Browse Definitions by Alphabet

blade server - A blade server, sometimes referred to as a high-density server, is a compact device containing a computer used to manage and distribute data in a collection of computers and systems, called a network.
blended threat - A blended threat is an exploit that combines elements of multiple types of malware and usually employs various attack vectors to increase the severity of damage and the speed of contagion.
block cipher - A block cipher is a method of encrypting data in blocks to produce ciphertext using a cryptographic key and algorithm.
block diagram - A block diagram is a visual representation of a system that uses simple, labeled blocks that represent single or multiple items, entities or concepts, connected by lines to show relationships between them.
block storage - Block storage is an approach to data storage in which each volume acts as an individual hard drive that is configured by the administrator.
blockchain - Blockchain is a record-keeping technology designed to make it impossible to hack the system or forge the data stored on it, thereby making it secure and immutable.
blockchain decentralization - Decentralization is the distribution of functions, control and information instead of being centralized in a single entity.
blockchain economy - The blockchain economy is a scenario and potential future environment in which the technology replaces current monetary systems, potentially on a global basis.
blockchain storage - Blockchain storage is a way of saving data in a decentralized network, which utilizes the unused hard disk space of users across the world to store files.
Blowfish - Blowfish is a variable-length, symmetric, 64-bit block cipher.
Blu-ray - Blu-ray is an optical disc format designed to display high definition video and store large amounts of data.
Blue Moon Lander - Blue Moon Lander is a spacecraft being designed to land on the lunar surface by 2024.
Blue Origin - Blue Origin is a private spaceflight company based in Kent, Wash.
blue screen of death (BSOD) - Officially called the stop screen, or stop error, the blue screen of death (BSOD) is a most unwanted error, second only to malware or ransomware in indicating that a user is in for a very bad day.
blue/green deployment - A blue/green deployment is a change management strategy for releasing software code.
bluesnarfing - Bluesnarfing is a hacking technique in which a hacker accesses a wireless device through a Bluetooth connection.
Bluetooth - Bluetooth is a telecommunications industry specification that describes how mobile devices, computers and other devices can easily communicate with each other using a short-range wireless connection.
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR - Bluetooth 2.
Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) - Also marketed as Bluetooth Smart, Bluetooth LE was introduced in the Bluetooth 4.
board support package - A board support package (BSP) is essential code code for a given computer hardware device that will make that device work with the computer's OS (operating system).
bodyshopping - Body shopping, sometimes spelled as one word (bodyshopping), is an IT-centric outsourcing / sub-contracting model.
bogon - A bogon is an illegitimate Internet Protocol address that falls into a set of IP addresses that have not been officially assigned to an entity by an internet registration institute, such as the IANA.
Bohr radius - The Bohr radius is a physical constant that represents the most probable distance between the electron and nucleus of a hydrogen atom at its ground state (lowest energy level).
bone conduction headphones - Bone conduction headphones -- sometimes called 'bonephones'-- are headphones that transmit sound waves through the bones in a user's skull instead of their ear canal.
book of business - Book of business is another name for an account or client list.
booking engine - A booking engine is a software as a service (SaaS) application used by hospitality businesses to provides guests with the opportunity to reserve a property online.
Boolean - In computing, the term Boolean means a result that can only have one of two possible values: true or false.
boomerang employee - A boomerang employee is a person who leaves a company and returns to work for the same company in the future.
boot - To boot (to boot up, to start up or booting) a computer is to load an operating system (OS) into the computer's main memory or random-access memory (RAM).
boot loader (boot manager) - A boot loader, also called a boot manager, is a small program that places the operating system (OS) of a computer into memory.
Boot2Docker - Boot2Docker is a minimalist Linux distribution with the sole purpose to run Docker containers.
BOOTP (Bootstrap Protocol) - BOOTP (Bootstrap Protocol) is an internet protocol that lets a network user automatically be configured to receive an IP address and have an operating system booted without user involvement.
Bootstrap - Bootstrap is a free, open source front-end development framework for the creation of websites and web apps.
BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) - BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) is a business model that allows consumers to shop and place orders online and then pick up their purchases in the brick-and-mortar store, often within the same day.
bot - A bot -- short for robot and also called an internet bot -- is a computer program that operates as an agent for a user or other program or to simulate a human activity.
botnet - A botnet is a collection of internet-connected devices, which may include personal computers (PCs), servers, mobile devices and internet of things (IoT) devices, that are infected and controlled by a common type of malware, often unbeknownst to their owner.
Boto - Boto is a software development kit (SDK) designed to improve the use of the Python programming language in Amazon Web Services.
bottleneck - A bottleneck, in a communications context, is a point in the enterprise where the flow of data is impaired or stopped entirely.
Bourne shell - The Bourne shell is the original Unix shell -- command execution program, often called a command interpreter -- that was developed in 1979 at what at the time was Bell Labs.
box plot - A box plot is a graphical rendition of statistical data based on the minimum, first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum.
BPEL (Business Process Execution Language) - BPEL (Business Process Execution Language) is an XML-based language that allows web services, APIs and human processes in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) to interconnect and share data in a business workflow.
brain hacking - Brain hacking is the application of techniques and/or technologies to affect an individual’s mental state, cognitive processes or level of function.
brain hijacking - Brain hijacking is the application of principles from fields including neuroscience, behavioral psychology and sociology to develop compulsive elements for consumer technologies.
brain-computer interface (BCI) - Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a collaboration between a brain and a device that enables signals from the brain to direct some external activity, such as control of a cursor or a prosthetic limb.
brainstorming - Brainstorming is a group problem-solving method that involves the spontaneous contribution of creative ideas and solutions.
branching - Branching is the practice of creating copies of programs or objects in development to work in parallel versions, retaining the original and working on the branch or making different changes to each.
brand - A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed.
brand ambassador - A brand ambassador is an advocate of a particular company's products and services.
brand recognition - Brand recognition is the extent to which a consumer can correctly identify a particular product or service just by viewing the product or service's logo, tag line, packaging or advertising campaign.
break/fix - For IT services companies, break/fix is a method of providing IT support to customers.
bridge - A bridge is a class of network device designed to connect networks at OSI Level 2, which is the data link layer of a local area network.
bring your own carrier (BYOC) - Bring your own carrier (BYOC) is a method of letting businesses choose their own carrier to connect their unified communications provider to the public switched telephone network.
broadband - Broadband refers to telecommunications in which a wide band of frequencies is available to transmit information.
brogrammer - A brogrammer is a male programmer with traits often associated with fraternity brothers (bros) rather than the coder's stereotypical geek persona.
broken window theory - Broken window theory is the concept that each problem that goes unattended in a given environment affects people's attitude toward that environment and leads to more problems.
brontobyte - A brontobyte is an unofficial measure of memory or data storage that is equal to 10 to the 27th power of bytes.
brownfield (brownfield deployment, brownfield site) - A brownfield deployment, in information technology, is the installation and configuration of new hardware or software that must coexist with legacy IT systems.
browser - A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and interact with all the information on the World Wide Web.
browser extension - A browser extension is a small application that adds a capacity or functionality to a browser.
browser hijacker (browser hijacking) - A browser hijacker is a malware program that modifies web browser settings without the user's permission and redirects the user to websites the user had not intended to visit.
brute-force attack - A brute-force attack is a trial-and-error method used by application programs to decode login information and encryption keys to use them to gain unauthorized access to systems.
BSA | The Software Alliance - BSA | The Software Alliance is an advocate for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive economic growth.
BSD licenses - BSD licenses are a low restriction type of license for open source software that does not put requirements on redistribution.
budgeting, planning and forecasting (BP&F) - Budgeting, planning and forecasting (BP&F) is a three-step strategic planning process for determining and detailing an organization's long- and short-term financial goals.
buffer overflow - A buffer overflow occurs when a program or process attempts to write more data to a fixed-length block of memory, or buffer, than the buffer is allocated to hold.
buffer underflow - A buffer underflow, also known as a buffer underrun or a buffer underwrite, is when the buffer -- the temporary holding space during data transfer -- is fed data at a lower rate than it is being read from.
bug - In computer technology, a bug is a coding error in a computer program.
bug bounty program - A bug bounty program, also called a vulnerability rewards program (VRP), is a crowdsourcing initiative that rewards individuals for finding errors in software.
build - In a programming context, a build is a version of a program that, as a rule, is a pre-release version and is identified by a build number rather than by a release number.
build server - A build server is a machine on which a software project can be continuously built from changes that are committed to the repository.
build to order - Build to order is a methodology and manufacturing practice where a product is created once a confirmed order is received.
Build, operate, transfer (BOT) - Build, operate, transfer (BOT) is a project management technique where a company hires a third-party firm to create a new subsidiary or product.
build-measure-learn (BML) - Build-measure-learn (BML) is a process of building a product, measuring consumer metrics and learning from them to better respond to customer needs and improve the product for the ultimate sustainability of the company.
building management system - A building management system (BMS) is a control system that can be used to monitor and manage the mechanical, electrical and electromechanical services in a facility.
built-in administrator account - In the Windows operating system, the built-in administrator account -- the first account created when the OS was installed -- has the highest permissions of any profile on the computer system.
bulk data transfer - Bulk data transfer is a software application feature that uses data compression, data blocking and buffering to optimize transfer rates when moving large data files.
bulk power system (BPS) - A bulk power system (BPS) is a large interconnected electrical system made up of generation and transmission facilities and their control systems.
bulletin board system (BBS) - A bulletin board system (BBS) is a computer or an application dedicated to the sharing or exchange of messages or other files on a network.
Bullwhip Effect - The bullwhip effect is a supply chain phenomenon describing how small fluctuations in demand at the retail level can cause progressively larger fluctuations in demand at the wholesale, distributor, manufacturer and raw material supplier levels.
burn - Burn is a colloquial term meaning to write content to a CD, DVD, or other recordable disc.
burn-in - Burn-in is a test in which a system or component is made to run for an extended period of time to detect problems.
burner phone - A burner phone, or 'burner,' is an inexpensive mobile phone designed for temporary, sometimes anonymous, use, after which it may be discarded.
Burning Man - Burning Man is an annual week-long event focusing on self-expression and community that takes place in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada.
bus network - A bus network is a local area network (LAN) topology in which each node -- a workstation or other device -- is connected to a main cable or link called a bus.
business analytics - Business analytics (BA) is the iterative, methodical exploration of an organization's data, with an emphasis on statistical analysis.
business capability - A business capability is the ability of an organization to achieve a specific outcome or objective.
business case - A business case is a formal document or verbal value proposition that outlines the justification for commencing a project or undertaking a specific task.
business continuity - Business continuity is an organization's ability to maintain critical business functions during and after a disaster has occurred.
business continuity management (BCM) - Business continuity management (BCM) is a framework for identifying an organization's risk of exposure to internal and external threats.
business continuity plan (BCP) - A business continuity plan (BCP) is a document that consists of the critical information an organization needs to continue operating during an unplanned event.
business continuity plan audit - A business continuity plan audit is a formalized method for evaluating how business continuity processes are being managed.
business continuity policy - A business continuity policy is a set of standards and guidelines that an organization enforces to ensure resilience and proper risk management.
business continuity software - Business continuity software is an application or suite designed to make business continuity planning/business continuity management (BCP/BCM) processes, metrics and compliance more efficient and accurate.
business email compromise (BEC, man-in-the-email attack) - A business email compromise (BEC) is an exploit in which the attacker gains access to a corporate email account and spoofs the owner’s identity in order to commit fraud .
business goals - A business goal is an endpoint, accomplishment or target an organization wants to achieve in the short term or long term.
business impact analysis (BIA) - A business impact analysis (BIA) is a systematic process to determine and evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical business operations as a result of a disaster, accident or emergency.
business innovation - Business innovation is an organization's process for introducing new ideas, workflows, methodologies, services or products.
business integration - Business integration is a strategy whose goal is to synchronize IT and business cultures and objectives and align technology with business strategy and goals.
business intelligence (BI) - Business intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process for analyzing data and delivering actionable information that helps executives, managers and workers make informed business decisions.
business intelligence architecture - A business intelligence architecture is a framework for the various technologies an organization deploys to run business intelligence and analytics applications.