IT Glossary
Key Terms To Know In The IT Industry
Execution Environment
The environment in which a computer program runs, including the hardware, operating system, software libraries, and everything else that supports the running program.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development, General IT
Execution Plan in Databases
A detailed description of the operations and steps the database management system will perform to execute a specific SQL query, providing insights into how queries are processed and optimized for performance.
You will find this term commonly used in Database Management, Performance Optimization
Execution Profile
A configuration or set of settings that define the environment and parameters under which a software application or script is executed, often used to ensure consistent and predictable behavior across different environments.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development, Testing
Execution Trace
A detailed sequence of instructions or steps that were executed during the run of a program or process. Execution traces are used for debugging and understanding software behavior.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development
Executive Dashboards
Business intelligence tools that provide executives and other decision-makers with a quick and easy way to view their company's performance in real-time. Dashboards can display metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
You will find this term commonly used in Business Intelligence, Management
Executive Information System (EIS)
A type of management information system intended to facilitate and support the information and decision-making needs of senior executives by providing easy access to both internal and external information relevant to meeting strategic goals.
You will find this term commonly used in IT Management, Business Intelligence
Executor
In computer programming, an executor is a construct that allows for the asynchronous execution of tasks, such as launching concurrent operations.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development
Exfiltration
The unauthorized transfer of data from a computer or other device to an external location. It is a significant concern in cybersecurity, often associated with data breaches.
You will find this term commonly used in Security, Cybersecurity
Exfiltration Detection
The process of identifying unauthorized attempts to transfer data out of a network. This is crucial in cybersecurity efforts to prevent data breaches and protect sensitive information.
You will find this term commonly used in Cybersecurity
Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format)
A standard that specifies the formats for images, sound, and ancillary tags used by digital cameras and other systems. EXIF data includes information about the camera settings, orientation, and conditions of the image.
You will find this term commonly used in Photography, Data Management
Exit Strategy
In IT project management, a plan for how to terminate a project, system, or vendor relationship in a way that will minimize costs, risks, and disruption to the business.
You will find this term commonly used in IT Management, Project Management
Experiential Marketing Technologies
Technologies used to create immersive and interactive experiences for marketing purposes. These can include virtual and augmented reality, interactive displays, and personalized digital experiences.
You will find this term commonly used in Marketing, Digital Technologies
Expert Systems
Artificial intelligence systems that use databases of expert knowledge to offer advice or make decisions in areas that typically require human expertise.
You will find this term commonly used in Artificial Intelligence, Decision Support Systems
Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN)
A feature that allows network nodes to signal congestion before packet loss occurs, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the network.
You will find this term commonly used in Networking
Explicit Content Filter
Software tools designed to block or filter out content that is deemed inappropriate or offensive, based on specific criteria or ratings. Often used by organizations and parents to restrict access to certain materials.
You will find this term commonly used in Cybersecurity, Content Management
Explicit Parallelism
A programming concept where the programmer explicitly defines how tasks are divided into subtasks and executed concurrently, typically using parallel computing techniques and tools.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development, Parallel Computing
Exploit
A piece of software, a chunk of data, or a sequence of commands that takes advantage of a bug or vulnerability in order to cause unintended or unanticipated behavior to occur on computer software, hardware, or something electronic.
You will find this term commonly used in Security, Cybersecurity
Exploit Kit
A toolkit that cybercriminals use to take advantage of security holes in software for the purpose of spreading malware. Exploit kits are often used to distribute ransomware, spyware, and other malicious software.
You will find this term commonly used in Security, Cybersecurity
Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)
An approach to analyzing data sets to summarize their main characteristics, often with visual methods. EDA is used to see what the data can tell us beyond the formal modeling or hypothesis testing task.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Analysis, Statistics
Exponential Backoff
A strategy used in network communications, whereby the devices increase the wait time between retries exponentially to reduce network congestion.
You will find this term commonly used in Networking
Exponential Growth
In the context of IT, it often refers to the rapid increase in the capacity of technologies, following Moore's Law, or in data volume, which challenges data management and storage solutions.
You will find this term commonly used in General IT, Data Management
Exponential Smoothing
A rule of thumb technique for smoothing time series data using the exponential window function. It's often used in forecasting where data points are weighted depending on their recency.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Analysis, Forecasting
Extended Detection and Response (XDR)
Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is an advanced threat detection and response solution that goes beyond typical Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions. It integrates more security layers, like email, network, and cloud, providing a more comprehensive view and response to cyber threats.
You will find this term commonly used in Security, Cybersecurity
Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT)
The Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) is a file system introduced by Microsoft optimized for flash memory devices like USB flash drives and SD cards. It is designed to be a lightweight system that handles large files and drives efficiently, overcoming the limitations of older file systems like FAT32.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Management, Storage
Extended Reality (XR)
Extended Reality (XR) is a term referring to all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology. It includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), encompassing a wide range of immersive technologies.
