Gartner Glossary

The GartnerGlossary ofInformationTechnology

Acronyms andTerms

The Gartner Glossary of Information Technology Acronyms and Terms

2004 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. 2

Table of Contents

Numbers..................................................................................................... 1

A ............................................................................................................ 9

B .......................................................................................................... 35

C .......................................................................................................... 53

D .......................................................................................................... 99

E ......................................................................................................127

F ........................................................................................................ 153

G ........................................................................................................ 167

H ........................................................................................................ 176

I ........................................................................................................ 189

J ........................................................................................................ 215

K ........................................................................................................ 220

L ........................................................................................................ 224

M ........................................................................................................ 234

N ........................................................................................................ 254

O ........................................................................................................ 265

P ........................................................................................................ 275

Q ........................................................................................................ 294

R ........................................................................................................ 296

S ........................................................................................................ 310

T ........................................................................................................ 346

U ........................................................................................................ 361

V ........................................................................................................ 366

W ........................................................................................................ 376

X ........................................................................................................ 390

Y ........................................................................................................ 394

Z ........................................................................................................ 395



Numbers10Base-2A specification from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for local-areanetwork (LAN) cable and related equipment. 10Base-2 LANs transmit data at 10megabits per second over thin Ethernet coaxial cabling spanning distances of up to185 meters.

10Base-5A local-area network (LAN) cable specification from the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers. 10Base-5 LANs transmit data at 10 megabits per second overthick Ethernet coaxial cabling spanning distances of up to 500 meters.

10Base-FA local-area network (LAN) physical-media specification from the Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers. 10Base-F LANs transmit data at 10 megabits persecond over fiber-optic cable.

10Base-FLA version of the 10Base-F specification supporting fiber-optic links (asynchronousconnections linked by Ethernet repeaters). See 10Base-F.

10Base-TA broadly used standard for Ethernet local-area network (LAN) wiring and relatedequipment. As specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,10Base-T LANs transmit data at 10 megabits per second over unshielded twisted-pair(UTP) wires (similar to the wiring commonly used for indoor phone lines). SeeEthernet and UTP.

10Base-x seriesA series of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) specifications forEthernet local-area network (LAN) cabling and related equipment, supporting speedsof up to 10 megabits per second (Mbps). Several common standards in this seriesare defined in separate entries (see 10Base-2, 10Base-5, 10Base-F, 10Base-FLand 10Base-T). The "10Base" prefix stands for "10 Mbps baseband" (seebaseband); similar IEEE specifications for faster LANs use "100Base" and"1000Base" prefixes (see 100Base-x series and 1000Base-x series). The letter ornumeral at the end of each specification name denotes the type of cable "F" forfiber, "T" for twisted-pair, and numerals for various types of coaxial cable. SeeEthernet.

100Base-FA physical-media specification from the Institute for Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers, supporting Fast Ethernet local-area networks operating at 100 megabitsper second over fiber-optic cable. See Fast Ethernet and fiber-optic.

100Base-FXA version of the 100Base-F fiber-optic cable standard supporting half- and full-duplexoperation. See 100Base-F.



100Base-TA widely used standard for Fast Ethernet local-area network (LAN) wiring and relatedequipment. As specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,100Base-T LANs transmit data at 100 megabits per second over unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) copper cable. See Fast Ethernet and UTP.

100Base-TXA version of the 100Base-T specification supporting both full-duplex and half-duplextransmission over two pairs of unshielded twisted-pair wires. See 100Base-T.

100Base-x seriesA series of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) specifications forFast Ethernet local-area network (LAN) cabling and related equipment (see FastEthernet). Several common standards in this series are defined in separate entries(see 100Base-F, 100Base-FX, 100Base-T and 100Base-TX). These specificationsare similar to those of the IEEE's 10Base-x series, but are designed for higher-speedtransmission up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), rather than 10 Mbps (see10Base-x series).

100VG-AnyLANAn Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard for Ethernet andtoken ring local-area networks (LANs) transmitting at 100 megabit per second.(Originally dubbed "100Base-VG" as an IEEE Ethernet specification, it was renamedafter token ring compatibility was added). In the 1990s, 100VG-AnyLAN waspromoted heavily by Hewlett-Packard, among other vendors, as a technicallysuperior LAN alternative to 100Base-T with Fast Ethernet, but it ultimately failed towin out in the marketplace. See 100Base-T and Fast Ethernet.

1000Base-LXAn physical network specification for long-wavelength laser transmission over fiber-optic cable, defined by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers.1000Base-LX supports Ethernet transmission at 1,000 megabits per second overlinks up to 10 kilometers long, depending on the type of cable used. See GigabitEthernet.

1000Base-SXA physical network standard for short-wavelength laser transmission over fiber-opticcable, defined by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 1000Base-SXsupports Ethernet transmission at 1,000 megabits per second over links up to 500meters long, depending on the type of fiber-optic cable used. See Gigabit Ethernet.

1000Base-TAn Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers standard for copper cabling andrelated equipment used in Gigabit Ethernet networks. 1000Base-T supportstransmission at 1,000 megabits per second over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable.See UTP and Gigabit Ethernet.

1000Base-xA series of Gigabit Ethernet network cable and equipment specifications fromInstitute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). For definitions of some of thebetter-known standards in this series, see 1000Base-LX, 1000Base-SX and1000Base-T. These standards are similar to those of the IEEE's 10Base-x and100Base-x series, but support data transmission at higher speeds up to 1,000



megabits per second. See 10Base-x series, 100Base-x series and GigabitEthernet.

1394A high speed serial bus specification from the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers. See FireWire.

23B+DAn abbreviation for the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Primary RateInterface (PRI), composed of 23 bearer (B) channels and one data (D) channel. SeeISDN and PRI.

24x7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)Continuous, round-the clock availability of a system or service.

2B+DAn abbreviation for the ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI), composed of two bearer (B)channels and one data (D) channel. See ISDN and BRI.

2PC (two-phase commit)A method for coordinating a single transaction across two or more databasemanagement systems (DBMSs) or other resource managers. 2PC guarantees thelogical integrity of data by ensuring that transaction updates are either finalized in allparticipating databases or fully backed out of all of them (that is, the update occurs"everywhere or nowhere"). 2PC is a required component of distributed databases,and is implemented in transaction management software that may be part of aDBMS, online transaction processing (OLTP) monitor or front-end application tool.See DBMS and OLTP.

3270An interactive communications terminal used to communicate with an IBMmainframe or compatible system.

3380An IBM direct-access storage device family introduced in 1980.

3390An IBM family of storage products introduced in 1989.

3480A half-inch tape cartridge format introduced by IBM in 1984.

3990An IBM storage controller family introduced in 1987, supporting a wide range ofdevices, including 3380, 3390 and Random Access Method of Accounting and Control(RAMAC) systems. See 3380, 3390 and RAMAC.

3-D visualizationThe use of interactive graphics to represent and manipulate high-volume,multidimensional data as graphical objects with a wide range of characteristics(including x/y/z axes, size, color, shape or movement).



3-D WebWeb site technology that provides a virtual, three-dimensional "space" for visitors toexplore (for example, through the use of Virtual Reality Modeling Language; seeVRML).

3G (third generation)The term used to refer to the next generation of wireless communicationstechnology, the "first generation" having been analog cellular, and the "secondgeneration" being today's digital cellular networks. An initiative of the InternationalTelecommunication Union and regional standards bodies, 3G aims to provideuniversal, high-speed (up to four megabits per second), high-bandwidth wirelessservices supporting a variety of advanced applications. See UMTS, IMT-2000 andEDGE.

3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)A collaboration agreement, established in 1998 among several telecommunicationsstandards bodies, to produce a series of technical specifications and standards forthird-generation (3G) wireless communications. See 3G.

