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IT Explained

We at Paessler use IT-related terms constantly, and we are very much aware of the “The Imposter Syndrome”
in IT when professionals continue using terminology they might not even understand themselves. But there are also plenty of new terms in the fields of OT and IoT that many people may not be familiar with, or for which there are even contrary definitions.

At Paessler, we write a lot about IT, OT, and IoT topics. That's why you can find a comprehensive overview of relevant terminology here, which we are constantly updating.

You feel there’s something missing? Get in touch with us!

Question about terminology? Find your answer here!

Active Directory

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service created by Microsoft for use in a Windows Server environment.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a network in a given time. ➤We explain IT concepts - maximise your knowledge now!

CCTV

CCTV stands for closed-circuit television and is commonly known as video surveillance.CCTV networks are commonly used to detect and deter criminal activities, and record traffic infractions, but they have other uses.

Database

What is a database? It is a collection of usually related information (data) that is electronically stored in a format that enables efficient searching and fast information retrieval.

DICOM

Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is an international, nonproprietary standard that specifies the protocols used to facilitate the exchange of medical images.

HCI

HCI stands for hyperconverged infrastructure. HCI is made up of virtual networking, administration, and storage and computing components that share resources.

HL7

The goal of HL7 is to enhance interoperability between healthcare information systems (HISs) that have implemented it.

HTTP

HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It is an application layer, request-response protocol for the web.

IIoT

IIoT stands for the Industrial Internet of Things and refers to a network of connected devices in the industrial sector. It is a subset of the Internet of Things (IoT) .

IP address

An IP address is a numerical identifier for a specific interface in the network. ➤ We explain IT concepts - maximise your knowledge now!

LPWA

LPWA stands for Low-Power Wide-Area and serves as a generic term for any network designed to communicate wirelessly with lower power than other networks such as cellular, satellite, or WiFi.

Modbus

Modbus is the most widely used data communication protocol in process automation and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

MQTT

MQTT stands for Message Queuing Telemetry Transport. It is a lightweight messaging protocol for use in cases where clients need a small code footprint and are connected to unreliable networks or networks with limited bandwidth resources.

NetFlow

NetFlow is a network monitoring protocol that allows a NetFlow enabled device to collect, aggregate, and export all passing traffic data...

OPC UA

OPC UA stands for OPC Unified Architecture. It is an extensible, platform-independent standard that enables the secure exchange of information in industrial systems.

Packet Sniffing

Packet sniffing is the practice of gathering, collecting, and logging some or all packets that pass through a computer network.

What is predictive maintenance? Definition and Details ()

PdM

Predictive maintenance is an equipment maintenance policy for the monitoring of an organization’s physical assets.

Ping

Ping tests the response time of network devices. ➤ Learn more about functions and parameters now - we explain IT concepts in detail!

What is a PLC? Definition and Details ()

PLC

PLC stands for programmable logic controller. A PLC is a programmable computing device that is used to manage electromechanical processes, usually in the industrial niche.

Redfish

Redfish is a network standard and application programming interface (API) that manages servers, networks, storage devices, facilities equipment, and other converged infrastructure (CI) components.

REST

REST is an architecture style definition applied to networked applications. It exists as a series of constraints applied to the implementation of network components, enabling uniform interface semantics, rather than application-specific implementations and syntax.

Retrofitting

Retrofitting is updating or adding equipment, sensors, or services to existing hardware so that it is able to make use of new technologies.

SaaS

SaaS stands for Software as a Service and is a licensing and delivery model in which software hosted on a third-party server is made available on an on-demand basis by a cloud service provider.

SCADA

SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition and is a control system architecture for industrial environments.

SD-WAN

SD-WAN stands for software-defined wide area networking or, within context, network. SD-WAN operates as a framework for the deployment and management of different types of WAN.

Server

A server is a computer or system that provides resources, data, services, or programs to other computers, known as clients, over a network. In theory, whenever computers share resources with client machines they are considered servers.

What is a smart building? Definition and Details ()

Smart Buildings

Smart buildings deliver actionable information about a building itself or a specific room inside it so that owners or tenants can better manage it.

What is a smart city? Definition and Details ()

Smart Cities

A smart city uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to help resolve the traditional challenges of urban living.

Smart Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring involves the capture of any type of data that contributes to showing how the world around us behaves, how it affects our lives, and how it can be controlled.

SNMP

Simple Network Monitoring Protocol (SNMP) is a protocol for transmitting management information in networks. ➤ Maximise your IT knowledge now!

What is a SSH ? Definition and Details ()

SSH (Secure Shell)

SSH is an acronym for Secure Shell. It is a generic term that refers to versions of SSH protocols, for example SSH-1 and SSH-2, among other things like OpenSSH.

Syslog

Syslog is a protocol used to send system log or event messages to a specific server. It is primarily used to collect device logs in a central location...

TLS

TLS stands for Transport Layer Security. It is a cryptographic protocol used to secure data sent over a network, like internet traffic. TLS secures the transmission and delivery of data.

Unified Communications (UC)

UC stands for unified communications. It describes a framework or standard that incorporates various components such as software, hardware, and services to enhance business communication.

Virtualization

Virtualization is the process of creating a virtual version of something like computer hardware. It allows to create multiple environments from a single system

What is VPN? - Definition and Details ()

VPN

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network ➤ Find out more details about VPN and deepen your knowledge in our IT Explained!

WMI

WMI stands for Windows Management Instrumentation. Designed by Microsoft, it is an infrastructure for the standardized management of data and information that is device independent.