Browse Definitions by Alphabet

hackathon - A hackathon, also known as a codefest, is a social coding event that brings computer programmers and other interested people together to improve upon or build a new software program.
hacker - A hacker is an individual who uses computer, networking or other skills to overcome a technical problem.
hacking as a service (HaaS) - Hacking as a service (HaaS) is the commercialization of hacking skills, in which the hacker serves as a contractor.
hacktivism - Hacktivism is the act of misusing a computer system or network for a socially or politically motivated reason.
Hadoop - Hadoop is an open source distributed processing framework that manages data processing and storage for big data applications in scalable clusters of computer servers.
Hadoop as a service (HaaS) - Hadoop as a service (HaaS), also known as Hadoop in the cloud, is a big data analytics framework that stores and analyzes data in the cloud using Hadoop.
Hadoop data lake - A Hadoop data lake is a data management platform comprising one or more Hadoop clusters.
Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) - The Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) is the primary data storage system used by Hadoop applications.
hairpinning - In general telecommunication, hairpinning is returning a message from an origin endpoint back in the direction it came from as a way to get it to its destination endpoint.
hamburger icon (slide drawer navigation) - A hamburger icon is a navigational symbol in user interface (UI) design.
Hamming code - Hamming code is an error correction system that can detect and correct errors when data is stored or transmitted.
happy path testing - Happy-path testing is a type of software testing that uses known input and produces an expected output.
HAProxy - HAProxy is a high-performance, open source load balancer and reverse proxy for TCP and HTTP applications.
haptics - Haptics (pronounced HAP-tiks) is the science of applying touch (tactile) sensation and control to interaction with computer applications.
hard disk drive (HDD) - A computer hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile data storage device.
hard drive shredder - A hard drive shredder is a mechanical device that physically destroys old hard drives in such a way that the data they contain cannot be recovered.
hard skills - Hard skills are specific abilities, capabilities and skill sets that an individual can possess and demonstrate in a measured way.
hard-drive encryption - Hard-drive encryption is a technology that encrypts the data stored on a hard drive using sophisticated mathematical functions.
hardware clustering - Hardware clustering is a hardware-based method of turning multiple servers into a cluster (a group of servers that acts like a single system).
hardware emulation - Hardware emulation is the use of one hardware device to mimic the function of another hardware device.
hardware RAID (hardware redundant array of independent disk) - Hardware RAID is a form of RAID (redundant array of independent disks) where processing is done on the motherboard or a separate RAID card.
hardware security - Hardware security is vulnerability protection that comes in the form of a physical device rather than software that's installed on the hardware of a computer system.
hardware security module (HSM) - A hardware security module (HSM) is a physical device that provides extra security for sensitive data.
hardware virtualization - Hardware virtualization, which is also known as server virtualization or simply virtualization, is the abstraction of computing resources from the software that uses those resources.
hardware-as-a-service (in managed services) - Hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) is a procurement model that is similar to leasing or licensing in which hardware that belongs to a managed service provider (MSP) is installed at a customer's site and a service level agreement (SLA) defines the responsibilities of both parties.
hardware-assisted virtualization - Hardware-assisted virtualization is the use of a computer's physical components to support the software that creates and manages virtual machines (VMs).
harmonic - A harmonic is a wave or signal whose frequency is an integral (whole number) multiple of the frequency of the same reference signal or wave.
Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) - Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) is a message encryption method that uses a cryptographic key in conjunction with a hash function.
HashiCorp - HashiCorp is a software company that provides a suite of modular DevOps infrastructure provisioning and management products.
hashing - Hashing is the process of transforming any given key or a string of characters into another value.
Hawthorne effect - The Hawthorne effect is the modification of behavior by study participants in response to their knowledge that they are being observed or singled out for special treatment.
HD-DVD (high-definition DVD) - HD-DVD (high-definition DVD) is a defunct high-capacity optical storage medium that was once seen as the successor to the DVD.
HDD form factor (hard disk drive form factor) - HDD form factor (hard disk drive form factor) is the size or geometry of a data storage device equipped with one or more magnetic-coated spinning platters and one or more moving actuator arms with magnetic heads to read and write information.
HDLC (High-level Data Link Control) - HDLC (High-level Data Link Control) is a group of protocols or rules for transmitting data between network points (sometimes called nodes).