3GL (third-generation language)A high-level programming language such as FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC or C thatcompiles to machine language.

3PL (third-party logistics)A type of service provider that offers advanced logistics services, such astransportation management, inventory maintenance and logistical modeling.

3rd Generation Partnership Project (see 3GPP)

4GL (fourth-generation language)A high-level language suitable for end-user or programmer data access and capableof reasonably complex data manipulation. A common example is Microsoft's VisualBasic. 4GLs includes two categories of software development tools: applicationgenerators for production applications, and information generators for decisionsupport applications. 4GLs are relatively nonprocedural and easier to use than third-generation languages (3GLs), but are less powerful and more wasteful of computerresources. See 3GL.

802.1dAn Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers specification for local-areanetwork spanning trees. See spanning tree.

802.1pAn Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers specification for priority queueswithin local-area networks.

802.1qA virtual local-area network (VLAN) specification from the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers. See VLAN.

802.1xA port-based authentication protocol from the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers.



802.11A series of standards issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineersfor wireless local-area networks (WLANs). Various specifications cover WLANtransmission speeds from one megabit per second (Mbps) to 54 Mbps. There arethree main physical-layer standards see 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g.

802.11aAn Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standard for the physical layer ofwireless local-area networks (WLANs) operating in the five-gigahertz radio band. Ithas eight radio channels, each with a maximum link rate of 54 megabits per second;however, maximum user throughput will be about half this, and the throughput isshared by all users of the same radio channel. Frequency bands allowed for 802.11a(also called Wi-Fi5) differ in different parts of the world. See Wi-Fi5 and WLAN.

802.11bA standard for the physical layer of wireless local-area networks (WLANs) operatingat 2.4 gigahertz, from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Also calledWi-Fi, 802.11b specifies three radio channels, each with a maximum link rate of 11megabits per second; however, maximum user throughput will be about half this,and the throughput is shared by all users of the same radio channel. See Wi-Fi andWLAN.

802.11gAn Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers physical-layer standard forwireless local-area networks operating at 2.4 gigahertz. It provides three availableradio channels, each with a maximum link rate of 54 megabits per second. Supportfor complementary-code-keying modulation makes 802.11g backwardly compatiblewith 802.11b. The addition of further modulation schemes, such as orthogonalfrequency division multiplexing (see OFDM), achieves higher link rates. See 802.11band OFDM.

802.12A competing standard to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE's)more widespread Ethernet (802.3) specification for local-area networks. Introducedin the 1990s in conjunction with the 100VG-AnyLAN standard, IEEE 802.12 networksuse a "demand priority" access control mechanism, and can transport both Ethernetand token ring data frames. See 100VG-AnyLAN.

802.15A Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers working group addressingstandardization of wireless personal-area networks (PANs). See PAN.

802.15.4A draft standard for low-data-rate, low-power-consumption wireless networking inthe 2.4-gigahertz radio band. With data rates of less than 220 kilobits per secondover 75 meters, 802.15.4 (dubbed "ZigBee" by the vendor group that promotes it) issuitable for many automation and remote-control applications. (See ZigBee andZigBee Alliance.)

802.3A protocol specification for Ethernet local-area networks (LANs) from the Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 802.3 and the IEEE's 10Base-x series ofcable specifications are the dominant standards used in today's LANs operating at 10



megabits per second (see 10Base-x series). Several extensions to the 802.3standard support higher data rates (see 802.3u, 802.3z and 802.3ae).

802.3aeAn extension of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE's) 802.3Ethernet network protocol specification. IEEE 802.3ae, also known as 10-GigabitEthernet, supports data rates of 10 gigabits per second. See 802.3.

802.3uAn extension of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE's) 802.3Ethernet network protocol specification. IEEE 802.3u is also known as Fast Ethernetbecause it supports higher data rates than 802.3 100 megabits per second (Mbps)instead of 10 Mbps. See 802.3 and Fast Ethernet.

802.3zAn extension of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE's) 802.3Ethernet network protocol specification. IEEE 802.3z, also known as GigabitEthernet, supports data transmission rates up to one gigabit per second. See 802.3and Gigabit Ethernet.

802.5A token ring network protocol specification from the Institute for Electrical andElectronics Engineers. See token ring.

802.6A metropolitan-area network (MAN) specification from the Institute for Electrical andElectronics Engineers. See MAN.

80x86A family of Intel microprocessors once used in IBM-compatible PCs and workstations.It includes the 80286, 80386 and 80486. The first Pentium processors are membersof the same family, but the numerical designations have been dropped. SeePentium.



AA2A (application-to-application)An approach to enterprise application integration that provides visibility into internalsystems, so that these systems can share information or business processes.

A3 (Adaptive Application Architecture)A Gartner reference model for an application platform that can adapt to a varietydevice types and networks (notably mobile devices and wireless data transmission),and that can support all types of data transactions. The A3 goes beyond thelimitations of network- and device-specific wireless platforms to provide a morecomprehensive model suitable to the new challenges of network computing (forexample, maintaining multiple, changing devices, unstable and mixed-mediacontent, and multiple networks). The A3 comprises three logical components:

Link layer the elements managing the link (i.e., the network transport), suchas session management, synchronization, security, device discovery and locationawareness.

Transformation platform the elements handling the transformation of the datastream, including filtering, selection, ordering and formatting.

Profile management the management of persistent data that supports theoverall interaction.

Because it abstracts across multiple device types and media, the A3 is a key elementin the evolution of the Supranet (see Supranet).

AA (see application architecture and automated attendant)

AAC (ATM access concentrator)A device used to concentrate a variety of services (such as frame relay, InternetProtocol and video) over a single asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network accessconnection. See ATM.

AAL (ATM adaptation layer)The asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) layer where non-ATM data is converted toATM format. The AAL serves as the "glue" that connects traditional packet and framestructures with short, fixed-length ATM cells. It forms the top layer of the ATMversion of the Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN) protocolstack. See ATM and B-ISDN.

ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming)The core development tool in SAP's R/3 system.

ABC (activity-based costing)An approach to understanding where and why costs are incurred within anenterprise. It provides the information for activity-based management, which focuseson the decisions and actions needed to reduce costs and increase revenue. ABCdiffers from traditional cost accounting in explicitly recognizing that not all costobjects place an equal demand on support resources.



ABEND (abnormal end)A type of system error in which a task or program fails to execute properly (i.e.,"abnormally ends"). The term is also used as the name for a type of error messagethat indicates such a failure has occurred.

ABI (application binary interface)A set of specifications that enables an application written for one target operatingsystem (OS) and hardware platform to run on a different OS and platform, where thetwo hardware platforms share the same processor type. ABIs enable compatibilityonly among products built on the same microprocessor architectures.

ABM (activity-based management)The use of activity-based costing (ABC) principles in the ongoing management ofcosts and resources. See ABC.

ABR (available bit rate)An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) service category. ABR service is conceptuallysimilar to that of a frame relay network a minimal cell rate is guaranteed, andbursts can be supported if the network resources allow it. See ATM.

Abstract Syntax Notation 1 (see ASN.1)

AC (alternating current)A type of power supply in which the current periodically reverses direction, asdistinguished from a direct current (see DC).

ACA (Australian Communications Authority)The Australian government body that regulates the nation's communicationsindustries.

Accelerated Graphics Port (see AGP)

access chargeThe charge assessed to communications users for access to the local or regionalexchange to send or receive calls. It also includes access to specializedtelecommunications services and access to the customer's local access and transportarea.

access codeThe digit or digits that a user must dial to be connected to an outgoing trunk facility.

access controlFunctions and administrative tasks related to system or network access, includinguser identification and access recording.

