A Glossary of Information Technology Terms
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Compiled by:
Anthony St. John
Updated 15 November 2001
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THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA CONSULTATION
3G Third generation mobile telephony that allows the transfer of rapid mobile data, e.g. for the Internet-at a speed of up to 2Mbps.
3T-Magda Three-tiered Application Developer. A Magda version in which the traditional two-tiered Client/Server solution is extended to a three-tiered solution. The execution of application logic and the user interface are separated by individual programs.
ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A transmission technology that transforms existing copper wires from the subscriber's premises to the central office switch into an "always on" high-bandwidth line for high-speed Internet access while leaving the line available for conventional voice telephone calls. Transfer data speed is over 6Mbps.
AGS Application Generation System. An end-user's report generator via the intranet or WAP phone.
Analog Term for radio transmission where the radio waves vary continuously in step with the voice.
ASP Application Service (Solution) Provider. Provider who delivers applications. Application rental services over the Internet. The customer rents equipment and applications from the service provider who distributes, maintains, controls and manages them through the Hosting Service Center.
ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode. A very high-speed transmission technology for transporting voice, data and video in digital format. It is a switching and transmission mode for high-speed services based on dividing the bit stream into cells of a fixed length (a given number of bits).
Bit Binary digit. The smallest unit of information (data) a computer can process. One kilobit per second (kbps) = 1,000 bits transmitted per second. One megabit (Mbit) = 1,000 kilobits. One gigabit (Gbit) = 1,000 megabits. One terabit (Tbit) = 1,000 gigabits.
Bluetooth Data packet technology for wireless communication over short distances.
Bredband The transfer of data and telecommunications of more than 2Mbps/s (more than ISDN).
Broadband Transmission capacity with adequate bandwidth to transmit, for example, voice, data and video at the same time.
Business Intelligence A wide range of applications and technologies for data acquisition, warehousing, analysis and for access to useful information.
Call Center Functions that handle the outsourcing of customer service and switchboard services.
Chat Messaging via Internet forums enabling real-time exchanges with other users. A chat room is an online space where two or more people can meet.
CPA Content Provider Access.
CRM Customer Relations Management. A system (database) enabling a company's well-organized customer relationship management.
CSP Communications Service Provider. A provider who offers a broad range of communications services, including voice.
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility. Encompasses, for example, consideration for the external environment and society in general, as well as social conditions within the organization.
CTI Computer Telephony Integration. A collective term for services where computers and telephony are integrated.
CTO/CT1 An analogue standard for cordless telephone communication (an alternative to DECT).
DAB Digital Audio Broadcasting. Radio broadcasting using digital modulation, significantly increasing frequency band capacity while enhancing reception quality.
Data Mining Analyzing, scaling and combining information with a view to discovering new information on customers' behavior-as an example.
Data Warehousing A central warehouse for all relevant information the company's various systems gather. It is usually managed through the mainframe server.
DECT Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications. A European standard for digital cordless telephones.
Denial of Service Attack on a network achieved by flooding it with useless traffic.
Digital Unlike analog representations, digital information ae sound, text or video ae is coded in binary form, in a series of 1s and 0s. It is easier to transmit information in digital format.
DSL Digital Subscriber Line.
DSMP Directory System Multi Platform. A fully-integrated directory production system.
EAI Enterprise Application Integration. Transforming information between non-compatible applications. Using gateways, application servers and other products which offer a common service point.
EBITDA Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
EBN European Backbone Network. France Telecom's seamless high-speed pan-European network. The backbone network is the central infrastructure which interconnects with the access network.
e-commerce Abbreviation of electronic commerce. Transactions (ordering and payment) that are either completely or partially carried out online.
EDGE Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution is technology allowing the wireless transfer of multimedia, IP-based services and applications over the existing GSM band. EDGE allows data rates of up to 384 kbps or faster.
eHRM electronic Human Resource Management.
Ethernet The most widely used standard for local area networks (networks that link the workstations within a company). Fast Ethernet and Giga Ethernet are very-high-speed versions of Ethernet.
