Definitions/Glossary

Algorithm–a procedure for solving a problem in terms of the actions to execute and the order in which to execute them.

Array is a data structure consisting of a consecutive group of memory locations that share the same type.

Bandwidth–the maximum rate of data transfer across a given path. It measures the amount of data that can travel over a connection at one time. The greater the bandwidth, the more data that can be delivered.

Cloud–generally cloud refers to the on-demand delivery of computing resources including storage space, processing power, and bandwidth.

Data are a set of values of qualitative or quantitative variables about one or more persons or objects, while a datum (singular of data) is a single value of a single variable.

Data structure–a collection of related data items ( Ex’s: arrays, lists, queues, stacks, trees).

Declaration is a statement that gives a name to an object.

Deepfake—modern day “photoshop” magic! Refers to the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create synthetic, or fake, media (ranging from video to audio and images), in which someone appears to be doing or saying something that they hadn’t in actual reality.

Definition–a definition is a statement that introduces a new name into a program and sets aside memory for a variable. Definition is a declaration that sets aside memory for an object.

Latency (thing lag)–a measurement of how long it takes for a data packet to travel from its origin point to its destination. Note: [While the type of connection is a key consideration (fiber optic cables transmit data much faster than conventional copper, for example), distance remains one of the key factors in determining latency. That’s because data is still constrained by the laws of physics and cannot exceed the speed of light (although some connections have approached it). No matter how fast a connection may be, the data must still physically travel that distance, which takes time. via here]

Library–a grouping of variables and functions that someone else has written and verified. A standard library contains reusable classes & functions that help programmers create portable programs!

Long–haul optics refers to the transmission of visible light signals over optical fiber cable for great distances, especially without or with minimal use of repeaters.

Merkle Tree Structure–a way to compress a lot of data and also sort through that data.

Network redundancy is a duplicated infrastructure where additional or alternate instances of network devices and connections are installed to ensure an alternate path in case of a failure on the primary service. This method can help keep data online and available in case of a network device failure or if the main path of communication goes down.

Object is some memory that holds a value of a given type.

PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard; the common motherboard interface for P.C.’s graphics cards, HDD host adapters, SSDs, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet hardware connections.

A Point of Presence (POP) is a location where internet networks exchange traffic.

A power distribution unit (PDU) distributes reliable network power to multiple devices.

Program Control–Specifying the order in which statements execute in a program.

Pseudocode helps us think out a program before writing it in a programming language.

Spoofing refers to transmission of packets that are modified to make them appear as if they originate from somewhere other than their true source.

Throughput measures how much data can be processed at once by different points in a network.

Type defines a set of possible values and a set of operations (for an object).

UML (Unified Modeling Language)–an industry standard for modeling software systems.

Uninterruptible power supply/source (UPS) is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source or main power fails.

Value–the representation of some entity that can be manipulated by a program. The members of a ‘type‘ are the values of that type. Value is a set of bits in memory interpreted according to a type.

Variable is a named object.

Vulnerability is a weakness which can be exploited by a threat actor, such as an attacker, to cross privilege boundaries (i.e. perform unauthorized actions) within a computer system.