Access Control Facility 2 (see ACF2)

access control list (see ACL)

access lineThe connection to the customer's local telephone company for origination of local andlong-distance calls. Also known as a local loop or trunk.



access method1. The portion of a computer's operating system responsible for formatting data sets

and their direction to specific storage devices. Examples from the mainframeworld include Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) and Indexed SequentialAccess Method (ISAM). See VSAM and ISAM.

2. In local-area networks (LANs), the technique or program code used to arbitratestations' use of the LAN by granting access selectively to individual stations.Examples include carrier sense multiple access with collision detection(CSMA/CD) and token passing. See CSMA/CD and token passing.

access pointThe basic building block of a wireless local-area network infrastructure. Access pointsattach to a wired backbone and provide wireless connectivity to all devices withinrange. In a roaming infrastructure, as devices move out of the range of one accesspoint, they move into the range of another.

access routerAn access device with built-in basic routing protocol support, specifically designed toallow remote network access to corporate backbone networks. Access routers are notdesigned to replace backbone routers or to build backbone networks. They usuallyhave limited protocols, few ports and low speed.

accounting rateThe charge per traffic unit a unit of time or information content coveringcommunications between zones controlled by different telecommunicationsauthorities. Accounting rates are used to establish international tariffs.

Accredited Standards Committee (see ASC)

ACD (automatic call distributor)A specialized phone system that handles many incoming calls. ACDs are used for avariety of order-taking functions, such as calls to help desks or dispatching of servicetechnicians. They are designed to distribute a large volume of incoming callsuniformly to operators or agents (for example, for airline reservations).

ACE (Advanced CMOS-ECL)A high-end processor technology introduced by Hitachi in the 1990s.

ACF (Advanced Communications Function)A family of IBM communications programs that handle tasks such as resourcesharing and distribution of functions. They include ACF/Virtual TelecommunicationsAccess Method (ACF/VTAM) and ACF/Network Control Program (ACF/NCP). IBMeventually dropped the "ACF/" prefix from many of these program names; forexample ACF/VTAM is now known simply as "VTAM."

ACF2 (Access Control Facility 2)A host-based security subsystem from Computer Associates; also known as CA-ACF2.

ACH (automated clearinghouse)A type of funds transfer network that processes debit and credit transactionsbetween accounts from participating financial institutions.



ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability)Four well-established tests for verifying the integrity of business transactions in adata-processing environment.

ACL (access control list)Manages users and their access to files and directories. Access control requireslinking users with content. User information is stored in a directory, and content isreferenced in ACLs.

ACM (Association for Computing Machinery)An educational and scientific computing society, founded in 1947, whosemembership today includes more than 80,000 computing professionals and studentsworldwide.

ACMS (Application Control and Management System)A transaction-processing monitor from Compaq (now part of Hewlett-Packard);originally a product of Digital Equipment, which Compaq acquired in 1998.

ACP (array control processor)A type of processor used in storage systems.

ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)A standard developed by Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba to improve PC powermanagement and plug-and-play capabilities.

A-CPR (ambulatory computer-based patient record)A computer-based patient record (CPR) used exclusively in theambulatory/outpatient care delivery environments of healthcare. See CPR.

ACR (attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio)A measure of signal quality in network cabling.

AcrobatA product from Adobe Systems used to display documents in digital form as theyappeared in their original, paper format. As an Internet plug-in, it is often useddisplay documents, such as brochures, on the Web.

ACS (Affiliated Computer Services)A business process and IT outsourcing provider headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

ACSLS (Automated Cartridge System Library Software)A Unix-based tape-library-sharing system from Storage Technology.

Active Data Warehouse (see ADW)

Active DirectoryThe directory service portion of the Windows 2000 operating system. ActiveDirectory manages the identities and relationships of the distributed resources thatmake up a network environment. It stores information about network-based entities(such as applications, files, printers and people) and provides a consistent way toname, describe, locate, access, manage and secure information about theseresources.



Active Directory Services Interface (see ADSI)

Active Server Pages (see ASP)

ActiveXA Microsoft technology that facilitates various Internet applications, and thereforeextends and enhances the functionality of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. LikeJava, ActiveX enables the development of interactive content. When an ActiveX-aware browser encounters a Web page that includes an unfamiliar feature, itautomatically installs the appropriate applications so the feature can be used.

ActiveX Data Objects (see ADO)

activity-based costing (see ABC)

activity-based management (see ABM)

actuatorA disk drive mechanism. The actuator positions the disk read-write head over theselected track.

AD (application development)The function of creating applications for an enterprise. The term refers not simply toprogramming, but to the larger overall process of defining application requirements,planning the application structure, developing the code, monitoring developmentprogress and testing results.

A/D (analog-to-digital)The term used to describe a type of converter used to bridge analog and digitalcircuitry. A/D converters can be either stand-alone microcomponents, or included inthe functionality embedded in certain advanced processor types.

adapterA type of middleware that combines design tools and runtime software to act as"glue" to link applications to the enterprise nervous system (ENS). Adapters performa variety of tasks, including recognizing events, collecting and transforming data,and exchanging data with the ENS. They also handle exceptions and can oftendynamically accommodate new revisions of back-end applications. See middlewareand ENS.

Adaptive Application Architecture (see A3)

adaptive differential pulse code modulation (see ADPCM)

adaptive routingRouting that automatically adjusts to network changes, such shifts in network traffic,to find the most efficient path for transmission.

ADC (analog-to-digital converter)Component used to bridge the digital and analog circuitry contained in certainadvanced integrated circuits. Also known as an A/D converter (see A/D).

ADC (automated data collection)



The automated conversion of disparate types of information into computer records.ADC devices and technologies include bar code systems, optical character recognitionand speech recognition.

address1. Coded representation of the origin or destination of data on the Internet or

another type of network. Each Web site, or each terminal on a communicationsline, has a unique address.

2. In software, a location in memory that can be specifically referred to in aprogram.

Address Resolution Protocol (see ARP)

address translationThe process of changing the identifier associated with an item of data, or aninstruction, to the actual location in main storage where it is held.

ADE (application development environment)An product that offers a range of tools or features (for example, for programming,interface development and testing) to provide a complete "environment" fordeveloping applications.

ADF (Application Development Facility)An IBM program for developing Information Management System (IMS) applications.See IMS.

ADF (automated document factory)Gartner's term for an architecture and set of processes to manage the creation anddelivery of mission-critical, high-volume digital documents. The ADF applies factoryproduction concepts to the document production raw materials, including data andpreparation instructions, enter the ADF, where they are transformed into digitaldocuments and prepared for delivery.

ADMF (Asynchronous Data Mover Facility)A IBM mainframe feature designed to enhance system performance in data movesbetween central and expanded storage.

admission, discharge and transfer (see ADT)

ADO (ActiveX Data Objects)A high-level data access object model introduced by Microsoft in 1996.

ADP (Automatic Data Processing)A check-processing and payroll services company based in Roseland, New Jersey.

ADPCM (adaptive differential pulse code modulation)A speech-coding method that calculates the difference between two consecutivespeech samples in standard pulse code modulation (PCM) coded telecommunicationsvoice signals. This calculation is encoded using an adaptive filter and, as a result,allows analog voice signals to be carried on a 32 Kbps digital channel in half thespace PCM uses.



ADSI (Active Directory Services Interface)A Microsoft Active Directory feature that enables Windows 2000 applications tointeract with other directory services such as NetWare or Lightweight DirectoryAccess Protocol (LDAP) directories without the need to know the details of theunderlying protocols. See Active Directory and LDAP.

ADSI (Analog Display Services Interface)A protocol developed by Bellcore in the 1990s. ADSI enables informationcommunicated over an analog phone line to be displayed on the screen of an ADSI-compatible device.

ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line)ADSL allows cable TV, video, telephony and other multimedia services to be sentover voice-grade twisted-pair cable carrying from 1.5 megabits per second (Mbps) to8 Mbps downstream, and from 16 kilobits per second (Kbps) to 640 Kbps upstream(hence the designation "asymmetric"), over distances ranging from two to sixkilometers without the use of repeaters. ADSL uses adaptive digital filtering, whichadjusts to compensate for noise and other problems on the line.

ADSM (ADSTAR Distributed Storage Manager)An IBM software product for managing storage, data access and backup acrossmultivendor enterprisewide networks. Following IBM's acquisition of Tivoli Systems inthe 1996, ADSM was taken over by IBM Tivoli and eventually renamed Tivoli StorageManager.

ADSTAR (Automated Document Storage and Retrieval)IBM's name for its storage products business in the 1990s.

ADSTAR Distributed Storage Manager (see ADSM)

ADT (admission, discharge and transfer)A category of hospital software. An ADT system records admissions to, dischargesfrom and transfers within a hospital, and maintains the hospital census.

Advanced Business Application Programming (see ABAP)

Advanced CMOS-ECL (see ACE)

Advanced Communications Function (see ACF)

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (see ACPI)

Advanced Function Printing (see AFP)

Advanced Intelligent Network (see AIN)

Advanced Intelligent Tape (see AIT)

Advanced Interactive Executive (see AIX)

Advanced Metal Evaporated (see AME)

Advanced Micro Devices (see AMD)



advanced mobile phone service (see AMPS)

Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (see APPN)

Advanced Planner and Optimizer (see APO)

Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (see APPC)

Advanced Queuing (see AQ)

Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (see ARPANET)

advance ship notice (see ASN)

advanced technologyA technology that is still immature but promises to deliver significant value, or thathas some technical maturity but still has relatively few users; also known as an"emerging technology." Current examples include artificial intelligence, biometrics, e-tags, grid computing and wearable computers.

Advanced Technology Attachment (see ATA)

advanced technology group (see ATG)

Advanced Visual Systems (see AVS)

ADW (Active Data Warehouse)A relational database from i2 Technologies. The ADW serves as an operational datastore for the data used in systems such as i2's Supply Chain Planner tool.

AEC (architecture, engineering and construction)A market category for computer-aided design and engineering applications.

AFC (antiferromagnetically coupled)A type of storage media that uses an advanced magnetic coating expected todramatically increase hard disk drive (HDD) capacity. IBM shipped the first AVC-based storage products in 2001.

affiliateAn enterprise that sells products of other manufacturers or retailers (i.e., sponsoringmerchants) on its Web site. Users select products at the affiliate Web site, but thesale is actually transacted at the sponsoring merchant's site. Affiliates are similar inconcept to industry-based manufacturing representatives that sell multiplemanufacturers' product lines.

Affiliated Computer Services (see ACS)

AFP (Advanced Function Printing)An IBM all-points-addressable enterprisewide print architecture.

agentSoftware that acts as an intermediary for a person by performing an activity.Intelligent agents can "learn" an individual's preferences and act in the person's best



interest. For example, an agent for a purchasing manager could learn corporatespecifications, determine when inventory is low, search the Internet for the lowest-cost supplier, and even negotiate and complete transactions. See intelligent agent.

aggregatorAn entity that enables buyers within a market to select among competitors byaggregating information about the market and its suppliers and providing thisinformation via a Web site. Aggregators may provide decision-support applicationsthat integrate supplier information with third-party information and with userrequirements or preferences to allow users to differentiate the services and featuresof various competitors. Content aggregators aggregate information and match it touser preferences. These preferences may be declared actively (that is, if the userexplicitly specifies them) or passively (for example, the software discernspreferences from patterns of user behavior or interest).

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)An Intel technology for desktop systems. It increases system performance byoffloading graphic requirements from the system bus to a bus dedicated to videoprocessing.

AHP (analytical hierarchy process)A process that uses hierarchical decomposition to deal with complex information inmulticriterion decision making, such as information technology vendor and productevaluation. It consists of three steps:

1. Developing the hierarchy of attributes germane to the selection of the IT vendor.

2. Identifying the relative importance of the attributes.

3. Scoring the alternatives' relative performance on each element of the hierarchy.

Developed by Thomas Saaty while he was teaching at the University ofPennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, the AHP is recognized as the leadingtheory in multicriterion decision making.

AI (artificial intelligence)A wide-ranging discipline of computer science that seeks to make computers become"intelligent" by enabling them to employ processes similar to those used by thehuman mind. The term was coined by John McCarthy of the Massachusetts Instituteof Technology in 1956. AI involves the capability of a machine to learn (to rememberresults produced on a previous trial and to modify the operation accordingly insubsequent trials) or to reason (to analyze the results produced in similar operationsand select the most favorable outcome). Today's AI applications include voicerecognition, robotics, neural nets and expert systems.

AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group)An association of automotive companies which has defined a number of standards,including the E-5 standard for sending e-commerce transactions over the AutomotiveNetwork Exchange, an IP-based commerce network. The group's electronic datainterchange (EDI) standards work includes implementation guides for X12transactions, and the contribution of content to the AS2 specification. See EDI andAS2.



AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)A U.S. association for accounting professionals. In the United States, the AICPA isthe primary governing body for the interpretation of accounting rules. This grouppublishes guidelines and rulings designed to ensure consistent treatment of complexaccounting issues, such as software revenue recognition.

AIIM (Association for Information and Image Management)A Maryland-based organization dedicated to promoting development of systems thatstore, retrieve and manage document images.

AIM (AOL Instant Messenger)The instant messaging (IM) technology offered in America Online's (AOL's) Internetservice. AIM is among the most widely used IM services, with more than 60 millionregistered users worldwide.

AIN (Advanced Intelligent Network)Introduced by AT&T Network Systems in 1991, AIN enables service providers todefine, test and introduce new multimedia messaging, personal-communication andcell-routing services. See intelligent network.

AIT (Advanced Intelligent Tape)An eight-millimeter helical-scan tape drive designed and manufactured by Sony.Sony has differentiated its AIT drive from other 8-millimeter tape drives with aunique media feature on the tape cartridge called memory in cassette (MIC). SeeMIC.

AIX (Advanced Interactive Executive)A Unix-based operating system from IBM.

A/L (Archive Link)An interface that enables enterprises to link traditional storage archives with SAPR/3. A/L is the product of a partnership between SAP and iXOS Software.

alertA message displayed by an application or operating system to notify the user ofcertain conditions.

algorithmA process for calculations involving the manipulation of numbers.

ALL-IN-1A VAX/VMS-based office information system that was a dominant player in corporatemessaging in the late 1980s, from Digital Equipment (acquired in 1998 by CompaqComputer, which in turn was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2002).

AlphaA 64-bit reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor from Compaq(now part of Hewlett-Packard), which acquired the technology with its 1998 purchaseof Digital Equipment.

alternate mark inversion (see AMI)



alternate routingMethod of routing wherein a secondary communications path is used if the usual oneis not available (also called "alternative routing").

alternating current (see AC)

alternative routing (see alternate routing)

ALU (arithmetic logic unit)A central processing unit's (CPU's) core element, which carries out arithmeticcomputations. See CPU.

AM (amplitude modulation)A means of modulating a wave signal to carry information. With AM, the amplitude ofthe carrier wave is varied in accordance with the information to be transmitted. SeeFM.

AM (see asset management)

AMA (automatic message accounting)A function that automatically documents billing data related to subscriber-dialedlong-distance calls.

ambient noiseCommunications interference present in a signal path at all times.

ambulatory computer-based patient record (see A-CPR)

ambulatory suiteA healthcare application suite consisting of practice management, contractmanagement and ambulatory computer-based patient record (A-CPR) applicationcomponents. See A-CPR.