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) - HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a proprietary specification designed to ensure compatibility between video and audio devices over a single digital interface.
HDTV (high-definition television) - HDTV (high-definition television) is a television display technology that provides picture quality similar to 35 mm movies with sound quality similar to that of a compact disc.
headless commerce (headless e-commerce) - Headless commerce, also called headless e-commerce, is a platform architecture that decouples the front end of an e-commerce website with the back end.
headless content management system (headless CMS) - A headless content management system (CMS) delivers back-end capabilities for editing, organizing and storing all types of digital information, without regard to how that content is published, displayed or used.
headless server - A headless server is a computing device without a local interface that is dedicated to providing services to other computers and their users.
headless system - A headless system is a computer that operates without a monitor, graphical user interface (GUI) or the typical peripherals used to control it, such as a keyboard and mouse.
health informatics - Health informatics is the practice of acquiring, studying and managing health data and applying medical concepts in conjunction with health information technology systems to help clinicians provide better healthcare.
Health Information Exchange (HIE) - Health information exchange (HIE) is the electronic transmission of healthcare-related data among medical facilities, health information organizations -- companies that oversee and govern the exchange of this data -- and government agencies according to national standards.
Health IT (health information technology) - Health IT (health information technology) is the area of IT involving the design, development, creation, use and maintenance of information systems for the healthcare industry.
Healthcare CIO (healthcare chief information officer) - A healthcare CIO is a healthcare executive with an influence over technology purchasing and other IT business decisions.
heap - In certain programming languages including C and Pascal, a heap is an area of pre-reserved computer main storage (memory) that a program process can use to store data in some variable amount that won't be known until the program is running.
heartbeat (computing) - In computing, a heartbeat is a program that runs specialized scripts automatically whenever a system is initialized or rebooted.
Heartbleed - Heartbleed was a vulnerability in some implementations of OpenSSL, an open source cryptographic library.
heat - Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from one physical system to another system or from one region in a physical system to another region.
heat map (heatmap) - A heat map is a two-dimensional representation of data in which various values are represented by colors.
HELLO packet - A HELLO packet is a special data packet (message) that is sent out periodically from a router to establish and confirm network adjacency relationships to other routers in the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) communications protocol.
help desk - A help desk is the individual, group, organizational function or external service that an IT user calls to get help with a problem.
henry (H) - The henry (symbolized H) is the International System of Units (SI) derived unit of electrical inductance.
henry per meter (H/m) - The henry per meter (symbolized H/m) is the unit of magnetic permeability in the International System of Units (SI).
hertz (Hz) - Hertz (Hz) is the standard unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI).
heuristic - As an adjective, heuristic (pronounced hyu-RIS-tik and from the Greek "heuriskein" meaning "to discover") pertains to the process of gaining knowledge or some desired result by intelligent guesswork rather than by following some preestablished formula.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP Enterprise, HPE) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP Enterprise, also known as HPE) is an American multinational company that specializes in business IT (information technology).
Hewlett-Packard (HP) - HP (Hewlett-Packard) is a prominent IT company based in Palo Alto, California.
hexadecimal - Hexadecimal is a numbering system with base 16.
Hibernate - Hibernate is an open source object relational mapping (ORM) tool that provides a framework to map object-oriented domain models to relational databases for web applications.
Hick's law - Hick's law is a psychological principle which states that the more options are available to a person, the longer it will take for him or her to make a decision about which option is best.
hierarchical storage management (HSM) - Hierarchical storage management (HSM) is policy-based management of data files that uses storage media economically and without the user being aware of when files are retrieved from storage.
hierarchy - Generally speaking, hierarchy refers to an organizational structure in which items are ranked in a specific manner, usually according to levels of importance.
high availability (HA) - High availability (HA) is the ability of a system to operate continuously without failing for a designated period of time.
high-performance computing - High-performance computing (HPC) is the practice of using parallel data processing to improve computing performance and perform complex calculations.
high-touch customer service - High-touch customer service is a category of contact center interaction that requires human interaction.
HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) - The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to promote the best use of IT and management systems in the healthcare industry.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) - HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.
