Browse Definitions by Alphabet

C shell - C shell (csh) is a Unix shell that provides a command-line user interface (UI) to interact with an operating system (OS).
C# (C-Sharp) - C#, pronounced "C-sharp," is an object-oriented programming language from Microsoft that enables developers to build applications that run on the .
C++ - C++ is an object-oriented programming (OOP) language that is viewed by many as the best language for creating large-scale applications.
cache - A cache -- pronounced CASH -- is hardware or software that is used to store something, usually data, temporarily in a computing environment.
cache memory - Cache memory is a chip-based computer component that makes retrieving data from the computer's memory more efficient.
cache poisoning - Cache poisoning is a type of cyber attack in which attackers insert fake information into a domain name system (DNS) cache or web cache for the purpose of harming users.
cache server - A cache server is a dedicated network server or service acting as a server that saves webpages or other internet content locally.
cache thrash - Cache thrash is an issue caused by an ongoing computer activity that fails to progress due to excessive use of resources or conflicts in the caching system.
caching - Caching -- pronounced "cashing" -- is the process of storing data in a cache, which is a temporary storage area that facilitates faster access to data with the goal of improving application and system performance.
CAD (computer-aided design) - CAD (computer-aided design) is the use of computer-based software to aid in design processes.
calculator - A calculator is a device that performs arithmetic operations on numbers.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) - The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is legislation in the state of California that supports an individual's right to control their own personally identifiable information (PII).
call tree - A call tree is a layered hierarchical communication model used to notify specific individuals of an event and coordinate recovery if necessary.
CALMS - CALMS is a conceptual framework for the integration of development and operations (DevOps) teams, functions and systems within an organization.
camcorder (camera recorder) - A camcorder (camera recorder) is a portable electronic recording device capable of recording live-motion video and audio for later playback.
CamelCase - CamelCase is a way to separate the words in a phrase by making the first letter of each word capitalized and not using spaces.
campus network - A campus network is a proprietary local area network (LAN) or set of interconnected LANs serving a corporation, government agency, university or similar organization.
canary testing - In software testing, canary testing refers to testing a new software version or a new feature with real users in a live (production) environment.
candidate experience - Candidate experience reflects a person's feelings about going through a company's job application process.
canonical - In programming, canonical means "according to the rules.
canonical name (CNAME) - A canonical name (CNAME) is a type of Domain Name System (DNS) database record that indicates that a domain name is the nickname or alias for another domain name.
Capability Maturity Model (CMM) - The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a methodology used to develop and refine an organization's software development process.
capacitive touchscreen - A capacitive touchscreen is a control display that uses the conductive touch of a human finger or a specialized input device for input and control.
capacitor (capacitance) - In its simplest form, a capacitor consists of two conducting plates separated by an insulating material called thedielectric.
capacity management - Capacity management is the broad term describing a variety of IT monitoring, administration and planning actions that ensure that a computing infrastructure has adequate resources to handle current data processing requirements, as well as the capacity to accommodate future loads.
capacity on demand (COD) - Capacity on demand (COD) is a purchasing option that allows companies to receive equipment with more computer processing, storage or other capacity than the company needs at the time of purchase, and have that extra capacity remain unused and unpaid for until the company actually requires it.
Capex (capital expenditure) - A capital expenditure (Capex) is money invested by a company to acquire or upgrade fixed, physical, non-consumable assets, such as buildings and equipment or a new business.
CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart) - A CAPTCHA is a type of challenge-response system designed to differentiate humans from robotic computer programs.
captive portal - A captive portal is a webpage that the user of a public-access network is required to view and interact with before they can access the network.