You will find this term commonly used in General IT, Entertainment
Extended Reality (XR) Development
The creation of immersive digital experiences that blend real and virtual environments, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies.
You will find this term commonly used in Virtual/Augmented Reality, Software Development
Extended Reality (XR) Platform
A computing platform that supports the creation and experience of immersive environments, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies.
You will find this term commonly used in Virtual/Augmented Reality, Software Development
Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML)
A declarative XML-based language used for initializing structured values and objects. It is primarily used to define user interfaces in .NET Framework and .NET Core applications, particularly in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and other Microsoft UI frameworks.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development, UI Design
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)
A framework frequently used in wireless networks and Point-to-Point connections, allowing for the extension of authentication methods used by a network.
You will find this term commonly used in Security, Networking
Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)
A specification that defines a software interface between an operating system and platform firmware. EFI is intended to replace the legacy BIOS firmware interface used by many computers.
You will find this term commonly used in Hardware, Software Development
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
A markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
You will find this term commonly used in General IT, Web Development
Extension
In computing, an extension is a piece of software that adds specific capabilities to a larger software application. It can refer to file extensions indicating the file type or browser extensions.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development, General IT
External Cloud Storage
Cloud storage services provided by third-party providers outside of an organization's internal network, allowing for data storage and access over the internet.
You will find this term commonly used in Cloud Computing, Data Storage
External Database
A database located outside of the application or operational system that requires data to be imported or linked for processing. External databases can be used for various purposes, including backup, analysis, and archiving.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Management
External Hard Drive
A portable storage device that can be attached to a computer through a USB or FireWire connection, or wirelessly. External hard drives typically have high storage capacities.
You will find this term commonly used in Hardware
External Link
In web development, an external link is a hyperlink that points to a target page on a different domain than the site where the link exists.
You will find this term commonly used in Web Development
External Network
A network that is not contained within an organization's internal IT infrastructure. External networks typically refer to the public internet, connecting an organization's IT resources to external entities like customers and partners.
You will find this term commonly used in Networking
External SSD
A solid-state drive that is connected externally to a computer system, typically through USB, providing portable and fast storage solutions.
You will find this term commonly used in Hardware, Data Storage
External Storage
Any storage device that can be easily removed from a computer and is not housed within the computer's main case. This includes USB flash drives, external hard drives, and SD cards.
You will find this term commonly used in Hardware, Data Management
Externalizable Interface
In Java, an interface that allows an object to control its own serialization and deserialization, providing a means for the custom serialization mechanism.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development, Java Programming
Extract, Transform, Load (ETL)
A process in database usage and data warehousing that involves extracting data from outside sources, transforming it to fit operational needs (which may include cleaning, filtering, and summarizing), and loading it into an end target, such as a database.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Management
Extract, Transform, Validate (ETV)
A variation of ETL, emphasizing the validation step to ensure data quality and accuracy before loading it into the target system.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Management
Extranet
An extranet is a controlled private network allowing customers, partners, vendors, or other businesses to gain restricted access to a company's information and programs. This network extension uses internet technology to be more efficient and collaborative in its business operations.
You will find this term commonly used in Networking, Business
Extranet Collaboration
A secure and private network that uses Internet protocols and network connectivity to share part of an organization's information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, or customers outside the organization.
You will find this term commonly used in Networking, Business Collaboration
Extranet VPN
An extranet VPN extends a private network across a public network, like the Internet, allowing users outside the private network (such as business partners or vendors) to securely connect and interact as if they were within the internal network.
You will find this term commonly used in Networking, Security
Extrapolation
In the context of IT, the process of estimating, beyond the original observation range, the value of a variable on the basis of its relationship with another variable. It's often used in predictive modeling and data analysis.
You will find this term commonly used in Data Analysis, Machine Learning
Extreme Programming (XP)
Extreme Programming (XP) is an agile software development methodology intended to improve software quality and responsiveness to changing customer requirements. It advocates frequent releases in short development cycles, which improves productivity and introduces checkpoints where new customer requirements can be adopted.
You will find this term commonly used in Software Development
Extrusion Detection
The process of monitoring and analyzing network traffic for patterns that indicate unauthorized or unwanted activity, specifically data being illicitly sent out from within an organization to an external destination.
You will find this term commonly used in Cybersecurity, Networking
Eye Gaze Technology
A type of technology that enables control of a device, typically a computer or mobile device, through eye movements. It's used in assistive technology, gaming, and VR.
You will find this term commonly used in Human-Computer Interaction, Assistive Technology
Eye Movement Tracking
The process of measuring either the point of gaze (where one is looking) or the motion of an eye relative to the head. It's used in various fields, including psychology, marketing, user experience research, and virtual reality.
You will find this term commonly used in Human-Computer Interaction, Research
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