0-9 |
|
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100BASET |
An IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD Ethernet LAN standard characterized by 100-Mbps base band data transmission; also known as Fast Ethernet.
See 802.3 and CSMA/CD |
|
100VG-AnyLAN |
An IEEE 802.12 LAN standard characterized by a 100-Mbps data transmission rate for both token ring and Ethernet over voice grade (VG) EIA category 3, 4, and 5 UTP wires, type 1 STP wire and fiber. It uses a new MAC protocol, demand priority protocol, to provide faster and more efficient data transfer. |
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10BASE2 |
An IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD LAN standard characterized by 10-Mbps base band data transmission over moderate-loss coaxial cable for a maximum of 200 meters.
See 802.3 and CSMA/CD |
|
10BASE5 |
An IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD LAN standard characterized by 10-Mbps base band data transmission over moderate-loss coaxial cable for a maximum of 500 meters.
See 802.3 and CSMA/CD |
|
10BASET |
An IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD LAN standard characterized by 10-Mbps base band data transmission over unshielded, twisted pair cable for a maximum of 100 meters.
See 802.3 and CSMA/CD |
|
10Base-T |
A type of telecommunications wire that uses only two of the four pairs of wires found in most UTP cable. **** |
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1394 Serial Bus Interface |
Also known as "firewire." Offers an inexpensive, scalable serial bus architecture that can connect as many as 63 devices externally. |
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1BASE5 |
An IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD LAN standard characterized by 1-Mbps base band data transmission over unshielded twisted-pair wire for a maximum of 500 meters. An example is StarLAN. |
|
1BASET |
An IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD LAN standard characterized by 1-Mbps base band data transmission over unshielded, twisted pair cable for a maximum of 100 meters. |
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3270 Emulation |
Allows a personal computer to operate as a 3270 dumb terminal.
The ability of a PC to interact with a mainframe computer as if it was a mainframe terminal. Also referred to as TN3270. |
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3GL |
Third-generation language |
|
4GL |
Fourth-generation language.
A reference to the newest generation of programming languages. |
|
802.3 |
The IEEE Project 802 LAN standard for Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD). 802.3 includes bus topology, cabling alternatives, medium access control (CSMA), base band transmission, and "listen-while-talking" transmission techniques. |
|
802.5 |
The IEEE Project 802 LAN standard for token ring. 802.5 includes star/ring topology, cabling alternatives, medium access control (token passing), base band or broadband transmission, and medium- to high-speed data rates. |
|
8802/3 |
The ISO equivalent of IEEE 802.3. |
|
8802/5 |
The ISO equivalent of IEEE 802.5. |
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A |
|
|
AAL |
The ATM Adaptation Layer makes it possible for multiple service types to use an ATM network using convergence and re-re-assembly algorithms. |
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ABEND |
ABnormal END. Refers to an unsatisfactory processing task/activity. Can occur in both online or batch processing. |
|
Acceptance Criteria |
The requirements that a system or component must satisfy in order to be accepted by an acquirer or user. |
|
Acceptance Phase |
The team performs user acceptance tests, and any other required testing. This is Solution Life Cycle Phase V where formal sign-off by users and requester is obtained. |
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Acceptance Testing |
The final testing done before the application is accepted into the production environment and the development cycle concluded. Acceptance testing validates the applications "acceptance criteria" in a production environment under real world conditions. |
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Access Control |
The prevention of unauthorized use of a resource. Access control restricts the use of a resource to only those users (or processes) that have the correct authorization. Access control also prevents use of a resource in an unauthorized manner. |
|
Accuracy |
A quantitative assessment of correctness, or freedom from error. |
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ACID |
Acronym for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability. The properties that govern a transaction:
Atomicity - Describes a transaction as a indivisible unit of work; all of its actions succeed or they fail.
Consistency - Requires that a transaction must leave the system in a correct state or abort.
Isolation - Specifies that a transaction behavior must not able affected by other concurrently executing transactions.
Durability - Requires that a transaction's effects are permanent or persistent after the transaction commits. |
|
ACL |
Access Control List. For a given resource, a list of entities, together with their access rights, that are authorized to have access to a resource. |
|
ACPI |
Advanced Configuration Power Interface. |
|
Acquirer |
An individual or organization that specifies requirements for, and accepts delivery of, a new or modified software product and its documentation. Different from user in that this is a role done on behalf of a user or group of users. |
|
ACSE |
An Association Control Service Element establishes an association between two applications. The association defines the context for the communications, including the application protocols used and the structure of the data to be exchanged. |
|
Activity |
In workflow systems, a specific piece of work assigned or to be done by a participant. |
|
AD |
Application development |
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ADABAS |
Adaptable DataBase System. A system used for database management. |
|
Adaptive |
Flexible and able to quickly respond to business process changes. |
|
Administration |
Is a generic term used in the industry to reflect the process and procedures necessary to maintain an operational environment for technology systems, such as Groupware. The person supporting these processes and performing the procedures is referred to as the System Administrator. |
|
ADPCM |
Adaptive Delta Pulse Code Modulation (sound compression). |
|
ADSL |
Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line/Loop: A communication technology that can be used to transmit digital data over telephone wires.
Allows high-speed Internet and video conferencing access. Will open the door for interactive audio and video applications. |
|
ADSO |
See Application Development System Online |
|
AES |
Application Environment Specification. The OSF common definition of the interfaces needed to develop portable applications for an open systems environment. It will allow developers to design portable applications that can run on a wide range of system configurations, made up of hardware and system software from multiple vendors. The complete AES will cover several areas: Operating System (available), User Environment Services (available), Network Services, Graphics Services, Database Management Services, and Programming Languages. |
|
Agent |
An application program that operates on behalf of a user. An agent may run on a computer that is remote from the user. |
|
AIFF |
Apple sound files 11khz, with a 44khz sampling. |
|
Algorithm |
A finite set of well-defined rules for the solution of a problem in a finite number of steps. Note that this includes branching logic and defined business rules for modes of operation. |
|
Allocation |
The process distributing requirements, resources, or other entities among the components of a system, program, or other solution. |
|
Analog |
Refers to a quantity which is continuously variable, rather than one which varies only in discrete steps, e.g., digital. |
|
ANDF |
Architecture Neutral Distribution Format. Allows software vendors to offer one shrink-wrapped version of an application that users will be able to run on any hardware/operating system platform. This is an OSF specification. |
|
Anomaly |
Anything in the documentation or operation of a solution that deviates from expectations as compared to previously baselined solutions. |
|
Anonymous FTP |
A method for downloading public files using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Anonymous FTP is called anonymous because you don't need to identify yourself before accessing files. In general, you enter the word anonymous or ftp when the host prompts you for a user name; you can enter anything for the password, such as your e-mail address or simply the word "guest." |
|
ANSI |
American National Standards Institute. A national standards organization, ANSI approves standards and accredits standard development groups and certification programs. ANSI represents and coordinates US interests in international non-treaty and non-government standards bodies. ANSI membership is open to manufacturers, organizations, users, and communications carriers. |
|
ANSI X.12 |
U.S. Standard for Electronic Data Interchange. See EDI. |
|
API |
Application Programming Interface. The bindings provided to interface an application to a service. The bindings are programming language statement syntax and semantics, processed by the appropriate compiler or corresponding pre-processor.
A standardized method by which an application communicates with elements of an operating system or environment. |
|
APPC |
Advanced Program-to-Program Communication. In SNA, the architectural component that allows sessions between peer-level application transaction programs. The LUs that communicate during these sessions are known as LU type 6.2s. |
|
Application |
Applications encompass the purchase, development, enhancement, maintenance, delivery and support of business application software within the organization. Applications run on systems, use data and are delivered through communication networks. |
|
Application Architecture |
Defines how applications are designed, how they cooperate and where they reside. Good application architectures will enable a high level of distributed system integration, reuse of components, rapid deployment of applications and high responsiveness to changing business requirements. Focal point of an organization's business application inventory. |
|
Application Development System Online(ADS/O) |
A program language used for the development of online screens and dialogs that query an IDMS database. |
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Application Enhancement |
Modification of an existing automated business function to add additional functionality. |
|
Application Maintenance |
Fixes to existing business applications that have failed in production. |
|
Application New Development |
Automation of a business function that is new or has not been previously automated. |
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Application program |
A software program designed to enable end users (humans) to carry out a specific task or function. Word processors, spreadsheets, and graphics programs are examples of application programs. |
|
Application Programming Interface (API) |
A set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. A good API makes it easier to develop a program by providing all the building blocks. A programmer puts the blocks together. Most operating environments, such as MS-Windows, provide an API so programmers can write applications consistent with the operating environment. |
|
Application Server |
A computer in a LAN that performs data processing. In a two-tier client/server environment, the application server does the database processing (DBMS), and the client machine performs the business logic. In a three-tier client/server environment, an independent application server performs the business logic.
A server in a LAN that contains applications shared by network clients. In this case, it functions as a remote disk drive for storing applications and is more accurately called a file server. |
|
Application Server. |
In a client/server environment, the server that manages database and user connections, controls various kinds of transactions, and balances the network load by distributing the processing. |
|
Application. |
The software product that results from the creation of a program; the program code that creates the software product. |
|
APPN |
Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking. APPN is the peer-to-peer networking capability, with intermediate node support for IBM SNA networks. |
|
Approach Phase |
The initial phase of the Solutions Lifecycle (SliC). Starts when desired activities of Project Initiation are completed. Architectural compliance activities and other high-level aspects of how best to approach any given solution occur in this phase. |
|
Architectural Patterns |
Specifies the structure and behavior of an entire system or types of systems. |
|
Architecture Design |
The process of , or architecture model from, defining a collection of hardware and software components and their interfaces to establish the framework for the development of a computer system.
A definition of the set of components that comprise a system, the responsibilities and rules for each component, and the relationships among the components. An technical architecture is a blueprint for the deployment of technology. |
|
Architecture Requirement |
A requirement, derived from business drivers, that sets the boundaries and framework under which the business driven architecture must evolve. Architecture Requirements should be measurable. An example of an architecture requirement is: "We will provide integration between legacy and client/server applications by June 30, 1999." |
|
Archive |
To copy files to a long-term storage medium for backup. Large computer systems often have two layers of backup, the first of which is a disk drive. Periodically, the computer operator will archive files on the disk to a second storage device, usually a tape drive. On smaller systems, archiving is synonymous with backing up.
To compress a file
A disk, tape, or directory that contains files that have been backed up.
A file that contains one or more files in a compressed format. |
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ASAI |
Adjunct Switch Application Interface: An API defined by AT&T as an interface between computer systems and AT&T's line of PBXs. |
|
ASC |
Accredited Standards Committee. |
|
ASCII |
American Standard for Character Information Interchange. |
|
ASCII |
American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The standard code, using a coded character set consisting of 7-bit coded characters, that is used for information interchange among data processing systems. The ASCII set consists of control characters and graphic characters. See also EBCDIC. |
|
ASF |
Advanced Streaming Format. An open file format for storing streaming multi-media content (i.e., audio and video) over the Internet. |
|
ASIC |
Application Specific Integrated Circuit. A chip built for a specific application. Used to reduce system board size and power consumption. Also called gate array. |
|
ASN.1 |
Abstract Syntax Notation, Version 1. A language defined in ISO 8824 for describing data types and values in a representation-independent way. ASN.1 can be used to define an "abstract syntax," a formal description of data types and values, without specifying any particular representation for the data being described. |
|
Assertion |
A logical expression specifying a program state that must exist or a set of conditions that program variables must satisfy at a particular point during a program execution. |
|
Asymmetric algorithm |
A cryptographic algorithm in which the parties use different keys to encipher and decipher. |
|
Asymmetrical |
Being such that the terms may not be interchanged without altering the value, character, or truth. |
|
Asynchronous |
The term asynchronous is usually used to describe communications in which data can be transmitted intermittently rather than in a steady stream. Application communication is asynchronous when a transaction between applications is not delivered or processed immediately. Happening, existing, or arising at different times or during different periods. |
|
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) |
A network technology based on transferring data in cells or packets of a fixed size. The cell used with ATM is relatively small compared to units used with other technologies. The small, constant cell size allows ATM equipment to transmit video, audio, and computer data over the same network, and assure that no single type of data monopolizes the line. Asynchronous Transfer Mode: A general purpose switching method for carrying voice, data, image, and video. This method works with fixed-length cells that contain a 48-byte payload and a 5-byte header. Cells are relayed by hardware in a manner similar to a multiplexor or telephone switch. ATM is being standardized by the CCITT, with the eventual goal of supporting all communications (voice, data, image; both connection-oriented and connection less) at 51 Mbps and faster, on a worldwide basis. |
|
ATM |
Asynchronous transfer mode
Very high speed transmission or transport technology suitable for voice, data, and video services on the same media. The term, "asynchronous" is a process that can occur at any time. |
|
Atomicity |
The transaction integrity property that a transaction is indivisible. All operations, like database updates, must either succeed completely or the entire system must be returned to its pre-transaction state. |
|
Attribute |
A characteristic of an item (e.g., the item's color, size, or type). |
|
Attributes |
Capabilities that cross over and pertain to the whole, rather than any given part of, an architecture and its components. |
|
Audit |
An independent examination of a work product or set of work products to assess compliance with specifications, standards, or contractual agreements. |
|
Authentication |
Authentication are the processes and techniques used to verify the identity of a computing resource or user. In security systems, authentication is distinct from authorization, which is the process of giving individuals access to system objects based on their identity. Authentication merely ensures that the individual is who he or she claims to be, but says nothing about the access rights of the individual. |
|
Authoritative Data Source |
The single, official source of data. |
|
Authorization |
The rights of a user or process. Authorizations for different users and classes of users are defined as part of a business security policy. The authorization information is used to provide access control. |
|
AV |
Audio-Visual. |
|
Availability |
The property of being accessible and usable upon demand by an authorized entity. |
|
AVI |
Audio/Visual Interface used in OS such as WINDOWS for having video follow audio synchronization; may drop frames to keep sound going. Audio Video Interleaved - a WINDOWS multimedia video format from Microsoft that interleaves standard waveform audio & digital video frames (bitmaps) to provide 15fps animation at 160x120x8 resolution; audio is set for 11khz, 8-bit samples. |
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B |
|
|
BAA |
Business Area Analysis. Defines a foundation for developing integrated information systems. |
|
Bandwidth |
The measurement/amount of information handling capacity in electronic circuits. |
|
Baseline |
An inventory of existing and planned information technology.
Is a Configuration Management term used to define the contents of a system(s) and/or documentation at a specific point in time. Baseline within a Configuration Management process provides a defined and controlled common reference point and is the basis for tracking the status of a system(s) and/or document. A baseline is controlled by an automated configuration management system or manual system using a reference numbering and storage process.
A specification or product that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon, that thereafter serves as the basis for further development, and that can be changed only through change control procedures.
A document or set of such documents formally designated and fixed at a specific time during the life cycle of a configuration item. |
|
BB |
Bulletin Board. On the Internet, areas for public access of information. |
|
BCVS |
Basic Conversational Verb Set. An abstract API to the system services of the LU-6.2 protocol, typically implemented on non-programmable devices. MCVS defines an API to the application services of LU-6.2 in programmable devices. |
|
BDA |
Business Driven Architecture |
|
BDA Home Page |
An organization Intranet page containing information on the Business Driven Architecture which can be located on the organization Intranet: bda.edd.ca.gov |
|
BDA Vision |
"The Business Driven Architecture positions the organization to work better, faster and smarter." |
BDAP |
Business Driven Architecture Project |
|
Benchmark |
A standard against which measurements or comparisons can be made. |
|
Best Practice |
A preferred way of delivering IT services taken from widely accepted industry practices and intended to become a standard or guideline. |
|
BGP |
Border Gateway Protocol. An experimental TCP/IP exterior gateway-like protocol. It may be used to divide an internet into sub-networks. The design document is RFC 1105. |
|
BID |
Business Information Directory: The overall computing environment directory for business objects and information pertinent to the enterprise. |
|
Binding |
The establishment of a relationship between two software components. An early binding is established when the relationship is established at compilation or link time. A late binding is established at the time of execution (runtime).
A language binding is a definition of the interface to a software component in terms of a target programming language. See API. |
|
BIOS |
Basic Input/Output System. |
|
B-ISDN |
Broadband ISDN. A high speed (greater than ISDN primary rate, usually about 140 Mbps) facility, or an arrangement of such facilities, designed to provide a wide range of switch audio, video, and data applications in the same network. |
|
Bisync |
A binary, synchronous character-oriented protocol used for data link layer communications. |
|
Bit |
Binary digIT. The smallest piece of information processed by a computer. A single binary information unit, either a "0" or a "1." |
|
Bitmap. |
A representation of a screen or a printed image, usually graphic, as a series of bytes. |
|
BLOB(s) |
Binary Large OBject. A database field that holds any digitized information. A way of storing multimedia (e.g., audio and video) in a DBMS.
Many relational database systems support large segments of un-typed data, often referred to as Binary Large OBjects or "BLOBs." These BLOBs can be used to store any desired type of data, such as an image or a segment of digitized video or audio. |
|
Blocking Request |
A request that when made to the message-passing API of the communications service, waits until the request completes before further processing occurs. |
|
BLU |
Basic Link Unit: The unit of data sent over an SDLC link or SDLC frame. |
|
BMP BitMaP |
Microsoft image exchange format. |
|
BOSS |
Business Object System Server |
|
BPM |
Business Process Modeling. Incorporates work-flow and organizational flow methods into a model of the business process. Used in re-engineering and continuous process improvement. |
|
BPR |
Business process re-engineering.
A methodology for process improvement. |
|
BPS |
Bits Per Second. |
|
BRI |
Basic Rate Interface; ISDN channels, 64kb + 16k services. |
|
Bridge |
An electronic device that connects two or more physical networks/protocols and forwards packets between them; may filter packets as well.
A device used between two or more networks to exchange computer information. |
|
Broadband |
A communication service that allows messages to be delivered at a wide range of frequencies. |
|
Broadcast |
A communication service that allows a single message to be delivered to every user of the service. |
|
Brokers |
Programs that serve as intermediaries for application programs that access trans distributed processing services. These services may be running in the same processor and memory space as the application, or they may ultimately invoke complex processing on several processors; in any case, they appear as simple functions and objects to the application. |
|
Brouter |
A device that is a combination bridge and router. |
|
Browser(s) |
See Web Browser.
Software tools to assist in navigating the Internet/WWW. An application that locates a document through a URL, retrieves it, and formats it for display to the user. See also search engine. |
|
Buffer. |
Memory of a designated size, reserved to hold a portion of a file. See also cache. |
|
Burn-In |
To run a system or device for a period of time to ensure that all components are working properly. Most computer equipment undergoes a burn-in test at the factory before being released for sale. |
|
Business Driven Architecture (BDA) |
The BDA is an enterprise-wide technical architecture that is:
Derived from business driven strategies and requirements, Understood and supported by the department executives and the lines of business.
Guides the engineering of the organization's information systems and technology infrastructure across the various component architectures.
Based on a logically consistent set of principles and practices.". |
|
Business Driver |
An external or internal influence that significantly impacts and/or sets direction for the organization's programs. Examples are the organization must increase customer access by adding service points (or, more detailed) By June 30, 1998 the organization will shift duties of 30 field offices to 100 'one-stop' service centers. |
|
Business Rules |
A business rule is a simple statement that governs the validation, computation and presentation of data. An application's business rules layer contains the business rules. |
|
Business Solutions |
The computing solutions covering similarities and differences addressed by the industry and customer solutions sections of the NCR Solutions Continuum. |
|
Business/IT Alignment |
An alignment of technology investment to the organization's business needs. |
|
Buy List |
An approved and supported set of technology products (also see Configurations). |
|
BYNET |
A dual-redundant, bi-directional, multistage interconnection network that enables multiple SMP compute nodes to communicate in a high-speed, loosely-coupled fashion. |
|
BYNET Interconnect |
The newest generation of interconnect technology for MPP, multi-computer and cluster-based systems; NCR BYNET interconnect is the key ingredient for these systems to work as a team to enable the largest commercial databases in the world. |
|
Byte. |
An 8-bit binary string; a basic measure of computer data. |
|
C |
|
|
C |
A programming language. |
|
C&S |
See Calendaring and Scheduling |
|
C/S |
Client/Server.
A platform that incorporates open system concepts. Anytime more than one smart machine is involved in a configuration, it can be defined as client/server. The requesting machine is called a client; the answering machine is called a server. |
|
Cache. |
A block of memory reserved for temporary storage. See also buffer. |
|
CAD |
See Computer Aided Drafting. |
|
CAD |
Computer Aided Design.
Applications that allow PCs to be used to design products, automobiles, buildings, etc. |
|
Calendaring and Scheduling (C&S) |
The process of scheduling events and accessing calendar information for people, facilities and equipment. Through C&S events and activities can be coordinated between individuals and groups. |
|
Call and Return |
See Remote Procedure Call |
|
CAN |
Campus Area Network. |
|
Carrier Service |
A company offering telephone and data communications between points in a state or in one or more countries. The Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) are example of carriers. |
|
Carrier Signal |
A frequency in a communications channel modulated to carry analog or digital signal information. |
|
Carrier System |
A communications system providing a number of point-to-point channels through some type of multiplexing. T-1 and T-3 carrier services are examples of carrier systems that can be used between points in a Wide Area Network (WAN). |
|
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) |
A new feature being added to HTML that gives both Web site developers and users more control over how pages are displayed. With CSS, designers and users can create style sheets that define how different elements, such as headers and links, appear. These style sheets can then be applied to any Web page.
The term cascading derives from the fact that multiple style sheets can be applied to the same Web page. CSS was developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). |
|
CASE |
Computer Aided Software Engineering. Software engineering using tools that support the processes of software design, implementation, maintenance, and management.
A set of tools or programs to help develop complex applications. |
|
Catalysis |
Component-based methodology used with the Universal Modeling Language (UML). |
|
CBD |
Component-based Development. An application development approach that uses "building blocks" to create unique solutions. |
|
CBT |
Computer-based training.
An application development approach that uses "building blocks" to create unique solutions. |
|
CCITT |
Consultative Committee on International Telephone and Telegraph. International standards organization CCITT is part of the International Telecommunications Union, which is an agency of the United Nations. The CCITT's primary purpose is to develop standards supporting the international interconnection and interoperability of telecommunications networks. Every four years, the CCITT publishes a set of recommendations, which become law where communications in Europe are nationalized. Membership is open to private companies, scientific and trade associations, and PTTs. The CCITT is now the International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-TSS) |
|
CDIF |
Case Data Interchange Format. Specifies standards for interchange of data between CASE tools and data repositories (for example, IRDS). It is sponsored by the Electronic Industries Association. |
|
CDPD |
Cellular Digital Packet Data. A technique for transmitting data over a cellular phone system. |
|
CD-R |
Compact Disk - Recordable. |
|
CD-ROM |
Compact Disk - Read Only Memory. |
|
CD-RW |
RW Compact Disk - Re-Writable. An erasable/rewritable CD that requires a special CD-ROM drive to work. |
|
Cell |
The 53 byte unit of information transferred in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Cell Relay.
The administrative domain for Open Systems Foundation's Distributed Computing Environment (OSF/DCE). |
|
Cell Relay |
Cell Relay uses small, fixed-size cells and in conjunction with high-speed switching technology is capable of switching data through a network with minimal delays. |
|
CEO |
Chief Executive Officer |
|
CFO |
Chief Financial Officer |
|
CGI |
Common Gateway Interface.
Standard API for linking external applications with Internet servers. |
|
CGM |
Computer Graphics Metafile. A graphics file format for the storage, interchange, or output of a wide range of graphical data. Information in a CGM file is stored as a series of graphical objects such as text, lines, ellipses, and rectangles. Information concerning the placement, size, and shape of each graphical object is coded in the file, and used to reconstruct the object on a display or printing device. |
|
Change Control (Process) |
The process of controlling, documenting, and storing the changes to control configuration items for defined scope and requirements. This includes proposing the change, evaluating it, approving or rejecting it, scheduling it, and tracking it. |
|
Change Control Board |
Is the entity responsible for final review and approval of all changes to either a development and/or operational system. Change Control Boards can pertain to an application and/or any other technology segment for which modification to technology system or implementation needs to be controlled and documented. A business area manager for whom the application pertains typically chairs the Change Control Board. For IT infrastructure Boards, the chair can be an executive IT manager. |
|
Change Management Process (or Configuration Change Control) |
A set of activities or procedures established to ensure that project/system/application performance is measured to the baseline and changes are reviewed approved or rejected, and the baseline updated. |
|
Change Request |
A formal document that details a desired modification to a Technology Segment system(s). |
|
Change Request Form |
Documents the requirements and justification for changes to a solution. It forms the basis for approval to proceed with analysis of the changes. |
|
Change Request Log |
Documents the request id, description, system(s) and sub-system(s) to be changed, cost, approval status (with dates) as authorized by the technical, user and financial authorities and by the project management executive, action status (with dates) indicating the request's position in the maintenance lifecycle, priority, and the responsible and interested parties. |
|
Channel Service Unit (CSU) |
Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit. The CSU is a device that connects a terminal to a digital line. The DSU is a device that performs protective and diagnostic functions for a telecommunications line. Typically, the two devices are packaged as a single unit. You can think of it as a very high-powered and expensive modem. Such a device is required for both ends of a T-1 or T-3 connection, and the units at both ends must be from the same manufacturer. |
|
Character Interface |
User interface that uses characters (e.g., a 3270 screen) instead of a graphical user interface. |
|
CICS |
Customer Information Control System.
An application development tool that allows customers to interact with mainframe computers in an online, real-time mode. |
|
CIM |
Common Information Model, specified by the DMTF. |
|
CIO |
Chief Information Officer. |
|
CIP |
Calendar Interchange Protocol. A server-to-server protocol to exchange calendar information. |
|
Ciphertext |
Data produced through the use of encipherment, the semantic content of which is not available. |
|
CIT |
Centralized Information Technology. IT expertise contained in the ITB. |
|
Class |
A term used in OOA. Classes are templates that have methods, attribute names, and type information but no actual values. |
|
CLDAP |
Connection-less Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. |
|
Cleartext (plaintext) |
Intelligible data, the semantic content of which is available. |
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CLI |
Call Level Interface. The means by which an application invokes a service during execution. It is described by a technical specification, which specifies the syntax and semantics of the function calls used to invoke the service. |
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Client |
The client part of a client-server architecture. Typically, a client is an application that runs on a personal computer or workstation and relies on a server to perform some operations. For example, an e-mail client is an application that enables you to send and receive e-mail. |
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Client/Server. |
see C/S.
A architecture in which each computer or process on the network is either a client or a server. Servers are powerful computers or processes dedicated to managing disk drives (file servers), printers (print servers), application processing (application servers) or network traffic (network servers ). Clients are PCs or workstations on which users run applications and present user interfaces. Clients rely on servers for resources, such as files, devices, and processing power. |
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Client-Broker-Server |
A layered application architecture, and services to enable greater levels of application reuse of business and system services. The Client-Broker-Server is a three-tier model where the broker provides services or mapping to services depending upon the specific application being designed. Services provided by the intermediary broker are dependent upon Business requirements and upon the system design. |
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Close Phase |
The Project Management Phase during which project deliverables are turned over to maintenance/operations, project team has documented lessons learned from the project process and project documentation is completed. |
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CMC |
See Common Messaging Calls or Computer Mediated Communication. |
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CMM |
See Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model (SEI-CMM) |
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CMS |
Conversational Monitor System. Software for VM environments. |
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CMS Pipelines. |
Has to do with VM program development. Similar to REXX. |
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COBOL |
COmmon Business-Oriented Language. |
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COE |
Common Operating Environment. |
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COLD |
Computer Output to Laser Disk. Replaces paper output with optical disk. |
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Collaboration |
Coordinated work of two or more people to solve a single problem. |
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Collaborative Technology Segment |
Is a technology segment of the organization Multi-tier Support Model, Application tier. In such an environment, these types of applications have be separated from the overall enterprise business application due to differences in the overall functions, processes and process steps. These functions, processes and processes steps deal with a collection of technologies and systems that allow people to work together:
Technologies needed to link a user to the application and database domain components and systems
Systems that provide integrated voice/data capabilities.
Web Sites and Groupware systems that facilitate the collaborative environment needed to share technology resources, systems and data.
The functionality provided within Collaborative Technology Segment is primarily provided by purchased systems and products that are integrated into the overall organization technology environment. Little or no customization to the functionality occurs outside the parameters defined by the manufacturer of the system or product. |
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Collaborative Technology/Groupware |
Defines the environment for automating activity focused and conversation focused aspects of human/ computer interactions and human behavior. |
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COM |
Component Object Model or Computer Output to Microfilm. |
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Commercial Off the Shelf |
See COTS. Software products that are packaged and available for purchase. |
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Common Gateway Interface (CGI) |
A specification for transferring information between a World Wide Web server and a CGI program. A CGI program is any program designed to accept and return data that conforms to the CGI specification. The program could be written in any programming language, including C, Perl, Java, or Visual Basic.
CGI programs are a common way for Web servers to interact dynamically with users. Many HTML pages that contain forms, for example, use a CGI program to process the form's data once it's submitted. Another increasingly common way to provide dynamic feedback for Web users is to include scripts or programs that run on the user's machine rather than the Web server. These programs can be Java applets, Java scripts, or ActiveX controls. These technologies are known collectively as client-side solutions, while the use of CGI is a server-side solution because the processing occurs on the Web server.
One problem with CGI is that each time a CGI script is executed, a new process is started. For busy Web sites, this can slow down the server noticeably. A more efficient solution, but one that it is also more difficult to implement, is to use the server's API, such as ISAPI or NSAPI. Another increasingly popular solution is to use Java servlets. |
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Common Messaging Calls |
A programming interface specified as the standard API for X.400 and other messaging systems. |
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Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) |
An architecture standard developed by the Object Management Group (OMG) that enables objects to communicate with each other regardless of the programming language or operating system. |
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Communication Protocol |
An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol determines the following:
the type of error checking to be used
data compression method, if any
how the sending device will indicate that it has finished sending a message
how the receiving device will indicate that it has received a message. |
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Compile |
To create an executable program from source code. |
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Compiler |
A program that translates source code into object code. The compiler derives its name from the way it works, looking at the entire piece of source code and collecting and reorganizing the instructions. Thus, a compiler differs from an interpreter, which analyzes and executes each line of source code in succession, without looking at the entire program. The advantage of interpreters is that they can execute a program immediately. Compilers require some time before an executable program emerges. However, programs produced by compilers run much faster than the same programs executed by an interpreter. Every high-level programming language (except strictly interpretive languages) comes with a compiler. |
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Component |
A self contained application module. Refers to the design of any system composed of separate components that can be connected together. The beauty of modular architecture is that you can replace or add any one component (module) without affecting the rest of the system. The opposite of a modular architecture is an integrated architecture, in which no clear divisions exist between components.
A component technical architecture category. Each component from the component technical architecture are divided into manageable, actionable sub-components for buy-lists (technology products) and configurations.
The term modular can apply to both hardware and software. Modular software design, for example, refers to a design strategy in which a system is composed of relatively small and autonomous routines that fit together. |
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Component Object Model |
A model for binary code developed by Microsoft. The Component Object Model (COM) enables programmers to develop objects that can be accessed by any COM-compliant application. |
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Component Technical Architecture |
A set of design principles, technologies, standards, products and configurations, divided into technology components, that make up the architecture. |
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Componentware |
Defines how real world "things" - invoices, orders, products, customers, etc. interact and describes the behaviors which can be expected from each application component. Componentware provides a common framework and terminology for business uses and technology organizations to naturally describe the business and technology relationships. |
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Computer Aided Drafting |
See CAD. A combination of hardware and software system used by engineers and architects to design. In addition to the software, CAD systems require a high-quality graphics monitor; a mouse, light pen, or digitizing tablet for drawing; and a special printer or plotter for printing design specifications. |
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Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) |
A category of software that provides a development environment for programming teams. CASE systems offer tools to automate, manage and simplify the development process. These can include tools for:
Summarizing initial requirements
Developing flow diagrams
Scheduling development tasks
Preparing documentation
Controlling software versions
Developing program code |
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Concatenate. |
To link together. To join two character strings. |
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Conceptual Architecture |
The broad-based information technology principles and best practices that guide the architecture. It is framed by five interlocking domains: data, application, infrastructure, security and governance. |
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Confidentiality |
The property that information is not made available or disclosed to unauthorized individuals, entities, or processes. |
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Configuration |
A defined specification of approved 'buy list' technology products. For example: Configurations for acquiring a PC desktop model. (also see Buy-List) |
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Configuration Assessment, Reviews and Audits |
Are formal reviews of the configuration management processes used within a technology segment project and/or operation/maintenance activities. The review has articulated measurement criteria and is reported to project and enterprise management. These reviews are the cornerstones to ensuring compliance to CM policies, processes and procedures. |
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Configuration Item |
Is a discrete, documented element for a system or project that will be placed under configuration management processes -- change identification and control, status accounting and archiving processes. A group(s) of configuration items are the building blocks for a baseline. |
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Configuration Management |
Is a collection of defined methods, processes, procedures and tools that control project/system/applications deliverable(s) in terms of release and revision. It includes a system of procedures that monitors emerging scope against the baseline scope. Lastly, includes the formalized identification and storage of the elements (configuration items) that are under control.
To set up and manage a program or computer system for a particular use or application.
A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to: identify and document the functional and physical characteristics of a configuration item; control the changes to those characteristics; record and report change processing and implementation status; and verify compliance with specific requirements. |
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Consistency |
The transaction property that ensures a database is always left in a consistent state, regardless of the success or failure of the transaction. |
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Contain |
Refers to a type of strategy used in developing transition plans from current information technology environments to the targeted environment. Contains denotes technology that has no overriding business needs to immediately replace; however, no new product purchases should be made. |
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Content Exchange |
The interchange of information and documents between applications and individuals. |
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Continuous Availability |
An availability requirement for around the clock availability, all year long, with no planned or unplanned outages; sometimes referred to as 7 by 24 availability. |
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Control Phase |
The Project Management Phase during which the project plan is executed with periodic inspections to verify that the project deliverables are on track and are meeting customer needs. |
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Conversation |
Synchronous communication between two applications or entities. The sender establishes a connection to the receiver, sends and receives transactions and terminates the conversation. Both ends of the communication maintain state information to enable the programs to track and control the communication exchange. |
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Cooperative Computing |
The use of multiple communicating software programs to solve a user's business problem. |
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CORBA |
See Common Object Request Broker Architecture. A standard architecture for developing distributed object management applications. It is described in documents produced by the Object Management Group (OMG). |
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Correctness |
The degree to which a system or component is free from faults in its specification, design, and implementation.
The degree to which software, documentation, or other items meet specified requirements.
The degree to which software, documentation, or other items meet user needs and expectations, whether specified or not. |
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COTS |
Commercial Off-The-Shelf. Refers to software that is readily available for purchase in the marketplace. |
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Coverage Analyzer |
Ensures testing completeness by monitoring code, path and branch coverage. |
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CPI-C |
Common Programming Interface - Communications. An X/Open API for SNA communications. |
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CPU |
Central Processing Unit.
The part of a computer that carries out the instructions that make up a program. |
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Critical Design Review |
A walk-through to verify that the detail design of one or more configuration items satisfy specified requirements. |
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Cryptographic Checkvalue |
Information that is derived by performing a cryptographic transformation (see cryptography) on the data unit. Note: the derivation of the checkvalue may be performed in one or more steps and is a result of a mathematical function of the key and a data unit. It is usually used to check the integrity of a data unit. |
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Cryptography: |
The art and science of creating messages that have some combination of being private, signed and unmodified with non-repudiation. Writing in (encryption) or deciphering (decryption) secret code is necessary for transforming information (messages and data) into a form unreadable by anyone without a decryption key. The Data Encryption Standard (DES), a 64 bit block cipher, symmetric algorithm also known as Data Encryption Analog (DEA) by ANSI and DEA-1 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), are common encryption products.
The discipline that embodies principles, means, and methods for the transformation of data in order to hide its information content, prevent its undetected modification, and prevent its unauthorized use. |
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CSD |
Consolidated Service Desk |
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CSDN |
Circuit Switched Data Network. |
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CSF |
Critical Success Factor. |
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CSMA/CA |
See also IEEE 802.3.
See also 1BASE5, 1BASET
See also 10BASE2, 10BASE5, 10BASET.
See Carrier-Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance. A LAN access technique similar to CSMA/CD, except that collisions are not detected. Recovery from a collision is relegated to the communications software. |
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CSMA/CD |
See IEEE 802.3.
See 1BASE5, 1BASET
See 10BASE2, 10BASE5, 10BASET.
Carrier-Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection. A LAN access technique in which multiple stations connected to the same channel are able to sense transmission activity on that channel, and defer the initiation of transmission while the channel is active. Also referred to as a contention access. Examples are: Ethernet, IEEE 802.3, ISO 8802/3. |
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CSPDN |
The Circuit Switched Public Data Network is a broadband packet switched public data network. |
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CSR Workstation |
Customer Service Representative Workstation: usually contains the client application within the distributed environment. |
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CSS |
Cascading Style Sheets |
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CSU |
Channel Service Unit |
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CTI |
Current Technology Index. |
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CTI (Computer Telephony Integration). |
Integrates voice communication systems (i.e., telephones) with mainframes, minicomputers, and PCs. See also, IVR. |
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CUI |
Cognitive User Interface. A proactive interface that supplies knowledge and interacts with the user to assist in accomplishing tasks. The knowledge provided may consist of procedural knowledge, factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and role knowledge. |
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Customer Architecture |
Describes and guides the creation of customer solutions. |
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Customer Benefits |
The completed project should indicate an improvement in the department's ability to perform its mission, a reduction in the cost to provide a service, and/or better compliance with control agencies mandates. This is a list of the benefits addressed in the problems/opportunities statements identified in the Project Charter and/or the Feasibility Study Report (FSR). These are best if stated in terms that can be measured or at least easily observed. |
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Customer Information Control System (CICS) |
Customer Information Control System, a TP monitor from IBM that was originally developed to provide transaction processing for IBM mainframes. It controls the interaction between applications and users. |
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Customer Representative |
A member of the Core Project Team responsible for ensuring that the project's results will work in the operational level of the business. The voice of the customers or users most affected by the final results of the project. There may be more than one if there are multiple users or customer groups affected by the project. |
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Cyberspace |
The universe of networked computers. |
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D |
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DAP |
Directory Access Protocol. |
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DASD |
Direct access storage device.
Mainframe data storage device. Usually a disk drive. |
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Data |
The term data is often used to distinguish binary machine-readable information from textual human-readable information. For example, some applications make a distinction between data files (files that contain binary data) and text files (files that contain ASCII data).
In database management systems, data files are the files that store the database information, whereas other files, such as index files and data dictionaries, store administrative information, known as metadata.
See also "information." |
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Data Access |
The data access layer controls the storing, searching and retrieving of data by computer applications. |
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Data Access Architecture |
The set of standards and rules that govern the programs, commands, and interfaces associated with the capture, access, and delivery of data. |
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Data and Data Repositories Technology Segment |
Is one of the technology building blocks for the overall support of a multi-tier environment. In such an environment, data is defined and managed in parallel, but separate from individual applications. These functions, processes and processes steps deal with a collection of Enterprise data files and repositories and the associated systems to maintain enterprise information for access by Enterprise users, applications and collaborative systems. |
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Data Architecture |
A consistent and universal representation of the "things of significance" which must be recorded, reported and accounted for in a business information environment. These "things of significance" are relevant to the enterprise's activities and requests (e.g., a Customer, a Claim, an Employer Account). The Data Architecture provides vision, principles and best practices promoting an information environment that:
Encourages the sharing of information throughout the department and with other government agencies
Maximizes the information assets available to support the department's knowledge workers and executive management
Provides a blueprint for the development of a departmental information infrastructure that is inter-operable, extendible,
scaleable, accessible, responsible, and easy to use. |
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Data Base |
A set of related data tables that are organized as a group. An electronic means of storing/accessing data. The three main types are: flat file/sequential, hierarchical and relational. |
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Data Dictionaries |
Table(s) where data in a file or data base are listed/defined so that ad hoc report generation is facilitated. |
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Data Flow Diagrams |
A depiction of data sources, data storage, and processes performed on data as nodes, and logical flow of data as links between the nodes. |
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Data Integrity |
The property that data has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. |
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Data Manager |
Software and/or hardware that stores, retrieves, and manipulates instances of one or more data types. |
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Data Mart |
A database, or collection of databases, designed to help managers make strategic decisions about their business. Whereas a data warehouse combines databases across an entire enterprise, data marts are usually smaller and focus on a particular subject or department. Some data marts, called dependent data marts, are subsets of larger data warehouses.
See Data Warehouse. |
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Data Mining |
A class of database applications that look for hidden patterns in a group of data. Data mining is the process of discovering meaningful new correlation's, patterns and trends by sifting through large amounts of data stored in repositories, using pattern recognition technologies and statistical and mathematical techniques. For example, data mining software can help retail companies find customers with common interests. The term is commonly misused to describe software that presents data in new ways. True data mining software doesn't just change the presentation, but actually discovers previously unknown relationships among the data. |
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Data Mining |
Advanced techniques for discovering unknown facts, patterns, and relationships in databases. Statistical analysis that is usually associated with data warehousing. |
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Data Modeling |
A description of the organization of a database. It is often created as an entity relationship diagram. Today's modeling tools allow the attributes and tables (fields and records) to be graphically created. The SQL code that defines the data structure (schema) in the database is automatically created from the visual representation.
Incorporates entity relationship and data relationship methods to transform a business model into a system design and database. |
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Data Normalization |
In relational database design, the process of organizing data to minimize duplication. Normalization usually involves dividing a database into two or more tables and defining relationships between the tables. The objective is to isolate data so that additions, deletions, and modifications of a field can be made in just one table and then propagated through the rest of the database via the defined relationships. There are three main normal forms, each with increasing levels of normalization:
First Normal Form (1NF): Each field in a table contains different information. For example, in an employee list, each table would contain only one birth date field.
Second Normal Form (2NF): No field values can be derived from another field. For example, if a table already included a birth date field, it could not also include a birth year field, since this information would be redundant.
Third Normal From (3FN): No duplicate information is permitted. So, for example, if two tables both require a birth date field, the birth date information would be separated into a separate table, and the two other tables would then access the birth date information via an index field in the birth date table. Any change to a birth date would automatically be reflected in all tables that link to the birth date table.
There are additional normalization levels, such as Boyce Codd Normal Form (BCNF), fourth normal form (4NF) and fifth normal form (5NF). While normalization makes databases more efficient to maintain, they can also make them more complex because data is separated into so many different tables. |
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Data Replication |
The process of creating and managing duplicate versions of a database. Replication not only copies a database but also synchronizes a set of replicas so that changes made to one replica are reflected in all the others. The beauty of replication is that it enables many users to work with their own local copy of a database but have the database updated as if they were working on a single, centralized database. For database applications where users are geographically widely distributed, replication is often the most efficient method of database access. |
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Data Transfer |
The movement or copying of data from one location to another. |
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Data Warehouse |
A system of cataloging and storing outputs from legacy systems for easy access and retrieval.
Development of a data warehouse includes development of systems to extract data from operating systems plus installation of a warehouse database system that provides managers flexible access to the data. |
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Database Gateway |
Database gateways provide a way to access one or more databases or file systems through a single, consistent API. Gateways are primarily useful for read-only decision support applications that use pre-planned queries into a subset of enterprise databases. |
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Database Server |
A computer in a LAN dedicated to database storage and retrieval. The database server is a key component in a client/server environment. It holds the database management system (DBMS) and the databases. Upon requests from the client machines, it searches the database for selected records and passes them back over the network.
A database server and file server may be one in the same, because a file server often provides database services. However, the term implies that the system is dedicated for database use only and not a central storage facility for applications and files. |
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Databuss |
A line used to transmit data between the CPU chip and RAM/memory. |
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DBI |
Device Bay Interface. Will allow desktops and notebooks to share peripheral devices (hard drives, CD ROM, DVD's, tape drives, etc.) and to add new devices without opening the chassis. |
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DBMS |
Database Management System. A software system that manages the organization, retrieval, and integrity of potentially large quantities of data, in a structured way. DBMSs are often classified by the paradigm used to access the data. Hierarchical DBMSs organize data in a logical tree, where data items are related with "parent," "siblings," and "children" data items. Network DBMSs allow any data item to be related to any other data item. Relational DBMSs portray data in two dimensional tables, which can be constructed as desired by the program. Object Oriented DBMSs store data as a set of information about an "object," which is an abstraction of an entity in the real world.
See also RDBMS. |
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DCE |
Distributed Computing Environment. OSF's comprehensive, integrated set of services that support the development, use, and maintenance of distributed applications. It includes remote procedure call, network time service, distributed file service, security service, and distributed name service. |
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DCE |
Distributed Computing Environment. |
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DCOM |
Distributed Common Object Model primarily sponsored by Microsoft. |
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DDE |
Dynamic Data Exchange. |
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DDM |
Distributed Data Management. A proprietary architecture for transparent access to data, whether local or remote, in a distributed SNA environment. |
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De facto Standard |
Standards, usually defined by a single vendor, that have become accepted because they are already widely used in the marketplace and that are more likely to change. |
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De-jure Standard |
Standards that involve very extensive review processes and formal approval procedures, resulting in robust standards that change little over time. |
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Debugger |
A special program used to find errors (bugs) in programs. A debugger allows a programmer to stop a program at any point and examine and change the values of variables. |
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Decision Support Services (DSS) |
An information and planning system that provides the ability to interrogate computers on an ad hoc basis, analyze information and predict the impact of decisions before they are made.
DBMSs let you select data and derive information for reporting and analysis and spreadsheets and modeling programs provide both analysis and "what if?" planning; however, any single application that supports decision making is not a DSS. A DSS is a cohesive and integrated set of programs that share data and information. A DSS might also retrieve industry data from external sources that can be compared and used for historical and statistical purposes.