CAPWAP (Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points) - CAPWAP (Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points) is a protocol that enables an access controller to manage a collection of wireless termination points.
carbon accounting - Carbon accounting is the process of calculating and tracking the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions both produced and removed from the biosphere by an organization.
carbon footprint - A carbon footprint is the measure of the environmental impact of a particular individual or organization's lifestyle or operation, measured in units of carbon dioxide.
carbon offset - A carbon offset is a credit that a person or organization can buy to decrease its carbon footprint.
carbon-aware computing - As a green design principle, carbon-aware computing steers software and hardware development up a path of sustainability toward carbon neutrality.
card verification value (CVV) - Card verification value (CVV) is a combination of features used in credit, debit and automated teller machine (ATM) cards for the purpose of establishing the owner's identity and minimizing the risk of fraud.
cardholder data (CD) - Cardholder data (CD) is any personally identifiable information (PII) associated with a person who has a credit or debit card.
cardholder data environment (CDE) - A cardholder data environment (CDE) is a computer system or networked group of IT systems that processes, stores or transmits cardholder data or sensitive payment authentication data.
carrier cloud - A carrier cloud is a cloud computing environment that is owned and operated by a traditional telecommunications service provider.
carrier network - A telecommunications carrier network is the collection of devices and underlying infrastructure used to transmit data from one location to another.
carrier-to-noise ratio - In communications, the carrier-to-noise ratio, often written as CNR or C/N, is a measure of the received carrier strength relative to the strength of the received noise.
case-based reasoning (CBR) - Case-based reasoning (CBR) is an experience-based approach to solving new problems by adapting previously successful solutions to similar problems.
catchball - Catchball is an approach to decision-making in an organization or group where ideas are pitched from one individual to another throughout the group’s hierarchy and divisions.
Categories of twisted-pair cabling systems - A twisted-pair cabling system is a cable consisting of one or several pairs of copper wires.
cathode - A cathode is the metallic electrode through which current flows out in a polarized electrical device.
cathode ray tube (CRT) - A cathode ray tube (CRT) is a specialized vacuumtube in which images are produced when an electron beam strikes aphosphorescent surface.
causal AI - Causal AI is a form of artificial intelligence (AI) designed to identify and understand the cause and effect of relationships across data.
CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) - Citizens Broadband Radio Service, or CBRS, is the set of operational rules given to a slice of the shared wireless spectrum and the technologies used in that spectrum.
CCNA certification - Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is a technical certification that Cisco offers for early-career networking professionals.
CCTV (closed circuit television) - CCTV (closed-circuit television) is a television system in which signals are not publicly distributed but are monitored, primarily for surveillance and security purposes.
CD-ROM - A CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) is a type of compact disc that can only be read, not written to.
CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) - CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) refers to any of several protocols used in second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G) wireless communications.
CDN (content delivery network) - A CDN (content delivery network), also called a content distribution network, is a group of geographically distributed and interconnected servers.
CE router (customer edge router) - A CE router (customer edge router) is a router located on the customer premises that provides an Ethernet interface between the customer's LAN and the provider's core network.
cellular automaton (CA) - A cellular automaton (CA) is a collection of cells arranged in a grid of specified shape, such that each cell changes state as a function of time, according to a defined set of rules driven by the states of neighboring cells.
center of excellence (CoE) - A center of excellence (CoE) is a team of skilled knowledge workers whose mission is to provide best practices for a particular area of interest.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Promoting a healthy general public and sharing data about chronic diseases are main goals of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the wing of the U.
central bank digital currency (CBDC) - A central bank digital currency (CBDC) is a digital version of a country's central bank money or fiat currency.
CenturyLink - CenturyLink is an integrated telecommunications company that provides a wide variety of products and services to clients across the globe, including networking, cloud service and security solutions.
Cerner Corp. - Cerner Corp.
CERT-In (the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) - CERT-In (the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) is a government-mandated information technology (IT) security organization.
certificate authority (CA) - A certificate authority (CA) is a trusted entity that issues Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates.
certificate revocation list (CRL) - A certificate revocation list (CRL) is a list of digital certificates that have been revoked by the issuing Certificate Authority (CA) before their actual or assigned expiration date.
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) - The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) is a vendor-neutral, entry-level certification to help individuals acquire project management (PM) skills.
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) - Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) is a certification program that recognizes knowledge and training in the field of risk management for IT.
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) - Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is an advanced certification that indicates that an individual possesses the knowledge and experience required to develop and manage an enterprise information security (infosec) program.
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.