HireVue - HireVue is an enterprise video interviewing technology vendor that allows recruiters and hiring managers to screen candidates and conduct live interviews over the Internet.
histogram - A histogram is a type of chart that shows the frequency distribution of data points across a continuous range of numerical values.
historical data - Historical data, in a broad context, is data collected about past events and circumstances pertaining to a particular subject.
Hitachi Vantara (formerly Hitachi Data Systems or HDS) - Hitachi Vantara is a data storage systems provider, previously known as Hitachi Data Systems (HDS).
HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act of 2009 - The HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act of 2009 is legislation that was created to stimulate the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and the supporting technology in the United States.
HL7 (Health Level Seven International) - HL7 (Health Level Seven International) is a set of standards, formats and definitions for exchanging and developing electronic health records (EHRs).
hockey stick growth - Hockey stick growth is a growth pattern in a line chart that shows a sudden and extremely rapid growth after a long period of linear growth.
Hofstadter's law - Hofstadter's law states that a project always takes longer than expected, even when the law is taken into account.
holacracy - A holacracy is a governance structure characterized by a distribution of power among self-organizing groups, rather than the typical top-down hierarchical corporate culture model.
hole - In physics, a hole is an electric charge carrier with a positive charge, equal in magnitude but opposite in polarity to the charge on the electron.
holistic (holistic technology) - Holistic technology is an approach to IT management that considers the infrastructure as a whole instead of as a collection of individual systems.
holographic storage (holostorage) - Holographic storage is computer storage that uses laser beams to store computer-generated data in three dimensions.
home server - A home server is a computer that functions as a server in a client-server home network.
homomorphic encryption - Homomorphic encryption is the conversion of data into ciphertext that can be analyzed and worked with as if it were still in its original form.
honey monkey - A honey monkey is a virtual computer system that is programmed to lure, detect, identify and neutralize malicious activity on the Internet.
honeynet - A honeynet is a network set up with intentional vulnerabilities hosted on a decoy server to attract hackers.
honeypot (computing) - A honeypot is a network-attached system set up as a decoy to lure cyber attackers and detect, deflect and study hacking attempts to gain unauthorized access to information systems.
hook - In programming, a hook is a place and usually an interface provided in packaged code that allows a programmer to insert customized programming.
Hootsuite - Hootsuite is a social media management platform that helps organizations deliver enhanced social media experiences to their customers at every stage of the customer journey.
hop off - Hop off is a term used in telecommunications that refers to a point at which a signal or call leaves a network and moves to another network.
horsepower (hp) - Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement in the foot-pound-second (fps or ft-lb/s) or English system, sometimes used to express the rate at which mechanical energy is expended.
host (in computing) - A host is a computer or other device that communicates with other hosts on a network.
host bus adapter (HBA) - A host bus adapter (HBA) is a circuit board or integrated circuit adapter that connects a host system, such as a server, to a storage or network device.
host intrusion prevention system (HIPS) - A host intrusion prevention system (HIPS) is an approach to security that relies on third-party software tools to identify and prevent malicious activities.
host virtual machine (host VM) - A host virtual machine is the server component of a virtual machine (VM), the underlying hardware that provides computing resources to support a particular guest virtual machine (guest VM).
hosted services - Hosted services are applications, IT infrastructure components or functions that organizations access from external service providers, typically through an internet connection.
hosted virtual desktop (HVD) - A hosted virtual desktop (HVD) is a user interface that connects to applications and data that are stored on a cloud provider's servers rather than on the user's computer or the corporate network.
hosting (website hosting, web hosting and webhosting) - Web hosting -- also known as website hosting or webhosting -- is the process where a web hosting provider stores and maintains website files and applications on a server to make its customers' websites accessible on the internet.
hot plugging - Hot plugging is the addition of a component to a running computer system without significant interruption to the operation of the system.
hot spot/cold spot - A hot spot/cold spot is an undesirable, tightly focused local temperature variation, which often occurs when data center equipment is improperly cooled.
hot swap - A hot swap describes the act of removing components from or plugging them into a computer system while the power remains switched on.
hot/cold aisle - The hot and cold aisles in the data center are part of an energy-efficient layout for server racks and other computing equipment.
hotfix - A hotfix is code -- sometimes called a patch -- that fixes a bug in a product.