An integrated DSS directly impacts management's decision-making process and can be a very cost- beneficial computer application. See EIS and OLAP. |
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Decision Support Tools |
Tools that allow a user to extract meaningful business information from a data warehouse or data mart. Includes query, reporting, online analytical processing and data mining tools. |
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Defect Tracker |
Captures, assigns and tracks defects (i.e., bugs) throughout the testing process. |
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Deferred Transactions |
Asynchronous communication requests from one application to another, where it is not necessary that all actions actually complete in order for the transaction to proceed to completion. |
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Delivery Assurance |
Communication services that allow an application to determine whether or not a specific message has been delivered to, and received by, the intended process. |
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Deployment |
Is a generic term referring to the definition and delivery of technology that is primarily purchased, installed and integrated into an existing information technology environment. Within this Model, deployment refers to the initial and/or upgrade of technology within the Desktop, Network and Collaborative Technology Segments. |
Deployment Phase
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Users are trained, solution is installed into production at all user locations and a handoff of information is done with the support organization. Solution Life Cycle Phase VI. |
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DES |
Data Encryption Standard. A symmetric algorithm adopted as the U. S. federal standard. |
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Design Phase |
The period of time in the software life cycle, during which the designs for architecture, software components, interfaces, and data are created, documented and verified to satisfy requirements. Solution Life Cycle Phase III. |
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Design Review |
A process or meeting during which a system, hardware or software design is presented to project staff, managers, acquirers and users for comment and/or approval. |
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Desktop Database |
Databases used to develop workgroup databases and applications which will not be used across division boundaries. |
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Desktop Technology Segment |
Is a technology segment within the organization Multi-tier Support Model of the Infrastructure Tier. Desktop, along with the Networks, makes up the Infrastructure Tier of the Model. It refers to a collection of technologies (hardware, software and tools) that an organization user utilizes for the generation, manipulation, retrieval, transmission and storage of business information. This includes desktop systems, printers, scanners and so forth. |
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Development |
Is a generic term referring to the Function, Processes and Process Steps for the definition and delivery of technology that is primarily specified, designed, developed and implemented. Within this Model, development refers to the initial and/or upgrade of technology within the Enterprise Application and Database components. |
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Development Phase |
During this phase the team creates the solution components and performs tests to demonstrate readiness for seeking acceptance. Solution Life Cycle Phase IV. |
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Development Repository |
A software built and maintained resource that stores components created through the development process along with descriptive information about the components and their interfaces. |
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DFS |
Distributed File System. A file system that provides a single directory tree for Windows NT. |
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DHCP |
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. |
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DHTML |
See Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language. See also HTML. |
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DIB |
Directory Information Base. |
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Digital |
Anything in computer-readable format, usually stored on a hard drive, tape, disk or storage medium. Discrete numerical representation of information vs. Analog.
Anything represented in binary format (zeroes and ones). |
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Digital scanners. |
Devices that digitize hardcopy or pictures into computer files. |
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Digital Service Unit (DSU) |
Data Service Unit /Channel Service Unit. The DSU is a device that performs protective and diagnostic functions for a telecommunications line. The CSU is a device that connects a terminal to a digital line. Typically, the two devices are packaged as a single unit. You can think of it as a very high-powered and expensive modem. Such a device is required for both ends of a T-1 or T-3 connection, and the units at both ends must be from the same manufacturer. |
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Digital signature |
Provide for unique tagging of selected information in data and messages; this tagging can be used to prove origin identity and verify designated recipient receipt when non-repudiation services are implemented.
Data appended to, or a cryptographic transformation (see cryptography) of, a data unit that allows a recipient of the data unit to prove the source and integrity of the data unit and protect against forgery, for example, by the recipient. |
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DIMM |
Dual In-line Memory Module. See also SIMM. |
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Directory Access Protocol |
A set of protocols for accessing information directories. |
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Directory Services |
A network service that identifies all resources on a network and makes them accessible to users and applications. Resources include e-mail addresses, computers, and peripheral devices such as printers. Ideally, the directory service should make the physical network topology and protocols transparent so that a user on a network can access any resource without knowing where or how it is physically connected.
Virtually all directory services are based on the X.500 ITU standard, although the standard is so large and complex than no vendor complies with it fully. |
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Disaster Recovery Plan |
The plan that describes how an organization plans service resumption to respond to events which disrupt normal operations. |
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Distributed Component Object Model |
An extension of the Component Object Model developed by Microsoft to support object distributed across a network. An extension of the Component Object Model (COM) to support objects distributed across a network. DCOM was developed by Microsoft and has been submitted to the IETF as a draft standard. Since 1996, it has been part of Windows NT, and is also available for Windows 95. |
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Distributed Data. |
Data resides in more than one location. |
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Distributed Database |
A database that consists of two or more data files located at different sites on a computer network. Because the database is distributed, different users can access it without interfering with one another. However, the DBMS must periodically synchronize the scattered databases to make sure that they all have consistent data. |
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Distributed Processing. |
The database resides entirely on the server in this configuration. However, execution of the application is done partly on the client workstation and partly on the server. (Three tier). See also RDA for two tier. |
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Distributed Transaction |
Multiple processing events on multiple systems. |
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DIT |
Acronym for Distributed Information Technology. Areas of IT expertise in the customer branches and not in the ITB. |
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DLL |
Dynamic Link Library. |
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DLPI |
Data Link Provider Interface. DLPI is the UNIX standard interface between the Link Layer and the Physical Layer. DLPI is defined by UNIX Systems Laboratory (USL). |
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DMI |
Desktop Management Interface, sponsored by the DMTF, defines standards for instrumenting personal computer hardware and peripherals. |
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DMTF |
Desktop Management Task Force. |
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DNS |
See Domain Name Service: The system that locates the IP address corresponding to the named computer (or domain) on the Internet. |
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DNS |
Domain Name Server. A system by which computers on the Internet translate their numeric IP addresses to more friendly names. |
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Domain Architecture |
A major technology area of which the component technology architecture is based. The architectural domains are the: |
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Domain Name Service |
Domain Name Service (or System), an Internet service that translates domain names into IP addresses. Because domain names are alphabetic, they're easier to remember. The Internet however, is really based on IP addresses. Every time you use a domain name, therefore, a DNS service must translate the name into the corresponding IP address. For example, the domain name www.example.com might translate to 198.105.232.4.
The DNS system is, in fact, its own network. If one DNS server doesn't know how to translate a particular domain name, it asks another one, and so on, until the correct IP address is returned. |
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DOS |
The common name for the Microsoft MS-DOS(r) Disk Operating System and compatible operating systems from other vendors.
A PC operating system. DOS uses a command line interface, where users type commands into the computer, and the computer either digests them or rejects them. See also GUI for another type of interface.
Microsoft MS-Windows(r) provided Graphical User Interface (GUI) into DOS. |
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DQC |
Department Quality Council. |
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DRDA |
Distributed Relational Database Architecture, IBM's composite architecture for relational database access in distributed environments. This architecture comprises IBM's Distributed Data Management Architecture, SNA LU6.2, Formatted Data Object Content Architecture, Character Data Representation Architecture, and rules. |
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DSA |
Directory Service Agent. In OSI, a component of X.500 Directory Service, which interacts with the Directory User Agent to accomplish search requests by user applications. It resides with all, or a portion, of the Directory Information Base (DIB). If the DIB is distributed, one DSA can cooperate with other DSAs to accomplish directory requests from a Directory User Agent (DUA). |
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DSN |
Data Set Name. |
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DSP |
Directory System Protocol. |
|
DSS |
Decision Support Services |
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DSU |
Digital Service Unit |
|
DTD |
Data Type Definition (in SGML). |
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DTP |
Distributed Transaction Processing. Describes the execution of transaction-oriented applications in a distributed processing, client/server environment, based upon industry standards. |
|
Du Jour Standard |
"Standard" defined by the latest technology catch phase with little applicability to current operating needs. To be reviewed for future trends but to be avoided for any critical projects until further analyzed. |
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DUA |
Directory User Agent. In OSI, a component of X.500 Directory Service that requests directory information from the Directory Information Base (DIB), on behalf of user applications.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (program/system). An FEMA-mandated program whereby the organization administers unemployment benefits to self-employed individuals whom are impacted by federally-declared disasters within the State of California. |
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Durability |
The transaction property that ensures once a transaction is complete, the database and its recovery mechanisms must reflect that change, immediately and permanently. |
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DVD |
Digital Video Disk. As in DVD-ROM. The next step in the evolution of CD-ROM technology. |
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Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) |
A protocol for assigning dynamic IP addresses to devices on a network. With dynamic addressing, a device can have a different IP address every time it connects to the network. In some systems, the device's IP address can even change while it is still connected. DHCP also supports a mix of static and dynamic IP addresses.
Dynamic addressing simplifies network administration because the software keeps track of IP addresses rather than requiring an administrator to manage the task. This means that a new computer can be added to a network without the hassle of manually assigning it a unique IP address. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use dynamic IP addressing for dial-up users. |
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Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language |
When capitalized, Dynamic HTML refers to HTML extensions that will enable a Web page to react to user input without sending requests to the Web server. Microsoft and Netscape have submitted competing Dynamic HTML proposals to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which is producing the final specification.
Refers to Web content that changes each time it is viewed. For example, the same URL could result in a different page depending on any number of parameters, such as:
Geographic location of the reader
Time of day
Previous pages viewed by the reader
Profile of the reader
There are many technologies for producing dynamic HTML, including CGI scripts, Server-Side Includes (SSI), cookies, Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX. |
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E |
|
|
Early Binding |
See Binding |
|
EBCDIC |
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code.
A coded character set consisting of 8-bit coded characters. See also ASCII and hexadecimal. |
|
EC |
Electronic Commerce. |
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ECC |
Error Correction Code. |
|
ECMA |
European Computer Manufacturers Association. A European trade organization encouraging the ISO standards development activities, in addition to issuing its own specifications and documentation. ECMA is particularly active in the development of higher-level protocols for OSI networking. ECMA membership is open to any computer firm developing, manufacturing, or selling in Europe. |
|
EDI |
Electronic Data Interchange.
A concept addressing the process of business forms interchange, such as orders for goods, or demands for payment, by means of information technology
A definite format standard. Currently, EDI is defined by two different standards, ISO 9735 (EDIFACT-Europe) and ANSI X12 (U.S.), but these standards are converging.
The ability to provide computer-to-computer exchange of information between different businesses. |
|
EDIFACT |
Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce, and Transport. An EDI standard defined in ISO 9735. The standard is primarily supported in Europe. |
|
Editor |
Sometimes called text editor, a program that enables you to create and edit text files. There are many different types of editors, but they all fall into two general categories:
line editors: A primitive form of editor that requires you to specify a specific line of text before you can make changes to it.
screen oriented editors: Also called full-screen editors, these editors enable you to modify any text that appears on the display screen by moving the cursor to the desired location.
The distinction between editors and word processors is not clear-cut, but in general, word processors provide many more formatting features. Today, the term editor usually refers to source code editors that include many special features for writing and editing source code. |
|
Efax |
Electronic fax.
eFax(r) and eFax.com(r). Provider of integrated technology for the multifunction product (MFP) market. |
|
Efficiency |
The degree to which a solution performs its designated functions with minimum consumption of resources. |
|
Eforms |
Electronic forms. |
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EFT |
Electronic Funds Transfer. The act of processing a transfer of cash from one bank account to another by using computers and phone lines. |
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EHLLAPI |
Entry-level High Level Language Application Interface. A programming interface, particularly for personal computer environments, for emulation of 3270 terminals. Used for accessing remote 3270-based applications. |
|
EIA |
Electronics Industries Association. A U.S. trade organization that develops standards in the areas of electrical and electronic products and components. Membership is open to relevant manufacturers. EIA is well known for the RS232C physical interconnect standard. |
|
EIS |
Executive Information System. A form of management information tailored for the higher level "executives" in an organization. Allows more big picture views. |
|
EISA |
Extended Industry Standard Architecture. A high performance microcomputer input/output bus architecture based on the Industry Standard Bus architecture (See ISA). |
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Electronic Document Management |
A combination of databases, indexes, and search engines utilized to capture, store and retrieve electronic documents and images distributed across an organization. |
|
Electronic Mail |
The transmission of messages over communications networks. The messages can be notes entered from the keyboard or electronic files stored on disk. Most mainframes, minicomputers, and computer networks have an e-mail system. Some electronic-mail systems are confined to a single computer system or network, but others have gateways to other computer systems, enabling users to send electronic mail anywhere in the world. Companies that are fully computerized make extensive use of e-mail because it is fast, flexible, and reliable.
Although different e-mail systems use different formats, there are some emerging standards that are making it possible for users on all systems to exchange messages. In the PC world, an important e-mail standard is the Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI). The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standards organization has developed the X.400 standard, which attempts to provide a universal way of addressing messages. To date, though, the de facto addressing standard is the one used by the Internet system because almost all e-mail systems have an Internet gateway. |
|
Electronic payment. |
The act of processing a transfer of cash in order to record a payment by using computers.
See also EFT. |
|
E-Mail |
See Electronic Mail.
Electronic mail messaging using computers. The electronic transmission and storage of messages and attached/enclosed files. |
|
Encipherment |
The cryptographic transformation of clear text (see cryptography) to produce cipher text. |
|
Encryption |
The translation of data into a secret code. Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security. To read an encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables you to decrypt it. Unencrypted data is called plain text ; encrypted data is referred to as cipher text.
There are two main types of encryption: asymmetric encryption (also called public-key encryption) and symmetric encryption. |
|
Enterprise |
Literally, a business organization. In the information technology/computer industry, the term is often used to describe any large organization that utilizes information technology/computers.
Enterprise refers to a collection of organizational entities that make up a specific business. In this case, Enterprise refers to the overall organization and the information technology environment that supports it. |
|
Enterprise Architecture |
An enterprise-wide technical architecture is a business-driven blueprint for the deployment of technology. |
|
Enterprise Architecture Lab |
A group of technology labs that reflect the infrastructure of the enterprise and the BDA which enables/allows real-world testing of new, additional or modified components, hardware and software. The production environment that allows "production testing" of modifications to the production environment. |
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Enterprise Architecture Service (EAS) |
An architecture development service provided by the META Group. |
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Enterprise Network. |
Refers to all telecommunications connectivity (networks) for voice and digital systems across an entire organization. |
|
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) |
Modular suites of business management software that control and integrate finance, distribution, manufacturing, payroll, personnel, inventory and other common business functions and processes. |
|
Environment |
The circumstances, objects and conditions that influence a completed solution; these include political, cultural, organizational, and physical influences as well as standards and policies that govern what the system must do or how it must do it. |
|
EPS |
Encapsulated Postscript. |
|
ERP |
See Enterprise Resource Planning. |
|
Error |
The difference between a computed, observed, or measured value or condition and the true, specified, or theoretically correct value or condition. |
|
Error Prediction |
A quantitative statement about the expected number or nature of faults in a system or component. |
|
ESA |
Enterprise System Architecture. Used with MVS (i.e., MVS/ESA). |
|
ESP |
External Services Provider. |
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ESP |
Execution Scheduling Process. A (batch) Job scheduler. |
|
EurOSInet |
The European organization for testing interoperability between OSI-compliant products. |
|
EWTA |
Enterprise Wide Technical Architecture. |
|
Exception Process |
The process by which customer can gain an exception to the architecture.
Any process which collects and processes exceptions to expected/desired results. |
|
Executive Information System (EIS) |
An information system that consolidates and summarizes ongoing transactions within the organization. It provides executive management with all the information it requires from internal as well as external sources. |
|
Expert Systems |
A software concept to provide automated expert advice on problems of a particular type. The expert system draws on a knowledge base that contains information about how such decisions are to be made. |
|
Extensible Markup Language |
A new specification being developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). XML is a pared-down version of the Standard General Markup Language (SGML), designed especially for Web documents. It enables designers to create their own customized tags to provide functionality not available with HTML. For example, XML supports links that point to multiple documents, as opposed to HTML links, which can reference just one destination each.
Whether XML eventually supplants HTML as the standard Web formatting specification depends a lot on whether it is supported by future Web browsers. So far, the only major browser vendor to endorse XML is Microsoft, which has stated that XML will be supported in a future version of Internet Explorer |
|
Extranet |
A company's deployment of Internet-based architecture for a private business network of several cooperating organizations located outside the corporate firewall. |
|
F |
|
|
Facsimile (FAX) |
A system for the analog-to-digital transmission (usually over a voice grade channel) of a picture, drawing, or document, with digital-to-analog reproduction at the receiving end. |
|
Failover |
Maintaining an up-to-date copy of a database on an alternate computer system for backup. The alternate system takes over if the primary system becomes unusable. |
|
Fast Packet |
Stratacom's(r) name for its implementation of Frame Relay. Commonly used as the "street name" for any vendor's Frame Relay product. |
|
Fault Management |
The discipline of detecting, diagnosing, bypassing, repairing and reporting on network equipment and service failures. |
|
Fault Tolerance |
The ability of a system to respond gracefully to an unexpected hardware or software failure. There are many levels of fault tolerance, the lowest being the ability to continue operation in the event of a power failure. Many fault-tolerant computer systems mirror all operations -- that is, every operation is performed on two or more duplicate systems, so if one fails the other can take over. |
|
FCC |
Federal Communications Commission. |
|
FDDI |
Fiber Digital Data Interface. The recommendation of the ANSI X3T9.5 committee that defines a high-speed fiber optics LAN standard. FDDI is architected as a counter-rotating token passing ring with data transmission speeds of 100-Mbps. |
|
Feasibility |
The degree to which the requirement, design, or plans for a solution can be implemented under existing constraints. |
|
FEP |
Front End Processor. |
|
Fibre Channel |
The recommendation of the ANSI X3T9.3 committee that defines a high-speed fiber optic standard for I/O. The architecture of Fibre Channel is a set of point-to-point serial links connected by a switching network called the fabric. |
|
File Server |
File servers allow users to store files in common areas and enables file sharing and backup. |
|
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) |
The protocol used on the Internet for sending files.
In TCP/IP, a protocol specifying the method for file exchanges between computers. |
|
FIPS |
Federal Information Processing Standard. A functional standard required for US Federal Government procurement of information technology. When a NIST OSI Workshop application portability profile is approved, it becomes FIPS certified. |
|
Firewall |
A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a network. Used to enforce security for network traffic, most commonly used to create a secure connection between a corporate Intranet and an untrusted network.
A security method to protect enterprise data and/or systems from external access and tampering. |
|
Flexibility |
The ease with which a system or component can be modified for use in applications or environments other than those for which it was specifically designed. |
|
Flowchart |
A graphic representation of processes, layouts and complex ideas. |
|
Flowcharting |
Tools used and activities which graphically represent decision process flows, layouts and complex ideas. |
|
Foundation Architecture |
An architecture of functions that supports all subsequent systems architectures, and therefore, the complete computing environment. |
|
FRAD |
Frame Relay Access Device.
Allows use of frame relay without installing frame relay hardware at remote sites.
Short for Frame Relay Assembler/Disassembler, a communications device that breaks a data stream into frames for transmission over a Frame Relay network and recreates a data stream from incoming frames. A Frame Relay router serves the same purpose but provides more intelligence in avoiding congestion. |
|
Frame Relay |
A packet-switching protocol for connecting devices on a Wide Area Network (WAN). Frame Relay networks in the U.S. support data transfer rates at T-1 (1.544 Mbps) and T-3 (45 Mbps) speeds. In fact, you can think of Frame Relay as a way of utilizing existing T-1 and T-3 lines owned by a service provider. Most telephone companies now provide Frame Relay service for customers who want connections at 56 Kbps to T-1 speeds. A CCITT recommendation I.122. Frame Relay is an ISDN packet-mode bearer service that logically separates C-plane and U-plane information. The C-plane provides signaling capabilities for call control parameter negotiation. The U-plane provides defined information, independent of the network control (or C-plane). The standard addresses data communication speeds up to 2 Mbps.
A high-speed packet-switching protocol used for wide-area networks. |
|
Frame Relay/Fast Packet (FR/FP) |
A methodology currently being standardized, for the addressing and content-independent statistical multiplexing of mixed streams of digitized voice and data information. |
|
Framework |
An architectural pattern that provides an extensible template for applications within a domain. |
|
FTAM |
File Transfer, Access, and Management. In OSI, a mechanism for computers to transfer, access, and manage files. See ISO 8571-4. |
|
FTP |
File Transfer Protocol. In TCP/IP, a protocol specifying the method for file exchange between computers.
The standard method for transmission of files between computers over TCP/IP networks. On the Internet, used mostly for downloading software. |
|
FUIP |
Finger User Information Protocol: A simple protocol that provides an interface to a remote user information program (RUIP). |
|
Function |
A set of inter-related roles that support one aspect of the mission of a business. Sales and accounting are examples of business functions.
A defined objective or characteristic action of a solution. |
|
Function Steward |
This is a Manager that is responsible for a defined Technology segment Function(s) in terms of defining the needed processes and reflecting those processes in process steps. The Function Steward is also responsible for ensuring all the pieces (process steps) and ownership are identified. Where ownership is in question, recommendations are made. |
|
Functional Requirement |
A requirement that specifies a function that a solution must be able to perform. Each functional requirement must be traceable through the development process and checked for in each milestone review.
See Requirements Traceability Matrix . |
|
Functional Specification |
A document that specifies the functions that a system or component must perform. |
|
Functions - (Technology Segment Functions |
A collection of related processes that may or may not have a sequential relationship, but are needed to guide the overall support of a specific Multi-tier Technology Segment. |
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G |
|
|
G.711 |
Pulse code modulation. |
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G.722 |
7 kHz audio coding within 64 kbits/s. |
|
G.723 |
Dual rate speech coder for multimedia telecommunications transmitting at 6.4 and 5.3 Kbits/s. |
|
G.728 |
Standard for compressing/decompressing audio into a 16 kbits/s stream. |
|
Gap Analysis |
An analysis of the difference between the baseline "as is" architecture and target architecture.
Analysis identifying any "gap" between where something is (current state), and where it would like to be (desired state). |
|
Gartner Group Magic Quadrant |
A graphical representation chart developed by Gartner Group(r) and used to differentiate information technology products. The Magic Quadrant graphs products or vendors along two axes: 1) ability to execute and 2)completeness of vision. The chart then classifies products and vendors as either: leaders, challengers, visionaries and niche players. Some of the criteria used in these analyses are:
Application Scalability
Architectural Flexibility
Architectural Longevity
Future Transitions
Hardware Commoditization
High Availability
Investment Resources and Commitment
Layered Software Infrastructure
Marketing and Product Strategies
Packaging, Branding, Licensing and Distribution
Performance and Scalability
Scope and Quality of Services and Support
Software Availability and ISV Enthusiasm
Third party Software and Hardware Vendor Market Acceptance. |
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Gateway |
A system that relays information between networks using dissimilar protocols.
Allows network users to share facilities across different network types. |
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GCI |
Common Gateway Interface. |
|
GDMO |
Guidelines for the Definition of Managed Objects. (ISO/IEC 10165-4) A standard that provides developers of managed object class definitions with the information and documentation tools required to produce complete, managed object specifications. |
|
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) |
A digital mapping system used for exploration, demographics, dispatching and tracking. |
|
GIF |
Graphics Interchange Format. |
|
Gigabyte. |
One billion bytes. |
|
GIS |
Geographical Information Systems. |
|
GITP |
Global Information Technology Planning: A methodology used in NCR's Information Technology Architecture Service. GITP ensures business goals drive the use of information and technology that enables the business. |
|
GKS |
Graphic Kernel System. An interface language to program 2-dimensional graphical objects that will be displayed or plotted on appropriate raster graphic and vector graphic devices. |
|
Gopher |
An internet software text tool used to go from one computer network to another, i.e. a hierarchical text database on the Internet.
