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
A
Active Directory – Microsoft’s trademarked directory service, an integral part of the Windows architecture. Active Directory is a centralized and standardized system that automates network management of user data, security, and distributed resources, and enables interoperation with other directories. Active Directory is designed especially for distributed networking environments.*
Ad Hoc Query – A custom query that has been designed for a specific purpose.
AICPA – American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The largest professional organization of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in the United States of America.
API – Application Program Interface. A source code interface that an operating system or library provides to support requests for services to be made of it by computer programs.*
Application Server – A server program in a computer in a distributed network that provides the business logic for an application program.*
Archive – A collection of information stored elsewhere or in a compressed format sometimes for saving space but normally for security reasons.*
ASP – Active Server Pages. Microsoft's server-side script engine for dynamically-generated web pages.
Audit Trail – An audit trail or audit log is a chronological sequence of audit records, each of which contains evidence directly pertaining to and resulting from the execution of a business process or system function.*
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B
Backup – A copy of data.
Batch – A command that is used to schedule commands to be executed once at a particular time in the future. More precisely, it reads a series of commands from standard input and collects them into one "at-job" which is carried out at a later date.*
Bit – A binary digit, taking a value of either 0 or 1. For example, the number 10010111 is 8 bits long, or in most cases, one modern PC byte.*
Browser-Based – An application that is accessed via an internet browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. Browser-based systems are in contrast to client server systems.
Byte – A unit of measurement of information storage, consisting of eight bits.*
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C
Client – A client is an application or system that accesses a (remote) service on another computer system known as a server by way of a network. The term was first applied to devices that were not capable of running their own stand-alone programs, but could interact with remote computers via a network.*
Client/Server – Describes the relationship between two computer programs in which one program, the client, makes a service request from another program, the server, which fulfills the request.*
CPS – Central Processing System. A component of the Department of Education Federal Student Aid program that transmits student records (ISR) to MCW.
Content Management – A set of processes and technologies that support the evolutionary life cycle of digital information. This digital information is often referred to as content or, to be precise, digital content. Digital content may take the form of text, such as documents, multimedia files, such as audio or video files, or any other file type which follows a content lifecycle which requires management.*
Content Management System – Software that enables you to add and/or manipulate content on a website.*
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D
Data Conversion – The conversion of one form of computer data to another.
Data Privacy – Refers to the evolving relationship between technology and the legal right to, or public expectation of privacy in the collection and sharing of data.*
Database – A computer database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system so that a computer program or person using a query language can consult it to answer queries. The records retrieved in answer to queries are information that can be used to make decisions.*
Digital Community – A community that lives and interacts in cyberspace.
Document Management – A system that allows the storage and retrieval of digital documents (.doc, .xls, .pdf, .jpg, .bmp).
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E
EDE – Electronic Data Exchange.
Encryption – The process of transforming information (referred to as plaintext) using an algorithm (called cipher) to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key.*
ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning. A system that integrates (or attempt to integrate) all data and processes of an organization into a unified system. A typical ERP system will use multiple components of computer software and hardware to achieve the integration. A key ingredient of most ERP systems is the use of a unified database to store data for the various system modules.*
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F
Field – A smaller piece of data from a larger collection.*
File – A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage.*
FERPA – Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. A federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student’s education records and applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the US Department of Education.
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G
GUI – Graphical User Interface. A type of user interface that which allows for an individual to interact with a computer using graphical icons as opposed to text.*
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H
Hardware – Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computer software that executes within the hardware.*
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I
Ingtegrated – Click here for complete information.
IPEDS – The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), established as the core postsecondary education data collection program for NCES, is a system of surveys designed to collect data from all primary providers of postsecondary education. IPEDS is a single, comprehensive system designed to encompass all institutions and educational organizations whose primary purpose is to provide postsecondary education. The IPEDS system is built around a series of interrelated surveys to collect institution-level data in such areas as enrollments, program completions, faculty, staff, and finances.*
IIS – Internet Information Services. A set of Internet-based services for servers using Microsoft Windows. It is the world's second most popular web server in terms of overall websites, behind Apache HTTP Server.*
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J
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K
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L
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M
Metadata – Information about information.
Module – A self-contained component of a system.*
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N
Normalization – Any process that makes something more normal, which typically means conforming to some regularity or rule, or returning from some state of abnormality.*
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O
Open Source – The source code is available to the users.
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P
Portal – A term, generally synonymous with gateway. A portal is a site on the World Wide Web that typically provides personalized capabilities to its visitors, providing a pathway to other content.*
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Q
Query – A form of questioning.
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R
Real-Time – Processes happen in real time, rather than being constrained to a deadline.
Relational Database – Data is entered in only once and is shared across all components.
Restore – The process of recovering data from a backup in the event of a data loss.
ROI – Return on Investment.
Role-based Security – Security applied on an individual user basis.
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S
Scalable – The ability to handle growth without having to adapt the software.
Server – A server is an application, or device that performs services for connected clients as part of a client-server architecture.*
SEVIS – Student Exchange Visitor Information Sytem. Internet-based system supporting the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Software – A general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some task on a computer system.*
SIS – Student Information System. A software application used to manage student data. Student information systems provide capabilities for entering student test and other assessment scores, building student schedules, tracking student attendance, and managing many other student-related data needs in a school, college or university. Also known as student information management system (SIMS, SIM), student records system (SRS) or student management system (SMS).*
SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol (set of instructions) used for transmitting e-mail across the Internet.*
SSL – Secure Sockets Layer. A form of encryptions that that provides secure communications on the Internet for such things as web browsing.*
Synchronous Programming Language – synchronous programming language is a computer programming language optimized for programming reactive systems, systems that are often interrupted and must respond quickly.*
Systems Integration – The use of software and computer systems to bring together a set of enterprise computer applications.*
SQL – Structured Query Language. It is a computer language designed for the retrieval and management of data in relational database management systems, database schema creation and modification, and database object access control management.*
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T
Table – A table is a set of data elements (values) that is organized using a model of horizontal rows and vertical column.*
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U
User-Defined – A function provided by the user of a program or environment.*
User Group – A club focused on the use of a particular technology.
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V
Variable – A symbolic representation used to denote a quantity or expression.*
VB – Visual Basic. It is a programming language from Microsoft.
Visual Studio .NET – Microsoft’s visual programming environment for creating web services based on the use of the Extensible Markup Language XML.*
VPN – A Virtual Private Network is a communications network tunneled through another network, and dedicated for a specific network. One common application is secure communications through the public Internet, but a VPN need not have explicit security features, such as authentication or content encryption. VPNs, for example, can be used to separate the traffic of different user communities over an underlying network with strong security features.*
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W
Workflow – A repeatable pattern of activity enabled by a systematic organization of resources, defined roles and information flows, into a work process that can be documented and learned.*
Work Station – A computer designed for technical applications. Workstations are primarily to be used by one person at a time, although they can be accesses remotely by other users when necessary.*
Web Services – Services that are made available from a business’s web server for web users of other web-connected programs.*
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*From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia