Browse Definitions by Alphabet

stack overflow - A stack overflow is a type of buffer overflow error that occurs when a computer program tries to use more memory space in the call stack than has been allocated to that stack.
stack pointer - A stack pointer is a small register that stores the memory address of the last data element added to the stack or, in some cases, the first available address in the stack.
stacked ranking (stack ranking) - Stacked ranking (stack ranking) is an employee evaluation method that slots a certain percentage of employees into each of several levels of performance.
staging environment - A staging environment (stage) is a nearly exact replica of a production environment for software testing.
stakeholder - A stakeholder is a person, group or organization with a vested interest, or stake, in the decision-making and activities of a business, organization or project.
stand-up - In agile software development, a stand-up is a daily progress meeting, traditionally held within a development area.
standard business reporting (SBR) - Standard business reporting (SBR) is a group of frameworks adopted by governments to promote standardization in reporting business data.
standard operating procedure (SOP) - A standard operating procedure is a set of step-by-step instructions for performing a routine activity.
standard temperature and pressure (STP) - Standard temperature and pressure (STP) refers to the nominal conditions in the atmosphere at sea level.
standardization - Standardization is the process of developing, promoting and possibly mandating standards-based and compatible technologies and processes within an industry.
standing wave ratio (SWR) - Standing wave ratio (SWR) is the ratio of the maximum magnitude or amplitude of a standing wave to its minimum magnitude.
star network - A star network is a local area network (LAN) topology in which all nodes -- personal computers (PCs), workstations or other devices -- are directly connected to a common central computer that is often referred to as a hub.
star schema - A star schema is a database organizational structure optimized for use in a data warehouse or business intelligence that uses a single large fact table to store transactional or measured data, and one or more smaller dimensional tables that store attributes about the data.
Starlab space station - Starlab is a commercial space station set to be deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO) by 2030.
Starlink - Starlink is a satellite internet constellation system that aims to deliver global internet coverage.
startup accelerator - A startup accelerator, sometimes referred to as a seed accelerator, is a business program that supports early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship and financing.
startup culture - A startup culture is a workplace environment that values creative problem-solving, open communication and a flat hierarchy.
state diagram (state machine diagram or statechart diagram) - A state diagram (also known as a state machine or statechart diagram) is an illustration of all the possible behavioral states a software system component may exhibit and the various state changes it's predicted to undergo over the course of its operations.
state management - Application state management is the process of maintaining knowledge of an application's inputs across multiple related data flows that form a complete business transaction -- or a session -- to understand the condition of the app at any given moment.
state of charge (SOC) - The state of charge (SOC) is a measurement of the amount of energy available in a battery at a specific point in time.
stateful app - A stateful app is a program that saves client data from the activities of one session for use in the next session.
stateful inspection - Stateful inspection, also known as dynamic packet filtering, is a firewall technology that monitors the state of active connections and uses this information to determine which network packets to allow through the firewall.
stateless app - A stateless app is an application program that does not save client data generated in one session for use in the next session with that client.
statement of work (SOW) - A statement of work (SOW), in project management, is a document in which a contracting officer or chief procurement officer (CPO) specifies the objectives and deliverables for a particular project or service contract.
states of digital data - A state of digital data is a way to describe the current functionality of a data file.
static analysis (static code analysis) - Static analysis, also called static code analysis, is a method of computer program debugging that is done by examining the code without executing the program.
static IP address - A static IP address is a 32 bit number that is assigned to a computer to be its address on the internet.
static testing - Static testing is a software testing method that examines a program -- along with any associated documents -- but does not require the program to be executed.
statistical analysis - Statistical analysis is the collection and interpretation of data in order to uncover patterns and trends.
statistical mean, median, mode and range - The terms mean, median, mode, and range describe properties of statistical distributions.
statistical noise - Statistical noise is unexplained variability within a data sample.
stealth virus - A stealth virus is a computer virus that uses various mechanisms to avoid detection by antivirus software.
STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) - STEAM is an educational approach that incorporates the arts into the more-familiar STEM model (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
steampunk - Steampunk is a design style inspired by Victorian-era industrialism.
steering committee - A steering committee comprises a group of high-ranking IT professionals who provide guidance and strategic direction to an organization or organizational segment.