A browser on the Internet that uses an older, text-based protocol. |
|
GOSIP |
Government Open Systems Interconnection Protocol. U.S. government-specific requirements of OSI. |
|
Governance |
Develops the ongoing organizational structure and processes to:
Monitor adherence to the BDA,
Determine the frequency of BDA reviews,
Identify how and when to modify the BDA,
Create an exception-based technology selection and approval process,
Ensure effective and consistent security across the organization. |
|
GPF (General Protection Fault). |
A system crash. |
|
GQOS Algorithm |
Guaranteed Quality of Service algorithms requires that tasks be started and completed as expected by the user or user's agent. |
|
Graphical User Interface (GUI) |
A program interface that takes advantage of the computer's graphics capabilities to make the program easier to use. Well-designed graphical user interfaces can free the user from learning complex command languages. On the other hand, many users find that they work more effectively with a command-driven interface, especially if they already know the command language.
Graphical user interfaces, such as Microsoft Windows(r) and the one used by the Apple Macintosh(r), feature the following basic components:
Pointer: A symbol that appears on the display screen and that you move to select objects and commands. Usually, the pointer appears as a small angled arrow. Text-processing applications, however, use an I-beam pointer that is shaped like a capital I.
Pointing device: A device, such as a mouse or trackball, which enables you to select objects on the display screen.
Icons: Small pictures that represent commands, files, or windows. By moving the pointer to the icon and pressing a mouse button, you can execute a command or convert the icon into a window. You can also move the icons around the display screen as if they were real objects on your desk.
Desktop: The area on the display screen where icons are grouped is often referred to as the desktop because the icons are intended to represent real objects on a real desktop.
Windows: You can divide the screen into different areas. In each window, you can run a different program or display a different file. You can move windows around the display screen, and change their shape and size at will.
Menu: Most graphical user interfaces let you execute commands by selecting a choice from a menu.
A user interface that provides full graphics capability. The GUI provides a device-independent, consistent user interface across different applications, and is suitable for multimedia applications.
The way people communicate with computers is called an interface. With "GUI," people interact with the computer through graphical symbols, or pictures, called "icons." Therefore, GUI is the "windows" appearance that incorporates a "mouse" and on-screen "icons" to allow users to give commands to the computer. See also DOS for a command-language type of interface. |
|
Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) |
A raster graphics file format developed by CompuServe(r). It supports 8-bit color (256 colors) and is widely used on the Web because the files compress well. |
|
GroupWare |
Provides people with a place to interact, organize, structure, share, discuss and electronically publish large amounts of information. |
|
GUI |
Graphical User Interface. |
|
GUI Builder |
Visual programming software that lets a developer build a graphical user interface by dragging and dropping elements from a toolbar onto the screen. It may be a stand-alone program or part of an application development system or client/server development system. |
|
GUI Tester |
Provides capture/playback, scripting and test execution engine (i.e., harness). Leading tools also provide test planning and management, test results analysis and reporting, and defect tracking. Commonly used for repeated regression testing. |
|
H |
|
|
H.221 |
Frame structure for multiplexing and de-multiplexing audio, video, and data on a communication channel. |
|
H.223 |
Multiplexing protocols for low bit-rate multimedia terminals. |
|
H.230 |
Frame-synchronous control and indication signals for audiovisual systems. |
|
H.231 |
Multipoint control unit for audiovisual systems using digital channels up to 2 MBits. |
|
H.242 |
Feature establishment and negotiation of mutually acceptable capability sets. |
|
H.243 |
Procedures for establishing communications between three or more audio/visual terminals (clients). |
|
H.245 |
Control of communications between multimedia terminals. |
|
H.261 |
(Px64) for video compression and decompression in video conferencing sessions. |
|
H.263 |
Video coding for low bit-rate communication. |
|
H.320 |
Procedures for narrow-band visual telephone systems and terminal equipment. |
|
H.321 |
Visual telephone terminals over ATM. |
|
H.322 |
Visual telephone terminals over guaranteed quality of service LANs. |
|
H.323 |
Visual telephone terminals over non-guaranteed quality of service LANs. |
|
H.324 |
Visual telephone terminals over GSTN. |
|
Harvesting |
Identifying reusable components by examining legacy applications and identifying functions that can be isolated in standalone program modules (i.e., components). |
|
HATP |
High Availability Transaction Processing. |
|
HDLC |
High-level Data Link Control. A bit-oriented data link control protocol developed by the International Organization for Standardization. Defined in ISO 3309 and ISO 4335. |
|
HDSL |
High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line. |
|
HDTV |
High Definition Television. |
|
Hexadecimal. |
A numbering system with a base of sixteen where valid numbers use the digits 0 through 9 and characters A through F (an "A" represents 10 and "F" represents 15). A hexadecimal (hex) number is a 1-byte equivalent of an EBCDIC character (e.g., the 8-bit, 1-byte EBCDIC character of 0010 1101 equates to 2D in hex; the number 1,000 is represented as 3EB in hex). |
|
Hierarchical SNA |
A proprietary communication environment, enabling a PU 5 host end-node and PU 2.0 end-nodes to communicate using the LU-0,1,2,3 protocols. Hierarchical SNA is the traditional SNA, which has been extended with peer SNA (see APPN). |
|
Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) |
A data storage system that automatically moves data between high-cost and low-cost storage media. HSM systems exist because high-speed storage devices, such as hard disk drives, are more expensive (per byte stored) than slower devices, such as optical discs and magnetic tape drives. While it would be ideal to have all data available on high-speed devices all the time, this is prohibitively expensive for many organizations. Instead, HSM systems store the bulk of the enterprise's data on slower devices, and then copy data to faster disk drives when needed. In effect, HSM turns the fast disk drives into caches for the slower mass storage devices. The HSM system monitors the way data is used and makes best guesses as to which data can safely be moved to slower devices and which data should stay on the hard disks. |
|
Highly Cohesive |
An application that performs one business function. |
|
HMMP |
Hyper-Media Management Protocol standard from Microsoft designed to allow access to a repository of CIM instrumentation data. |
|
Home Page |
An address on the Internet that relates to an individual or an institution. |
|
Host |
See node. |
|
HSM |
See Hierarchical Storage Management |
|
HTML |
Hypertext Markup Language. A specification of SGML codes placed in a hypertext document that define fonts, layout, embedded graphics, and hypertext links See Hypertext Markup Language.
Structural page-markup language, with very simple commands for formatting text on a page. Allows the mixing of graphics with text. |
|
HTTP |
Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A protocol with the lightness and speed necessary for a distributed collaborative hypermedia information system.
Used with the Internet/WWW. The TCP/IP that describes the rules that a browser and server use to communicate. |
|
Hub |
A common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of the LAN can see all packets.
A passive hub serves simply as a conduit for the data, enabling it to go from one device (or segment) to another. So-called intelligent hubs include additional features that enable an administrator to monitor the traffic passing through the hub and to configure each port in the hub. Intelligent hubs are also called manageable hubs.
A third type of hub, called a switching hub, actually reads the destination address of each packet and then forwards the packet to the correct port. |
|
HWDC |
Health and Welfare Data Center - Houses the data center and has a strong influence on the architecture. |
|
Hypermedia |
The ability to access monomedia and multimedia information with links. All the various forms of information are linked together so that a user can easily move from one to another. |
|
Hypertext |
The ability to access text information with links.
A method of displaying information located in another location by simply clicking on a highlighted word, picture, or button. Technology that allows navigation between and within large documents, regardless of where users are on the Web. |
|
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) |
The authoring language used to create documents on the World Wide Web. HTML is similar to Standard General Markup Language (SGML), although it is not a strict subset. |
|
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) |
The underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web. HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. For example, when you enter a URL in your browser, this actually sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the requested Web page.
The other main standard that controls how the World Wide Web works is HTML, which covers how Web pages are formatted and displayed.
HTTP is called a stateless protocol because each command is executed independently, without any knowledge of the commands that came before it. This is the main reason that it is difficult to implement Web sites that react intelligently to user input. This shortcoming of HTTP is being addressed in a number of new technologies, including ActiveX, Java, JavaScript and cookies. |
|
HyTime |
Hypermedia, Time-based Structuring Language: HyTime (ISO/IEC 10744) A standardized hypermedia structuring language for representing hypertext linking, temporal and spatial event scheduling, and synchronization. HyTime extends SGML into the realm of hyperlinked and time-based media by adding new elements such as graphics, audio, and video. It is suitable for highly interactive applications. |
|
I |
|
|
IAB |
Internet Architecture (or Activities) Board. |
|
ICAP |
See Internet Calendar Access Protocol |
|
ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol). |
|
|
Icon. |
A symbol on a display screen that a user can point to with a mouse in order to select a particular operation or software application. A key component of GUI. |
|
IDE |
Integrated Development Environment. |
|
Identification |
The procedure by which the identity of a user or process is declared. The entering of a user name or presentation of a token are examples of identification. Identification information is used during the authentication of users or processes. Identification determines the characteristics and information used for identifying IT resources including users, customers, systems and applications. |
|
IDL |
Interface Definition Language. The IDL is a formal language for defining object types by specifying their interfaces. An interface consists of a set of named operations and the parameters to those operations. The IDL is defined by the Object Management Group as a mechanism for documenting interfaces. See Interface Definition Language |
|
IDMS |
Integrated Database Management System. A system used for database management. |
|
IDRP |
Intra-Domain Routing Protocol. A protocol for exchanging dynamic routing information between systems of routers that are owned, operated, or administered by independent organizations. Intra-domain exchange implies a lower degree of trust between the routers than would normally be the case when all the routers are owned, operated, and administered by one organization (intra-domain exchange). |
|
IEC |
International Electrotechnical Committee. A standards organization, equivalent to ISO, but focusing on producing standards related to electrotechnical and safety subjects. Joint founders of JTC1 together with ISO. |
|
IEEE |
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE is a scientific, engineering, and educational society that develops and publishes standards in a variety of electrical engineering and computer-related areas. IEEE membership is open to any dues-paying individual. |
|
IEM (Information Engineering Methodology). |
James Martins' structured methodology for automating business processes. |
|
IETF |
The Internet Engineering Task Force is a task force of the Internet Activities Board, charged with resolving short-term needs of the Internet. See Internet Engineering Task Force |
|
IGES |
Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. Defines the representation of engineering data, including geometric and non-geometric data. |
|
IIOP |
Internet Interface Operation Procedures. See also Internet Inter-ORB Protocol |
|
IIOP |
See Internet Inter Orb Protocol. |
|
Image Database |
A store of images that can be accessed. |
|
Image Library |
Provides a mechanism for storing and retrieving images. |
|
Imaging |
A field of computer science covering digital images - images that can be stored on a computer, particularly bit-mapped images. Computer imaging is a wide field that includes digital photography, scanning, and composition and manipulation of bit-mapped graphics. Imaging is often called digital imaging. |
|
IMAP |
Internet Message Access Protocol. Allows mobile users to store messages on a central server, a laptop, or in archive folders; request message parts; and share a mailbox with others. |
|
IMAP4 |
See Internet Message Access Protocol Version 4. |
|
IMTC |
International Multimedia Teleconference Consortium. A group of manufacturers with Microsoft and Intel promoting transparent communications between different platforms and operating systems. |
|
Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) |
Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) of a solution/system. Is performed by an organization that is technically, managerially and financially independent of the developing organization. |
|
Industry Architecture |
Guides the integration of systems with industry-specific components to create industry solutions for targeted customer problems. |
|
Information |
The summarization of data. Technically, data are raw facts and figures that are processed into information, such as summaries and totals. Data in the context to a specific situation. |
|
Information Architecture |
The set of standards and rules that govern the programs, commands, and interfaces associated with the generation of information from data and subsequent delivery of the generated information. |
|
Information Architecture Model |
An organizational view of the set of standards and rules that govern the programs, commands, and interfaces within an information architecture. |
|
Information Broker |
An application that brings together information consumers and information providers. It accepts requests for information services from consumers and provides responses by using domain-specific knowledge, as well as information from various information providers. An information broker is typically constructed to assist a wide audience of potential users. |
|
Information Consumer |
A person or application that makes requests for information. |
|
Information Engineering. |
A structured approach to optimizing system performance. |
|
Information Providers |
A person or application that creates or obtains data and provides information to an information consumer. |
|
Information Technology Enterprise Architecture Framework |
Refers to the conceptual view of how technology is defined, delivered and utilized within a given organization. For the organization, the Information Technology Enterprise Framework is the Business Driven Architecture (BDA). This covers the entire technical framework within the organization. |
|
Information. |
Information is the data and description of data (data about data). Data are simply facts - without context, without referents. If a business process adds A to B and ends up with C, then A, B, and C are each data. If an application stores A, B, and C with a description that puts them into usable context, then the result is not just data; it is information. |
|
Infrastructure Architecture |
A managed computing environment including N-tier client/server. It consists of logical elements, physical elements, carrier services, protocols, client and server hardware, platforms, operating systems, database environments, distributed computing services, and supporting management functionality. |
|
Initialize. |
In programming, setting all variables to their default values and resetting the point of execution to the first executable line of code. |
|
Initiate Phase |
The "initial" Project Management Phase during which the identification and evaluation of alternatives are conducted to complete the concept and definition of the project. |
|
INSA |
Integrated network services architecture |
|
Instrumentation |
Defines the mechanism for monitoring or polling a specified resource within the runtime domain. |
|
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) |
A programming environment integrated into an application. For example, Microsoft Office applications support various versions of the BASIC programming language. You can develop a WordBasic application while running Microsoft Word. |
|
Integration Testing |
The process of testing the interfaces between individual application components or modules. This is considered white-box testing and is most often done by the development groups themselves or representatives from the groups. |
|
Integrity |
The property that ensures information has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. |
|
Intelligent Agents |
Software entities that assist people and act on their behalf. Intelligent agents have the following properties:
Autonomy - ability to operate with the direct intervention of humans or others and have some control over their actions and internal state
Social Ability - ability to react with other agents and humans
Reactivity - ability to perceive their environment and respond in a timely fashion to changes that occur in the environment
Pro-Activeness - able to exhibit goad directed behavior by taking the initiative |
|
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) |
Interactive voice response allows interactive query/manipulation of information and/or data repository. Typical access device is via an ordinary touch-tone telephone, via the RBOC/CLEC call distribution "router" and voice response "scripting." |
|
Interconnectability |
The ability to physically link two or more elements within a computing environment, to transmit data between the elements. |
|
Interface |
The application interface allows applications to communicate with people and other applications. |
|
Interface Definition Language (IDL) |
A language used to describe the interface to a routine or function. For example, objects in the CORBA distributed object environment are defined by an IDL, which describes the services performed by the object and how the data is to be passed to it. |
|
Interface Specification |
A document that specifies the interface characteristics of an existing or planned system or component. |
|
International Engineering Task Force (IEFT) |
Founded in 1986, the IETF is a mostly volunteer organization of working groups dedicated to identifying problems and proposing technical solutions for the Internet. It facilitates transfer of ideas from the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) to the Internet community and is supported by efforts of the Internet Society (ISOC). The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) provides architectural guidelines for the IETF, and the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG) provides overall direction. |
|
Internet |
The worldwide system network using TCP/IP protocols connecting myriad private, campus, and government computer systems.
The nation-wide "network." A group of networks that communicate with each other via TCP/IP, modems, copper wire, fiber-optic cables, microwave towers or satellite dishes.
See WWW, the World Wide Web. |
|
Internet Calendar Access Protocol (ICAP) |
An interface protocol for group calendaring and scheduling over the Internet that is expected to be endorsed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standards group. |
|
Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP) |
A protocol developed by the Object Management Group (OMG) to implement CORBA solutions over the World Wide Web. IIOP enables browsers and servers to exchange integers, arrays, and more complex objects, unlike HTTP, which only supports transmission of text. |
|
Internet Message Access Protocol Version 4 |
A standard mail server protocol expected to be widely used on the Internet. It provides a message store that holds incoming e-mail until users log on a download the mail. |
|
Internet Server |
A server that provides access to the Internet or Intranet. |
|
Internet Server Application Programming Interface (ISAPI) |
An API for Microsoft's IIS (Internet Information Server) Web server. ISAPI enables programmers to develop Web-based applications that run much faster than conventional CGI programs because they're more tightly integrated with the Web server. In addition to IIS, several Web servers from companies other than Microsoft support ISAPI. |
|
Internet/E-Commerce |
Defines the technologies, standards and guidelines for seamless platform independent inter-enterprise business communications and universal access to business information. With special focus on electronic commerce, this architecture addresses security, industry standards for exchanging data, and the need to involve your external business partners in this strategy. |
|
Interoperability |
The demonstrable ability of two or more elements within a computing environment to exchange information in a form required for conducting useful work. |
|
Interpreter |
A program that executes instructions written in a high-level language. There are two ways to run programs written in a high-level language. The most common is to compile the program; the other method is to pass the program through an interpreter.
An interpreter translates high-level instructions into an intermediate form, which it then executes. In contrast, a compiler translates high-level instructions directly into machine language. Compiled programs generally run faster than interpreted programs. The advantage of an interpreter, however, is that it does not need to go through the compilation stage during which machine instructions are generated. This process can be time-consuming if the program is long. The interpreter, on the other hand, can immediately execute high-level programs. For this reason, interpreters are sometimes used during the development of a program, when a programmer wants to add small sections at a time and test them quickly. In addition, interpreters are often used in education because they allow students to program interactively. |
|
Intranet |
Any proprietary private network utilizing Internet technologies to enable users to communicate and access information within an organization's boundaries. Defines the technologies, standards and guidelines for seamless platform independent intra-enterprise business communications and universal access to business information.
An internal "net" that uses the Internet as a backbone. (See also, LIN.) |
|
IP |
Internet Protocol. The TCP/IP standard protocol that defines the IP datagram as the unit of information passed across an Internet, and provides the basis for connection-less, best-effort, packet delivery system. IP includes the ICMP control and error message protocol as an integral part.
Used in establishing Internet addresses, i.e., IP addresses. See also TCP/IP. |
|
IPC |
InterPersonal Computer. A new network computing device. See also network computer and SIPC. |
|
IPL |
Initial Program Load or Initial Program Loader. A maintenance activity, usually associated with mainframes. |
|
IPX |
Internet Packet eXchange. A communications protocol used to route messages from one node to another. |
|
IRC |
Internet Relay Chat. A multi-user chat system, with which people meet on "channels" to talk in groups, or privately. |
|
IRDS |
Information Resource Dictionary System. An evolving standard for an information system that keeps track of information processing resources, including data, application software and databases, and system design. An information resource dictionary can be used to support software development and maintenance, track redundant data and systems, and perform impact analysis. Standardization of the interfaces and functions of an information resource dictionary will support, over time, the integration of vendor software development tools, the portability and reuse of information system resources, and the implementation of information standards and policies. |
|
IS |
Information Systems. |
|
ISA |
Industry Standard Architecture. A common microcomputer input/output bus architecture. |
|
ISAM |
Indexed Sequential Access Method. See also VSAM. |
|
ISAPI |
Internet Server API. See Internet Server Application Programming Interface |
|
ISDN |
Integrated Services Digital Network |
|
ISDN |
Integrated Services Digital Network. A communication standard enabling a variety of mixed digital transmission services to interconnect. Part of the physical layer of the OSI reference model. A basic (192 Kb/s) interface is defined in CCITT I.430, and a primary (1544/2048 Kb/s) interface is defined in CCITT I.431. |
|
ISDN |
Integrated Services Digital Network. A dialup transmission service that offers high transmission speeds and supports a large number of voice, data, and video functions concurrently. |
|
ISO |
International Standards Organization. The ISO was founded with the aim of reaching international agreement on standards. ISO membership is open to national standards organizations. ISO solicits comments from other groups as well, including ECMA, IEEE, NIST, and CCITT. ISO has coordinated their work with IEC by founding JTC1. |
|
ISO |
International Standards Organization. |
|
Isochronous Communication |
A communications mechanism that guarantees bandwidth availability within specified timeframes. Isochronism is a requirement for multimedia applications that require a predictable bandwidth, and the synchronization of multiple information streams (for example, voice and video). |
|
Isolation |
The transaction property that requires each transaction to see a consistent database at all times. In other words, no transaction is allowed to see partial results (updates) from another transaction. |
|
ISP |
International Standardized Profile. A functional standard that has been formally ratified by ISO. ISPs are used to obtain international harmonization on the use of standards. OSI functional standards are an example.
Internet Service Provider. |
|
ISPF |
Interactive System Productivity Facility. |
|
Issue Resolution Form |
Used to document issues and concerns that pose barrier to the progress or success of a project and their resolution(s). |
|
Issue Resolution Log |
Listing of each issue, originator, priority, date identified, current status, responsible party for resolution of, date by which resolution required, date issue last worked on, and the date issue is resolved. |
|
ISV |
Independent Software Vendor(s). |
|
IT |
Information Technology |
|
IT Management |
IT Branch Senior Manager that assigns projects to Project Managers and authorizes the expenditure of resources on IT activities. Project Managers directly report to this level. This is the person or persons who work with the Customer Sponsors and Representatives to prioritize projects, track projects and help resolve issues. |
|
ITB |
Information Technology Branch - ITB approves the architecture, architecture revisions and exceptions. |
|
ITDQC |
Information Technology Department Quality Council |
|
Iteration |
The process of performing a sequence of steps repeatedly, in an "iterative" or spiral approach. |
|
ITET |
Information Technology Executive Team |
|
ITSMT |
Information Technology Senior Management Team |
|
ITU-T |
International Telecommunications Union - Technology. |
|
IVR |
See Interactive Voice Response.
Think of IVR as voice computer. See also, CTI. The phone keypad becomes the data-entry mechanism. |
|
IXC |
IntereXchange Carrier. |
|
J |
|
|
JAD |
Joint Application Development. A structured system development methodology that actively involves customers and system developers. Originated by IBM(r). |
|
Java |
Sun Microsystem's(r) new Internet programming language/interpreter, applet viewer, debugger tool used for access to networked resources. |
|
Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) |
A Java API that enable Java programs to execute SQL statements. |
|
JCL |
Job Control Language. Identifies a (batch) Job, the PROCedures, Program(s) and files that Job will execute, and the physical location from which to read/write/transmit data. |
|
JDBC |
Java Database Connectivity. |
|
JDK |
Java development kit. |
|
JES |
Job Entry Subsystem. A method to access a system. |
|
JIT |
Just in time. |
|
JITT |
Just-in-time training. |
|
Joint Photographic Experts (JPEG) |
An ISO standard for compressing still images that is popular due to it high compression capability. |
|
JPEG |
Joint Photographic Expert Group. The ISO/IEC draft international standard for still-image compression. See Joint Photographic Experts. |
|
JTAG |
Joint Test Action Group. A group founded by IEEE to define testing standards for devices. |
|
JTAPI |
Java Telephony Application Program Interface. A specification that promises to unite applications for computer, telephone, and World Wide Web. |
|
JTC1 |
Joint Technical Committee. A committee founded by ISO and IEC to develop global standards and ISPs within the areas of information technology systems and equipment. Similar to ISO, membership of a JTC1 is limited to delegations from national standards organizations. |
|
K |
|
|
Kb |
Kilobyte. One thousand bytes. |
|
Kerberos |
A trusted third-party authentication service, based on the Needham and Schroeder model, used in a distributed environment, where each client trusts the Kerberos server to identify the other clients on the network. |
|
Key |
A sequence of symbols that controls the operations used in a cryptographic transformation during encipherment.
