SaaS
Software as a Service. This refers to the conceptual leap that the IT industry is making. Traditionally people buy their software, or at least buy a licence to use the software. Software as a service is a move towards effectively renting the software. See Web Services and Application Service Provider.
Safari
Apple's web browser.
SAN
Storage Area Network. A network, which only links storage devices together, such as disk and tape storage. Increasingly IT departments have separate networks for the users, processors and storage devices.
Scalability
A solution is scalable if it can run on both small and large computers. The term is generally used to sell a solution to a small company. By being scalable the solution they are buying will still be useful as the company grows. Thus enabling the buyer to squeeze more value from the investment in this solution.
SCM
Supply Chain Management. This is a collective term for those activities that help manage the manufacturing and delivery elements of one's organisation. In respect of the IT industry SCM is a reference to software solutions that support the supply chain process.
Scrum
An approach to software development based on the Agile approach. In other words it is a user-oriented approach to software development.
Search engine
A web site dedicated to helping users find information on the WWW. Google is a high profile example.
Search Engine Optimisation
A growing area within the world of online marketing. SEO concerns itself with tuning one's website so that ranks higher in the search rankings when potential customers visit search engine web sites such as Google.
SEO
See Search Engine Optimisation.
Server
A hardware device that enables users to share resources such as processing power, files, databases. Applications and access to the Web. Server can also refer to the software that enables the server hardware to share resources.
Services Oriented Architecture
Is a model for developing software whereby the software modules map neatly onto the associated business processes. It can be thought off as the successor to object orientation.
Shared Source
Shared source is a variant of open source. Whereas open source allows anyone to have access to a program's source code, shared source restricts access to those approved by the software owner.
SIP Trunk
Session Initiation Protocol - is a signaling protocol, widely used for setting up and tearing down multimedia communication sessions such as voice and video calls over the Internet. Other feasible application examples include video conferencing, streaming multimedia distribution, instant messaging, presence information and online games.
SOA
See Services Oriented Architecture.
Software
IT systems are made up of hardware, software and data. You cannot see software. It is the instructions that are given to otherwise stupid hardware to make it do, in general, useful things. Dropping software on your foot will definitely not hurt.
Software Engineer
Any role that relates to the development and maintenance of software. Tends to be used on projects where a formal approach is essential, eg. real-time / embedded systems.
Spam
A term used to describe unsolicited emails. Usually sent in high volumes and often courtesy of other people's servers.
Spider
Software used by search engines to gather web addresses by visiting web sites on the WWW.
Spyware
Software that is inadvertently downloaded onto the company by the user. Usually it is created to spy on the user. Often used to observe the web searching habits of users but more maliciously used to harvest usernames and passwords for the purposes of fraud.
SQL
Structured Query Language. Not a programming language, as such. It provides the means for entering and extracting data to/from a relational database. See RDBMS.
SSL VPN
Secure Sockets Layer virtual private network- is a form of VPN that can be used with a standard Web browser. In contrast to the traditional IPsec VPN, an SSL VPN does not require the installation of specialized client software on end users' computers. The SSL VPN can be a good choice for schools, libraries and public kiosks where trust can be an issue but easy access is also important. Applications include Web-based e-mail, business and government directories, databases for educational institutions, file sharing, remote backup, remote system management and consumer-level e-commerce.
Stickiness
Characteristic of a web portal. The degree to which users stick around. Companies endeavour to make their websites sticky.
STP
Straight Through Processing. A term used to describe transactions that do not involve any human intervention and so rely heavily on IT.
Switch
A networking device, which acts as a kind of junction box. The switch will determine which line the data should be sent down based on the destination address. This is analogous to the points on a railway line.
System administrator
A person who is responsible for keeping the servers available to users. These folk are specialists in the associated hardware and operating system of the platforms concerned. Hence 2003 and Linux system administrators.
System Integration
The process of making disparate hardware and software interoperate together. E.g. Making Oracle run on an ICL box and then making the box accessible to PCs sprinkled across a wide area network. It is a high-risk business and so end user organisations often hand the problem over to software/system houses. The term middleware comes up a lot in respect of system integration.
Systems Analyst
This person is involved during the development of an IT system. Their specific responsibility relates to defining what the system will do.
Systems Programmer
This person is involved in producing software, which will be used by the IT department, as opposed to business users.
Systems Programming
The writing of software, which will be used by the IT department as opposed to business users.
TCP
Transmission Control Protocol-is a set of rules used along with the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in the form of message units between computers over the Internet. TCP takes care of keeping track of the individual units of data (called packets) that a message is divided into for efficient routing through the Internet.
Technical Architect
An experienced technologist that makes architectural decisions in respect of applications and infrastructure. IN respect of system development projects they are critical because they are often the only person who fully understands how the system will work once it is built. They do not always have refined interpersonal skills. See Solution Architects.
Technical Support
A generic term used in very non-technical environments to describe anyone who is involved on the technical side. As a job title it tells you nothing.
TEI
Total Economic Impact. A financial metric created by Giga Information Group to measure the benefit derived from IT investment. It is a more realistic measure than ROI.
Telematics
It refers to the transmission and storage of data using telecommunication devices. A term that encapsulates the convergence of computers and phones.
Tetra
Secure mobile transmission technology. Popular with the emergency services.
Texting
The practice of sending short text based messages via a cellular network. Popular in countries such us the UK and Japan. The popularity and revenue opportunities offered by texting were a rather pleasant surprise for the mobile phone network operators.
Thick client
This is a model of computing whereby a significant volume of the processing is done at the client end, ie user's computer. Also known as Fat client.
Thin client
This is a model of computing whereby almost all the processing is done at the server end. This enables low powered computers to be used by the users.
Topology
Term used to describe the layout or structure of a network. Examples include Star and Ring.
Triple Play
A term used to refer to services associated with the convergence of telephony, the Internet and Broadcast Media.
TVO
Total Value of Opportunity. A financial metric created by Gartner to measure the benefit derived from IT investment. Again like TEI, it is a more realistic measure than ROI.
Unix
A popular family of operating systems, due to its availability on more than one hardware platform. The different versions of Unix that exist are referred to as 'flavours'. In the commercial world, Unix can be found on servers. In the homes of technologists it can be found on PCs.
User interface
The part of the application that the user interacts with. It can be a simple Dos prompt (a black screen with C:/ in the bottom left corner). This is also known as a Command Line Interface. More usually it is a GUI (Graphical user interface) allowing the user to point, click and drag icons using a mouse.
Utility computing
An emerging theme in respect of how software services are delivered to the customer. Also known as 'on demand' computing. Imagine a world where computing resources were available 'on tap' much like water, gas and the phone. So in part you pay a fixed rate for the IT services, and in part you pay for what you use. Outsourcers are using this model to align their pricing with the needs of their customers.