AMD (Advanced Micro Devices)A microprocessor manufacturer headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

AME (Advanced Metal Evaporated)A media formulation manufactured by Sony for use in its consumer and computerproduct lines.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (see AICPA)

American Management Systems (see AMS)

American Medical Informatics Association (see AMIA)

American National Standards Institute (see ANSI)

American Society for Testing and Materials (see ASTM)

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (see ASCII)



America Online (see AOL)

AMI (alternate mark inversion)A digital signaling method in which the signal carrying the binary value alternatesbetween positive and negative polarities; zero and one values are represented by thesignal amplitude at either polarity, while no-value "spaces" are at zero amplitude.Also called bipolar.

AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association)A not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development and application of medicalinformatics in the support of patient care, teaching, research and healthcareadministration. The AMIA serves as an authoritative body in the field of medicalinformatics and represents the United States in the informational arena of medicalsystems and informatics in international forums.

AMIS (Audio Messaging Interchange Specification)An enhanced key system feature for voice/call processing that enables enterpriselocations to transfer and forward voice messages between systems. It is a voiceprocessing standard that specifies the procedures to network voice processingsystems, regardless of who manufactures the system.

AMO (application management outsourcing)The ongoing maintenance, management, conversion, enhancement and support ofan application portfolio by an external company. AMO, a subset of applicationoutsourcing (see separate entry), includes changes that generally take less thansome predefined time to implement (for example, 10 days or 30 days). Examples ofmaintenance include regulatory changes, software upgrades, new releaseinstallations and "fix it if it breaks" troubleshooting. AMO may involve the transfer ofpeople and application software to the vendor.

amplifierAn electronic component that boosts the strength or amplitude of a transmitted,usually analog, signal; functionally equivalent to a repeater in digital transmissions.

amplitudeA departure of the value of a wave or alternating current from its average value.

amplitude modulation (see AM)

AMPS (advanced mobile phone service)An AT&T-developed analog cellular radio technology, operating in the 800 megahertzfrequency band.

AMS (American Management Systems)A business and IT consulting firm headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia.

AMS (Application Management Specification)A set of application programming interfaces that enable the consistent definition ofapplications for deployment and management, from IBM's Tivoli subsidiary.



analogInformation presented in the form of a continuously varying signal (see analogsignal) in contrast to digital transmission, where information is conveyed in theform of discrete, digital units (see digital).

analog signalA signal in the form of a continuous, wave-like pattern, with variations in the signal'sproperties (such as voltage) reflecting variations in the information carried (such asloudness of the human voice). An analog signal conveys information by modulating(i.e., varying) the frequency, amplitude or phase of the signal's carrier wave. Analogsignaling is used in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and other audioand radio frequency facilities, such as broadcasting. A digital baseband signalgenerated by a data network must be converted to analog form to be transmittedover an analog facility, such as a voice grade telephone line. This process isperformed by a modulation device, such as a modem. See modem, modulationand PSTN.

analog-to-digital (see A/D)

analog-to-digital converter (see ADC)

analog transmissionTransmission of a continuously variable signal, as opposed to a discretely variable(e.g., digital) one. See analog signal.

analysis of variance (see ANOVA)

analytical hierarchy process (see AHP)

ANDF (Architecture-Neutral Distribution Format)The Open Group's format enabling distribution of a single version of an application tocomputers with different hardware and software architectures. Launched in the1990s, ANDF failed to achieve widespread adoption.

ANI (automatic number identification)A series of digits, in either analog or digital form, which tells a user the originatingnumber of the incoming phone call. Caller ID is the most familiar form of ANI.

angle of arrival (see AOA)

ANOVA (analysis of variance)A form of statistical analysis.

ANSI (American National Standards Institute)In the United States, ANSI serves as a quasi-national standards organization. Itprovides "area charters" for groups that establish standards in specific fields. Thesegroups include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and theElectronic Industries Alliance (EIA). ANSI is unique among the world's standardsgroups as a nongovernmental body granted the sole vote for the United States in theInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO). This status is part of the reasonANSI bends over backward to limit its role to that of facilitator, or catalyst, in theproduction of standards. See IEEE, EIA and ISO.



ANSI X9.9 (see X9.9)

ANSI X12 (see X12)

antennaA device used to transmit or receive radio waves. The physical design of the antennadetermines the frequency range of transmission and reception.

antiferromagnetically coupled (see AFC)

ANX (Automotive Network Exchange)Established by the Automotive Industry Action Group to offer extranet-basedapplications to suppliers of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.

AOA (angle of arrival)Based on triangulation, a method of processing cellular phone signals, AOA allowsthe physical position of switched-on wireless devices to be located. The position isdetermined by comparing the AOA of the existing reverse control channel at variouscell sites.

AOL (America Online)A company (now a subsidiary of Time Warner) that offers Web access, e-commerceand related Internet products and services. Founded in 1985 and headquartered inDulles, Virginia, AOL initially offered limited, non-Web online services, but grewrapidly (to over 30 million subscribers) after making its services Web-based andaggressively marketing them as a simple, easy-to-use Internet access option formass-market consumers. In 2000, AOL acquired media conglomerate Time Warnerfor over $300 million at the time, the largest merger in U.S. corporate history.

AOL Instant Messenger (see AIM)

AP (see access point)

ApacheAn open-source Web server platform.

APACS (Association for Payment Clearing Services)The organization that manages U.K. payment systems.

API (application programming interface)A set of calling conventions that defines how a service is invoked through software.An API enables programs written by users or third parties to communicate withcertain vendor-supplied software.

APO (Advanced Planner and Optimizer)A supply-chain-planning suite from SAP.

APPC (Advanced Program-to-Program Communication)The programming interface to LU 6.2, IBM's protocol for peer-to-peer programcommunication under Systems Network Architecture (SNA). See LU 6.2 and SNA.



Apple ComputerA computer hardware and software vendor based in Cupertino, California. Applerevolutionized the personal-computing business in the 1980s with the launch of theMacintosh computer and its user-friendly interface and operating system. AlthoughApple remains a strong competitor in some computer markets (such as theconsumer, education, graphic arts and publishing segments), it is no longer a majorplayer in the mainstream business PC market, which is now dominated by IBM-compatible PCs running Microsoft Windows.

AppleShareAn Apple Computer operating-system feature that enables the sharing of files andnetwork services.

AppleTalkA proprietary network protocol from Apple Computer. AppleTalk has become a legacynetwork environment, as Apple now recommends that Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) be used to network Mac-based systems. SeeTCP/IP.

appletA small program that runs within an application. Applets are commonly used to makeotherwise static Web pages more interactive. Examples include animated graphics,games, configurable bar charts and scrolling messages. See Java applet.

appliance (see computing appliance)

Applicability Statement 1 (see AS1)

Applicability Statement 2 (see AS2)

applicant tracking systemAn application used to track resumes and data on job applicants. Typically, theseapplications include matching features, which rank candidates by matching them tocriteria specified in the requisition for an open position.

applicationA specific use for a computer or program, such as for accounts payable or payroll.The term is commonly used in place of the terms "application program," "software"or "program." Examples of programs and software include pre-packaged productivitysoftware (such as spreadsheets and word processors) and larger, customizedpackages designed for multiple users (such as e-mail and workgroup applications).

application architectureAn architecture that describes the layout of an application's deployment. Thisgenerally includes partitioned application logic and deployment to application serverengines. Application architectures rely less on specific tool or language technologythan on standardized middleware options, communications protocols, data gateways,and platform infrastructures such as Component Object Model (COM), JavaBeans andCommon Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The application architect istasked with specifying the architecture and supporting the deploymentimplementation.

application binary interface (see ABI)



Application Control and Management System (see ACMS)

application databaseThe initial point of capture for much of the data that enters an enterprise. Applicationdatabases are accessed and updated by end users through online transactionprocessing (OLTP) applications. These databases tend to contain detailed and up-to-date data; however, because OLTP applications normally support specific businessprocesses, application databases tend to be process-specific, rather thanenterprisewide, in nature. They may support some degree of data analysis, but thistends to be secondary to OLTP activity. An application database is often a source forrefinement of data into one or several of the other database implementation styles,such as a data warehouse or operational data store (ODS). See database, datawarehouse and ODS.