A piece of data that can be used to encrypt or decrypt a given message and provides evidence of the message exchange that cannot be denied or repudiated
|
|
Key Management |
The generation, storage, distribution, deletion, archiving, and application of keys in accordance with a security policy. |
|
Knowledge Management. |
Not a technology but a concept; a way of doing business. Incorporates four processes - gathering, organizing, refining, and disseminating. Each of these is supported by products, which in turn are supported by technologies and each can be achieved through automation, through human intervention, or, most commonly, both.
Gathering (pulling, searching, data entering, OCR, and voice). The bringing in of information and data into the system.
Organizing (cataloging, filtering, linking, and indexing). The process of associating items to subjects, giving them context, making them easier to find.
Refining (contextualizing, mining, projecting, compacting, and collaborating). The process of adding value by discovering relationships, abstracting, synthesizing, and sharing.
Disseminating (flowing, pushing, sharing, and alerting). Getting the knowledge to the people who can use it. |
|
L |
|
|
LAN |
Local Area Network. A LAN is a means by which multiple workstations and/or servers interconnect to share common peripheral devices and data with a single location.
A network linking terminals, programs, storage, and graphic devices at multiple work sites, over a relatively small geographic area. See Local Area Network.
A network linking terminals, programs, storage, and graphic devices at multiple work sites, over a relatively small geographic area. See Local Area Network.
Two or more PCs connected together to share data and programs. |
|
LAN Manager |
A network operating system that provides LAN services and APIs for LAN interconnection of workstations and servers. |
|
LAP/LAPB |
A modified form of HDLC that CCITT chose as the link level protocol for X.25 networks. LAPB provides for the reliable transfer of a packet from a computer to an X.25 packet switch, which then forwards the packet to its destination. |
|
Late Binding |
See Binding. |
|
LDAP |
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (Internet).
Enables intranet and Internet directory integration (i.e., a mechanism for sharing data across directories). |
|
LEC |
Local-Exchange Carrier. The local public telco utility. See RBOC, CLEC. |
|
Legacy System |
Definitions run from 'Anything in production (Gartner Group) ' to' Anything in production for some time', 'some time' not being defined. The organization's definition of Legacy Systems is: the old mainframe systems that have been in production for years supporting UI, DI, TAS etc.
Term for automated systems developed using older technology that typically resides on mainframes as host-based or closed systems. Legacy systems are usually key systems in the business operations of an organization. |
|
Levels of Response (Tiers) |
Is a customer support term used to define and articulate procedures followed by a service center and/or help desk to log, track, resolve, escalate and close out requests for information technology service. In many service center or help desk models there are three defined levels of service and these are referred to as Tiers. |
|
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) |
A protocol used to access a directory listing. LDAP is implemented in Web browsers and e-mail programs that can query a LDAP compliant directory. |
|
LIN (Local Internet Network). |
A version of the Internet designed for internal use by an enterprise. (See also, Intranet.) |
|
LLC |
Link Level Control layer defined by IEEE 802.x.
Limited Liability Corporation. |
|
Load Balancing |
The fine tuning of a computer system, network or disk subsystem in order to more evenly distribute the data and/or processing across available resources. For example, in clustering, load balancing might distribute the incoming transactions evenly to all servers, or it might redirect them to the next available server. |
|
Load Management |
A service that provides efficient use of computing resources by automatically regulating the number of copies of a software service that are running on a particular computer; also known as "load balancing" and "load leveling." |
|
Load Tester |
Provides multi-user, stress, volume and performance testing. |
|
LOB |
Acronym for Large Object. A database field that holds any digitized information including text, images, audio and video.
Line of Business. |
|
LOC |
Line of code |
|
Local Area Network |
A data communications system that serves a small geographic area. |
|
Local Authentication |
Authentication that takes place on a mobile device locally, such as with smart cards to control platform accesses.
See Authentication. |
|
Local Confidentiality |
Confidential functions applied to encrypt local information on a mobile device. |
|
Logging |
Storage of event information onto stable storage for later use in accounting, error recovery, performance analysis, and the like.
"Logging on" refers to initial procedures and protocol used to establish an online session and access, etc. |
|
Loosely Coupled |
Program logic is not dependent on other applications to successfully complete processing functions. |
|
LU |
Logical Unit. In SNA, the representation within the network of an end user. It serves as a port of logical access into the network. An LU establishes the communications connection between end users of the network. |
|
LU-0, 1, 2, 3 |
Logical Unit Type 0, 1, 2, 3. Four proprietary communication protocols used in a hierarchical SNA environment. LU-0 represents communication between special applications, LU-1 between a host application and a remote batch terminal, LU-2 between a host application and an IBM 3270 display terminal, and LU-3 between a host application and a printer in the 3270 Information Display System. |
|
LU-6.2 |
Logical Unit Type 6.2. In SNA, a specific LU type used for interprocess communication between (normally physically separated) peer processes. |
|
LU-A |
Logical Unit Application (LU-A) programming interface enables communication with SNA host application programs that support logical unit (LU) types 0,1,2, and 3 architecture. LU-A is a standard interface that is intended to better enable development and transportability of these applications. It is primarily used for LU Type 0 communications. |
|
M |
|
|
MAC |
Media Access Control.
"Mac" is slang for the Apple Macintosh (r) computer. |
|
Machine language. |
Program code in the form of instructions that have meaning to and can be acted upon by the computer hardware and OS employed. |
|
Magic Quadrant |
See Gartner Group Magic Quadrant |
|
Mainframe |
A very large computer capable of supporting hundreds, or even thousands, of users simultaneously. In the hierarchy that starts with a simple microprocessor at the bottom and moves to supercomputers at the top, mainframes are just below supercomputers. In some ways, mainframes are more powerful than supercomputers because they support more simultaneous programs. But supercomputers can execute a single program faster than a mainframe. The distinction between small mainframes and minicomputers is vague, depending really on how the manufacturer wants to market its machines. |
|
Mainstream |
Technologies that are widely used and supported in the marketplace.
Refers to the status of specified technology within the overall business computing market. It denotes that a product is considered to be stable, robust in functionality, and the prevailing trend for the defined strategic planning period - the leader in its class. |
|
Maintainability |
The ease, with which a solution can be modified to correct faults, improve performance or adapt to a changed environment. |
|
Maintenance Phase |
Operation and support of the solution; maintenance and enhancement projects are initiated as needed.
Additionally, some analysis occurs while the solution is being supported-includes the Post-Implementation Review Report, ongoing problem logging and assessments on maintainability. Solution Life Cycle Phase VII. |
|
MAN |
Metropolitan Area Network. |
|
Management Information System (MIS) |
Refers to a class of software that provides managers with tools for organizing and evaluating their department. |
|
MAPI |
Messaging Application Programming Interface. Microsoft's API, application interface. Messaging Application Program Interface. An interface that enables messaging and mail services within other applications executing within the Windows environment. |
|
Mapping |
Term for connecting business information to application systems.
A term loosely applied to any activity where relationships are established and maintained throughout the duration of the activities lifecycle. See Requirements Traceability Matrix. |
|
Masquerade |
The impersonation of a different authorized user or process. Masquerade is usually used to attempt to gain access to otherwise unauthorized resources. |
|
MAU |
Multi-Station Access Unit: A configuration in which each station is connected to the stations to its right and to its left; data, however, is passed only in one direction from station to station. |
|
Mb |
Megabyte. One million bytes. |
|
MCA |
Micro Channel Architecture. A system bus architecture, originally developed by IBM, which is used for microcomputers. |
|
MCVS |
Mapped Conversational Verb Set. A proprietary, abstract API to the application services of the LU-6.2 protocol. BCVS defines an API to the system services of LU-6.2. |
|
MEA |
Mail-Enabled Application. |
|
Mechanism |
A design pattern that applies to a society of classes. It is a set of abstractions that work together to carry out a common behavior. |
|
Message |
Arbitrarily long sequences of bytes that typically represent a "unit of meaning" to the application processes that send and receive it. |
|
Message Broker |
Message brokers are logical hubs that copy and resend messages to one or more destinations. A message broker is an intelligent third party (hence a "broker") between information sources and information consumers. The purpose of this architectural type is to integrate independently designed application domains (e.g., new applications, purchased applications and legacy applications). Unlike service-oriented architectures, message brokers assume that the interfaces of the participating applications are inconsistent and therefore provide specific, customizable integration services. Message brokers transform messages from the incoming message format to different output formats; temporarily store messages in a message warehouse to be retransmitted at a later time; and organize and execute complex, multistep business procedures through flow-control (workflow) services. Thus, message brokers make it possible to re-engineer business processes without re-engineering all the application programs and databases. However, message brokers are overkill for use within one application system where everything is new and programs and databases are compatible. |
|
Message Oriented Middleware (MOM) |
Message passing middleware that typically use message queues. See Message Queue |
|
Message Passing |
A one-way transfer of information from one application to another. |
|
Message Queue |
A collection of messages waiting to be delivered. See Store and Forward and Publish and Subscribe. |
|
Message Routing |
A feature of the communication service that ensures that a message is delivered even through the communications path may traverse many intermediate points before arriving at its final destination. |
|
Messaging |
Any store-and-forward system, including voice mail, fax mail, and e-mail. |
|
Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) |
A programming interface that enables an application to send and receive mail over the Microsoft messaging system. |
|
Metadata |
Data about data. In database management systems, data files are the files that store the database information, whereas other files, such as index files and data dictionaries, store administrative information, known as metadata. Metadata describes how and when and by whom a particular set of data was collected, and how the data is formatted. Metadata is essential for understanding information stored in data warehouses. Data that describes data. |
|
Methodology |
A body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline. An architecture methodology employs a particular procedure or set of procedures for defining and/or building an architecture. The specific way of performing an operation that implies precise deliverables at the end of each stage |
|
MHEG |
Multimedia and Hypermedia Experts Group defining standards for representing multimedia and hypermedia objects. MHEG expresses objects in final nonrevisable form and is therefore unsuitable for highly interactive applications, however, due to its inherent real-time nature, it is suitable for presentation of real-time objects. ( ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29). |
|
MHS |
Message Handling System. Electronic mail facility part of the OSI reference model in the application layer. Defined in CCITT X.400. MHS is also the common name for a proprietary electronic mail service defined by Novell, Inc. |
|
MHz |
Mega Hertz. An indicator of a PC's processing speed. |
|
MIB |
Management Information Base. The collection of variables that together present a virtual representation of the state of all constituents of a managed network. MIB II is a recent modification of the definition and structure of a minimum set of variables, test points and controls that a complete SNMP implementation is expected to support. |
|
MIB |
Management Information Base. |
|
MICR |
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. A mechanism using a special character font and special ink containing ferromagnetic particles. MICR is typically used in the banking industry to expedite the proofing and routing of demand deposit checks. |
|
Microsoft Products. |
Windows, Windows NT/2000, Windows 9598, Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, MS mail, SQL Server, SNA Server, Systems Management Server (SMS), and MS Exchange/Outlook. |
|
Middleware |
Software that connects two otherwise separate applications. For example, there are a number of middleware products that link a database system to a Web server. This allows users to request data from the database using forms displayed on a Web browser, and it enables the Web server to return dynamic Web pages based on the user's requests and profile.
The term middleware is used to describe separate products that serve as the glue between two applications. It is, therefore, distinct from import and export features that may be built into one of the applications. Middleware is sometimes called plumbing because it connects two sides of an application and passes data between them. Common middleware categories can include:
TP monitors
RPC systems
Object Request Brokers (ORBs)
Message Passing.
A term used to describe in general terms the software that handles common functions for accessing, distributing and displaying data between locations that store data and locations that receive data.
A layer of software between an application and a DBMS that is used to oversee all transaction processing. |
|
MIDI |
Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A standard developed and administered by the MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA). The interface between a computer and musical devices with digital outputs. |
|
MIF |
Management Information Format specified by the DMTF for DMI. |
|
Migrate |
Refers to a type of strategy used in developing transition plans to shift the current information technology environment within an organization to the strategic, targeted environment. Migrate denotes technology that has a current impact on the organization's ability to transition from the current environment to the strategic environment. Replacement of this technology should be planned and the plan executed.
Software/Hardware/etal components "migrate" through phases of their specific development lifecycle and are implemented. |
|
Migration Plan |
A series of plans and action steps taken to move from the baseline to the target BDA architecture. |
|
MIME |
Multi-Purpose Internet Mail Extensions.
Defines what most SMTP messages actually look like. |
|
MIPS |
Millions of Instructions Per Second. A term used to quantify processor performance. |
|
MIS |
Management Information System. |
|
Mission Critical |
Supporting a central business function of the department. For example: the automated systems supporting claims payments are mission critical.
A term used to identify and emphasize any activity, component, module, process, etc. which is deemed "critical" to the overall success of the project (mission). These activities become milestones for the project planning, and subordinate activities/components etc become their dependencies. |
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MMS |
Manufacturing Message Specification. The Application Layer protocol designed to support messaging communications to and from programmable devices in a Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) and Process Control environment. This environment is referred to as the set of services for remote programming of devices, although provisions of such a set of services may be subject to future standardization. MMS is a key element of the Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP). |
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MMX |
MultiMedia eXtension. |
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Mnemonic |
A shorthand representation of a command or function using alpha/numeric characters to assist the user (e.g., C for center, U for underline, etc.). |
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Modeling |
Simulating a condition or activity by performing a set of equations on a set of data. |
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Modem |
MOdulator/DEModulator. A hardware device that allows personal computers to connect to telephone lines. Used for PC dial up and Internet access. |
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Modularity |
The degree to which a solution or system is composed of discrete components such that a change to one component has minimal impact on other components. |
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Module |
In software, a module is a part of a program. Programs are composed of one or more independently developed modules that are not combined until the program is linked. A single module can contain one or several routines.
"Module" implies "modular" design. See Component. |
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MOF |
Managed Object Format used to define data for CIM. |
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MOMA |
Message Oriented Middleware Association. |
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Monolithic |
A monolithic application implements the presentation, business rules and data access logic as part of one program. |
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Mosaic |
A popular browser utility for the World Wide Web, that lets the user read, post, and respond to messages in a UseNet newsgroup using a mouse. |
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Motif |
A window management system defined by the OSF. Motif has an MS Windows look-and-feel, and uses X Windows as a display service. |
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MOTO |
Mail Order / Telephone Order. |
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Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) |
An ISO standard for compressing video. MPEG is a lossy compression method, which means that some of the original image is lost.
The ISO/IEC draft international standard for motion-video compression. |
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MPP |
Massively parallel processing |
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MS-DOS |
An operating system developed by the Microsoft Corporation. It is the most popular operating system for personal computers. See DOS, Windows(r). |
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MTA |
Message Transfer Agent. |
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MUA |
Mail User Agent |
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Multicast |
A communication service that allows a single message to be delivered to a subset of the service's users. |
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Multimedia |
The use of computers to present text, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an integrated way. Nearly all PCs are capable of displaying video, though the resolution available depends on the power of the computer's video adapter and CPU. Because of the storage demands of multimedia applications, the most effective media are CD-ROMs. |
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Multiplexer |
Electronic equipment that allows two or more signals to pass over one communications circuit. |
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Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) |
A common method for transmitting non-text files via Internet e-mail, which was originally designed for ASCII text. MIME encodes the files using one of two encoding methods and decodes it back to its original format at the receiving end. |
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Multitasking |
A mode of operation that provides for concurrent performance, or interleaved execution of two or more tasks.
See Operating System. |
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Multithreading |
Concurrent operation of more than one path of execution within a computer.
See Operating System. |
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Multi-tier Support Model Segment |
See Technology Segment |
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Mutual Authentication |
An exchange of identities and credentials from users to computers, client programs to server programs, or server programs to client programs where one party verifies the other's identity. See Authentication. |
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MVS (Multiple Virtual Storage). |
An operating system for medium to large batch and online environments, such as that used with mainframe computers at HWDC. See also, VM. |
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N |
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NC |
Network computer |
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NCA |
Network Computing Architecture (Oracle(r)). |
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NCD |
Network computing device |
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NDIS |
Network Driver Interface Specification describes the communication driver interfaces for DOS and OS/2 LAN Manager environments. |
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NEAF |
NCR Enterprise Architecture Framework: An umbrella framework for the various NCR architectural elements comprised of the GITP Methodology, the NCR Architecture Continuum, NCR's Standards Information Base, and collateral material including NCR's Architecture knowledge and resource base and tools. |
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Nested |
An expression applied to procedures that call other procedures within an application. |
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NetBEUI |
NetBIOS Extended User Interface. A communications protocol for LANs. |
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NetBIOS |
Network Basic Input Output System. A LAN software set of APIs that provides a standard interface between applications and networks resources. It contains a standardized set of software interrupts and function calls for establishing and using network sessions, and for sending datagrams. |
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Netscape Server Application Programming Interface (NSAPI) |
API for Netscape's Web servers. NSAPI enables programmers to create Web-based applications that are more sophisticated and run much faster than applications based on CGI scripts. |
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Network Computer |
Also known as, thin client, Internet toaster, Internet appliance, and Internet device. An emerging concept that relies on the network for virtually all software, services, processing, data, and resources thus relegating the PC to a "dumb terminal" similar to mainframe operations. In this concept, the Internet could be used as the network. See also IPC. |
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Network File System |
A transparent file access mechanism that uses TCP/IP to allow heterogeneous cooperating computers to access each other's file system as if they were local. NFS hides the differences between local and remote files by placing them in the same name space. NFS was originally designed for UNIX systems, but has been implemented on many systems, such as DEC minicomputers, the Apple Macintosh, and the IBM personal computer. |
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Network Interface Card (NIC) |
An expansion board you insert into a computer so the computer can be connected to a network. Most NICs are designed for a particular type of network, protocol, and media, although some can serve multiple networks. |
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Network Management Forum |
OSI/Network Management Forum is a consortium of vendors whose aim is to speed the adoption of OSI network management through implementation agreements reached between the members. |
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Network Management Framework |
A method of discovery and display representing the entire network to allow easy monitoring of every device. |
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Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) |
Short for Network News Transport Protocol, the protocol used to post, distribute, and retrieve USENET messages. |
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Network Operating System (NOS) |
An operating system that includes special functions for connecting computers and devices into a local-area network (LAN). Some operating systems, such as UNIX and the Mac OS, have networking functions built in. The term network operating system, however, is generally reserved for software that enhances a basic operating system by adding networking features. |
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Network Printer |
A computer printer connected to the network. |
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Network Technology Segment (Network) |
Within the Model it is defined as the Technology segment within the Infrastructure Domain. Included in the Telecommunication and Network Component are voice and data systems, devices and cabling that allow for the interconnection of the organization's users and system both internally and externally. It also includes the management and control systems needed to operate and maintain these systems, devices and cabling. |
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Networks (Voice and Data) |
Provides the communication infrastructure for the distributed computing and call processing environment. It consists of logical elements (structure, topology, bandwidth, management), physical hardware components (wiring, LANs, hubs) carrier services (frame relay, leased channels, ATM, POTS) and protocols (access, routing, naming). |
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News |
An Internet protocol for usenet newsgroups, similar to bulletin boards, where users chat with each other. |
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NFS |
Network File Server. |
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NIC |
Network Interface Card. |
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NII |
National Information Infrastructure. NII is a nationwide assembly of systems that integrates four essential components -- communications networks, computers and information appliances, information, and people -- using a wide variety of technologies to create a whole new way of learning, working, and interacting with others.
The private sector has primary responsibility for developing and making available the services, products, networks, information, and applications to make the infrastructure possible; the government has an important role as a catalyst in stimulating those efforts. |
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NISO |
National Information Standards Organization. |
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NIST |
National Institute for Standards and Technology. The NIST was established by the US government with the purpose to advance and facilitate the application of US science and technology for public benefit. NIST conducts research and provides technical advisory services to help US Federal agencies acquire and apply computer technology. This is done by publishing a number of FIPS. |
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NLQ |
Natural Language Query. A request to the computing system using a human language rather than a database language. |
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NNTP |
Network News Transfer Protocol. |
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Node (or, host) |
A computer to which other computers can connect. |
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Non-blocking Request |
A request that when made to the message-passing API of the communications service returns immediately so that further processing can occur, even though actual completion of the request may not have occurred. |
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Non-Repudiation |
A security function that provides protection against the denial by one of the entities involved in a communication of having participated in all or part of the exchange. Non-repudiation services provide proof of origin and delivery |
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Normalization |
Eliminate duplication. The process of organizing to minimize duplication.
Creation of a relational database according to five generally accepted rules of normal forms (i.e., the rules of five normal forms). |
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NOS |
Network Operating System. Software that allows a computer to access remote resources through a communications network. Commonly known NOSs are the AT&T StarGROUP LAN Manager, Novell Netware, and Microsoft LAN Manager.
Windows NT, O/S 2, etc. |
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NotePad |
A portable personal computer using pen-based user input.
A tool within MS-Explorer browser. |
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NSAPI |
Netscape Server Application Programming Interface |
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NSM |
Network and systems management |
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N-tier Client/Server |
The application is divided into executable layers or tiers according to function (e.g., interface, business rules, data access or communications) and executes as separate software entities. |
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NUMA |
Nonuniform Memory Architecture |
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O |
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Object |
Generally, any item that can be individually selected and manipulated. This can include shapes and pictures that appear on a display screen as well as less tangible software entities. In object-oriented programming, for example, an object is a self-contained entity that consists of both data and procedures to manipulate the data. An entity that contains data and the procedures used to operate on that data. |
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Object code |
Code in machine-readable form that can be executed by the computers CPU and OS; usually linked with libraries to create an executable file. |
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Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) |
A compound document standard developed by Microsoft Corporation. It enables you to create objects with one application and then link or embed them in a second application. Embedded objects retain their original format and links to the application that created them. Support for OLE is built into the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. |
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Object Oriented Database Management System (OODBMS or ODBMS) |
A database management system (DBMS) that manages objects, which are abstract data types. An object-oriented DBMS (ODBMS) is suited for data with complex relationships that are difficult to model and process in a relational DBMS. It is also capable of handling multimedia data types (images, audio and video).
A relational DBMS is designed to handle numbers, alphanumeric text and dates. It may also support a large object (LOB) field, which holds any binary data (image, video, etc.), but the database program does not manipulate the LOB directly. Another application has to be written or some middleware has to be used to process the LOB. In an object database, a picture or video clip object can include the routine to display it which is dynamically invoked by the DBMS.
Some ODBMSs are entirely object oriented and are accessed from an application program written in an object-oriented programming language. Others allow access via an SQL-like language or derivative. |
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Object Oriented Design |
A software development technique in which a system or component is expressed in terms of objects and connections between those objects. |
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Object Request Broker (ORB) |
A component in the CORBA programming model that acts as the middleware between clients and servers. In the CORBA model, a client can request a service without knowing anything about what servers are attached to the network. The various ORBs receive the requests, forward them to the appropriate servers, and then hand the results back to the client. |
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Object Transaction Monitor (OTM) |
OTM is an emerging type of application server middleware that will combine the mainframe-class quality of service of TP monitors (e.g., availability, performance, integrity and manageability) with the object-based program interfaces offered by ORBs for flexibility and productivity. OTM includes a runtime environment that invokes and manages application programs, sends messages between application programs, and makes the application programs accessible from outside of its own environment. Traditional middleware (e.g., CICS, Tuxedo) can evolve to become OTM by supporting component APIs. |
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Object-oriented |
A method for structuring programs that describes classes of data and operations as "objects." |
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OCC |
Open Cooperative Computing. |
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OCCA |
Open Cooperative Computing Architecture: NCR's foundation architecture. |
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OCN |
Open Computer Network |
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OCR |
Optical Character Recognition. This is a technique for extracting text from a captured image. See Optical Character Recognition |
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OCX |
OLE Custom Controls |
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ODA |
Office Document Architecture. A standard defining the format of general documents, as defined in ISO 8613. ODA recognizes a document as consisting of a generic logical and layout structure, on which presentation and layout styles have been impressed to give a final document. ODA used the ASN.1 notation to represent documents, and uses the ODIF or SGML format standards to interchange documents. |
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ODBC |
Open Database Connectivity.
