Data
IT systems are made up of hardware, software and data. Data is the material that the hardware processes, as instructed by the software. If you use computers that don't use data, or don't have any inputs or don't have any outputs, you may not be getting the best from that computer.
Data management
The part of an application associated with the storage and maintenance of data.
Data mining
Pattern and trend detection tools used in a data warehousing environment. Associated with Business Intelligence.
Data Protection Act
UK Act created to ensure that holders of data that can identify a living person is managed appropriately. Doesn't apply to domestic use, so address book owners need not panic.
Data Warehouse
An approach/architecture, which links the disparate, databases in an organisation together. The aim being to enable staff to see the big/consolidated data picture and thus make informed and timely decisions.
Database
An electronic filing cabinet.
DBMS
Database Management System. A software product used to build and manage data intensive systems. Often referred to as a database.
Decentralised architecture
A computing architecture where the processing takes place on more than one device.
Decision support
Tools that provide management with the right information in the right form at the right time. Business Intelligence is a more common term today.
Defragmentation
A process associated with storage whereby the disk space is effectively reorganised. The upshot is that after defragmentation data access will be faster.
Delivery
The installation and acceptance-testing phase of the application development life-cycle.
Denial of Service
A term used to describe an attack whereby the computing resources of the attacked organization are rendered unusable. Eg. Spraying a web site with harmless but high volume flows of emails. The effect being to crash the email server and stop genuine customers getting to the service.
Design
A phase in the software development life-cycle where the issue of how the requirements are to be mapped onto the technology is addressed. One of the few parts of the life cycle where thinking is encouraged, which can unnerve managers because it is not as easy to monitor as doing. It is thus often overlooked.
Desk top mapping
A type of GIS that plots information on a geographical map. Often used as a decision support tool with data warehouses.
Developer
A person who is involved in writing software. It is mostly used as another term for programmer.
Development life-cycle
A set of steps that define the evolution of a system from concept to grave. Mostly associated with software development.
Digital Certificate
Electronic means of authenticating an organization. Key to carrying out supply chain management via the web.
Digital Signature
An electronic mechanism for authenticating the source of an electronic document. It is a key element of the PKI security framework.
Disaster Recovery
A term, which describes the business of ensuring one's business continues after a major disaster. The events of September 11th 2001 in the US brought this into sharp relief.
Disintermediation
A dotcom era terms for removing the middleman. E-business was seen as a way of squeezing 'value-free' processes out of the business value chain. A somewhat passé term.
Distributed Computing
This architectural concept relates to having application software spread across more than one platform. It differs from networked computing, which simply implies the ability to send files, messages and e-mails between hardware platforms.
Distributed system
A system that is spread over more than one platform.
DNS
Domain Name System - is the way that Internet domain names are located and translated into Internet Protocol addresses. A domain name is a meaningful and easy-to-remember handle for an Internet address. Domain names and IP addresses are distributed throughout the Internet in a hierarchy of authority.
DOS (1)
This was the first operating system associated with the IBM PC. There were a number of flavours from vendors such as IBM and Microsoft. The interface was command line based and thus not very user friendly.
DoS (2)
See Denial of Service.
DotNet
Written .NET. This is Microsoft's strategy / architecture for its next generation of products/services. A key theme is that it will enable applications to be served up via the web.
DPA
See Data Protection Act.
DSDM
Dynamic Systems Development Method, an agile software application development methodology.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line- a technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines. Assuming your home or small business is close enough to a telephone company central office that offers DSL service.
Dumb terminal
A front-end device, which has a non-graphical user interface. It also lacks processing power and disk memory. This is old technology, very much associated with mainframes and mainframe variants.
EAI
Enterprise Application Integration. A systems integration term that relates to software designed to link incompatible pieces of software together.
e-business
Any business activity conducted over the Internet. E-commerce can be thought of as a subset of e-business.
EbXML
Electronic Business using XML. This is a family of specifications used to promote the global use of e-business. It can be though of as the successor to EDI.
ECM
See e-Content Management.
e-commerce
The term used to describe selling over a network. Today that network is usually the Internet. It is a somewhat passé term. People usually talk about e-business.
EbXML
Electronic Business using XML. This is a family of specifications used to promote the global use of e-business. It can be though of as the successor to EDI.
ECM
See e-Content Management.
e-Content
ManagementA mechanism for storing unstructured data such as files and reports. It can be thought of as a type of database, though databases store structured data such as that associated with a customer, trade or product.
e-CRM
Customer Relationship Management conducted via the Internet.
EDI
A pre-web standard for conducting business electronically. Still used in some sectors.
e-government
An initiative for making communication between government departments web based. The term can also embrace a government's communication with its citizens (or netizens) and suppliers.
e-HR
Electronic Human Resources. HR functions conducted over the web.
EIP
Enterprise Information Portal. This alludes to a web site that enables staff in an organisation to access corporate information through one single web site. It can also refer to a gateway that enables customers and suppliers to access corporate information. A somewhat passé term. Today usually referred to as an Enterprise Portal.
EIS
Enterprise Information Systems. A type of decision support tool. Today these tools are better known as Business Intelligence Tools.
e-learning
Both structured and unstructured education delivered via the web. Best suited to knowledge based education.
Email
This is an application that allows users to send messages to each other. Today it is Internet based, but this has not always been the case.
e-marketing
Electronic marketing. Marketing activity conducted via the web.
Embedded
SystemAn IT system that is embedded within another system. Eg. A car management system embedded in a car. Or a call management system embedded in a phone.
e-money
Money that is held digitally on a user device, eg. smart card or phone, or on the web, eg. through a service such as PayPal.
EMS
Electronic Meeting System. A generic term associated with groupware products. It enables people to conduct meetings electronically. The fact that attendees can contribute anonymously is seen as a bonus.
Engineer
In IT it is a reference to anybody involved in hardware and software development.
Enterprise applications
It was a collective term for applications that span global companies. Today it equally applies to smaller companies. The most popular are ERP, CRM and increasingly SCM applications.
e-procurement
See e-purchasing.
e-purchasing
Electronic purchasing. Purchasing via the web. A term often associated with supply chain management.
ERP
Enterprise Resource Planning. This term encapsulates a market where the vendors sell enterprise applications. The ERP vendors sell a range of modules, which cover major aspects of business such as human resources and finance. The ERP vendors also provide consultancy to give the client the remaining 20% of functionality that is peculiar to that business. Sadly, the cost of this is at least 80% of the cost of taking the tailored approach.
e-security
Electronic security. Increasingly important as cyber crime becomes more popular.
Extranet
An intranet that allows restricted access to the outside world, eg to suppliers and clients.
Extreme Programming
Extreme programming is an approach to software development based on the Agile philosophy. There is a strong focus on user involvement, speed of delivery and quality of the software.
Fat client
An application architecture where a significant amount of the processing takes place at the client end (ie user device). The term is also used to describe the device itself, e.g. a desktop PC. Also known as Thick client.
Feasibility
The part of the application development life-cycle where decisions are made about whether to go ahead or abandon the project. Issues such as cost, business case and risk are accessed during the Feasibility stage.
Firefox
An open source browser popular with technologists. It is regarded as technically more advanced than Internet Explorer and is subject to less malware.
Firewall
A type of gateway that controls the flow of data both into and out of the network. It can be considered as a form or perimeter security or even an e-bouncer.
Firmware
A term used to describe hardware on which the software is 'permanently' engraved. Often mentioned when talking about embedded systems.
Front-end
A collective term to describe those technologies to which the user has direct contact, eg. PC or printer.