application development (see AD)

application development environment (see ADE)

Application Development Facility (see ADF)

application generatorA type of fourth-generation language (4GL) development tool used to createproduction applications. See 4GL.

application hostingA service in which a vendor will house shared or dedicated servers and applicationsfor an enterprise at the provider's controlled facilities. The vendor is responsible forday-to-day operations and maintenance of the application. Application hosting istypically based on service arrangements in which vendors provide the hardware,software and networking infrastructure that enables enterprises to run applicationsexternally by connecting electronically using a browser. A vendor may offer theservices directly or, more commonly, through an arrangement with an applicationservice provider (ASP). See hosting and ASP.

application integrationThe process of enabling independently designed applications to work together. Thiscan range from simple approaches such as providing users with access to dataand functionality from multiple applications through a single user interface tomore sophisticated approaches involving integration brokers or middleware. Seeintegration broker and middleware.

application layerThe top layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network model, offering aninterface to, and largely defined by, the network user. See OSI.

application management outsourcing (see AMO)

Application Management Specification (see AMS)

application outsourcingAn outsourcing arrangement for a wide variety of application services including newdevelopment, legacy system maintenance, offshore programming, management ofpackaged applications and staff augmentation. While this form of outsourcing



generally involves a transfer of staff, the use of the term has recently broadened toinclude arrangements where this is not the case, as in staff augmentation. It doesnot include system integration activities.

application platform suite (see APS)

application portfolioThe group of applications used and maintained by an enterprise whether internallydeveloped or externally sourced.

application portfolio analysisA tool to divide established and proposed applications into three categories utility,enhancement and frontier based on the degree to which they contribute to theenterprise's performance. The utility category is essential but does not enhance theenterprise's performance (e.g., payroll); the enhancement category containsapplications that improve the enterprise's performance based on the use ofestablished technology (e.g., documentation automation); and the frontier categoryis aimed at greatly improving enterprise performance (e.g., through aggressive useof rules-based decision support) but usually entails substantial risk. Themanagement issues for each category are, respectively, cost, opportunityidentification and innovation. The planning process should consider the best balanceamong the three categories to gain optimal future performance and the appropriatevalue from the application of IT.

application programA software program that performs a specific task or function as differentiated fromsupervisory program (i.e., an operating system or other type of system software).Application programs (generally known by the less formal term "applications")contain instructions that transfer control to the system software to performinput/output and other routine operations, working through an applicationprogramming interface.

application programming interface (see API)

Application Response Measurement (see ARM)

application server1. A hardware server designated to run applications (but not a database).

2. System software used to host the business logic tier of applications. In three-tierapplications, the application server manages business logic and enables it to beaccessed from the user interface tier. In a service-oriented architecture (SOA),an application server hosts the application services and also plays the role of afundamental enabling technology. Transaction-processing monitors (TPMs) andobject transaction monitors (OTMs) are examples of native application serverproducts. See SOA, OTM and TPM.

Application Server Evaluation Model (see ASEM)

application service provider (see ASP)



application sharingThe ability of two or more network-connected participants to have simultaneouscontrol over the content of a document running in an application (such as a word-processing or spreadsheet application). A component of data conferencing,application sharing enables users in different locations to collaborate on creating orediting documents.

application-specific integrated circuit (see ASIC)

application-specific standard product (see ASSP)

Application System/400 (see AS/400)

APPN (Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking)An extension of IBM's Systems Network Architecture (SNA) that provides dynamic,multipath routing among computers in an SNA network. IBM launched APPN as asuccessor to Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC), which requiresmore system configuration. APPN enables computers to dynamically exchangeinformation, making it simpler to configure and maintain SNA networks. See SNA.

APS (advanced planning and scheduling)A subcomponent of supply chain planning (SCP) that focuses on manufacturingplanning and scheduling. See SCP.

ARAD (architected rapid application development)An emerging approach that charts a middle ground between the rapid applicationdevelopment (RAD) approach used for small, short-lived projects and the"architected" approach used in large, heavily designed and systematic developmentefforts. The ARAD approach provides some reuse-based productivity, but with apreference for smaller and faster application efforts. With predefined design patternsand an architectural framework, application developers can determine whetherprojects are consistent with other applications in place or in progress. See RAD.

ArchieAn early Internet search tool, used to locate document files via File Transfer Protocol.The name was derived from "archive."

architected rapid application development (see ARAD)

architecture1. The overall design of a hardware, software or network system and the logical and

physical relationships among its components. The architecture specifies thehardware, software, access methods and protocols used throughout the system.

2. A set of principles, guidelines and rules used by an enterprise to direct theprocess of acquiring, building, modifying and interfacing IT resources throughoutthe enterprise. These resources can include equipment, software,communications, development methodologies, modeling tools and organizationalstructures.

architecture, engineering and construction (see AEC)

Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data (AVVID)



Architecture-Neutral Distribution Format (see ANDF)

Archive Link (see A/L)

Arden SyntaxA de facto standard in healthcare for coding clinical information (e.g., to generateclinical alerts, suggest interpretations or diagnoses, and guide compliance withprotocols).

AribaA business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform and network services provider.Among the early players in Internet-based procurement, Ariba is one of the largestB2B e-marketplace technology providers, which also include Commerce One andRosettaNet. It offers an XML-centric transactional infrastructure based on itsCommerce XML (cXML) specification. (See cXML, Commerce One andRosettaNet.)

arithmetic logic unit (see ALU)

ARM (Application Response Measurement)A set of application programming interfaces enabling enterprises to measureapplication transaction response times across a distributed-computing infrastructure.Developed by Tivoli and Hewlett-Packard in the mid-1990s and approved as astandard by the Open Group, ARM enables enterprise management tools to beextended directly to applications, thus creating end-to-end management capabilitiesthat include measuring application availability, performance, usage and responsetimes.

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)An Internet Protocol (IP) specification used to map an IP address to a Media AccessControl (MAC) address. See IP and MAC.

ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network)The ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet, was a pioneering long-haul networkfunded by the U.S. Department of Defense's Advanced Research Projects Agency. Itserved as the test bed for many areas of internetworking technology developmentand testing, and acted as the central backbone during the development of theInternet. The ARPANET was built using packet-switching computers interconnectedby leased lines.

ARQ (automatic repeat request)A network error control technique that requires retransmission of a data blockcontaining detected errors.

array control processor (see ACP)

ARS (automatic route selection)Automatic routing of voice communications transmissions over the most economicalfacilities.

artificial intelligence (see AI)

artificial life



A field of artificial intelligence (also called "emergent computation") that focuses onproducing complex behavior from the interaction of many simple behaviors (as insocieties of ants and bees). Uses include simulation and planning.

Art Technology Group (see ATG)

AS (see ambulatory suite)

AS (autonomous system)A network administrative domain, within which all members that share routeinformation can handle traffic to and from any destination. An AS is typically anetwork or group of networks owned and managed by a single entity, such as acarrier, Internet service provider, enterprise or university. It is the construct underwhich autonomous system numbers (ASNs) are assigned. See ASN.

AS1 (Applicability Statement 1)An Internet Engineering Task Force draft specification for the secure exchange ofelectronic data interchange (EDI) data over the Internet. Based on Simple MailTransfer Protocol (SMTP), AS1 supports security features such as digital signatures,encryption and digitally signed return receipts. AS1 was last tested in November1999. See AS2, EDI and SMTP.