Extranet An Intranet-like network that a company makes available to employees, customers and suppliers. These networks are an indispensable part of e-commerce.
GPRS General Packet Radio Service. A second-generation wireless
telephone standard that supports direct mobile Internet access and data
rates that are 18 times greater than GSM, and enables volume-based rate
structures. The first step from GSM to third generation mobile telephony.
GPRS offers data rates of 9.6 kbps-115 kbps. A wireless data-transfer
standard supporting the Internet TCP/IP protocol in which data is transferred
in packets between a palmtop and a base station. Enables continuous online
connection to portable terminal equipment.
GPS Global Positioning System. A system that enables a vehicle
or a person to locate their position anywhere on the Earth to within 50
meters. The system functions using a constellation of 24 satellites operated
by the United States government.
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications. The digital cellular telephone standard used across Europe which operates in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands.
HiperLAN2 Next generation wireless network with data rates of up to 54 Mbps.
Hosting Maintenance and operating services of integrated IT systems through a Hosting Service Center.
ICT Information and Communications Technology.
Infrastructure Services Integrated services related to IT equipment systems at all organizational levels ranging from a single workstation to the usability of integrated systems and inter-company networks.
Intelligent Network IN. With an IN, telephone services (toll-free numbers, for example) are implemented by dedicated computers, as opposed to phone switches.
Interconnection Connection of two independent networks, such as the networks of other telecommunications operators in France and the France Telecom network.
Internet Interconnected Networks. The system comprising all networks interconnected using the Internet Protocol (IP). The Internet supports access to databases, email, file downloading and newsgroups, for example.
Intranet A private network based on Internet software and standards reserved for use by members of an organization.
IP Internet Protocol. The data transmission standard on which the Internet is based. It defines the way in which information packets are structured for routing on the Web. A global open information network using TCP/IP protocols where a PC or terminal equipment connected to the Internet has an individualized numerical code. The IP address consists of four 1-3 digit figures (from 1 to 255) separated by a point.
IP Spoofing To gain unauthorized access to computers whereby the intruder sends messages to a computer with an IP address indicating that the message is coming from a trusted source.
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network. An end-to-end digital communications network able to transmit video, audio and data. The world's first ISDN infrastructure was deployed in France in 1987 with the brand name Numeris. ISDN is the most widespread digital standard for corded telephony.
ISP Internet Service Provider. A company that provides access for customers to the Internet. In addition to connection, ISPs often offer additional services such as email accounts and portals containing a variety of information (news, weather, etc.).
IT Information Technology is a broad term basically describing everything that can be programmed.
ITU International Telecommunications Union. An organization of governments and telecommunications operators that allocates radio frequency spectrum and defines standards.
LAN Local Area Network. A geographically-limited computer or switch network often with high data rates from 4Mbps/s and above.
LBS Location-based Systems.
LMDS Local Multipoint Distribution Services. Technology for fixed (non-mobile) wireless transfer of data and telephony services. Reaching a distance of 3-5km with a clear line of sight and a total distribution capacity of 1.5-2 Gbps. The system can connect tens of thousands of users.
MAN Metropolitan Area Network. A high-speed fiberoptic intra-city network used to provide businesses with very-high-speed links.
Marketplace A website that acts as an intermediary between businesses, proposing services such as identification of potential partners, bids, e-commerce or Internet payment.
M-GIS (GIS) Geographic Information System. A digital and mobile system for mapping, background information and tracking. Exploiting satellites and aerial imaging.
Mobile Hosting Maintenance of mobile services through the so-called Mobile Hosting Service Center.
M-POS Mobile-Point of Sale. Point-of-sale systems that convey data on a real-time basis by using PCs or terminal equipment connected to cash registers, reading wands, optical scanners and magnetic tape readers.
Nanometer One billionth of a meter.
NGN Next Generation Network. A future network that is expected to offer converged Internet and telephony services.
NMT Nordic Mobile Telephone. Standard for analog mobile telephony developed in Scandinavia.
Outsourcing Contracting out of a company's information systems' management functions to a specialist supplier.
Phreaking Using a computer or device to trick a phone system. Used to make free calls or to have calls charged to a different account.
PKI Public Key Infrastructure. Enables secure and private use of unsecured public information networks such as the Internet by means of a private encrypter and a pair of keys acquired from and distributed by a trustee organ.
PBS Private Branch Exchange. The English title for company switchboards.
Portal A Web page with links to a variety of services such as directories, search engines, email, online merchants, news, etc.
PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network. Term for the ordinary analog telecommunications network.
SAP Systems Applications and Products. Originally a German software covering all corporate customers' databases by using several applications. The software gives access to various applications and parallel services via the Internet.
Script Kiddies The lowest form of hacker. People who randomly seek out basic weaknesses over the internet in order to gain root access to a system.
Server A computer that makes resources (data, software, etc.) available to other computers ("clients") over a network.
SHDSL The latest transmission technology offering better performance, efficient use of copper resources and spectrum compatibility with other transmission technologies.
SMATV Satellite Master Antenna TV. An independent cable network that has its own antenna and delivers television channels to more than twenty users. The network is owned by the users, and they have a non-exclusive agreement with the program supplier or operator.
SMS Short Message Service. A service for sending alphanumeric messages to or from GSM mobile cellphones.
Smurfs A type of denial of service. A user sends a stream of internet packets to a network's central "directed broadcast" address. This address pings all the machines-often 255 boxes or more-on the target network.
SPI Software Products Integration. A technological development project in 2000 with the aim of analysing and testing how the Software Product Solutions Division of products could be integrated from a technological perspective.
Streaming Step-by-step processing of data, such as audio or video delivered via the Internet.
Switch Telephone switch. The device that sorts and routes calls to connect them.
Trojan Horse A program that masquerades as a benign application. It does not replicate itself like a virus but is as destructive.
UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. A third-generation wireless communications system capable of supporting very-high-speed mobile multimedia services. Possesses the ability to create global services, for mobile telephony, data and multimedia. It has a transfer rate of 2Mbps.
VDSL Very-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line. A mode of transmission that utilizes the existing copper cable network for services that require an extremely high capacity in one direction in relation to the other.
Videotelephony A call that transmits real-time video along with voice.
Virus A program or code that replicates itself, uses all available memory and brings systems to a halt. Some can transmit themselves across networks, bypassing security systems.
VolP Voice over Internet Protocol. Standard for transferring voice in packet based form over data networks.
VMS Voice Mail Systems. A voice mail system or an answering machine integrated into a business switchboard.
VPN Virtual Private Network. A private communications network dedicated entirely to a company that runs over an infrastructure shared with other companies. Users in different geographic locations can still work together as a group. Connectivity based on public information networks where communication is encrypted and the terminal equipment of a network operates as if it were in the same local area network.
VSAT Very Small Aperture Terminal. A satellite terminal with a small antenna mirror for business customers.
WAN Wide Area Network. Similar to a LAN but with greater or unhindered geographic coverage.
WAP Wireless Application Protocol. A new wireless telephony protocol
that transforms a cellphone into a mobile Internet and multimedia device.
A new-generation cellphone technology enabling service providers to offer
menu-based wireless services related to, say, news services, timetable
information, and product ordering.
WDM/DWDM Wavelength Division Multiplexing/Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing. A technique that lets a single optical fiber simultaneously carry multiple channels of digital information.
WEB Abbreviation of World Wide Web-the multimedia interconnected networks that make up the Internet.
WLAN Wireless Local Area Network. A local area network that uses wireless connections as a transfer media.
Worm A program that replicates itself over a computer network and performs malicious actions such as using up computer resources and shutting the system down.
xDSL There are many references to DSL (digital subscriber line) technology where it is written as DSL. The letter x pops up because there is an entire family of DSL variants with different properties. ADSL is the most well-known (see the definition above).
XML Extensible Markup Language.
Zombies Used to launch DOS attacks. Relatively benign as they temporarily cripple sites unlike viruses and worms that eradicate or steal information.
