IT Service Glossary

2010-06-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

For companies who have recently outsourced managed IT services, especially those who are not in computer related industries; it can be daunting to keep up with the glossaries and terminology that is used by IT experts. From gigabytes to Ethernet, there are many different terms used within the IT industry. Knowing the basic terms will help you get a better understanding of the various components of computer related services, and ultimately will help you communicate better with your managed IT services company - making it quicker and easier to troubleshoot and diagnose problems.

Common managed IT services terms can be broken down into the following types:

• Internet Terms

The most commonly used managed IT services jargon you may hear when your IT manager is fixing an internet related issue include the following:

- Adware
Free software that is supported by advertisements. Common adware programs are toolbars that sit on your desktop or work in conjunction with your Web browser. Some are harmless, while many act as spyware which gathers information. This is removed with special anti-virus software.

- ASP
Active Server Page. A web page that has one or more ASP scripts embedded in it. You can tell if you're on an active server page if the URL is ".asp" rather than ".html".

- Captcha
Used to verify that a human, rather than a computer, is entering data. Captchas are usually found on online forms and ask the user to enter text from an image to verify their action.

- Certificate
An SSL certificate (also called secure certificate), is a file that is installed on a secure Web server to identify a website.

- FTP
File Transfer Protocol. Common method of transferring files via the Internet from one computer to another.

- JavaScript
Programming lanuguage that can be integrated into standard HTML pages to create dynamic, interactive Web pages.

- Meta Tag
HTML tag used to store information about a Web page but is not displayed in a Web browser.

• Hardware Terms

Other terms that your managed IT services company may use relate to hardware and other technical components. These include the following:

- CPU
Central Processing Unit. This processes everything from basic instructions to complex functions. Also known as the 'processor'.

- Ethernet
The most common type of connection computers used in a local area network (LAN)

- GPU
Graphics Processing Unit. Used mostly for computing 3D functions such as lighting effects, object transformations and 3D motion.

- Internal Hard Drive
Hard drive found inside the computer. Key component of a computer, as it stores the user's software and personal files.

- Mainframe
A mainframe is a high-performance computer made for high-volume, processor-intensive computing, mostly used by large businesses and for scientific purposes.

- Motherboard
Main circuit board of a computer and is also known as the mainboard or logic board. This item is what makes everything in a computer work together.

- RAM
Random Access Memory. Made up of small memory chips that form a memory module. These are installed in the RAM slots on the motherboard of your computer.

To learn more about the terms most commonly used by your managed IT services, never be afraid to ask if you are unsure of anything.

Bob A. Jones offers advice for businesses seeking effective managed IT services and quality IT solutions.

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IT Service Glossary