AS2 (Applicability Statement 2)A second IETF draft specification (after AS1 see separate entry) to addresssecurity and interoperability issues in the exchange of electronic data interchange(EDI) data over the Internet. Based on Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), AS2expands on AS1 to include support for additional security features, such as digitalsigning via Secure Multipurpose Internet Messaging Extensions (S/MIME) and OpenSpecification for Pretty Good Privacy (OpenPGP). See EDI, HTTP, S/MIME andOpenPGP.

AS/400 (Application System/400)A midrange computer system introduced by IBM in 1988 as a replacement for itsSystem/36 and System/38 product families.

ASA (average speed of answer)A standard quantitative method for measuring the speed at which call center callsare answered.

ASC (Accredited Standards Committee)An organization, certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), thatproduces standard communication protocols for electronic data interchange (EDI).See ANSI and EDI.

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)A standard table of seven-bit designations for digital representation of uppercase andlowercase Roman letters, numbers and special control characters in teletype,computer and word processor systems. Some IBM systems use similar code calledExtended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code (see EBCDIC). Since mostcomputer systems use a full byte to send an ASCII character, many hardware andsoftware companies have made their own nonstandard and mutually incompatibleextensions of the official ASCII 128-character set into a 256-character set.



ASEM (Application Server Evaluation Model)A Gartner server evaluation model that provides a standard set of selection criteria,which remain consistent for all application types.

ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)An integrated circuit in which the pattern of connections has been set up exclusivelyfor a specific function.

ASN (advance ship notice)An electronic data interchange (EDI) message sent from the shipper to the receiverprior to a shipment's arrival. The message includes complete information about theshipment and its contents.

ASN (autonomous system number)A number assigned to a local network, registered into the carrier's routingcommunity and placed under the umbrella of an administrative domain called anautonomous system (see AS).

ASN.1 (Abstract Syntax Notation 1)A specification language adopted by the International Telecommunications Union(ITU), described in ITU recommendations X.208 and X.209. ASN.1 notation is usedto define the structure of various types of network messages.

ASP (Active Server Pages)A technology introduced by the Mesa Group in1997 and now owned by Microsoft(which acquired Mesa Group in 1998). ASP automatically senses whether the user'sbrowser supports ActiveX. If it does, an applet is downloaded; if not, ASP runs theapplet on the server and broadcasts the result to the client.

ASP (application service provider)A company that provides the use of applications and associated services across anetwork to multiple customers. ASPs deliver standardized software via a network usually, but not necessarily, the Internet through an outsourcing contractpredicated on usage-based transaction pricing. ASPs may host applications on theircustomers' sites, but most do so in their own data centers, where they areresponsible for maintaining the applications and all associated hardware, softwareand network services to link the applications to the customer base. Despite earlypromise that the ASP model would suit a broad range of application types, most ASPservices to date have been limited to e-mail or enterprise resource planning.

ASP (average selling price)A metric used in market research and asset valuation, representing the average priceat which an item is sold over a specified period of time.

ASR (automatic speech recognition)Another name for speech recognition technology. See speech recognition.

asset managementA system of practices to efficiently manage information technology and relatedassets throughout the life cycle phases of requisition, procurement, deployment,maintenance and retirement. At its core is an integrated data repository thatcontains:



Asset tracking technical information about the equipment or software Portfolio information acquisition and financial details

A contract database summarizing key licensing and maintenance contractterms and conditions

Association for Computing Machinery (see ACM)

ASSP (application-specific standard product)An integrated circuit (IC) dedicated to a specific application market and sold to morethan one user. A type of embedded programmable logic, ASSPs combine digital,mixed-signal and analog products. When sold to a single user, Gartner defines suchICs as "application-specific integrated circuits" (see ASIC).

ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)An organization responsible for the development and publication of standards in avariety of industries and technical fields. Several key healthcare IT standards havebeen published by the ASTM's E31 Committee on Healthcare Informatics, including:

E1460-92, covering the use of Arden Syntax in coding clinical information E1714-00, specifying the properties of a universal healthcare identifier (UHID) E1985-98, on user authentication and authorization to access healthcare

information systems

E2087-00, specifying quality indicators used in controlled medical vocabularies(CMVs)

See Arden Syntax, authentication, CMV and UHID.

asymmetric cryptography (see public-key cryptography)

asymmetric digital subscriber line (see ADSL)

asynchronous1. Characterized by having a variable, rather than constant (i.e., synchronous), time

interval between successive bits, characters or events. In asynchronoustransmission, each information character and sometimes each word or smallblock is individually synchronized, usually through the use of start and stopbits. See synchronous and start-stop.

2. Designating processes or information exchanges that do not occursimultaneously. For example, e-mail is a form of asynchronous interpersonalcommunication, because the sending and receiving parties are notcommunicating at the same time.

Asynchronous Data Mover Facility (see ADMF)

asynchronous transfer mode (see ATM)



ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)A disk drive interface standard, also known as Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE).See IDE.

ATE (automatic test equipment)A type of equipment used to test electronic systems and components.

ATG (advanced technology group)A group charged with researching, tracking and evaluating emerging technologies foran enterprise, and with prototyping and piloting advanced-technology projects priorto deployment.

ATG (Art Technology Group)A developer of online customer relationship management applications,headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

ATL (automated tape library)A system used for high-capacity, tape-based data storage. ATLs typically havedozens of drives and can accommodate hundreds tape cartridges.

ATM (asynchronous transfer mode)A wide-area network (WAN) technology. ATM is a transfer mode for switching andtransmission that efficiently and flexibly organizes information into cells; it isasynchronous in the sense that the recurrence of cells depends on the required orinstantaneous bit rate. Thus, empty cells do not go by when data is waiting. ATM'sflexibility lies in its ability to provide a high-capacity, low-latency WAN switchingfabric that is protocol-, speed- and distance-independent, and that can supportmultiple types of information (including data, video, image and voice). The greatestbenefit of ATM is its ability to provide support for a wide range of communicationsservices while providing transport independence from those services.

ATM (automated teller machine)A public banking machine that customers can access by inserting or swiping amagnetic card and entering a password. ATMs are usually connected to centralcomputers through leased local lines and multiplexed data networks.

ATM access concentrator (see AAC)

ATM adaptation layer (see AAL)

ATM ForumAn international body, mostly composed of networking vendors, that sets standardsfor and promotes the use of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networking.See ATM.

ATO (assemble to order)A strategy allowing a product or service to be made to meet the customrequirements of a specific order, where a large number of such customized productscan be assembled in various forms from common components. This requiressophisticated planning processes to anticipate changing demand for internalcomponents or accessories while focusing on product customizations for individualcustomers.



atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability (see ACID)

ATP (available to promise)The uncommitted portion of a company's inventory or planned production. Thisfigure is frequently calculated from the master production schedule and ismaintained as a tool for order promising.

attachment unit interface (see AUI)

attenuationA decrease in the magnitude of the current, voltage or power of a signal intransmission between points because of the transmission medium. Attenuation isusually expressed in decibels.

attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio (see ACR)

Audio Messaging Interchange Specification (see AMIS)

audiotexTechnology used to offer automated, phone-based services to callers (such aslistening to prerecorded messages or engaging in group conversations) forentertainment or informational purposes. Callers are typically billed on a per-minuteor per-call basis.

AUI (attachment unit interface)A type of 15-pin connector used to connect Ethernet cables to network interfacecards.

Australian Communications Authority (see ACA)

authenticationThe use of passwords, tokens (such as smart cards), digital certificates or biometricsto verify the identity of users before granting them access to a system, or entry intoa facility.

autodiscoveryA category of tools that collect physical data on an enterprise's networked IT assets(such as memory, processor and software version), and record a history of changesmade to the asset. The data collected by these tools is typically reconciled and fedinto a repository for reporting, or it is often accessed by the IT service desk for rapiduser profile identification.

auto-identification technologiesTechnologies used to identify physical objects (including humans) automatically andtransparently. They allow an object to declare its identity to an auto-identificationreading device. Examples include:

Bar code scanners Biometrics (for example, machine recognition of a unique human voice) Radio frequency identification (see RFID)Auto Industry Action Group (see AIAG)



automated attendantA device, typically attached to a private branch exchange or voice mail system, thatanswers incoming calls.

automated backupA function that automates most basic form of storage availability recoverabledata. With automated backup, labor-intensive, departmental data backup processescan be replaced with automated, enterprise-level solutions to increase availability.