Stefan-Boltzmann constant - The Stefan-Boltzmann constant, symbolized by the lowercase Greek letter sigma (σ), is a physical constant expressing the relationship between the heat radiation emitted by a black body and its absolute temperature.
steganography - Steganography is the technique of hiding data within an ordinary, nonsecret file or message to avoid detection; the hidden data is then extracted at its destination.
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) - STEM is an educational approach that prepares primary and secondary students for college, graduate study and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
STEMinism - STEMinism is a portmanteau that combines the acronym STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) with feminism.
stemming - Stemming is the process of reducing a word to its stem that affixes to suffixes and prefixes or to the roots of words known as "lemmas.
STONITH (Shoot The Other Node In The Head) - STONITH (Shoot The Other Node In The Head) is a Linux service for maintaining the integrity of nodes in a high-availability (HA) cluster.
storage (computer storage) - Data storage is the collective methods and technologies that capture and retain digital information on electromagnetic, optical or silicon-based storage media.
storage as a service (STaaS) - Storage as a service (STaaS) is a managed service in which the provider supplies the customer with access to a data storage platform.
storage at the edge - Storage at the edge is the collective methods and technologies that capture and retain digital information at the periphery of the network, as close to the originating source as possible.
storage capacity planning - Storage capacity planning is the practice of assessing current data storage needs and forecasting future storage requirements.
storage class memory (SCM) - Storage class memory (SCM) is a type of physical computer memory that combines dynamic random access memory (DRAM), NAND flash memory and a power source for data persistence.
Storage Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) - VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) is a load balancing utility that assigns and moves computing workloads to available hardware resources in a virtualized environment.
storage filer - A storage filer is a type of file server designed and programmed for high-volume data storage, backup and archiving.
storage medium (storage media) - In computers, a storage medium is a physical device that receives and retains electronic data for applications and users and makes the data available for retrieval.
storage pool - A storage pool is capacity aggregated from disparate physical storage resources in a shared storage environment.
storage security - Storage security is the group of parameters and settings that make storage resources available to authorized users and trusted networks and unavailable to other entities.
storage snapshot - A storage snapshot is a set of reference markers for data at a particular point in time (PIT).
storage virtualization - Storage virtualization is the pooling of physical storage from multiple storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device -- or pool of available storage capacity.
Storage vMotion - Storage vMotion is a component of VMware vSphere that allows the live migration of a running virtual machine's (VM) file system from one storage system to another, with no downtime for the VM or service disruption for end users.
storage volume - A storage volume is an identifiable unit of data storage.
stored procedure - A stored procedure is a group of statements with a specific name, which are stored inside a database, such as MySQL or Oracle.
strategic innovation - Strategic innovation is a company's process of reinventing its corporate strategy to encourage growth, create value for the company and its customers, and gain competitive differentiation.
strategic leadership - Strategic leadership is a practice in which executives, using different styles of management, develop a vision for their organization that enables it to adapt to or remain competitive in a changing economic and technological climate.
strategic management - Strategic management is the ongoing planning, monitoring, analysis and assessment of all necessities an organization needs to meet its goals and objectives.
strategic planning - Strategic planning is a process in which an organization's leaders define their vision for the future and identify their organization's goals and objectives.
strategic sourcing - Strategic sourcing is an approach to supply chain management that formalizes the way information is gathered and used.
stream cipher - A stream cipher is a method of encrypting text (to produce ciphertext) in which a cryptographic key and algorithm are applied to each binary digit in a data stream, one bit at a time.
Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) - Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) is a connection-oriented network protocol for transmitting multiple streams of data simultaneously between two endpoints that have established a connection in a network.
stream processing - Stream processing is a data management technique that involves ingesting a continuous data stream to quickly analyze, filter, transform or enhance the data in real time.
streaming data architecture - A streaming data architecture is an information technology framework that puts the focus on processing data in motion and treats extract-transform-load (ETL) batch processing as just one more event in a continuous stream of events.
streaming media - Streaming media is video or audio content sent in compressed form over the internet and played immediately over a user's device, rather than being saved to the device hard drive or solid-state drive.
streaming network telemetry - Streaming network telemetry is a real-time data collection service in which network devices, such as routers, switches and firewalls, continuously push data related to the network's health to a centralized location.
strong authentication - Although it is not a standardized term, with set criteria, strong authentication can be said to be any method of verifying the identity of a user or device that is intrinsically stringent enough to ensure the security of the system it protects by withstanding any attacks it is likely to encounter.
