Browse Definitions :

IT management

Learn about the core elements of IT management, including operations, tech support and personal computing, as well as terms related to IT careers, certifications and project management.

Certifications

This glossary contains definitions related to IT Certifications.

  • CompTIA Project+

    CompTIA Project+ is the Computing Technology Industry Association's certification program designed to demonstrate a person has a validated understanding of and skills in project management.

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

    Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is an information security certification developed by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, also known as (ISC)².

  • cloud architect

    A cloud architect is an IT professional who is responsible for overseeing a company's cloud computing strategy.

View All Certifications Definitions

IT career paths

  • software engineering

    Software engineering is the process of developing, testing and deploying computer applications to solve real-world problems by adhering to a set of engineering principles and best practices.

  • hard skills

    Hard skills are specific abilities, capabilities and skill sets that an individual can possess and demonstrate in a measured way.

  • cloud engineer

    A cloud engineer is an IT professional responsible for any technological duties associated with cloud computing, including design, planning, management, maintenance and support.

View All IT career paths Definitions Back to Top

IT Operations

Terms related to the processes and services implemented and managed by an organization’s information technology (IT) department. Topics covered include systems management, configuration management, API management and DevOps, as well as real-time performance monitoring and management.

  • service level indicator

    A service level indicator (SLI) is a metric that indicates what measure of performance a customer is receiving at a given time.

  • Virtual Machine Disk format (VMDK)

    VMware Virtual Machine Disk format (VMDK) is a format specification for virtual machine (VM) disk image files.

  • IT service management (ITSM)

    IT service management (ITSM) is a general term that describes a strategic approach to design, deliver, manage and improve the way businesses use IT.

View All IT Operations Definitions Back to Top

Personal computing

Terms related to personal computers, including definitions about computers sold as consumer products and words and phrases about laptops, tablets and smartphones.

  • vishing (voice or VoIP phishing)

    Vishing (voice or VoIP phishing) is a type of cyber attack that uses voice and telephony technologies to trick targeted individuals into revealing sensitive data to unauthorized entities.

  • Apple AirDrop

    Apple AirDrop is a native feature in iOS and macOS that lets users share data from one device to another on the same Wi-Fi network.

  • Apple Bonjour

    Apple Bonjour is a group of networking technologies designed to help devices and applications discover each other on the same network.

View All Personal computing Definitions Back to Top

Project management

Terms related to project management, including definitions about project management methodologies and tools.

  • triage in IT

    Triage is a term referring to the assignment of priority levels to tasks or individuals to determine the most effective order in which to deal with them.

  • triple bottom line (TBL)

    The triple bottom line (TBL) is a sustainability-based accounting framework that includes social, environmental and financial factors as bottom-line categories.

  • project charter

    A project charter is a formal short document that states a project exists and provides project managers with written authority to begin work.

View All Project management Definitions Back to Top

Technical support

Terms related to computer fundamentals, including computer hardware definitions and words and phrases about software, operating systems, peripherals and troubleshooting.

  • Sarbanes-Oxley Act

    The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is a federal law that established sweeping auditing and financial regulations for public companies.

  • PC card

    A PC card, also known as a PCMCIA card, is a credit card-sized memory or input/output (I/O) device that fits into a PC, usually a laptop.

  • RISC (reduced instruction set computer)

    RISC (reduced instruction set computer) is a microprocessor that is designed to perform a smaller number of computer instruction types, so it can operate at a higher speed, performing more millions of instructions per second, or MIPS.

View All Technical support Definitions Back to Top
Networking
  • Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)

    Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a switching mechanism used in wide area networks (WANs).

  • computer network

    A computer network is a group of interconnected nodes or computing devices that exchange data and resources with each other.

  • WAN optimization (WAN acceleration)

    WAN optimization -- also known as WAN acceleration -- is a collection of technologies and techniques used to improve the ...

Security
  • three-factor authentication (3FA)

    Three-factor authentication (3FA) is the use of identity-confirming credentials from three separate categories of authentication ...

  • cyber espionage

    Cyber espionage (cyberespionage) is a type of cyber attack that malicious hackers carry out against a business or government ...

  • role-based access control (RBAC)

    Role-based access control (RBAC) is a method of restricting network access based on the roles of individual users within an ...

CIO
  • knowledge-based systems (KBSes)

    Knowledge-based systems (KBSes) are computer programs that use a centralized repository of data known as a knowledge base to ...

  • Sarbanes-Oxley Act

    The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is a federal law that established sweeping auditing and financial regulations for public companies.

  • project charter

    A project charter is a formal short document that states a project exists and provides project managers with written authority to...

HRSoftware
  • employee engagement

    Employee engagement is the emotional and professional connection an employee feels toward their organization, colleagues and work.

  • talent pool

    A talent pool is a database of job candidates who have the potential to meet an organization's immediate and long-term needs.

  • diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

    Diversity, equity and inclusion is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and ...

Customer Experience
  • sales development representative (SDR)

    A sales development representative (SDR) is an individual who focuses on prospecting, moving and qualifying leads through the ...

  • service level indicator

    A service level indicator (SLI) is a metric that indicates what measure of performance a customer is receiving at a given time.

  • customer data platform (CDP)

    A customer data platform (CDP) is a type of software application that provides a unified platform of customer information that ...

Close