud by allowing data and applications to be shared between them.
- Hyperlink: A reference to data that the user can follow by clicking or tapping, which redirects them to the linked content.
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): An online service that provides high-level APIs used to dereference various low-level details of underlying network infrastructure.
- ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): A nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and methodologies of several databases related to the namespaces and numerical spaces of the Internet.
- IDE (Integrated Development Environment): A software suite that consolidates the basic tools developers need to write and test software.
- IoT (Internet of Things): A system of interrelated computing devices, objects, animals, or people provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
- IP Address (Internet Protocol Address): A unique string of numbers separated by periods that identifies each computer using the Internet Protocol to communicate over a network.
- ISP (Internet Service Provider): An organization that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet.
- ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library): A set of practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of the business.
- JavaScript: A programming language that enables interactive web pages and is a part of most web browsers.
- JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): A commonly used method of lossy compression for digital images, particularly for those images produced by digital photography.
- Kernel: The central part of an operating system that manages the operations of the computer and the hardware.
- KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine): A virtualization module in the Linux kernel that allows the kernel to function as a hypervisor.
- LAN (Local Area Network): A computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area such as a residence, school, laboratory, university campus, or office building.
- Latency: A time interval between the stimulation and response, or, from a more general point of view, a time delay between the cause and the effect of some physical change in the system being observed.
- LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol): A protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
- Load Balancer: A device or service that distributes network or application traffic across several servers to maximize throughput and prevent overload.
- MAC Address (Media Access Control Address): A unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller for use as a network address in communications within a network segment.
- Machine Learning: A subset of AI that provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed.
- Malware: Software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.
- Metadata: Data that provides information about other data, for example, a digital image may include metadata that describes how large the picture is, the color depth, the image resolution, etc.
- Microservices: A software development technique that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services.
- Middleware: Software that lies between an operating system and the applications running on it, enabling communication and data management.
- MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching): A protocol for speeding up and shaping network traffic flows.
- Multithreading: The ability of a central processing unit (CPU) or a single core in a multi-core processor to provide multiple threads of execution concurrently.
- NAT (Network Address Translation): A method where a network device assigns a public IP address to a computer (or group of computers) inside a private network.
- Network Topology: The arrangement of different elements (links, nodes, etc.) in a computer network. It is a structural layout that dictates how different network components and devices are connected.
- Node: A connection point inside a network that can receive, send, create, or store data.
- OAuth: An open standard for access delegation commonly used for token-based authentication and authorization on the Internet.
- OOP (Object-Oriented Programming): A programming paradigm based on the concept of “objects”, which can contain data and code: data in the form of fields, and code, in the form of procedures.
- Open Source: A type of software where the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified.
- PaaS (Platform as a Service): A cloud computing service that provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.
- Packet: A unit of data routed between an origin and a destination on the Internet or any other packet-switched network.
- Packet Switching: A method of grouping data transmitted over a digital network into packets. Packets are made of a header and a payload. Data in the header is used by networking hardware to direct the packet to its destination.
- PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard): A set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.
- Penetration Testing: A type of security testing in which experts evaluate a system for potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.
- Peripheral: An external device attached to a host computer, but not part of it, and is dependent upon the host.
- Phishing: A type of cyber-attack in which a perpetrator attempts to steal sensitive data or information by disguising themselves as a trustworthy entity through electronic communications.
- Platform: In IT, a platform is any hardware or software used to host an application or service.
- POP (Post Office Protocol): A protocol used by local e-mail clients to retrieve e-mails from a remote server over a TCP/IP connection.
- Port: A communication endpoint in an operating system, which can be associated with a specific process or service.
- PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol): A data link layer protocol used to establish a direct connection between two nodes.
- Proxy Server: An intermediate server that separates end users from the websites they browse to provide anonymity or bypass security protocols.
- QA (Quality Assurance): A way of preventing mistakes or defects in manufactured products and avoiding problems when delivering solutions or services to customers.
- Ransomware: A type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or computer files until a sum of money is paid.
- Redundancy: Additional hardware or software used to prevent systems failure, typically in the form of backup systems or duplicate systems.
- REST (Representational State Transfer): An architectural style that defines a set of constraints to be used when creating web services. Web services that conform to the REST architectural style are termed RESTful web services.
- Router: A networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks, commonly used to connect networks and route data sent via the internet.
- RSS (Really Simple Syndication): A type of web feed which allows users to access updates to online content in a standardized, computer-readable format.
- RTOS (Real-Time Operating System): An operating system that is capable of meeting the requirements of real-time systems, which include responding to inputs or events without delay (real-time).
- SaaS (Software as a Service): A software licensing and delivery model in which software is provided on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted.
- SAN (Storage Area Network): A network which provides access to consolidated, block-level data storage, typically used to enhance storage devices.
- Scalability: The capability of a system, network, or process to handle a growing amount of work or its potential to be enlarged in order to accommodate that growth.
- SDK (Software Development Kit): A collection of software development tools in one installable package, typically used to develop applications for a specific device or operating system.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The practice of optimizing websites to make them reach a high position in Google’s – or another search engine’s – search results.
- Server: A computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called “clients”.
- Server Farm: A collection of servers that are networked together and used to distribute the workload of processing data.
- Shell: A user interface for access to an operating system’s services, often used to launch other programs or manage files.
- SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): Solutions that provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by hardware and applications.
- SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): A protocol for sending e-mail messages between servers, and from clients to servers for sending.
- SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol): An internet standard protocol for managing devices on IP networks.
- Software Engineering: The application of engineering to the development of software in a systematic method.
- Spam: Irrelevant or unsolicited messages sent over the Internet, typically to a large number of users, generally for advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc.