Automated Cartridge System Library Software (see ACSLS)

automated clearinghouse (see ACH)

automated data collection (see ADC)

automated document factory (see ADF)

automated tape library (see ATL)

automated teller machine (see ATM)

Automated Work Distributor (see AWD)

automatic call distributor (see ACD)

Automatic Data Processing (see ADP)

automatic message accounting (see AMA)

automatic number identification (see ANI)

automatic repeat request (see ARQ)

automatic restartAlso known as "warm recovery," this is the resumption of operation after a systemfailure with minimal loss of work or processes (as opposed to a "cold" restart, whichrequires a complete reload of the system with no processes surviving).

automatic route selection (see ARS)

automatic speech recognition (see ASR)

automatic test equipment (see ATE)

Automotive Network Exchange (see ANX)

auto-negotiation (see auto-sensing)

autonomous system (see AS)

autonomous system number (see ASN)



auto-sensingA feature (also called "auto-negotiation") that enables network equipment toautomatically sense and adjust to different transmission types or speeds.

auto-topologyA feature of network management systems that automates the creation of agraphical network configuration map.

available bit rate (see ABR)

available to promise (see ATP)

availabilityThe proportion of time a system is up an running, as compared to the time it isinoperable due to failures, natural disasters or malicious attacks. Also known as"uptime."

average selling price (see ASP)

average speed of answer (see ASA)

AVS (Advanced Visual Systems)A vendor of data visualization technology, headquartered in Waltham,Massachusetts.

AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data)An architectural approach for integrating enterprise voice, video and data traffic overIP-based networks, introduced by Cisco Systems in 1999.

AWD (Automated Work Distributor)A suite of imaging, telephony and work management software tools developed byDST Systems.



B

B1A class of computer system security, as defined in the U.S. government's TrustedComputer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC). B1 systems offer a higher degree ofsecurity than C2 systems by enforcing the concept of information sensitivityclassifications with corresponding user clearance requirements. See TCSEC.

B2B (business-to-business)A form of e-commerce conducted among businesses, typically because of formal,contractual arrangements. B2B functions include:

Sophisticated Web authorization and control for delivery of sensitive price,contract and content information for each partner

Catalogs that provide custom views based on access controls and parametricsearches

Order entry functions such as standardized "ship to" locations, dynamic orderrecalculation and payment options

B2C (business-to-consumer)A form of e-commerce conducted between businesses and consumers. B2Ccommerce includes both formal relationships (e.g., customers with subscription-based services or content) and ad hoc relationships (formed in real time to enable anew user to buy, sell or access information).

B2E (business-to-employee)The use and leverage of e-business approaches and Internet technologies to delivera comprehensive set of services to an enterprise's employees and their managers.B2E is the automated delivery of enterprise relationship management (ERM), butgoes beyond ERM's support of human capital management (HCM) to includeworkforce management and workforce optimization. The full term is sometimespresented as "business-to-enterprise." See ERM and HCM.

B2G (business-to-government)E-commerce between public- and private-sector enterprises. Government-to-business (G2B) is the more common term used to describe these relationships. SeeG2B.

backboneA high-speed line or series of lines that forms the fastest (measured in bandwidth)path through a network.

backbone networkA high-speed transmission facility, or an arrangement of such facilities, designed tointerconnect lower-speed distribution channels or clusters of dispersed user devices.

backbone routerA router designed to be used to construct backbone networks using leased lines.Backbone routers typically do not have any built-in digital dial-up access wide-areanetwork interfaces.



back endThe server side of a client/server system, as distinguished to the front end (clientside). See front end.

background taskA task performed by a system "in the background" while a primary application isrunning.

backhaulThe terrestrial link between an earth station and a switching or data center.

back officeA general term for the category of applications that support non-customer-facing,core enterprise functions. Examples include enterprise resource planning (ERP),supply chain management (SCM) and human-resource systems. See ERP, SCM andfront office.

backplaneThe physical connection between the interface cards and the data and powerdistribution buses in a piece of computer hardware (such as a server) or a networkdevice (such as a router, hub or switch).

backup serverA software or hardware system that copies or "shadows" the contents of a server,providing redundancy.

backward explicit congestion notification (see BECN)

balanced scorecardA measurement-based strategic management system originated by Robert Kaplanand David Norton that aligns business activities and strategy, and monitorsperformance in meeting strategic goals over time. Many enterprises use thebalanced-scorecard approach to manage enterprise performance.

BAM (business activity monitoring)A Gartner term that defines the concept of providing real-time access to criticalbusiness performance indicators to improve the speed and effectiveness of businessoperations. At its broadest level, BAM is the convergence of operational businessintelligence and real-time application integration. Compared with traditional businessevent monitoring and reporting, BAM requires a higher degree of organizational andarchitectural planning and investment due to:

Its focus on real-time data, as well as real-time access to data.

The use of information from multiple application systems, and other internal andexternal sources (unlike traditional monitoring, which uses a single source).

The delivery of information through alerts and graphical displays (dashboards),which are customized and optimized for different users across the enterprise.

See application integration, business intelligence and ZLE.



band1. A range of frequencies between two defined limits.

2. In wide-area telephone service (WATS), the specific geographical area in whichthe customer is entitled to call. See WATS.

bandwidth1. The range of frequencies that can pass over a given transmission channel. The

bandwidth determines the rate at which information can be transmitted throughthe circuit: the greater the bandwidth, the more information that can be sent in agiven amount of time. Bandwidth is typically measured in bits per second.Increasing bandwidth potential has become a high priority for network plannersdue to the growth of multimedia, including videoconferencing, and the increaseduse of the Internet.

2. The range of frequencies on either side of the carrier frequency within whichthe signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a modulated signal is tested. See SNR.

Banking Industry Technology Secretariat (see BITS)

bannerAn advertisement that appears on a Web site. The banner ad format combinesgraphic and textual content to induce the site user to "click through" for furtherinformation on an advertised product or service.

BAPI (Biometric Application Programming Interface)A biometric interface specification developed by I/O Software. In 1998, I/O Softwarejoined the BioAPI Consortium, and its work on BAPI was merged into the BioAPIspecification. See BioAPI.

BAPI (Business Application Programming Interface)A set of documented, server-side interfaces to one or more R/3 processes, from SAP.BAPI packages multiple internal functions to enable programmatic access to suchhigher-order tasks as checking customer numbers, providing product descriptions,selecting products, creating quotations or creating orders.

basebandTransmitting a signal in its original, unmodulated form. A baseband signal can beanalog (e.g., originating from a telephone) or digital (e.g., originating from acomputer).

base stationWithin a mobile radio system, a fixed radio station providing communication withmobile stations and, where applicable, with other base stations and the publictelephone network.

BASIC (Beginner's All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code)A high-level algebraic programming language developed at Dartmouth College in the1960s and widely taught to beginning programmers. It is simple to use but lacksspeed.

basic input/output system (see BIOS)



basic phoneA voice-centric device designed to provide only voice functions and limited contactmanagement, as distinguished from an enhanced phone or smartphone (seeseparate entries).

Basic Rate Access (see BRA)

Basic Rate Interface (see BRI)

BasisSAP's proprietary middleware between the SAP graphical user interface and R/3application servers. See R/3.

batch processingThe processing of application progra

Documents

Gartner Glossary