IT Vocab Terms
As the liaison between your business and the ever-changing tech industry, we work to keep you informed. However, we do use a lot of terms and acronyms that might fly over most readers’ heads.
Here is a guide to the various vocab terms that you will see used frequently in our posts. If you are new to this industry or a veteran who needs a quick catch-up then look no further.
The Network
These acronyms focus on the network or the technological apparatus that allows for wireless communication between devices.
SD-WAN: This is an acronym that stands for a software-defined wide area network. WAN refers to computers or devices connected over a wide geographical region. SD-WAN is then the upgrade to WAN which moves the management from hardware to software or virtualizes the control of the network.
MPLS: Multiprotocol Label Switching, directs data between nodes, it controls the flow of traffic over a network between locations. MPLS is older and costlier than SD-WAN, but when used together they are extremely effective.
LTE: Long Term Evolution. LTE is the most common form of wireless communication for mobile devices. LTE is much cheaper and easier to install than past communication solutions like Coax Cable and Fiber. The different ‘G’s that can be added before LTE stands for that generation of LTE network.
ISP: Internet Service Provider. The companies that provide access to the internet. These groups build up their networks through the use of satellites, copper wire, or fiber to get their signal into different communities or businesses. AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast are examples of ISPs.
Access Methods
These terms apply to the physical equipment that enables a network to function.
Copper: The traditional and standard wire used in voice and internet connections. Copper is an aging system that is becoming too expensive to maintain.
Coax Cable: A conducting wire that is surrounded by an insulating sheath. Its sheath and the wire’s larger size make it less affected by water and able to transmit faster internet speeds.
Ethernet: The most common type of network cable used in homes and businesses. The problem is that though Ethernet can produce the fastest speeds, it can only be stretched 300 meters. Ethernet is usually paired with other access methods to improve their speed and utilize their length and existing networks (Ethernet over fiber or Ethernet over Fixed Wireless).
Fixed Wireless: Unlike the other access methods, fixed wireless does not require cables and wires. Instead, it uses dishes and a line of sight to send signals along with the network. Fixed Wireless is great as a backup internet connection or in places where wired access methods are untenable.
Fiber Optic: A conducting wire that uses optical fibers or small glass wires are woven into the cable. Fiber Optic cables convert the bitstream into light and sends it at incredible speeds through the network. Most likely to be paired with Ethernet.
Satellite: As the name suggests, the signal is bounced into space and off of satellites so that remote locations can access the network. Since the latency is high, only truly remote homes or businesses would opt for satellite as an access method.
Cloud-Based Services
All of these acronyms focus on traditional services (communications, storage, apps) that are upgraded through the use of cloud technology.
UCaaS: Unified Communications as a Service. The combination or bundling of many different forms of communication into one service.
CCaaS: Contact Center as a Service. Software and app bundles that enhance the effectiveness of call centers through the use of real-time analytics, better call-routing, and optimized workforce management.
IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service. Utilizes cloud storage capabilities as an alternative to on-premise storage of data.
PaaS: Platform as a Service. Vendors through the use of cloud tech enable users to better develop their applications.
SaaS: Software as a Service. Third parties offer the use of their software for a subscription fee.
IoT: Internet of Things. The interconnection of devices via the internet. More and more devices now can connect to the internet, growing this web of communication between phones, computers, machines, cars, ATMs, parking meters, etc.
Internet Connectivity
These terms deal with the ways devices connect to the internet and the terminology for the speed at which they connect.
Upload: The speed at which it takes you to upload something to the internet. Upload is almost always slower than download.
Download: The speed at which it takes you to download something from the internet.
Bandwidth: The measure of how much and how quickly data can be sent over the internet while on a given connection. This is measured by megabytes or gigabytes per second. Users can pay to improve the bandwidth in their home or office.
Dedicated Internet Access: Users pay a set fee to determine how fast their upload and download speeds will be when they connect to the internet. This type of access is reliable but expensive.
Best Effort: Users are not given a pre-determined speed that their upload or download speeds will run at rather the ISP supplies them with the best speed they can provide at any given time. This type of access is unreliable but inexpensive.
Measuring Connection Speeds and Errors
These vocab terms measure or describe what is happening to your internet connection.
Ping: A built-in feature for devices connected to the network. It measures the time it takes for packets to get their destination. Servers and devices ‘ping’ these measurements between each other.
Latency: The time it takes for messages to travel across the network. This is measured in milliseconds. The greater the time means the greater latency.
Packet: Like real life packets, these are small amounts of data being sent across the network. They have a destination and contain information; a good example of this is an email. The speed at which packets move about the network is Latency and what Ping measures.
Bitstream: The smallest unit of data transferred along the network. The bitstream can be broken down into electrical impulses, radio waves, or light signals as it travels along the different access methods that make up the network.
Jitter: Irregularity in the speed of packet flow on a given network. Think of traffic on a highway either due to the number of users or an accident slowing the flow.
Packet Loss: When packets of data fail to reach their destination. 1% of packet loss is considered good, but 2% or more of lost packets is considered unacceptable.
That might have been a lot but there is no need to memorize all of these terms. Rather, whenever you come across a computing, telecom, or cloud-based word you don’t know you should consult this handy guide.
Have any other IT questions or what to get more visibility into your network? Contact Conectrix and we will help you navigate the ever-evolving tech industry and connect you with suppliers tailored to your business’s needs.