IT operations

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

What are microservices? Everything you need to know - Microservices, or microservices architecture, is an approach to the design and implementation of enterprise applications in which a large application is built from modular components or services.
What are ModelOps (model operations) analytics models? - ModelOps (model operations) is a holistic approach to building analytics models that can quickly progress from the lab to production.
What is a batch file? - A batch file is a script file that stores commands to be executed in a serial order.
What is a bill of materials (BOM)? - A bill of materials (BOM) is a comprehensive inventory of the raw materials, assemblies, subassemblies, parts and components, as well as the quantities of each, needed to manufacture a product.
What is a cloud-native application? - A cloud-native application is a program that is designed for a cloud computing architecture.
What is a collaborative robot (cobot)? - A collaborative robot, also known as a cobot, is an industrial robot that can safely operate alongside humans in a shared workspace.
What is a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)? - A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) is the semiconductor technology used in most of today's integrated circuits (ICs), also known as chips or microchips.
What is a configuration file? - A configuration file, often shortened to config file, defines the parameters, options, settings and preferences applied to operating systems (OSes), infrastructure devices and applications in an IT context.
What is a CVO (chief visionary officer)? - The CVO (chief visionary officer) is a newer C-suite title where the holder is expected to have a broad and comprehensive knowledge of all matters related to the business of the organization, as well as the vision required to steer its course into the future.
What is a data flow diagram (DFD)? - A data flow diagram (DFD) is a graphical or visual representation that uses a standardized set of symbols and notations to describe a business's operations through data movement.
What is a domain controller? - A domain controller is a server that processes requests for authentication from users and computers within a computer domain.
What is a motherboard? - A motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in a computer.
What is a partition in computers? - A partition is a logical division of a hard disk drive (HDD) that's treated as a separate unit by operating systems (OSes) and file systems.
What is a programmable automation controller (PAC)? - Programmable automation controller (PAC) is a term that is loosely used to describe any type of automation controller that incorporates higher-level instructions.
What is a request for proposal (RFP)? - A request for proposal (RFP) is a document an organization uses when it's searching for a product or service to meet specific requirements.
What is a service mesh? - A service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer that controls service-to-service communication within a distributed application.
What is a software license? - A software license is a document that provides legally binding guidelines for the use and distribution of software.
What is a supercomputer? - A supercomputer is a highly advanced computer that performs at or near the highest operational rate for computers.
What is Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR)? - Amazon Elastic Container Registry (Amazon ECR) is an Amazon Web Service (AWS) product that stores, manages and deploys Docker images, which are managed clusters of Amazon EC2 instances.
What is an automatic transfer switch? - An automatic transfer switch (ATS) is a device that automatically transfers a power supply from its primary source to a backup source when it senses a failure or outage in the primary source.
What is an IT service catalog? - An IT service catalog is a list of information technology resources and offerings available from the IT service provider within an organization.
What is an ODM (original design manufacturer)? - An ODM (original design manufacturer) is a company that takes the original specifications of another company or individual and builds the design to the product specifications.
What is an organizational goal? - Organizational goals are strategic objectives that a company's management establishes to outline expected outcomes and guide employees' efforts toward the achievement of those outcomes.
What is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)? - An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device that allows a computer to keep running for at least a short time when incoming power is interrupted.
What is application lifecycle management? - Application lifecycle management (ALM) is the process of managing a software lifecycle from creation to its end of life.
What is Application Performance Index (Apdex)? - Application Performance Index, also known as Apdex, is an open standard intended to simplify reports of application performance.
What is brain-computer interface (BCI)? - Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a device that translates signals in the brain to control some external activity.
What is cloud application performance management (cloud APM)? - Cloud application performance management (cloud APM) is the process of monitoring resources that support software application performance in public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud environments.
What is cloud orchestration (cloud orchestrator)? - Cloud orchestration (cloud orchestrator) is the use of programming technology to manage the interconnections and interactions among workloads on public and private cloud infrastructure.
What is configuration management? A comprehensive guide - Configuration management, or CM, is a governance and systems engineering process used to track and control IT resources, services and applications across an enterprise.
What is container management and why is it important? - Container management refers to a set of practices that govern and maintain containerization software.
What is data management as a service (DMaaS)? - Data management as a service (DMaaS) is a type of cloud service that provides enterprises with centralized storage for disparate data sources.
What is DevOps? Meaning, methodology and guide - The word 'DevOps' is a combination of the terms 'development' and 'operations,' meant to represent a collaborative or shared approach to the tasks performed by a company's application development and IT operations teams.
What is FinOps? - FinOps -- a combination of the terms finance and DevOps -- is a framework for managing operational costs across an organization, often in conjunction with cloud computing.
What is firmware? - Firmware is a type of software program embedded into hardware devices to help them function smoothly and effectively.
What is function as a service (FaaS)? - Function as a service (FaaS) is a cloud computing model that enables cloud customers to develop applications and deploy functionalities and only be charged when the functionality executes.
