Decoding Tech Speak: In Layman’s Terms
Chances are you don’t code CSS in your downtime, build high-speed circuits with the latest microprocessors or geek out over the latest software developments in computer-based systems. The information technology experts at Vertical Technologies, however, are computer nerds to the max and love all things tech.
We eat sleep and breathe software development, network services, server virtualization, server support and data center management. We could talk your ear off about UNIX, NAS, VMWare, RHEL, VLAN and the cloud, but we won’t (you’re welcome). At Vertical Technologies, we know it takes a special person to love IT, so for all you normal folk we compiled a few frequently used IT terms and defined them in layman’s terms for a quick, handy nerd reference guide.
Cloud Computing
Ah, the infamous and much misunderstood cloud…
Cloud computing is a general term for the delivery of hosted services over the Internet. It includes products, services and platforms that allow businesses and other users to access computing resources that are delivered to them over the Internet or other networks. Cloud computing allows businesses to save on costs, bring projects to the market in a lot less time and enables them to effectively manage resources by allowing them to scale according to their needs.
Cookie
Not the chocolate chip and sugary goodness kind.
When you visit a site, you get a cookie. When you visit that site again, it knows whom you are because of the small text file now saved on your computer. Cookies can also be described as nametags for your computer.
Disaster Recovery
On the road to disaster recovery…
Disaster recovery is your business’ ability to continue working after a natural or human catastrophe, like a computer virus, hacker attack, fire or flood has occurred. Services, policies and procedures implemented in disaster recovery include planning / management, storage and server preparation and networking – a structured approach for responding to unplanned incidents that threaten an IT infrastructure in essential to protecting any company.
Firewall
Come on, baby, light my firewall.
A firewall is the virtual electric fence, which stops malware from getting in. It is a security system (either hardware- or software-based) created to protect a trusted computer network from security risks. Firewalls control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on a set of rules.
IP Address
You down with IP addresses?
Every computer has an IP address – a string of numbers – that sets it apart from other computers on a network. IP stands for Internet Protocol, so an IP address is an Internet Protocol address. An Internet Protocol address is part of the systematically laid out interconnected grid that governs online communication by identifying both initiating devices and various Internet destinations, thereby making communication possible with web apps, other computers and printers on the network.
Find your IP Address here.
LAN
You LAN do it!
LAN stands for Local Area Network. A LAN is a computer network limited to a small area such as an office building, university or even a residential home. Most mid to large-sized businesses today use LANs, which makes it easy for employees to share information. Currently, the most common type of LANs are Ethernet-based and use software from Novell or Oracle. With the emergence of wireless networking, wireless LANs have recently become a popular alternative.
Congratulations! Now that you’ve got some of the jargon down, you are basic to mildly tech savvy. If your company has some more complex IT problems to deal with, though, contact Vertical Technologies to deal with all the tech difficulties you never wanted to learn. We will get your small or larger business streamlined and efficient quicker than you can say, “Consulting services and technology solutions.”
Sources
https://www.pluralsight.com/blog/it-ops/20-it-terms
http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2011/09/14/how-to-speak-tech-to-a-non-geek/#gref
http://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com/definition/cloud-computing
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/firewall
http://whatismyipaddress.com/ip-address