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) - Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) is an entry-level credential designed to give professionals getting started as Scrum practitioners an understanding of the project management methodology.
chain-of-thought prompting - Chain-of-thought prompting is a prompt engineering technique that aims to improve language models' performance on tasks requiring logic, calculation and decision-making by structuring the input prompt in a way that mimics human reasoning.
challenge-response authentication - In computer security, challenge-response authentication is a set of protocols used to protect digital assets and services from unauthorized users, programs or activities.
change agent (agent of change) - A change agent, or agent of change, is someone who promotes and enables change to happen within any group or organization.
change control - Change control includes the various steps needed to process changes made to a product or system.
change management - Change management is a systematic approach to dealing with the transition or transformation of an organization's goals, processes and technologies.
change management strategy - A change management strategy is a plan for or systematic approach to dealing with a transition or transformation in an organization.
change request - A change request is a formal proposal for an alteration to some product or system.
Changed Block Tracking (CBT) - VMware Changed Block Tracking is an incremental backup technology for virtual machines (VMs), comparable to snapshot differential or backup delta block.
channel partner - A channel partner is a person or organization that provides services or sells products on behalf of a software, hardware, networking or cloud services vendor.
channel partner portal - A channel partner portal is a web-based application that provides a vendor's established partners (usually distributors, resellers, service providers or other strategic partners) with access to deal registration, marketing resources, pricing and sales information for products and services, as well as technical details and support that are unavailable to other end users.
channel partner rules of engagement (ROE) - Channel partner rules of engagement are a component of the sales relationship between an IT vendor and its channel partner community.
channel strategy - A channel strategy is a vendor's plan for moving a product or a service through the chain of commerce to the end customer.
chaos engineering - Chaos engineering is the process of testing a distributed computing system to ensure that it can withstand unexpected disruptions.
CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) - CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) is a challenge and response authentication method that Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) servers use to verify the identity of a remote user.
charge (electric charge) - In physics, charge, also known as electric charge, electrical charge, or electrostatic charge and symbolized q, is a characteristic of a unit of matter that expresses the extent to which it has more or fewer electrons than protons.
charge-coupled device - A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a light-sensitive integrated circuit that captures images by converting photons to electrons.
chart of accounts (COA) - A chart of accounts (COA) is a financial, organizational tool that provides an index of every account in an accounting system.
chassis - A chassis (pronounced TCHA-see or CHA-see) is the physical frame or structure of an automobile, an airplane, a desktop computer, or other multi-component device.
chat room - A chat room is an online platform that enables users to communicate with each other in real time.
chatbot - A chatbot is a software or computer program that simulates human conversation or "chatter" through text or voice interactions.
ChatOps - ChatOps, sometimes known as conversation-driven collaboration or conversation-driven DevOps, is the use of chat clients, chatbots and other real-time communication tools to facilitate software development and IT operations tasks.
chatting - While the term chatting or chitchat refers in general to communication between two or more parties that can occur in person, in today's modern age, it can also occur over the internet via Short Message Service (SMS) text message and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or, for example, through tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
chatty protocol - A chatty protocol is an application or routing protocol requiring a client or server to wait for an acknowledgment before transmitting data again.
Cheat Sheet - Characters and quotes from The Phoenix Project - Each of the main characters in The Phoenix Project plays an important role in advancing the book's plot.
Cheat sheet: Glossary for terms mentioned in 'The Phoenix Project' - Written by authors Gene Kim, George Spafford and Kevin Behr, The Phoenix Project is a narrative-style book about a failing company and how its members save the day by adopting DevOps practices.
checksum - A checksum is a value that represents the number of bits in a transmission message and is used by IT professionals to detect high-level errors within data transmissions.
Chef (software) - Chef is an open source systems management and cloud infrastructure automation platform.
Chernobyl virus - The Chernobyl virus is a computer virus with a potentially devastating payload that destroys all computer data when an infected file is executed.
chief customer officer (CCO) - A chief customer officer, or customer experience officer, is responsible for customer research, communicating with company employees and taking charge of customer experience (CX) metrics.
chief digital officer - A chief digital officer (CDO) is charged with helping an enterprise use digital information and advanced technologies, such as the cloud, AI, machine learning, automation, IoT, mobile and social media, to create business value.
chief diversity officer (CDO) - The chief diversity officer (CDO) is a senior leader who develops and implements diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within an organization.
chief financial officer (CFO) - A chief financial officer (CFO) is the corporate title for the person responsible for managing a company's financial operations and strategy.