strong password - A strong password is one that is designed to be hard for a person or program to guess.
strongly typed programming language - A strongly typed programming language is one in which each type of data, such as integers, characters, hexadecimals and packed decimals, is predefined as part of the programming language, and all constants or variables defined for a given program must be described with one of the data types.
structural ambiguity - Structural or syntactic ambiguity is the potential of multiple interpretations for a piece of written or spoken language because of the way words or phrases are organized.
structured data - Structured data is data that has been organized into a formatted repository, typically a database.
structured programming (modular programming) - Structured programming, or modular programming, is a programming paradigm that facilitates the creation of programs with readable code and reusable components.
Structured Threat Information eXpression (STIX) - Structured Threat Information eXpression (STIX) is a standardized Extensible Markup Language (XML) programming language for conveying data about cybersecurity threats in a way that can be easily understood by both humans and security technologies.
subcarrier - A subcarrier is a secondary modulated signal frequency modulated into the main frequency (the carrier) to provide an additional channel of transmission.
subnet (subnetwork) - A subnet, or subnetwork, is a segmented piece of a larger network.
subnet mask - A subnet mask is a 32-bit binary number used in modern network addressing schemes to differentiate between a network's location and the specific location of a host or device on that network.
subscription management - Subscription management is the process of overseeing and controlling all aspects of products and services sold repeatedly through a weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription-based pricing model.
subscription-based pricing model - A subscription-based pricing model is a payment structure that allows a customer or organization to purchase or subscribe to a vendor's IT services for a specific period of time for a set price.
substrate - A substrate is a solid substance or medium to which another substance is applied and to which that second substance adheres.
succession planning - Succession planning is the strategic process of identifying and developing internal candidates to fill key organizational roles to ensure business continuity and leadership in the face of role transitions, departures, or unforeseen events.
sudo (su 'do') - Sudo is a command-line utility for Unix and Unix-based operating systems such as Linux and macOS.
Sun Microsystems - Sun Microsystems (often just called "Sun"), the leading company in computers used as Web servers, also makes servers designed for use as engineering workstations, data storage products, and related software.
sunsetting - Sunsetting is the intentional phasing out or termination of something, and in business, the term is used often regarding brands, partnerships, agreements, policies, and hardware and software.
super app - A super app is a mobile or web application that combines multiple services into one platform.
supercomputer - A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the highest operational rate for computers.
superconductivity - Superconductivity is the ability of certain materials to conduct a direct electric current (DC) with practically zero resistance.
supercookie - A supercookie is a type of tracking cookie inserted into an HTTP header to collect data about a user's internet browsing history and habits.
Superdome - Superdome is a high-end 64-bit, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) PA-8600 processor-based UNIX server designed for e-commerce customers using very large databases.
superposition - Superposition is the ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured.
supervisor call (SVC) - In computers, especially IBM mainframes, a supervisor call (SVC) instruction is a processor instruction that directs the processor to pass control of the computer to the operating system's supervisor program.
supplier relationship management (SRM) - Supplier relationship management (SRM) is a systematic approach to evaluating and partnering with vendors that supply goods, materials and services to an organization, determining each supplier's contribution to success, and developing strategies to improve their performance.
supply chain - A supply chain is the network of all the individuals, organizations, resources, activities and technology involved in the creation and sale of a product.
supply chain analytics - Supply chain analytics refers to the processes organizations use to gain insight and extract value from the large amounts of data associated with the procurement, processing and distribution of goods.
supply chain attack - A supply chain attack is a type of cyber attack that targets organizations by focusing on weaker links in an organization's supply chain.
supply chain execution (SCE) - Supply chain execution (SCE) is the flow of tasks involved in the supply chain, such as order fulfilment, procurement, warehousing and transporting.
supply chain finance - Supply chain finance is a set of technology-enabled business and financial processes that provides flexible payment options for a buyer and one of their suppliers at lower financing costs.
supply chain management (SCM) - Supply chain management (SCM) is the optimization of a product's creation and flow from raw material sourcing to production, logistics and delivery to the final customer.
Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) - Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) is the process reference model used across industries as a supply chain management diagnostic tool.
supply chain planning (SCP) - Supply chain planning (SCP) is the process of anticipating the demand for products and planning their materials and components, production, marketing, distribution and sale.