Computer Science

Client-server is a relationship in which one program (the client) requests a service or resource from another program (the server). At the turn of the last century, the label client-server was used to distinguish distributed computing by personal computers (PCs) from the monolithic, centralized computing model used by mainframes.

A checksum is a value that represents the number of bits in a transmission message and is used by IT professionals to detect high-level errors within data transmissions.

Network availability is the amount of uptime in a network system over a specific time interval.

Solid-state storage (SSS) is a type of computer storage media made from silicon microchips. SSS stores data electronically instead of magnetically, as spinning hard disk drives (HDDs) or magnetic oxide tape do.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is the largest association of electrical goods and equipment and electronic medical imaging equipment manufacturers in the United States.

Voltage, also called electromotive force, is a quantitative expression of the potential difference in charge between two points in an electrical field.

This handy fast reference will help you quickly understand hundreds of Text, Twitter and Chat abbreviations and acronyms that are popularly used in text messages and social media. Please bookmark this page and refer back to it as needed.

A motor vehicle record (MVR) is the documentation of a person’s driving history. The information in an MVR includes personally identifiable information (PII) as well as information about the driver's traffic citations, vehicular crimes, accidents, driving under the influence (DUI) convictions and the number of points on the individual’s driver’s license.

United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a federal cabinet agency that is tasked with overseeing the energy economy, energy policies and energy security of the U.S. The agency creates policies for nuclear power, fossil fuel and alternative energy sources.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a protocol that provides authentication, privacy, and data integrity between two communicating computer applications.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is the largest association of electrical goods and equipment and electronic medical imaging equipment manufacturers in the United States.

OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) is a reference model for how applications communicate over a network.

Grid computing (or the use of a computational grid) is applying the resources of many computers in a network to a single problem at the same time

How to select the right firewall for your needs

Quick Network Security & Hardware Refreshers School is out for college students across the US, but the learning never stops for IT professionals.

A natural number is a number that occurs commonly and obviously in nature.

An algorithm (pronounced AL-go-rith-um) is a procedure or formula for solving a problem, based on conducting a sequence of specified actions.

Data analytics (DA) is the science of examining raw data with the purpose of drawing conclusions about that information.

Cache memory, also called CPU memory, is high-speed static random access memory (SRAM) that a computer microprocessor can access more quickly than it can access regular random access memory (RAM).

A smart card is a physical card that has an embedded integrated chip that acts as a security token.

A neuromorphic chip is an analog data processor inspired by the biological brain.

Biotechnology is the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life.

A spray-on antenna is a conductive material that can be dissolved in liquid and sprayed onto a surface to create a lightweight, flexible antenna.

Quantum as a service (QaaS) is the offering of quantum compute facilities as an on demand service.

In the SearchVoIP.com videocast, Whatis.com's Alex Howard discusses the differences between unified messaging and unified communications, the features each option allows users and the development of UM to UC. Whether you are considering UC or have already implemented unified communications, this videocast embedded on the right explains the differences between the technologies and how UC will continue to impact the future of communications.

In this WhatIs.com podcast, you'll learn about this attempt to modernize existing banking practices in the context of new online threats like phishing. To learn more about FFIEC compliance, Assistant Site Editor Alex Howard interviewed Patrick Audley, the CTO of risk adaptive software provider Cogneto.

In this podcast you will learn what service-oriented architecture (SOA) is, how it relates to other programming approaches and what standards and tools you need to be aware of before implementing SOA. (Continued...)

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a software protocol for enabling anyone to locate organizations, individuals, and other resources such as files and devices in a network, whether on the public Internet or on a corporate intranet.

RIP (Routing Information Protocol) is a protocol used to enable routers to share information about IP traffic routes as they move traffic within a larger network made up of separate LANs linked through routers.

TCP/IP, or the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, is a suite of communication protocols used to interconnect network devices on the internet. TCP/IP can also be used as a communications protocol in a private network (an intranet or an extranet).

Swarm intelligence is the study of decentralized, self-organized systems that move quickly in a coordinated manner.

A chatbot (sometimes referred to as a chatterbot) is a computer program that attempts to simulate the conversation or "chatter" of a human being via text or voice interactions.

A delivery drone is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for distributing packages to consumers through advanced AI technology.

Videogrammetry is the extraction of an object’s measurements from a video; measurements may be gathered from multiple angles or multiple videos.

A digital evidence presentation system (DEPS) is a system with an overhead camera and a liquid crystal display (LCD) used in courts to present and record evidence digitally.

A video display unit (VDU) consists of:A computer output device that uses a cathode ray tube or other technology to present visual imagesOne or more input devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or both.