A "driver" that allows connectivity between different data base systems. |
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ODIF |
Office Document Interchange Format. A standard defining the interchange format of general documents. ODIF is part of the ODA standard. |
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ODP |
Open Distributed Processing. ODP is concerned with the problem of a distributed processing environment, consisting of multiple systems that must cooperate to collectively solve a business problem. A reference model for ODP is currently being defined by the ISO working group JTC1/SC21/WG7. |
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ODS |
Operational Data Store. |
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OEM |
Original Equipment Manufacturer. |
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OLAP |
Online Analytical Processing.
An "analysis" operation. A multidimensional supplement to relational data bases that assists in interpreting data. It attempts to provide answers to questions like, "How much have we spent on health benefits, by month, in division X, in each state, compared with plan?" See also OLTP and ROLAP. |
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OLE |
Object Linking and Embedding.
A method of transferring information in the form of "objects" between different windows applications. |
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OLTP |
On-line Transaction Processing. Refers to process-related (often business process) applications which are primarily process-specific transactions (i.e., create, update, delete). These transactions are run against databases that are structured to provide the most flexibility and the best performance for these types of transactions. OLTP characteristics have a relatively high level of normalization and not well-suited to extensive reporting nor to decision support activities.
An "update" operation. The collection of data via online input. See also OLAP. |
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OMG |
Object Management Group. OMG is a consortium of computer hardware and software vendors including, among others, NCR, DEC, SUN, and Hewlett Packard. It is charged with defining standard architectures and interfaces for the development of distributed object-oriented applications. |
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Omnifont |
Literally "all fonts," this term usually means the ability of optical character recognition software to recognize characters printed in many different fonts and sizes. |
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Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) |
On-line Analytical Processing supports the complex analysis requirements of decision-makers by analyzing data from a number of different business perspectives and by examining historical data to determine trends, demographic analysis, profiling, etc. |
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OO |
Object-oriented |
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OODBMS |
Object Oriented Database Management System. A database management system specifically designed to store and retrieve objects. An object is a combination of a set of data elements and the procedures used to manipulate them. See Object Oriented Database Management System. |
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OOP |
Object-Oriented Programming. |
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Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) |
A standard database access method developed by Microsoft Corporation. The goal of ODBC is to make it possible to access any data from any application, regardless of which relational database management system (DBMS) is handling the data. ODBC manages this by inserting a middle layer, called a database driver , between an application and the DBMS. The purpose of this layer is to translate the application's data queries into commands that the DBMS understands. For this to work, both the application and the DBMS must be ODBC-compliant -- that is, the application must be capable of issuing ODBC commands and the DBMS must be capable of responding to them. |
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Open Systems |
Term for systems that are accessible, flexible, and easily transportable between platforms (e.g., client/server solutions). Opposite of closed or host-based systems (typical of mainframes). |
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Operating System (OS) |
Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
For large systems, the operating system has even greater responsibilities and powers. It is like a traffic cop -- it makes sure that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.
Operating systems can be classified as follows:
multi-user : Allows two or more users to run programs at the same time. Some operating systems permit hundreds or even thousands of concurrent users.
multiprocessing : Supports running a program on more than one CPU.
multitasking : Allows more than one program to run concurrently.
multithreading : Allows different parts of a single program to run concurrently.
real-time: Responds to input instantly. General-purpose operating systems, such as DOS and UNIX, are not real-time.
Operating systems provide a software platform on top of which other programs, called application programs, can run. The application programs must be written to run on top of a particular operating system. Your choice of operating system, therefore, determines to a great extent the applications you can run. For PCs, the most popular operating system is Windows, but others are available, such as Macintosh and Linux. |
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Operation and Maintenance (Operation/Maintenance) |
Is a Function for an Technology Segment and refers to the collection of Processes and Process Steps needed to continually operate and maintain an existing information technology domain, component and/or system. |
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Operational Data Store (ODS) |
Operational data stores are a new version of the concept of shared production data. Like data warehouses, operational data stores generally are populated by regular, periodic extracts from production databases. Some are updated in near real time by replication or message-queuing mechanisms, others by a nightly batch run. When updated in batch, an operational data store resembles a data warehouse, except that it serves predictable, transactional lookups rather than open-ended ad hoc decision support queries. Operational data stores are generally read-only. However, for new applications, the operational data store may serve as the shared (updateable) transaction processing database for new applications. Operational data stores and shared databases can be a good idea when new applications are designed by one group or by cooperating development groups. |
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Optical Character Recognition (OCR) |
A method of scanning characters from a existing hard copy so that the resulting electronic characters can be recognized by computer software. |
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Optimize |
In programming, to fine-tune a program so that it runs more quickly or takes up less space.
To configure a device or application so that it performs better.
When applied to disks, the term means the same as defragment. |
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Orange Book |
A book of computer systems security standards written and published by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). |
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ORB |
Object Request Broker. Object oriented software that locates a required service object, packages a service request and parameters as needed, invokes the requested service object, packages the returned information, and returns the response to the requesting client program. See Object Request Broker |
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ORB |
Object Request Broker. |
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OS |
Operating System. Applications that translate basic instructions, such as keyboard input, to language understood by the computer. The most common operating systems used with PCs are DOS, UNIX, and OS/2.
See Operating System. |
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OSF |
Open Software Foundation. An independent, non-profit, international vendor organization with the goals to specify an open computing environment, develop software based on the specifications, and sponsor research and development in open systems. OSF membership is open to computer hardware and software companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and other interested organizations worldwide. OSF is a member of X/Open, and is committed to deliver X/Open-compliant systems. |
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OSI |
Open Systems Interconnection. A collection of international standards, controlled by ISO, defining the protocols used to enable interconnection and interoperation between systems connected to a local or remote network. OSI is described by the OSI reference model. |
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OSI Reference Model |
A conceptual and functional framework used to characterize the standards defining interfaces in an OSI network environment. The model is divided into seven layers of functionality: physical, data link, network, transport, session, presentation, and application layers. The model is defined in CCITT X.200 (ISO 7498). |
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OSIone |
OSIone is an association of interoperability testing/demonstration agencies that includes OSInet and EurOSInet. It is not a testing or demonstration agency in its own right. |
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OSPF |
Open Shortest Path First. A proposed TCP/IP standard for routing information. The design document is RFC 1131. It uses the SPF algorithm, which scales better than the vector distant algorithm. |
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OTM |
Object Transaction Monitor. |
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P |
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Packet |
Any unit of data sent across a network. |
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Packet Filtering |
Allows blocking of network packets based on various characteristics such as the port number, IP address or other packet header fields. |
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Parity check |
Allows for either redundancy or odd/even checks by means of an appended bit. |
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Parms |
Parameters (Slang). The information that defines or limits JCL. |
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Parsing |
The operation of taking apart a string according to a known format or set of rules (e.g., searching for a particular character or set of characters, and then taking a specified set of actions when found or not found). The way strings are parsed is controlled by a template. |
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Partition |
To separate program functions in layers (e.g., presentation layer, data access layer).
To divide memory or mass storage into isolated sections. In DOS systems, you can partition a disk, and each partition will behave like a separate disk drive. Partitioning is particularly useful if you run more than one operating system. For example, you might reserve one partition for Windows and another for UNIX. |
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PBX |
Private Branch Exchanges. |
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PC Dial Up |
A connection made between personal computers through the use of modems and a standard telephone line. |
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PCBU |
PC Business Unit (Digital Equipment) |
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PCI |
Peripheral Component Interconnect. A local bus specification for personal computers used to connect high speed adapters, particularly display adapters. |
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PCM |
Plug-compatible Manufacturer.
Pulse Code Modulation. |
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PCMCIA |
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. A specification of an interface for adapters and peripherals to a personal computer. It is most frequently used on portable (laptop) computers. |
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PCTE+ |
Portable Computer Tools Environment. An interface specification for software development and support environments, based on the ECMA environment reference model. European manufacturers have agreed to use the PCTE+ specification as the basis for any proposed ISO standards. |
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PCX |
A common image format used in early Paintbrush graphics. |
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PDA |
Personal digital assistant. A hand-held device that will connect to and share data with computers running Windows(r). |
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PDF |
See Portable Document Format . |
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PDS |
Premises Distribution System. The AT&T product used for both voice and data.
Project Data Sheet. A tool used for high-level project planning/controlling activities. Refer to Project Management web site.
A one-page information sheet summarizing current management information about a project. An initial PDS is completed during Project Initiation and is updated throughout the projects lifecycle. |
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Peer SNA |
A proprietary communication standard enabling NT 2.1 end-nodes to communicate on a peer-to-peer basis, across an SNA backbone networks using the LU-6.2 protocol. See also APPN. |
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Peer to Peer |
A distributed application protocol in which "peer" processes have equal rights and capabilities with respect to communications.
Acting as equals, (without a master/slave relationship). |
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Performance |
The degree to which a solution or system accomplishes its designated functions within given constraints, such as speed, accuracy, or memory usage. |
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Performance Specification |
A document that details the performance characteristics and constraints that a system must possess. |
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Performance Testing |
The activity of evaluating the compliance of a system or component to the performance specification. |
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Personal Assistant |
A software program that helps a human user interact with the information processing environment. |
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Personal Productivity Suite |
Desktop productivity tools that typically include word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software tools. |
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Pervasive |
Widely used and accessible. |
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PF |
Program Function. As in "PF" Key on a keyboard. |
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PGP |
Pretty Good Privacy. |
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PHIGS/PEX |
Programmer's Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System. A language to program 2- and 3-dimensional graphical objects that will be displayed or plotted on appropriate devices in interactive environments, and for managing hierarchical database structures containing graphics data. PEX is an extended version of PHIGS. |
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Plan Phase |
The Project Management Phase during which the project organization and the project control procedures are established. |
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Platform |
Defines the computing components of the IT infrastructure, including: the client and server hardware platforms, the operating systems executing on those platforms, and special application services (e.g., database services, e-mail services, etc.) and interfaces supported.
Term for automated environment. Typical platforms are mainframe, PC, and workstation (e.g., Sun). |
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PLP |
Packet Layer Protocol. Standard in the network layer of X.25. Defined in CCITT X.25 and ISO 8208. |
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PnP |
Plug and Play. A reference to the ease with which a systems components can be installed, connected, and/or used. |
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Portability |
The capacity for easy movement of applications and data from one computing environment to another. |
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Portable |
When used to describe hardware, portable means small and lightweight. A portable computer is a computer small enough to carry. Portable computers include notebook and sub-notebook computers, hand-held computers, palmtops, and PDAs.
When used to describe software, portable means that the software has the ability to run on a variety of computers. Portable and machine independent mean the same thing -- that the software does not depend on a particular type of hardware |
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Portable Document Format (PDF) |
The file format used by the Acrobat document exchange system. Used to create non-editable documents for publication. |
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POS |
Point-of-Sale system. |
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POSIX |
Portable Operating System Interface for Computer Environments. A collection of standards developed by the IEEE and ISO, defining a common set of operating system services. The standards cover kernel commands, shell commands, APIs, and verification test suites. In the US, the standards are collectively referred to as the POSIX P1003 series. Internationally, they are known as the ISO 9945 series. |
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POSIX-Compliant. |
Has to do with portability. |
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POTS |
Plain Old Telephone System (standard phone system) |
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PPP |
Point-to-Point Protocol. A Unix version of TCP/IP that works on serial and dial-up connections. |
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PPTP |
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol. Provides a way to securely "tunnel" network traffic across IP networks. |
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Predictive dialing |
A computer generates many outbound calls, then transfers answered calls to a human agent. |
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Preliminary Design |
The process of analyzing design alternatives and defining the architecture, components, interfaces, and timing and sizing estimated for a system. Usually done during the Approach Phase of the system life cycle. |
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Presentation |
The application presentation (or interface) layer allows applications to communication with people and other applications. |
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Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) |
A technique for encrypting messages. PGP is one of the most common ways to protect messages on the Internet because it is effective, easy to use, and free. PGP is based on the public-key method, which uses two keys -- one is a public key that you disseminate to anyone from whom you want to receive a message. The other is a private key that you use to decrypt messages that you receive.
To encrypt a message using PGP, you need the PGP encryption package, which is available for free from a number of sources. The official repository is at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. |
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Principle |
An organization's stated information technology philosophy and/or values.
A decision-making and accountable member of a company's management team. |
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Print Server |
Allows users to send print requests to a server that processes the request and sends it to the requested printer. |
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Private Key |
A key in an asymmetric algorithm; possession of this key is restricted, usually to one entity. |
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Process |
A collection of coordinated, parallel or serial activities that have relationships or constraints among themselves. Processes have a time quality and can be measured from a beginning point to an end point.
Is made up of a collection of steps/activities that are needed to accomplish the Technology segment Function. Activities may have an iterative, sequential or periodic relationship. |
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Process Management |
A systematic, methodological approach to define, manage and improve the steps that comprise the development and maintenance process. |
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Process Model |
A narrative or graphical description of a business process. The model shows the business process inputs and outputs and the flow of the work processes. |
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Process Owner |
This is an Organization Manager that is responsible for a defined Technology Segment Function(s) in terms of implementation of the Processes and Process Steps. This includes service delivery definition and results of the service. This is a manager that will ultimately be the "keeper" of the Processes. |
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Process Steps |
Are activities necessary to complete the work of any process. A process step can include one or more defined tasks. "How" the activities are completed are defined as Procedures and can be linked to each process step. |
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Process Support System/Workflow System |
The combination of a workflow and all the applications that participate in the workflow. |
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Process-Independent Delivery |
A type of message delivery that does not require that the sender and receiver be in direct communication; also known as deferred delivery. |
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Process-to-Process |
A form of data communications where both communicating processes are executing simultaneously and exchanging information in "real-time." |
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Production |
Is a general reference term with the organization referring to system(s) currently under control by the Operation and Maintenance Group of the organization enterprise. These are systems currently being used by the organization users to complete day-to-day business functions. |
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Program |
All of the code required to complete an application.
Any of the organization's internal business divisions exist to oversee the implementation and compliance of their respective legislative bylaws and mandated "program(s)." |
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Program Normalization |
Program normalization can be described in terms of three primary guidelines, or "normal forms." The normal forms are measures of degree; that is, a program in the third normal form is more "normalized" than is a program in the first normal form. The three levels of program normalization include:
The First Normal Form of Programs (1NFp). Here, the program is a black box (i.e., the business logic of a program is encapsulated). This means that the program has a unique identity which, along with its role in the application, is well documented so that the program can be properly selected by a developer. Also, the program's interface (i.e., its input and output parameters, exceptions and the method of invocation) is fully specified and documented. The combination of the clearly defined identity and purpose, along with the clearly defined external interface, enables the program to be found and invoked by a developer who does not know the internal logic of the program. As a matter of fact, if the source code of a program in the 1NFp were lost (or not provided by a software vendor), the program would remain usable for development because of the external specification of the program's purpose and interface.
The Second Normal Form of Programs (2NFp). In addition to adhering to the requirements of the 1NFp, a program at the second normal form of programs performs only a single function (i.e., the program logic is not overloaded; it is invoked for only one purpose). This means that different business functions are implemented in separate programs, so that the same program is not invoked to accomplish different functions. Thus, each function can be managed and maintained separately from all others. The typical sign of a program in the 2NFp is that most of its code is executed every time the program is invoked. The presence of large passages of code that are skipped during execution is usually an indication that the program is not at the 2NFp (i.e., the program serves several purposes and implements several different, although possibly related, functions).
The Third Normal Form of Programs (3NFp). In a program that falls into the third normal form of programs, there is no redundancy (i.e., every function is implemented only once, in only one program). In other words, the purpose for invoking this program cannot be fulfilled through any other program. Clearly then, the 3NFp cannot be implemented by a program in isolation; other programs must comply, too. This level of normalization thus requires a statement of scope: no redundancy within a single application is a more realistic goal than no redundancy within an enterprise. |
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Program to Program Middleware |
Software used to communicate between application programs. |
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Project Data Sheet (PDS) |
A one-page information sheet summarizing current management information about a project. An initial PDS is completed during Project Initiation and is updated throughout the life of the project. |
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Project File |
A central location or formal document that contains the Project Initiation document, the Project Plan, project communications and the Project Closure document. |
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Project Lead |
An individual who is responsible for only part of a project versus the entire project. This can be by organization (business or technical Project Lead) or by activities (initiation, testing, or installation Project Lead). |
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Project Management |
The discipline of initiating, planning, controlling and closing a project.
Refer to Project Management web site. |
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Project Manager |
The Project Manager is responsible for the day to day planning, control and closure of the project. This includes the successful completion of the phase products, on time, within budget and to the specified quality standards. This role leads the Project Team and reports project progress and issues to the Customer and IT Management. |
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Project Objective Statement (POS) |
The POS describes what the project will accomplish (scope), and it can also include when it will be done (schedule), and how much it will cost (resources.) |
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Project Proposal |
Documents the concept and definition of the project. Necessary information to make a decision on the prioritization, funding and whether to proceed.
Refer to Project Management web site. |
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Project Retrospective |
A document that contains the results in which the project team identified what worked well during the project and what they would like to improve on for future projects. This document includes a list of prioritized improvement action items. |
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Project Sponsor |
This person has the authority to fund the project and/or cancel the project. The Project Sponsor is committed to the organization's strategic direction, and usually reports to the customer organization. |
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Project to Maintenance Transition (PMT) Checklist |
A checklist to identify the activities to transition the project to Maintenance, and promote communication of necessary project information to the Maintenance Manager. |
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Protocol |
Agreed on formats for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol determines the following:
the type of error checking to be used
data compression method, if any
how the sending device will indicate that it has finished sending a message
how the receiving device will indicate that it has received a message.
A standardized language that allows computers to communicate. A set of rules relating to format and timing of data transmissions between two devices. See also URL for standard Internet protocols. |
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Proxy Server |
Protects an internal network from the outside world and arbitrates Internet access for the network, allowing or denying access according to various criteria. |
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Proxy Services |
A technique that does not allow traffic to pass directly between external and internal networks. Instead a client establishes a circuit with the proxy, which then sets up a separate circuit to the server. |
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PSDN |
Packet Switched Data Network. |
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PSTN |
Public Switched Telephone Network. |
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PTO |
Public telecommunications operator. |
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PTT |
Post, Telephone, and Telegraph Authority. Government controlled organization providing the indicated services within a given country. |
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PU |
Physical Unit. In SNA, a port of physical access into the network. It is a set of administrative functions performed for a particular node of the network, and it manages resources associated with that node. A PU can be one of four types: PU type 5 - host processor; PU type 4 - communications processor; PU type 2 - programmable terminal; and PU type 1 - non programmable terminal. A fifth node type, commonly referred to as PU-2.1, offers special facilities for peer-to-peer communications between programmable devices. |
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PU-2.0 |
Physical Unit 2.0. A proprietary standard defining an end-node in a hierarchical SNA environment. PU 2.0 end-nodes represent a terminal cluster controller or a remote batch terminal supporting SDLC. |
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PU-2.1 |
Physical Unit 2.1. A proprietary standard defining end-nodes in a peer SNA network environment. A PU-2.1 node can communicate with a PU-5 node or another PU-2.1 node using the LU-6.2 communication protocol. |
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PU-5.0 |
Physical Unit 5.0. A proprietary standard defining a mainframe end-node in a hierarchical SNA environment. |
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Public Key |
A key in an asymmetric algorithm that is publicly available. |
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Publish |
Is the formal process of making available a technology product and/or document. This process is at a minimum controlled by established the organization publication, security and CM processes and procedures. |
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Publish and Subscribe |
One application publishes information and other applications that need the information subscribe to the published information. When a subscriber is ready to receive new information, it checks for new messages in the message queue. |
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Purge |
To systematically and permanently remove old and unneeded data. The term purge is stronger than delete. It is often possible to regain deleted objects by undeleting them, but purged objects are gone forever |
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Q |
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QBE |
Query By Example. A toolkit that provides the capability to perform queries with a forms interface, rather than an SQL text interface. |
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QRAD |
Quality Rapid Application Development. |
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QSAM |
Queued Sequential Access Method. |
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Quality |
The degree to which a solution meets or exceeds specified requirements. |
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Quality Assurance |
Is a planned and systematic means for assuring management that defined standards, practices, procedures, and methods are applied to a project.
A planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that a product or process confirms to established technical requirements.
A set of activities designed to evaluate the process by which products are developed for manufacture. This extends to software development and hardware/systems testing. |
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Quality Improvement |
A measurable and noticeable increase in the level of quality of a process and its resulting product(s). |
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Quality Standard |
A mandated or required quality goal, reliability level, or quality model to be met and maintained. |
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R |
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R&D |
Research and development |
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RACF |
Resource Access Control Facility. A security system for IBM mainframes. |
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RAD |
Rapid Application Development. |
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RAID |
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. A term used to describe certain configurations of disk drives/arrays.
A data storage system. |
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RAM |
Random Access Memory. |
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RAMIS |
Rapid Access Management Information System. An ad hoc tool used in Calstars. |
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Rapid Application Development |
A programming system that enables programmers to quickly build working programs. In general, RAD systems provide a number of tools to help build graphical user interfaces that would normally take a large development effort.
Historically, RAD systems have tended to emphasize reducing development time, sometimes at the expense of generating efficient executable code. Today many RAD systems produce extremely fast code. Conversely, many traditional programming environments now come with a number of visual tools to aid development. Therefore, the line between RAD systems and other development environments has become blurred.
The set of tools, techniques, and methods that results in at least one-order-of-magnitude acceleration in the time to develop an application with no loss in quality compared to using "conventional" techniques. |
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Rapid Data Development (RADD) |
An intensive group process to rapidly develop and define sharable subject area data models involving a facilitator, knowledge workers, and data resource management personnel, using compression planning techniques. |
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RAS (1. Random Access Storage; 2. Remote Access Service). |
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RBOC |
Regional Bell Operating Company. |
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RDA |
Remote Data Access. An ISO standard protocol for communications between a local application and a remote database management system.
The application executes entirely on the client workstation and all calls to the database are sent to a remote location via a network. (Two tier). See also distributed processing for three tier. |
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RDBMS |
Relational Database Management System. A database management system designed to store and retrieve data as a set of tables. The appearance of two or more data elements in a single row of a table constitutes a relationship among the data elements. The entire table of values is called a relation. |
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Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) |
A category of disk arrays (two or more drives working together) that provide increased performance and various levels of error recovery and fault tolerance. RAID can be implemented in software using standard disk controllers, or it can be designed into the disk controller itself. The RAID levels are:
RAID LEVEL 0 - Level 0 is disk striping only, which interleaves data across multiple disks for better performance. It does not provide safeguards against failure, but is given a RAID number because it is used along with other techniques in RAID 3, 4 and 5.
RAID LEVEL 1 - Uses disk mirroring, which provides 100% duplication of data. Offers highest reliability, but doubles storage cost.
RAID LEVEL 2 - Uses Hamming code for high performance and error detection. Data bits are interleaved across multiple disks. Not often used.
RAID LEVEL 3 - High performance and widely used. Data is striped. Parity bits are stored on dedicated drives and used to regenerate lost data.
RAID LEVEL 4 - Similar to Level 3, but manages disks independently rather than in unison. Not often used.
RAID LEVEL 5 - Most widely-used. Data is striped, and parity bits are stored on the data disks.
RAID LEVEL 6 - Highest reliability. Similar to RAID 5, but does two parity computations using two algorithms on the same data or same algorithm on overlapping subsets of the data.
RAID LEVEL 10 - Actually RAID 1,0. A combination of RAID 1 and 0 (mirroring and striping). |
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Relational Data Base. |
A type of database management system (DBMS) that stores data in the form of related tables. Relational databases are powerful because they require few assumptions about how data is related or how it will be extracted from the database. As a result, the same database can be viewed in many different ways.
An important feature of relational systems is that a single database can be spread across several tables. This differs from flat-file databases, in which each database is self-contained in a single table.
A data base where common data elements are connected through their relationships to each other. The relationships are then defined in tables that minimize the need for storing redundant information. |
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Remote Access |
The ability to log onto a network from a distant location. Generally, this implies a computer, a modem, and some remote access software to connect to the network. Whereas remote control refers to taking control of another computer, remote access means that the remote computer actually becomes a full-fledged participant on the network. The remote access software dials in directly to the network server. The only difference between a remote connection and workstations connected directly to the network is slower data transfer speeds. |
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Remote Procedure Call (RPC) |
A type of protocol that allows a program on one computer to execute a program on a server computer. Sun Microsystems developed the first widely used RPC protocol as part of their Open Network Computing (ONC) architecture in the early 1980s. The specification has been handed off to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as a step toward making ONC RPC an Internet standard. |
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Replicated Databases |
Database technology that duplicates data between a central database repository and local databases. A change to a data field is recorded on both the local and central versions of the databases. |
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Repository |
A common database, encyclopedia or knowledgebase that stores data, information or application code. A repository of information about applications software that includes author, data elements, inputs, processes, outputs and interrelationships. A repository is used in a application development system in order to identify objects and business rules for reuse. A software service and an associated information store that manages and provides access to the documentation and runtime components that make up applications. |
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Repudiation |
Denial by one of the entities involved in a communication of having participated in all or part of the communication. |
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Request/reply |
A distributed application protocol between two communicating processes where, by definition, one process may only make requests while the other may only reply. See Remote Procedure Call |
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Requirement |
A condition or capability needed by a user to solve a problem or achieve an objective. Usually identified in terms of essential, desirable, optional, etc.
See Requirements Traceability Matrix. See Mapping.
Refer to SliC or Project Management web site for templates. |
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Requirements Phase |
During this phase the team defines the solution's functionality, interfaces, and detailed performance requirements. Solution Life Cycle Phase II.
Refer to SliC web site. |
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Requirements Traceability |
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Requirements Traceability matrix (RTM) |
See SliC web site, Handbook and its templates in Appendix B.
See PM web site. |
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Retirement Phase |
Once the solution no longer appears to meet business or technical needs, a designated project team initiates solution retirement. Solution Life Cycle Phase VIII.
Refer to SliC web site. |
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REXX |
REstructured eXtended eXecutor. A programming language. |
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RFC |
Request for Comments (RFC) is the mechanism by which the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) documents TCP/IP standards. As an example, RFC 793 documents the basic TCP environment. |
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RHC |
Regional holding company |
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RIP |
Routing Information Protocol: The protocol that routers use to exchange information regarding the location of different routers on an internetwork. |
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RISC |
Reduced instruction set computer |
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Risk Analysis |
Is the act of systematically determining the impact of identified risks on the project. |
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Risk Assessment |
An analysis of events or circumstances that could adversely affect the successful completion of the project. The areas to be considered as per DOIT include strategic, financial, project management, and technological risks, organizational impact and operational risk. |
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Risk Identification |
Lists the potential problem areas for a project. The list includes a description of the risk, probability of the risk occurring, impact and suggested mitigation activities. |
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RJE |
Remote Job Entry. Ability to submit/control batch jobs and receive printed results from remote locations. |
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RMI |
Remote Method Invocation. NCR's implementation of the ability to invoke a method against an object residing on a remote node. |
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ROI |
Return on investment |
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ROLAP |
Relational Online Analytical Processing. See also OLAP. Main difference is the architecture. Where OLAP parses data first, ROLAP analyzes data "on the fly." ROLAP works best with large data bases with constantly changing data. |
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Role |
A set of one or more activities defining the skill set of the person or persons assigned the activities (for example, salesperson or accountant). |
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ROPES |
Remote Online Print Executive System. The print facility used by Calstars. |
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Route |
The sequence of hosts, routers, and other computers that a packet travels over from its source to its destination. |
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Router |
A device that connects two LANs. Routers are similar to bridges, but provide additional functionality, such as the ability to filter messages and forward them to different places based on various criteria. The Internet uses routers extensively to forward packets from one host to another. A hardware device that allows data to be exchanged between networks by using information contained at the network layer of the OSI model.
A device used between two or more networks to exchange computer information. A computer that forwards packets between networks. |
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RPC |
Remote Procedure Call. The extension of the Procedure Call, which is a common mechanism used for transfer of control and data within a program, running on a single computer. Thus, a Remote Procedure Call is this same mechanism extended to provide for transfer of control and data across multiple machines through a communication network.
A protocol for establishing communication links between the client and the server. |
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RS232C |
A standard for interfacing at the physical layer that was originally defined by the Electrical Industries Association as EIA RS232C. Typically, the standard is used to define the connection from Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) to a modem. |
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RTP/RTPC |
Real-time Transport Protocol (Internet); Real-time and Parallel Computing (Internet). |
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RUIP |
Remote User Information Program: A program interfaced to by a simple protocol called a Finger User Information Protocol (FUIP). |
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Rules Engines |
An mechanism through which developers and business professionals can view, modify and manage the rules that govern their business processes and the applications that support them. |
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Runtime Error Detector |
Detects memory-related errors (e.g., leaks, uninitialized memory and reading or writing beyond array bounds) and third-party library problems. |
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S |
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SAA |
Systems Application Architecture. An IBM architecture for a common, standardized core of services and interfaces. SAA contains standards, international as well as proprietary, for common programming interfaces, common communications support, common user access, and common applications.
A set of guidelines that provides for a common: programming interface; communication support; and applications. |
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SAG |
SQL Access Group. A vendor consortium that focuses on standardizing application programming interfaces to SQL-based relational database management systems. |
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SAN |
Storage or System Area Network. SANS are emerging as one way organizations can give users fast access to data without taxing the LAN. This architecture externalizes server storage at the SAN, thus separating data-access traffic from other networking traffic. |
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SARS |
Sysout Archive and Retrieval System. Now called "Prevail/XP." |
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Scalability |
The ability of a system to handle an increase or decrease in transaction volume and capability without re-loading and/or re-configuring software and/or hardware. |
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Scalable Clustering |
Allows clustered groups of workstations running multiple operating systems, applications, and disk arrays to be viewed as a single system. |
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Scaleable |
Able to scale to meet enterprise demands. |
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Scanner |
A device that examines a spatial pattern one part after another, and generates signals corresponding to the pattern that are stored and used by a computer. |
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Scripting |
In multimedia applications, the writing of dialog. |
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SCSI |
Small Computer Systems Interface. The recommendation of the ANSI X3T9.2 committee as a standard interface for connecting peripherals, such as disk drives or printers, to computers.
A standard interface bus between a computer and peripheral devices. |
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SDK |
Software Developer's Kit: A toolkit software package released by program developers to allow custom interfaces with the basic application package; as promoted by Windows SDK, etc. |
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SDLC |
Synchronous Data Link Control. In SNA, a link protocol that is found in the data link control layer. Data is transmitted serially and can be transmitted in either full duplex or half duplex mode. The unit of data that is sent over an SDLC frame is called a BLU (Basic Link Unit) or SDLC frame.
Symmetric Digital Subscriber Loop. |
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SDW |
Software Data Warehouse. |
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Seal |
A cryptographic check value that supports integrity but does not protect against forgery by the recipient (that is, it does not support non-repudiation). |
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Search Engine |
A program that searches documents for specified keywords and returns a list of the documents where the keywords were found. Although search engine is really a general class of programs, the term is often used to specifically describe systems like Alta Vista and Excite that enable users to search for documents on the World Wide Web and USENET newsgroups.
Typically, a search engine works by sending out a spider to fetch as many documents as possible. Another program, called an indexer, then reads these documents and creates an index based on the words contained in each document. Each search engine uses a proprietary algorithm to create its indices such that, ideally, only meaningful results are returned for each query. |
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Search engines. |
Applications that allow you to browse the Internet by searching for a key word or words. Common search engines and their Internet addresses are:
Alta Vista http://www.altavista.digital.com/
Excite http://www.excite.com/
Infoseek http://www2.infoseek.com/
Lycos http://www.lycos.com/
Metacrawler http://metacrawler.cs.washington.edu:8080/
Yahoo http://www.yahoo.com/
(See also, "browser" and URL.) |
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Secret Key |
A key in a symmetric cryptographic algorithm; possession of this key is restricted, usually to two entities. |
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Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) |
New standards that will enable secure credit card transactions on the Internet. SET has been endorsed by virtually all the major players in the electronic commerce arena, including Microsoft, Netscape, Visa, and MasterCard.
By employing digital signatures, SET will enable merchants to verify that buyers are who they claim to be. And it will protect buyers by providing a mechanism for their credit card number to be transferred directly to the credit card issuer for verification and billing without the merchant being able to see the number. |
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Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (S-HTTP) |
An extension to the HTTP protocol to support sending data securely over the World Wide Web. Not all Web browsers and servers support S-HTTP. Another technology for transmitting secure communications over the World Wide Web -- Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) -- is more prevalent. However, SSL and S-HTTP have very different designs and goals so it is possible to use the two protocols together. Whereas SSL is designed to establish a secure connection between two computers, S-HTTP is designed to send individual messages securely. Both protocols have been submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) for approval as a standard. |
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Secure Sockets Layer |
A protocol developed by Netscape for transmitting private documents via the Internet. SSL works by using a private key to encrypt data that's transferred over the SSL connection. Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer support SSL, and many Web sites use the protocol to obtain confidential user information, such as credit card numbers. By convention, Web pages that require an SSL connection start with https: instead of http:
Another protocol for transmitting data securely over the World Wide Web is Secure HTTP (S-HTTP). Whereas SSL creates a secure connection between a client and a server, over which any amount of data can be sent securely, S-HTTP is designed to transmit individual messages securely. SSL and S-HTTP, therefore, can be seen as complementary rather than competing technologies. Both protocols have been submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) for approval as a standard. |
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Security |
A component that cuts across all other components, and is a series of services critical to ensuring the organization 's data is both accessible and protected. Security allows and controls external clients, internal clients, external platforms, internal platforms, mainframe, application data, and information access. |
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Security Architecture |
Defines the architecture that efficiently and effectively manages the enterprise's security environment to support and enhance the productivity of its automated business systems. Security architecture development can include:
Authorization
Authentication
Encryption
Access Controls
Technologies (including - standards, buy lists, configurations)
Identification
Policy
Audit
Administration. |
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Security Audit |
An independent review and examination of system records and activities in order to test for adequacy of system controls, to ensure compliance with established policy and operational procedures, to detect breaches in security, and to recommend any indicated changes in control, policy, and procedures. |
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Security Label |
The marking bound to a resource (which may be a data unit) that names or designates the security attributes of that resource. Note: the marking or binding may be explicit or implicit. |
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Security Policy |
The set of rules and procedures that define how a business manages, protects, and distributes sensitive information. |
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Security Services |
Risk assessment and protection of the physical, intellectual and electronic assets of an enterprise. |
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SEI CMM |
See Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model |
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Server |
A computer or device on a network that manages network resources. For example, a file server is a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files. Any user on the network can store files on the server. A print server is a computer that manages one or more printers, and a network server is a computer that manages network traffic. A database server is a computer system that processes database queries.
Servers are often dedicated, meaning that they perform no other tasks besides their server tasks. On multiprocessing operating systems, however, a single computer can execute several programs at once. A server in this case could refer to the program that is managing resources rather than the entire computer. A computer that provides a resource on the network.
A more powerful personal computer that is used in Local Area Networks to provide shared services to the workstations on the network. Examples of shared functions through a server are: file server, print server, and mail server. |
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Service |
A software component provided by the computing environment that helps another software component (an application or another service) accomplish its function. Directory services, data translation and communications services, encryption services, and time services are examples. |
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Service Oriented Architecture |
Service-oriented architectures are particular style of multi-tier computing that helps organizations share logic and data among multiple related application functions. This architecture type assumes multiple software tiers and usually has thin clients and fat servers (i.e., little or no business logic on the client), but it is more than that. A service-oriented architecture leverages the principle that many aspects of processing logic are inherently tied to the data rather than associated with a particular application. The code associated with a specific task is organized as a modular "service" that can be invoked by one or more "requesters," or software "client" programs. The requester handles the front-end logic, including presentation and flow control, unique to each application and access mode (e.g., Internet, batch or C/S). A service-oriented architecture is a powerful way to design new applications that can closely inter-operate, but it is not applicable for integrating purchased application packages or legacy applications. |
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SESA |
State Employment Security Agency. |
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SET |
Secure Electronic Transaction: A protocol method used to for secure bankcard transactions over open networks. See Secure Electronic Transaction.
Has to do with electronic commerce. |
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SFS |
Shared File System. |
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SGML |
Acronym for Standard Generalized Markup Language. A system for organizing and tagging elements of a document. SGML was developed and standardized by the International Organization for Standards (ISO) in 1986. SGML itself does not specify any particular formatting; rather, it specifies the rules for tagging elements. These tags can then be interpreted to format elements in different ways.
SGML is used widely to manage large documents that are subject to frequent revisions and need to be printed in different formats. Because it is a large and complex system, it is not yet widely used on personal computers. However, the growth of Internet, and especially the World Wide Web, is creating renewed interest in SGML because the World Wide Web uses HTML, which is one way of defining and interpreting tags according to SGML rules. Standard Generalized Markup Language. A standard defining the interchange format of general documents, as defined in ISO 8879. SGML is used to preserve structural and formatting properties of documents, when these are interchanged between different kinds of formatting systems. |
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SGML Language). |
Standard Generalized Markup. |
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S-HTTP |
Secure HTTP supports a variety of security mechanisms to HTTP clients and servers, providing security options appropriate for the World-Wide-Web. See Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol |
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SIMM |
Single In-line Memory Module.
See also DIMM. |
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Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) |
The standard e-mail protocol on the Internet. It is a TCP/IP protocol that defines the message format and the message transfer agent (MTA), which stores and forwards the mail. A protocol for sending e-mail messages between servers. Most e-mail systems that send mail over the Internet use SMTP to send messages from one server to another; the messages can then be retrieved with an e-mail client. |
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SIPC |
Simply Interactive PC. An emerging generation of PCs that will be simpler to operate and cheaper to own. See also IPC. |
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SLIP |
Serial Line Internet Protocol. |
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SMB |
Server Message Block. Communications between the redirector and the server function take place using Server Message Blocks. Different SMBs perform different functions, and a defined record format is associated with each SMB. SMBs are sent across the network using NetBIOS and LAN communication facilities. SMB formats are meaningful to the redirector and the server. |
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SMDS |
Switched Multi-megabit Data Service. AT&T and RBOC service for Metropolitan Area Network communications; based upon 802.6 DQDB, Distributed Queue, Dual Bus. |
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SMI |
Structure of Management Information (ISO/IEC 10165). A multi-part standard for defining the logical structure of systems management information. |
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SMP |
Symmetric Multiprocessing |
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SMS |
System-Managed Storage or Systems Management Server. |
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SMTP |
Simple Mail Transport Protocol. The method for sending and receiving mail in a TCP/IP network. See Simple Mail Transport Protocol.
An Internet message transfer protocol. See also MIME. |
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SMTP/MIME |
Simple Mail Transport Protocol with Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. |
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SNA |
Systems Network Architecture. IBM's proprietary architecture that describes the logical structure, formats, protocols, and operational sequences for transmitting information through a network. The layers include presentation services, data flow control, transmission control, path control, and data link control.
A standard mainframe architecture that employs multiple Controllers and routers to provide system access over a wide area. |
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SNMP |
Simple Network Management Protocol. |
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SNMP/MIB |
Simple Network Management Protocol. In TCP/IP, the services and protocols for transporting management information and commands. The MIB is a management information base that contains SNMP defined formats. |
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Software Configuration Management (SCM) |
Provides links to source code through library management, version control and configuration management. |
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Software Engineering Institute Capability Maturity Model (SEI CMM) |
An organization associated with Carnegie Mellon University devoted to the advancement of software engineering. Its Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is used to assess an organization's ability to manage its software development. The results are stated as adhering to one of five levels: Initial, Repeatable, Defined, Managed and Optimizing. The more an organization depends on formal rules to keep projects on schedule and relies less on individual performers, the higher the ranking. |
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SOHO |
Small Office/Home Office. A term which refers to small business entities. |
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Solution Approach Phase |
The first of eight phases; this is the phase during which the project team describes the business and technical context of the project.
See Approach Phase. |
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SONET |
Synchronous Optical NETwork. An emerging CCITT standard for synchronous transmission, up to multi-gigabit speeds. The standard promises multi-vendor interoperability, improved troubleshooting, and network survivability. As a layer 1 standard, it may become the foundation for broadband ISDN.
Enables high-speed Internet access and advanced applications such as simultaneous voice, video, and data. |
|
Source Code |
Program instructions in their original form. The word source differentiates code from various other forms that it can have (for example, object code and executable code).
Initially, a programmer writes a program in a particular programming language. This form of the program is called the source program, or more generically, source code. To execute the program, however, the programmer must translate it into machine language, the language that the computer understands. The first step of this translation process is usually performed by a utility called a compiler. The compiler translates the source code into a form called object code. Sometimes the object code is the same as machine code; sometimes it needs to be translated into machine language by a utility called an assembler.
Source code is the only format that is readable by humans. When you purchase programs, you usually receive them in their machine-language format. This means that you can execute them directly, but you cannot read or modify them. Some software manufacturers provide source code, but this is useful only if you are an experienced programmer.
The readable form of code created in a high-level language. Source code is converted to machine-language object code by a compiler or interpreter. |
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SPDL |
Standard Page Description Language. A language defining the specification of electronic documents. It comprises black and white, gray scale, or full-color text, images, and geometric graphics, in a form suitable for presentation (printing or displaying on other suitable media). Intended to be extensible to accommodate future developments in imaging technology. |
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Specification and Deployment (Specification/Deployment) |
Is a Function for an Technology segment and refers to the collection of Processes and Process Steps to define, plan, deliver and transition new or upgraded technology into the organization operational environment. A guiding principal within the organization is to deploy and/or develop technology as projects, using standard the organization project management methodologies |
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SPF |
System Productivity Facility. A method of system access. |
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Spooler |
A software or hardware device that pools a service performed by the computer, e.g., pooling of print files. |
|
SPX/IPX |
Sequenced Packet Exchange/Internet Packet Exchange protocol. Novell's proprietary transport stack, which is widely used in DOS-based local area networks. SPX adds to IPX a mechanism for reliable delivery and sequenced packets, which provide a virtual-connection-like guaranteed delivery system. IPX allows the exchange of message packets on an inter-network. With IPX, workstations can communicate directly with other workstations, servers, and devices on the inter-network. |
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SQL |
Structured Query Language. A high-level DBMS query language, defined in ANSI X3.135. See Structured Query Language |
|
SQL (Structured Query Language). |
A language for processing data contained in computer data bases. |
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SRPI |
Server Requester Programming Interface. An IBM API for 3270 communications. |
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SSL |
Secure Sockets Layer (Internet). See Secure Sockets Layer |
|
Standards |
Specifications for hardware/firmware, and software that is widely accepted by a public standards organization. A method, derived from principles and best practices, which is adopted, approved, and enforced.
See Architecture Requirement. |
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Standards and Configuration |
Is a Function for an Technology segment and refers to the collection of Processes and Process Steps to establish the guidelines, definitions and product lists for the organization components and systems. Standards and Configuration Functions, Processes and Process Steps are methods by which the organization ensures technology employed is Maintainable, Scalable and, Manageable. |
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StarLAN |
An implementation of a CSMA/CD standard that connects LAN stations to LAN hubs in a star-wired bus configuration using unshielded, twisted-pair wire. StarLAN exists in two varieties: the original StarLAN with a 1-Mbps signaling speed (1BaseT), and StarLAN 10, which uses a signaling speed of 10-Mbps (10BaseT). |
|
State/Stateless |
Some communication services can be invoked without having first established a preparatory context (i.e. state); while other services do not require a "setup" or special context prior to invocation (stateless). |
|
Static Testing |
Inspections, code analysis (using tools such as code parsers and complexity analyzers), document analysis, the "desk check", inspections, peer reviews, and formal walk-throughs are examples of static testing. Static testing can inexpensively reduce the number of software defects. In addition, the organization can learn by periodically analyzing the defects recorded and removing the root causes, providing the earliest possible defect removal. This type of testing is most often done by the developer's peers or formal review boards. |
|
Static Testing |
Inspections, code analysis (using tools such as code parsers and complexity analyzers), document analysis, the "desk check", inspections, peer reviews, and formal walk-throughs are examples of static testing. Static testing can inexpensively reduce the number of software defects. In addition, the organization can learn by periodically analyzing the defects recorded and removing the root causes, providing the earliest possible defect removal. The developer's peers or formal review boards most often do this type of testing. |
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Status Accounting and Archiving |
Is one of the Functions for the overall Configuration Management technology segment within the the organization Multi-tier Support Model. Status Accounting is one of the major process areas for CM that deals with the activities to store, track and monitor all configuration items. Status accounting and archiving is part of the overall configuration control processes and uses the pre-established configuration identification methods defined by the technology segment project team and/or CM management. |
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STM |
Scientific, Technical and Medical. |
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Storage Management |
Administration of a backup and archival program that moves less timely information to more economical storage media; for example, from magnetic disk to optical disk to magnetic tape. |
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Store and Forward |
Messages are stored in a message queue and forwarded to the service as needed. |
|
Strategic |
Meets the long-term needs of the enterprise. |
|
Streams |
A digitized sequence of bits that may include control packets, digitized audio, digitized video, text, graphics, animation, images, MIDI, and so on. |
|
Structured Query Language (SQL) |
A standardized query language for requesting information from a relational database. |
|
Sub-networks |
Independently-functioning communication entities, such as a LAN or a Public Packet Switched network, that may use different styles of communication. |
|
SVGA |
Super Video Graphic Array. A video display standard defining a screen resolution of 800 by 600 pixels per square inch, and 256 colors. |
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SVID |
System V Interface Definition. Interface definitions for UNIX System V, published by UNIX Systems Laboratories, Inc. |
|
Switch |
In networks, a device that filters and forwards packets between LAN segments. Switches operate at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI Reference Model and therefore support any packet protocol. LANs that use switches to join segments are called switched LANs or, in the case of Ethernet networks, switched Ethernet LANs.
A small lever or button. The switches on the back of printers and on expansion boards are called DIP switches. A switch that has just two positions is called a toggle switch.