- SQL (Structured Query Language): A domain-specific language used in programming and managing relational databases.
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): A standard protocol for establishing secure network connections by encrypting the link between a web server and a browser.
- Subnet: A logically visible subdivision of an IP network, which can efficiently allocate a large block of IP addresses or facilitate routing.
- Switch: In networking, a device that connects devices together on a computer network by using packet switching to receive, process, and forward data to the destination device.
- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): One of the main protocols in the Internet protocol suite, wherein data is organized into proper packets and reassembled to ensure integrity and reliable data transfer.
- Terabyte: A unit of information equal to one trillion bytes, or 10121012 bytes, commonly used to denote a quantity of digital storage.
- Thread: The smallest sequence of programmed instructions that can be managed independently by a scheduler, which is typically a part of the operating system.
- Tokenization: The process of replacing sensitive data with unique identification symbols that retain all the essential data about the data without compromising its security.
- Trojan Horse: A type of malicious software that misleads users of its true intent, often disguised as legitimate software.
- UI (User Interface): The space where interactions between humans and machines occur, with the goal of effective operation and control of the machine, while providing feedback to the operator.
- UML (Unified Modeling Language): A standardized modeling language enabling developers to specify, visualize, construct, and document artifacts of a software system.
- URL (Uniform Resource Locator): A reference (an address) to a resource on the Internet.
- VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network): A network protocol that enables a single physical LAN to be partitioned into multiple logical LANs, working as if they are on their own separate networks.
- VPN (Virtual Private Network): A network that is constructed using public wires — usually the Internet — to connect to a private network, such as a company’s internal network.
- WAN (Wide Area Network): A telecommunications network that extends across a large geographic area for the primary purpose of computer networking.
- Web Hosting: A service that allows organizations and individuals to post a website or web page onto the Internet.
- Web Server: A server software, or hardware dedicated to running said software, that can satisfy client requests on the World Wide Web.
- Webhook: An HTTP callback or HTTP POST, that occurs when something happens; a simple event-notification via HTTP POST.
- Wi-Fi: A technology for wireless local area networking with devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards.
- Widget: A small software application, or component, that provides a specific piece of functionality such as a clock, a calendar, or a news ticker.
- Windows: An operating system developed by Microsoft, which provides a graphical user interface (GUI), virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices.
- WWW (World Wide Web): An information system where documents and other web resources are identified by Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), interlinked by hypertext links, and can be accessed via the Internet.
- XML (Extensible Markup Language): A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
- XaaS (Everything as a Service): A collective term that represents the delivery of everything as a service, which includes SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS, delivered via the cloud.
- XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): A type of computer security vulnerability typically found in web applications, which enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into webpages viewed by other users.
- Yottabyte: A unit of information equal to one septillion bytes or 10241024 bytes. Used informally to represent an extremely large amount of data.
- Zero-Day: A vulnerability that is known to the software vendor but doesn’t have a patch in place to fix the vulnerability, often exploited by cybercriminals.
- Zettabyte: A unit of digital information storage used to denote the size of data. It is equivalent to one sextillion bytes or 10211021 bytes.
- Zigbee: A specification for a suite of high-level communication protocols using low-power digital radios to enable secure transmission of data in short-range networks.
- ZIP: A file format that supports lossless data compression. A ZIP file may contain one or more files or directories that may have been compressed.
- Z-Wave: A wireless communications protocol used primarily for home automation, which allows home appliances to talk to each other via wireless signals.
- z/OS: An enterprise operating system for IBM mainframes, including its latest zEnterprise system.
- Zone File: A file stored on a domain name server that is used to convert domain names and e-mail destinations to IP addresses.
- 1GL (First Generation Language): Machine-level programming language. It’s written in a binary or a similar form that a computer processor can directly execute.
- 2GL (Second Generation Language): Assembly languages that have a slightly higher level of abstraction and are specific to a particular computer architecture.
- 3GL (Third Generation Language): High-level programming languages, like C, C++, and Java, which allow for abstraction from the hardware and are more machine-independent.
- 4GL (Fourth Generation Language): Non-procedural languages that allow users and developers to work at a higher, more abstract level, focusing on defining what to do rather than how to do it, e.g., SQL.
- 5GL (Fifth Generation Language): Programming languages that contain visual tools to help develop a program, often used for artificial intelligence and neural networks.
- 10BASE-T: A standard for connecting Ethernet devices in a local area network (LAN) that uses twisted pair cables and hubs.
- 100BASE-T: A standard for fast Ethernet over copper twisted-pair cables with a speed of 100 Mbps.
- 802.11: A set of standards for implementing wireless local area networking (WLAN) communication, developed by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee.
- Active Directory (AD): A directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks, which authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in a network.
- ActiveX: A software framework created by Microsoft that adapts its earlier Component Object Model (COM) and Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technologies for content downloaded from a network.
- Agile Methodology: An approach to project management and product development that aligns development with customer needs and company goals.
- AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML): A technique for creating fast and dynamic web pages, allowing web pages to be updated asynchronously by exchanging data with a web server behind the scenes.
- Algorithm: A step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem, often utilized in programming for problem-solving processes.
- Aliasing: The effect that occurs when different signals become indistinguishable or mistaken for each other when sampled.
- API (Application Programming Interface): A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software and applications which specify how software components should interact.
- ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange): A character encoding standard used for electronic communication that represents text in computers, devices, and communication equipment.
- Assembler: A software tool that translates assembly language programs into machine code.
- Authentication: The process of identifying an individual, usually based on a username and password to ensure the individual is who they claim to be.
- Autoencoder: An artificial neural network used for unsupervised learning of efficient codings, typically used to reconstruct the input.
- Autonomous System (AS): A collection of IP networks and routers under the control of a single organization that presents a common routing policy to the Internet.