A A| B| C| D| E| F| G| H| I| J| K| L| M| N| O| P| Q| R| S| T| U| V| W| X| Y| Z| Numerical Listing| AA (Automated Attendant) A device that is connected to a private branch exchange. Automated attendants are connected to voice mail systems. When a call comes in, this device answers it. AAL (ATM Adaptation Layer) The "glue" that connects traditional packet and frame structures and multimedia data types with short, fixed-length asynchronous transfer mode cells. AAL2 ATM adaptation layer 2 for compressed video. ABI (Application Binary Interface) A set of specifications provided by AT&T that enable vendors that have chosen the same microprocessor to build object-code-compatible systems. The most prominent examples of ABIs are those for Scalable Processor Architecture (SPARC), the Motorola 88000 and the Intel 80x86. Systems built to the 80x86 ABI will not be object-code-compatible with those built to the SPARC ABI or the 88000 ABI; ABIs enable compatibility only among products built on the same microprocessor architectures. Access Line The connection to the customer’s local telephone company for origination of local and long-distance calls. It also represents the connection between the serving toll center and the serving office of the interexchange carrier used for access to public switched network services. Also known as local loop or trunk. Access Method That part of a computer’s operating system responsible for formatting of data sets and their direction to specific storage devices. Examples from the mainframe world include Virtual Storage Access Method and Indexed Sequential Access Method. In a network it is the technique by which the network distributes the right to transmit among its participating stations. TOP OF PAGE Access to 3270 Data Stream A facility that enables user-written programs to become "users" of terminal-based applications on an IBM mainframe. Common use would be in accessing applications under Customer Information and Control System, Information Management System, and others. ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) A specialized phone system used for handling many incoming calls (e.g., order taking, dispatching of service technicians, taxis, railroads, help desks answering technical questions). An ACD performs the following functions. It recognizes and answers an incoming call. It will look in its database for instructions on what to do with that call. Based on these instructions, it will send the call to a recording or to a voice response unit. It will then send the call to an agent as soon as that operator has completed his/her previous call, and/or after the caller has heard the prerecorded message. ACE (Advanced Computing Environment) A consortium founded in April 1991 of 21 vendors using or intending to use the MIPS Computer Systems Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) processor architecture or Intel 80x86 microprocessor and establish at least source code compatibility between Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) and System V Release 4 Unix systems on either RISC or Intel products, as well as source compatibility of New Technology systems on RISC or Intel systems. The primary founding members were Digital Equipment Corp., Compaq Computer, MIPS Computer Systems, SCO and Microsoft. ACF/VTAM (Advanced Communication Function/Virtual Terminal Access Method) Part of the IBM family of Systems Network Architecture communications products; provides support for LU 6.2, the logical unit for IBM’s Advanced Program-to-Program Communications. ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) Four well-established tests for verifying the integrity of business transactions in a data processing environment. ACR (Architecture Conformance Review) The architecture conformance review is designed to achieve an alignment between information technology strategy and a major external force — vendors. It is a periodic, formal review of the enterprise’s objectives and Enterprise Information Architecture (EIA). It is intended to provide vendors with a clear direction regarding the enterprise’s technology requirements over the next five years — requirements that will dictate acquisitions and determine vendor participation. More importantly, the ACR provides the enterprise with vendors’ estimates of which products they will offer to conform to selected standards and when those products will be available over the next five years. Thus, the ACR, with the EIA, provides the structure to build and maintain a clear and comprehensive vision, and the means to manage (along with vendors in a positive working relationship) the implementation of that vision from a product perspective. Active Data Dictionary A facility for storing dynamically accessible and modifiable information relating to midrange system data definitions and descriptions. TOP OF PAGE Actuator The mechanism that positions the disk read-write head over the selected track. Adaptive Control A control strategy that automatically changes the type or influence of control parameters to improve overall control systems performance. ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation) A speech coding method that calculates the difference between two consecutive speech samples in standard pulse code modulation coded telecommunications voice signals. This calculation is encoded using an adaptive filter and as a result, is transmitted at a rate lower than the standard 64 Kbps technique. Typically, ADPCM allows an analog voice conversation to be carried within a 32 Kbit digital channel; 3 or 4 bits are used to describe each sample, which represents the difference between two adjacent samples. Sampling is done 8,000 times a second. In short, ADPCM, which many voice processing makers use, allows encoding of voice signals in half the space PCM allows. ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) ADSL is Bellcore’s term for one-way T1 to the home over single twisted pair wiring already existing in homes. ADSL is designed to carry video to the home and is one-way video with control signals returning from the home at 16 Kbps. ADSL uses adaptive digital filtering, which adjusts to compensate for noise and other problems on the line. ADSL is expected to cause an explosion in potential applications including video-on-demand. ADSM (Adstar Distributed Storage Manager) IBM software product that enables a user to manage storage, data access and backup across multivendor enterprisewide networks. ADSM supports five different server platforms and 10 different client platforms. Server platforms supported are IBM’s VM, MVS, AIX, OS/400 and OS/2. Clients supported are DOS, OS/2, Macintosh, SunOS, Novell NetWare, AIX, Microsoft Windows, HP-UX, DEC Ultrix and SCO Unix. TOP OF PAGE AFP (Advanced Function Presentation) An IBM all-points addressable enterprisewide print architecture. IBM has delivered AFP platforms for AS/400 and OS/2 environments, which has enabled IS shops to build enterprisewide AFP architectures for distributed printing. AI (Artificial Intelligence) Computer systems that attempt to resolve problems by "reasoning," similar to the processing of the human mind. Commercially applicable topics include problem-solving techniques, learning, reasoning, speech, language comprehension, vision and robotics. AIA (Applications Integration Architecture) A set of Digital Equipment Corp. architecture and product development programs intended to provide a common application programming interface across the VAX/VMS and Ultrix operating systems. AIIM (Association for Information and Image Management) A Maryland-based organization dedicated to promoting development of systems that store, retrieve and manage document images. AIM A proprietary benchmark designed and administered by AIM Technology, Santa Clara, Calif. AIM measures the performance of multiuser Unix systems. AIM is beginning to be routinely quoted by systems vendors, and is often required in requests for proposals. AIR (Architecture Implementation Review) The architecture implementation review is designed to enable an alignment between information technology strategy and implementation. This review, which involves both information systems managers and end users, assures that tactical initiatives, such as product acquisitions, support the Enterprise Information Architecture and, therefore, the business and technology objectives. The AIR can be a periodic, formal review or it can be ongoing (for example, each time the enterprise distributes a request for proposal for information technology equipment). AIX (Advanced Interactive Executive) The Unix operating system delivered by IBM for its mainframe, workstation and PC hardware. ALL-IN-1 Digital Equipment Corp.’s VAX/VMS-based second-generation integrated office information system. TOP OF PAGE Alpha Digital Equipment Corp.’s proprietary VAX replacement architecture, based on 64-bit addressing and reduced instruction set computer processing techniques. Analog Information presented in the form of a continuously varying signal. Human readable information on a monitor or piece of paper. ANI (Automatic Number Identification) ANI is a series of digits, in either analog or digital form, which tell a user the originating number of the incoming phone call. They may arrive as either touch-tone digits inside the call, on the same circuit or on a separate circuit. Specialized equipment is required to decipher the digits of the incoming call. ANI is touted as one of Integrated Services Digital Network’s (ISDN’s) most compelling advantages, however it is an advantage of the Signaling System 7. In the United States, there are various types of ANI. A long distance phone company can provide ANI which may arrive over the D channel of an ISDN primary rate interface circuit or via a dedicated single line before the first ring. In contrast, the signaling for Caller ID, as delivered by a local phone company, is delivered between the first and second rings. ANSI (American National Standards Institute) In the United States, ANSI serves as a quasi-national standards organization. It provides "area charters" for groups that establish standards in specific fields. These groups include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Electronic Industries Association. ANSI is unique among the world’s standards groups as a nongovernmental body granted the sole vote for the United States in the International Standards Organization (ISO). This status is part of the reason ANSI bends over backward to contain its role to that of facilitator, or catalyst, in the production of standards. ANSI X3B11 The evolving standards for smaller-format optical storage subsystems. AOR (Architecture Objectives Review) The architecture objectives review, as part of Enterprise Information Management, is focused on achieving an alignment between business and information technology strategies. This alignment was explored in some detail throughout the 1980s. In fact, about 45 different methods are now being used throughout the industry, such as IBM with its Business Systems Planning process. TOP OF PAGE API (Application Programming Interface) A set of calling conventions that define how a service is invoked through software. An interface that enables programs written by users or third parties to communicate with certain vendor-supplied program products. The facility enables users and third parties to add functions to vendor-supplied software. APIs, not products, are strategic. They are the important component of any software product. There are no "strategic" software products, only strategic interfaces. IBM’s Systems Application Architecture, for example, is not a product grouping, but a collection of API APPC (Advanced Program-to-Program Communication) The programming interface to LU 6.2, IBM’s protocol for peer relationship program-to-program communications under Systems Network Architecture. Also known as LU 6.2. APPC is the Systems Application Architecture interface for cooperative processing. AppleTalk Local Area Network Connect Connection from the midrange system to Macintoshes via AppleTalk protocols. Application Generator A more sophisticated tool or toolset than simple query/report facilities that enables reasonably complex interactive or batch applications to be created