Another word for option or parameter -- a symbol that you add to a command to modify the command's behavior. |
|
Symmetric Algorithm |
A cryptographic algorithm in which both parties use the same key to encipher and decipher. |
|
Symmetrical |
Being such that the terms may be interchanged without altering the value, character, or truth. |
|
Synchronous |
Communication is synchronized between two applications when transactions are delivered and processed immediately. Happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time, or recurring or operating at exactly the same periods. |
|
System Management |
Defines how the hardware and software components of the environment will be controlled. It focuses on issues of configuration management, fault detection and isolation, testing, performance measurement, problem reporting, and software upgrades and control. |
|
Systems Architecture |
Guides the selection and integration of specific components from the foundation architecture to create environments useful for building reusable solutions. |
|
Systems Testing |
The process of testing a suite of application components or modules that constitutes the complete application. Testing done here is usually described as "black-box testing" because system test personnel are concerned with ensuring that the application behaves as it should functions according to end-user requirements. Stress testing can be done here. |
|
T |
|
|
T.121 |
General application template guide for T.120 application protocols. |
|
T.122 |
Multi-point Communication Services (MCS) for supporting multiple, virtual data connections for multi-point data conferencing. |
|
T.123 |
Protocol stacks for audio visual services - network specific protocols - defines profiles using existing standard protocol standards for the transport through physical layers. |
|
T.124 |
Generic conference control for basic and optional extended high level control of the video and audio; makes transparent data channels available to support point-to-point, multi-point, and broadcast data applications. |
|
T.125 |
Multi-point communication service protocol that specifies data transmission protocol for multi-point services. |
|
T.126 |
Multi-point still image and annotation protocol used by a broad set of user applications that require interoperable graphical information exchange in a multi-vendor environment. |
|
T.127 |
Multi-point binary file transfer protocol to support the interchange of binary files within an interactive conferencing or group working environment. |
|
T.128 |
Audio Visual control application component that provides the framework for control and management of interactive audio and visual services within a multi-point multimedia communication environment. |
|
T.130 |
(Draft) Real time architecture for multimedia conferencing. |
|
Tactical |
Meets an short term business need but may not meet the long-term, strategic needs of the enterprise. |
|
Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) |
A raster graphics file format developed by Aldus and Microsoft that handles monochrome, gray scale, 8-bit and 24-bit color. |
|
TAO |
Totally Automated Office. An electronic mail system for CICS users. |
|
TCO |
Total Cost of Ownership. |
|
TCP/IP |
Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. Depending on context, this term may have the following meanings:
The two protocols at the heart of the layered TCP/IP architecture. TCP provides a connection-oriented, reliable, end-to-end data transmission service. IP is responsible for routing data and keeping track of Internet addresses. All TCP/IP-related protocols (for example, FTP, Telnet, and so on) are sometimes generally referred to as Internet protocols.
A set of protocols, that supports peer-to-peer connectivity, designed to link dissimilar computers across many kinds of networks. |
|
Team Member |
Individual associated with the project team. If the individual is a core team member, he or she reports directly to the Project Manager, and is usually assigned full-time to the project, even though he or she may report organizationally to a different manager.
If the individual is an extended team member, he or she is not assigned full time to the project, but is available as needed to fulfill specific support tasks as determined by the Project Manager. |
|
Technical Architecture |
See Infrastructure Architecture. |
|
Technology Segment |
Is a technology and/or management piece of the overall the organization Multi-tier Support Model for which functions, processes and process steps are defined. The Model is based on a top-level view of responsibility areas that are called Tiers. Defining Technology Segments is consistent with the concept that technology is delivered and maintained within horizontal layers. Segments refer to the elements within a Tier of the Model framework. The current Model is defined as having three (3) Technology Tiers and (5) Technology Segments that are part of those Tiers. These are Data and Database Repositories, Enterprise Applications, Collaborative, Networks, and Desktop. There are also two Technology Tiers that ensure the full management and governance of a Multi-tier Support environment. These are Multi-tier Architecture and Planning Tier and Quality Assurance and Management Tier. Within these two Tiers there are a series of links to other information technology methodologies used within the organization and also to specific Technology Segments. For example, Configuration Management is a technology segment within the Quality Assurance and Management Tier. |
|
Technology Solutions |
The computing solutions covering similarities and differences addressed by the products/services and systems solutions sections of the NCR Solutions Continuum. |
|
Technology Trends |
Widely recognized forces and directions of change in the IT industry.
See BDA web site. |
|
Telephony |
The science of translating sound into electrical signals, transmitting them, and then converting them back to sound; that is, the science of telephones. The term is used frequently to refer to computer hardware and software that performs functions traditionally performed by telephone equipment. For example, telephony software can combine with your modem to turn your computer into a sophisticated answering service. Voice mail is another popular telephony application. |
|
TELNET |
In TCP/IP, protocols specifying the procedures for communications between hosts and terminals across a TCP/IP network. Used mostly to log onto library catalogues and systems. Telnet consists of a user (or client) component that allows terminals access to TCP, and a server component that allows host access to TCP. |
|
Test Plan |
A comprehensive list of activities needed to assure that a solution is working as outlined in requirements and that the normal operating variances will also be handled by the solution. |
|
Test Repository |
Stores test assets (e.g., test plans, cases, scenarios, scripts, results and defect history) and make them available for future testing needs. |
|
Thin Clients |
Client systems, often diskless or with very minimum disk capacity, used in a networked environment to run browser interfaces, Java applets, and other software accessed via the network. The basic concept is to remove the expensive hardware such as CD-ROMs, disks, etc. and provide the client system with only those application interfaces required to do business from that system. |
|
Threat |
A potential violation of security. |
|
Three-Tier Model |
A model that typically has some service provider at an intermediate level between the client and the server. The "Client-Broker-Server Model" is at least a three-tier model where the broker provides services or mapping to services depending upon the specific application being designed. |
|
TIFF |
Tagged Image File Format. An industry standard file format for binary images (black and white or gray scale, 8- and 24-bit color). See Tagged Image File Format |
|
Time-sensitive Availability |
An availability requirement for high availability during periods of peak processing. |
|
TLI |
Transport Layer Interface. TLI is the UNIX Systems Laboratories standard communications interface. |
|
TOGAF |
The Open Group's Architecture Framework. |
|
Token Ring |
A local area network architecture that allows LAN devices (such personal computers and 3174s) shared access to each other, to printers, disk space, and programs. Token Ring is similar to, but is an expansion of ISO 8802/5 or IEEE 802.5 standard. |
|
Topology |
The shape of a local-area network (LAN) or other communications system. There are three principal topologies used in LANs:
bus topology: All devices are connected to a central cable, called the bus or backbone. Bus networks are relatively inexpensive and easy to install for small networks. Ethernet systems use a bus topology.
ring topology : All devices are connected to one another in the shape of a closed loop, so that each device is connected directly to two other devices, one on either side of it. Ring topologies are relatively expensive and difficult to install, but they offer high bandwidth and can span large distances.
star topology: All devices are connected to a central hub. Star networks are relatively easy to install and manage, but bottlenecks can occur because all data must pass through the hub.
These topologies can also be mixed. For example, a bus-star network consists of a high-bandwidth bus, called the backbone, which connects a collections of slower-bandwidth star segments . The pattern of interconnections in a communications system, between devices, nodes, and associated input and output stations. |
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Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) |
The cost of using a computer. It includes the cost of the hardware, software and upgrades as well as the cost of the in-house staff and/or consultants that provide training and technical support. |
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TP Monitor |
See Transaction Processing Monitor |
|
TP4, TP3, TP2, TP1, TP0 |
OSI Transport layer protocol options. TP4 provides the greatest level of multiplexing, error detection, and error recovery capabilities, TP0 the least. TP1, TP2, and TP3 provide various intermediate levels of multiplexing, error detection, and error recovery. Selection of a TP option, by communicating transport entities, is determined by negotiation. |
|
Transaction |
A collection of actions governed by the "ACID" properties: Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability. See "ACID" |
|
Transaction Data |
It is a representation of the things of significance to the enterprise particularly those relevant to business transactions and operational activities and requests which must be recorded and accounted for in a business information environment. |
|
Transaction Processing (TP) Monitor |
A program that monitors a transaction as it passes from one stage in a process to another. The TP monitor's purpose is to ensure that the transaction processes completely or, if an error occurs, to take appropriate actions.
TP monitors are especially important in three-tier architectures that employ load balancing because a transaction may be forwarded to any of several servers. In fact, many TP monitors handle all the load balancing operations, forwarding transactions to different servers based on their availability. |
|
TSO |
Time Share Option. Software package used in MVS environments. |
|
TTP |
Trusted Third Party. A cryptographic technique that defines a "third-party" to be a point of common trust between two parties before transactions may proceed. |
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Tunneling |
Term for using the Internet as an internal network (see also, intranet). |
|
Two-Phase Commit |
A method ensuring the ACID properties of a transaction is maintained when the transaction causes updates to multiple resource managers. |
|
Two-tier Client/Server |
Divides application functionality into two executable parts or tiers. The two types are:
fat-client - presentation and business logic are stored on the client and data is stored on a server
fat-server - presentation logic is stored on the client and business logic and data is stored on the server. |
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Two-Tier Model |
The traditional Client/Server model. |
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U |
|
|
UCC |
Uniform Commercial Code. |
|
UDP |
User Datagram Protocol provides unreliable datagram services across the internet. See User Datagram Protocol |
|
UMA |
Upper Memory Area. PC memory. |
|
UML |
Universal Modeling Language. A general-purpose notational language for specifying and visualizing complex software, especially large, object-oriented projects. It is being developed under the auspices of the Open Management Group (OMG). |
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Unit Testing |
The process of testing individual application components or subsystems. It is described as "white-box testing" because developers are concerned with ensuring that the "unit" of code behaves as it should. This involves testing the application statement's, code paths, conditions, and/or data flow paths. Unit testing is most often done by the developers who generated the system code or configuration themselves. |
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Universal Modeling Language (UML) |
A general-purpose notational language for specifying and visualizing complex software, especially large, object-oriented projects. It is being developed under the auspices of the Open Management Group (OMG). |
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Universal Resource Locator (URL) |
The global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. The first part of the address indicates what protocol to use, and the second part specifies the IP address or the domain name where the resource is located. |
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UNIX |
A popular multi-user, multi-tasking operating system developed at Bell Labs in the early 1970s. Created by just a handful of programmers, UNIX was designed to be a small, flexible system used exclusively by programmers. Although it has matured considerably over the years, UNIX still betrays its origins by its cryptic command names and its general lack of user-friendliness. This is changing, however, with graphical user interfaces such as MOTIF.
UNIX was one of the first operating systems to be written in a high-level programming language, namely C. This meant that it could be installed on virtually any computer for which a C compiler existed.
Due to its portability, flexibility, and power, UNIX has become the leading operating system for high-power workstations. Historically, it has been less popular in the personal computer market, but the emergence of a new version called Linux is revitalizing UNIX across all platforms. An operating system originally developed by AT&T's UNIX Software Operation. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. UNIX is available on computers with many different architectures, because only a central kernel of routines are hardware-dependent. In addition to core operating system functions, the UNIX product usually includes network and utility functions. Applications are highly portable because the operating system, and other UNIX features, is very similar from platform to platform. |
|
UNIX. |
Proprietary name for a multi-user operating system for computers. |
|
Upgrade |
Is a generic term defined as adding new and/or altered functionality to a given operational environment. Upgrades are considered part of the overall deployment and/or development Function, Processes and Process Steps. The organization configuration management guidelines determine when a new technology element will be considered as an update or part of the general operation and maintenance of a technology system, component or domain. |
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UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply). |
Temporary power supply for LANs in short periods of power outage or spikes. |
|
URL |
Uniform Resource Locator. The pointer to a file or service on the Internet that the author of an HTML document can use to link one document to another. See Universal Resource Locator. |
|
URL (Uniform Resource Locator). |
The primary naming scheme used to identify a particular site, or file, on the Internet. URLs consist of the following standard parts:
protocol://domain.name/directory/file
URL protocols include http, ftp, gopher, telnet, and news. The following domains are standardized on the Internet:
.com commercial entities (businesses and companies)
.edu education
.gov government
.int international (established by international treaties)
.mil military
.net network computers
.org non-profit organizations and organizations that don't fit elsewhere
(See also "search engines.") |
|
Usability Testing |
Evaluates the intuitiveness and ease by with which novice and experienced users can accomplish the tasks that are automated by the application. This is most often a role filled by representatives from the client organization. |
|
USB (Universal Serial Bus). |
An emerging standard connection for interfacing PC peripheral devices. |
|
USENET |
(USEr NETwork) A public access network on the Internet that provides user news and e-mail. It is a giant, dispersed bulletin board that is maintained by volunteers who provide news and mail feeds to other nodes. All the news that travels over the Internet is called NetNews, and a newsgroup is a running collection of messages about a particular subject. Usenet began in 1979 as a bulletin board between two universities in North Carolina. Today, there are some 10,000 newsgroups. News can be read with a Web browser or via news readers such as nn, rn, trn and tin. |
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User Datagram Protocol (UDP) |
A connectionless protocol that, like TCP, runs on top of IP networks. Unlike TCP/IP, UDP/IP provides very few error recovery services, offering instead a direct way to send and receive datagrams over an IP network. It's used primarily for broadcasting messages over a network. |
|
User Interface |
Is a generic term used to describe the user interaction and view of the technology, including system inputs and outputs.
See GUI, Windows(r). |
|
USL |
UNIX System Laboratories (USL). The owner of the UNIX operating system, and responsible for enhancement/promotion of the product. |
|
UTP |
Unshielded Twisted Pair. Telephone wire. |
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V |
|
|
VAD |
Visual Application Development. A method of developing quick prototypes based on data models. |
|
VAI |
Value-added Internet. |
|
VAIO |
Video Audio Integration Operation. Computers with built-in video and audio features. |
|
VBscript |
A lightweight subset of the Microsoft Visual Basic programming language that was designed to create active, online content on the World Wide Web, and allows developers to link and automate a wide variety of objects in Web pages. |
|
VBX |
Visual Basic Custom Controls. |
|
Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM) |
A programming interface developed by Lotus, Novell, IBM, Apple, Borland, MCI, WordPerfect and Oracle. |
|
Version Control |
The identification, control, and tracking of software changes. |
|
Video-conferencing |
Allows individuals at separate locations to see and hear each other, conduct meetings and collaborate. |
|
VIM |
See Vendor Independent Messaging. |
|
Virtual Data Center |
A concept that implies consistent network configurations locally deployed near the users they serve and managed from a central location. |
|
Virtual Private Network (VPN) |
A private network that is configured within a public network. |
|
Virtual Work Team |
A group of two or more developing a solution although not physically located in one location or assigned to the core project work team. Most communication is done via online, e-mail, or telephone. |
|
Virus |
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Most viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it can quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
Some people distinguish between general viruses and worms. A worm is a special type of virus that can replicate itself and use memory, but cannot attach itself to other programs. |
|
VLAN |
Virtual LAN. |
|
VM |
Virtual Machine. An operating system used in large to very large environments, such as HWDC. See also, MVS. |
|
Vocational |
Pertaining to a special function of an individual or group. |
|
Vocational Sensory User Centered Design Model |
Pertaining to a special function of an individual or group. |
|
Vocational Specific Usage |
Pertaining to a special function of an individual or group. |
|
Voice Response Unit (VRU) |
The generation of voice output by computer. It provides pre-recorded information either with or without selection by the caller. |
|
VPN |
Virtual Private Network. The Internet is used as a private network. |
|
VRML |
Virtual Reality Modeling Language. Technology for displaying 3-D graphics on the Internet. |
|
VS |
Virtual Storage. |
|
VSAM |
Virtual Storage Access Method.
Variable Sequential Access Method. Records are stored as a "flat" file and application accesses desired records based via an indexed key(word).
See also ISAM. |
|
VT220. |
Terminal emulation for Unix. |
|
VTAM |
Virtual Telecommunications Access Method. Processes network operator commands. |
|
VTS |
Virtual Terminal Support. Communication protocol enabling transparent use of terminals in a distributed environment. Part of the application layer of the OSI reference model, and defined in ISO 9040 and ISO 9041. |
|
W |
|
|
W3C |
Acronym for World Wide Web Consortium, an international consortium of companies involved with the Internet and the Web. The W3C was founded in 1994 by Tim Berners-Lee, the original architect of the World Wide Web. The organization's purpose is to develop open standards so that the Web evolves in a single direction rather than being splintered among competing factions. The W3C is the chief standards body for HTTP and HTML. |
|
WAIS |
Wide Area Information System. |
|
WAN |
Wide Area Network. A network, typically spanning relatively large geographic areas.
A system for connecting computers in different geographical locations. The jump from LAN to WAN is accomplished through the use of routers to interface individual LANs. |
|
WAV |
Windows Audio format, linked to AVI record and playback. |
|
WBEM |
Web-Based Enterprise Management: An industry initiative launched on July 17, 1996, by Intel, BMC Software, Cisco, Compaq, and Microsoft, one of whose goals is to provide access to management data by system administrators from any point in the enterprise using any Web browser. |
|
Web |
Another name for the World-Wide Web. |
|
Web Browser |
A software application used to locate and display Web pages. The two most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both of these are graphical browsers, which means that they can display graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video, though they require plug-ins for some formats. |
|
Web Ring |
An alternate to the simple forms-based search interface. In the web ring concept, sites with a similar theme or content link together in virtual communities via a web rings central index. |
|
Web site |
An address (i.e., a computer) named by a unique URL, that can be reached from the outside. |
|
Webmaster |
A person who builds/edits/manages web sites and web applications. This is an emerging responsibility and is still being defined. It is generally recognized that, in addition to HTML skills, webmasters require skills in: graphic and presentation capability, systems management, and network management. |
|
Wide Area Network |
A data communications system that serves a large geographic area. |
|
Windows |
Commonly refers to Microsoft Windows (r), a graphical user interface (GUI) for DOS-based applications. Windows provides a consistent user interface across applications, multi-tasking capability for Windows-supported applications, and extended memory management. Motif and the X Windows system provide the equivalent functionality for UNIX­based systems. |
|
Wintel |
Microsoft Windows(r) using Intel Inside(r) processing platform. |
|
Wireless |
Radio transmission via the airwaves. Various communications techniques are used to provide wireless transmission including infrared line of sight, cellular, microwave, satellite, packet radio and spread spectrum. |
|
Wireless LAN |
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission and Canada's Department of Communications allow unlicensed use of qualified transmitters. The direction of OCCA is toward the ISO-defined standard (8802/11), which is still evolving. |
|
WMI |
Windows Management Interface supported by Microsoft that defines standards for instrumenting resources managed within a Microsoft Windows/NT environment. |
|
Workflow |
The automatic routing of documents to the users responsible for working on them. Workflow is concerned with providing the information required to support each step of the business cycle. The documents may be physically moved over the network or maintained in a single database with the appropriate users given access to the data at the required times. Triggers can be implemented in the system to alert managers when operations are overdue.
The manual flow of documents in an organization is prone to errors. Documents can get lost or be constantly shuffled to the bottom of the in basket. Automating workflow sets timers that ensure that documents move along at a prescribed pace and that the appropriate person processes them in the correct order.
Integrating workflow into existing software applications may require extensive reprogramming, because although independent workflow software can launch a whole application, a workflow system must be able to invoke individual routines within the application. As a result, vendors of application software have teamed up with workflow vendors to provide the appropriate interfaces and/or they have developed their own workflow capability. Workflow standards developed by the Workflow Management Coalition (WFMC) are expected to provide interoperability between workflow software and the applications as well as between different workflow systems. The full or partial electronic facilitation of a business process. |
|
Workflow modeling |
See BPM. |
|
Workgroup |
Two or more individuals who share files and databases. LANs designed around workgroups provide electronic sharing of required data. |
|
Workstations |
Refers to electronic devices consisting of hardware and software that allow the user to electronically interact with applications and data. Workstations are differentiated from terminals in that they are smart devices and have internal computing power. Network workstations allow for the user to communicate and exchange data with internal and external business systems and to connect to other network devices. Stand-alone workstations are desktop units capable of accessing applications and manipulating data in a single user mode only; they do not allow any communication or data exchange with any other workstations or computing systems. |
|
Wrapping |
Encapsulating code developed in one environment with a "wrapper" that allows the code to run in a different environment. |
|
WWW |
World Wide Web. The Internet throughout the world. A collection of computers, known as "web sites", that are connected across the Internet via hypertext links. |
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WYSIWYG |
"What You See Is What You Get." Literally, in PC's, what you see on the screen is what you get off a printer. |
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X |
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X Terminals |
Hardware display devices that support the X.11 software for providing a graphical user interface for UNIX systems. |
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X Windows |
Generalized, low-level software, developed and supported by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for displaying any type of information in windows, on a local workstation or on a workstation connected to a network. |
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X.12 |
The U.S. ANSI standard for electronic data interchange. |
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X.21 |
The CCITT recommendation that defines a general purpose physical interface between a DTE and DCE, for full duplex synchronous operation on circuit switched or packet switched data networks. X.21 defines the electrical, mechanical, and functional characteristics of the interchange circuits, and defines the formats and procedures for call establishment and clearing, call progress signals, and DCE-provided information. |
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X.25 |
The CCITT recommendation that defines the standards for interfacing a DTE and a DCE, for access to a packet-switched data network. |
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X.400 |
A standard for the communications protocol of electronic mail. |
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X.400 Message Handling System |
A series of CCITT recommendations on Message Handling Systems (MHS) in the X.400 series. MHS provides the total support to enable users to communicate by exchanging messages. |
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X.435 |
A specification for an EDI protocol over X.400. |
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X.500 Directory Services |
Network communication protocol enabling transparent access to services in a distributed environment. Part of the application layer of the OSI reference model, and defined in CCITT X.500. |
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X/Open |
X/Open Company Ltd. is a group of systems vendors, ISVs, and users formed to promote the common use and definition of open systems. |
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X400 API |
Acronym for X 400 API Association - A consortium dedicated to standardizing X.400 and other specifications, such as the CMC messaging API. |
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XAPIA |
X.400 API Association. Colloquially refers to an application program interface defined by that organization for utilizing the services of an ANSI X.400 messaging system. This standard in the process of being defined by the X/Open consortium. |
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XDS |
X/Open's specified application interface for X.500 directories. |
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XML |
See eXtensible Markup Language. A new version of HTML. Allows developers to create custom tag sets for building cross-platform applications, using the Web, that are data-neutral yet more structured than possible through HTML. |
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XOM |
X/Open's API standard for access to the complex objects used in X.500 and X.400 implementations. Its purpose is to ensure that programs may use multiple services (for example, X.400 and X.500) simultaneously. |
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XPG3 and XPG4 |
The X/Open Portability Guide Issues 3 and 4 are seven volume sets of evolving specifications that provide technical guidance for developing open systems. |
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XSI |
X/Open Systems Interface. A specification for interfacing to XPG3-compliant operating systems. |
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XTI |
X/Open Transport Interface. Defines a simple set of application interfaces to networking services at Level 4, transport in the ISO 7-layer model. These interfaces permit applications running on different systems to establish a link and exchange data, using a variety of different underlying network services, including OSI and TCP/IP protocols. It is based on TLI. |
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Y Z |
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Z39.50 |
A specification for a document retrieval protocol. It was approved in 1988 by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards writing body that serves the library, information, and publishing communities. |
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ZAW |
Zero Administration Windows
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