What is hexadecimal numbering? - Hexadecimal is a numbering system that uses a base-16 representation for numeric values.
What is ICT (information and communications technology)? - ICT (information and communications technology) is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing.
What is incremental innovation? - Incremental innovation is a series of small improvements or upgrades made to a company's existing products, services, processes or methods.
What is IT automation? A complete guide for IT teams - IT automation is the use of instructions to create a clear, consistent and repeatable process that replaces an IT professional's manual work in data centers and cloud deployments.
What is IT operations (IT ops)? - The term IT operations (IT ops) describes the many processes and services an IT department manages and maintains within an organization.
What is IT/OT convergence? Everything you need to know - IT/OT convergence is the integration of information technology (IT) systems with operational technology (OT) systems.
What is ITIL? A guide to the IT Infrastructure Library - ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a framework designed to standardize the selection, planning, delivery, maintenance and overall lifecycle of IT services within a business.
What is Jira? - Jira is an application lifecycle management (ALM) and Agile project management tool from Atlassian.
What is labor arbitrage? - Labor arbitrage is the practice of searching for and then using the lowest-cost workforce to produce products or goods.
What is lift and shift? - Lift and shift is a strategy for moving an application or operation from one environment to another without stopping to redesign its workflow.
What is LXD (Linux container hypervisor)? - LXD, pronounced 'lex-dee,' is a unified platform for managing system containers and virtual machines (VMs).
What is managed detection and response (MDR)? - Managed detection and response (MDR) services are a collection of network-, host- and endpoint-based cybersecurity technologies that a third-party provider manages for a client organization.
What is nearshore outsourcing and how does it work? - Nearshore outsourcing is the practice of getting work done or services performed by people in neighboring countries rather than an organization's own country.
What is network automation? - Network automation is a process that uses intelligent software to automate the management, configuration, deployment, testing and operation of both physical and virtual devices.
What is NRZ (non-return-to-zero)? - NRZ (non-return-to-zero) is a form of digital data transmission in which the binary low and high states, represented by numerals 0 and 1, are transmitted by specific and constant direct current (DC) voltages.
What is observability? A beginner's guide - Observability is a management strategy focused on keeping the most relevant, important and core issues at or near the top of an operations process flow.
What is picture archiving and communication system (PACS)? - Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is a medical imaging technology used primarily in healthcare organizations to securely store and digitally transmit electronic images and clinically relevant reports.
What is pipelining? - Pipelining is the process of a computer processor executing computer instructions as separate stages.
What is QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) and how does it work? - QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) is a method of combining two amplitude modulation (AM) signals into a single channel.
What is quantum in physics and computing? - A quantum, the singular form of quanta, is the smallest discrete unit of any physical entity.
What is reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS)? - Reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) are related operational activities that must be considered when designing, manufacturing, purchasing and using a computer product or component.
What is RFI (request for information)? - A request for information (RFI) is a formal process for gathering information from potential suppliers of a good or service.
What is sustainability risk management (SRM)? - Sustainability risk management (SRM) is a business strategy that aligns profit goals with a company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies.
What is synthetic monitoring? - Synthetic monitoring is a proactive monitoring approach that uses scripted simulations of user interactions to assess the performance and availability of websites, applications and services.
What is the law of diminishing returns? - The law of diminishing returns is an economic principle stating that as investment in a particular area increases, the rate of profit from that investment, after a certain point, can't continue to increase if other variables remain at a constant.
What is the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)? - Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a specification for a software program that connects a computer's firmware to its operating system (OS).
What is tool sprawl? Explaining how IT teams can avoid it - Tool sprawl is the accumulation of many IT tools by an organization, leading to inefficiency and data siloing.
Wiegand - Wiegand is the trade name for a technology used in card readers and sensors, particularly for access control applications.
Windows Admin Center - Windows Admin Center (WAC), formerly Microsoft Project Honolulu, is a browser-based management tool from Microsoft that allows administrators to manage Windows servers and clusters from a centralized, graphical user interface.
Windows containers - Windows containers provide abstracted, isolated, lightweight and portable operating environments for application development on a single system.
Windows event log - The Windows event log is a detailed record of system, security and application notifications stored by the Windows operating system that is used by administrators to diagnose system problems and predict future issues.
Windows Server Client Access License (CAL) - A Windows Server Client Access License (CAL) is a license that gives a user or device the right to access services, such as printing or access to a file share, from a server running the Windows Server operating system (OS).
Windows Sysinternals - Windows Sysinternals is a collection of 70 freeware utilities that Microsoft offers IT administrators and developers to help them monitor, manage, diagnose and troubleshoot Windows systems and their applications.
WinZip - WinZip is a software product used to archive, compress and encrypt files in a variety of archive formats for more efficient storage and distribution.
workload - In computing, a workload is typically any program or application that runs on a computer.
WXGA - WXGA, which stands for wide XGA, is a term used in product specifications to describe a display screen that is appropriate for business but is also suitable for watching DVDs.
zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) - Zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) is a method of setting up devices that automatically configures the device using a switch feature.