at a higher level more easily than the compiler languages mentioned under "traditional processing." Code that is generated should be compiled rather than interpreted for better performance. Application Layer The top of the seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection model, generally regarded as offering an interface to, and largely defined by, the network user. It is the end-user layer in IBM’s Systems Network Architecture. APPN (Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking) IBM’s APPN is an extension of Systems Network Architecture Low-Entry Networking (LEN; also known as Physical Unit 2.1), which provides dynamic multipath routing among nodes. APPNTAM (Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking Topology and Accounting Management) An IBM product designed to discover nodes and links in an APPN network and build a topology map in Resource Object Data Manager, IBM's object-oriented database used to store management information. APPNTAM provides functions such as: • Dynamic status updates • Graphical display of APPN topology • Control of ports and links • Centralized collection of Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) session and conversation accounting information. Thus, the control of ports and links, as well as the collection of APPC session and conversation and accounting information, can be automated using the NetView automation facilities. TOP OF PAGE AS (Application System) IBM’s second-tier fourth-generation language/decision support system program product. AS/400 (Application System/400) IBM’s midrange system that replaced the IBM System/36 and System/38 product families. ASAI (Adjunct Switch Application Interface) An AT&T product that provides a detailed set of technical specifications for having an outside computer control an AT&T private branch exchange. ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) A standard table of seven-bit designations for digital representation of uppercase and lowercase Roman letters, numbers, and special control characters in teletype, computer, and word processor systems. ASCII is used for alphanumeric communication by everyone except IBM, whose own similar code is called EBCDIC. Since most computer systems use a full byte to send an ASCII character, many hardware and software companies have made their own nonstandard and mutually incompatible extensions of the official ASCII 128 character set to a 256-character set. ASO (Automated Systems Operations) Often referred to as "lights out operations." TOP OF PAGE Associativity The ability to link computer-aided design data and models together in a manner that allows design changes to automatically be reflected. Unidirectional or downstream associativity permits model changes to automatically change downstream data such as drafting, analysis or computer-aided manufacturing data. Bidirectional associativity allows downstream changes such as in drawings, to change the model. Asynchronous Characterized by not having a constant time interval between successive bits, characters or events. Transmission generally uses one start and one stop bit for character element synchronization (often called start-stop transmission). ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) A wide-area network (WAN) technology, a transfer mode for switching and transmission that efficiently and flexibly organizes information into cells; it is asynchronous in the sense that the recurrence of cells depends on the required or instantaneous bit rate. Thus, empty cells do not go by when data is waiting. ATM’s powerful flexibility lies in its ability to provide a high-capacity, low-latency switching fabric for all types of information, including data, video, image and voice, that is protocol-, speed- and distance-independent. ATM supports fixed-length cells 53 bytes in length and virtual data circuits between 45 Mbps and 622 Mbps. Using statistical multiplexing, cells from many different sources are multiplexed onto a single physical circuit. The fixed-length fields in the cell, which include routing information used by the network, assure that faster processing speeds are enabled using simple hardware circuits The greatest benefit of ATM is its ability to provide support for a wide range of communications services while providing transport independence from those services. An example is ATM’s time independence; there is no relationship between the application clock and the network clock. Ironically, first implementations of ATM will augment local-area network transport (and then the WAN it was designed for). AUI (Autonomous Unit Interface) Most commonly used in reference to the 15 pin D type connector and cables used to connect single and multiple channel equipment to an Ethernet transceiver. Authentication Service A mechanism, analogous to the use of passwords on time/sharing systems, for the secure authentication of the identity of network clients by servers, and vice versa, without presuming the operating system integrity of either (e.g., Kerberos). Automatic Hardware Failure Detection and Reconfiguration Performs fault detection and isolation and reconfigures the system, dynamically invoking redundant components without the need to bring the system down. Automatic Restart — "Warm" Recovery Resumption of operation after a system failure with minimal loss of work or processes (as opposed to a cold restart, which requires a complete reload of the system with no processes surviving). Autovectorizing Software used in technical document control systems to convert certain bit-mapped data to geometrical values. Available to Promise The uncommitted portion of a company’s inventory or planned production. This figure is frequently calculated from the master production schedule and is maintained as a tool for order promising. TOP OF PAGE Average Inventory In an inventory system, this is the sum of one-half the lot sizes plus the reserve stock Comments? Questions? Entire contents Copyright © 1997, 1998 by Gartner Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. Please read the guidelines for customer use of GartnerGroup intellecual property.