Browse Definitions by Alphabet

U (measurement) - A U is a standard unit of measure for designating the height in computer enclosures and server rack cabinets.
U-SQL - U-SQL is a Microsoft query language that combines a declarative SQL-like syntax with C# programming, enabling it to be used to process both structured and unstructured data in big data environments.
U.2 SSD (formerly SFF-8639) - A U.2 SSD is a high-performance data storage device designed to support the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) interface using a small form factor (SFF) connector that is also compatible with standard Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) and Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)-based spinning disks and solid-state drives (SSDs).
UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) - A UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) is the microchip with programming that controls a computer's interface to its attached serial devices.
Uber - Uber is a transportation company with an app that allows passengers to hail a ride and drivers to charge fares and get paid.
UberFLEET - UberFLEET is a smartphone application that allows partners with Uber, a popular rideshare application, to oversee their fleet drivers.
Ubuntu - Ubuntu (pronounced oo-BOON-too) is a free, open source operating system (OS) based on Debian Linux.
UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration) - UDDI, or Universal Description, Discovery and Integration, is an Extensible Language Markup (XML)-based standard to describe, publish and find information about web services.
Ultra High-Definition TV (UHDTV) - Ultra-high-definition (UHD) television, also abbreviated UHDTV, is a digital television display format in which the horizontal screen resolution is on the order of 4000 pixels (4K UHD) or 8000 pixels (8K UHD).
ultra wideband - Ultra wideband (also known as UWB or as digital pulse wireless) is a wireless technology for transmitting large amounts of digital data over a wide spectrum of frequency bands with very low power for a short distance.
uncanny valley - The uncanny valley is a common unsettling feeling people experience when androids or humanoid robots and audio/visual simulations closely resemble humans in many respects but aren't quite convincingly realistic.
Unicode - Unicode is a universal character encoding standard that is maintained by the Unicode Consortium, a standards organization founded in 1991 for the internationalization of software and services.
unified communications (UC) - Unified communications (UC) is an umbrella term for the integration of multiple enterprise communication tools -- such as voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging (IM), presence, content sharing, etc.
unified communications and collaboration (UCC) - Unified communications and collaboration (UCC) is the collection of technology and software that combines enterprise communication with real-time and asynchronous cooperation capabilities.
unified computing system (UCS) - A unified computing system (UCS) is a converged data center architecture that integrates computing, networking and storage resources to increase efficiency and enable centralized management.
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) - Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, or UEFI, specifies how a software program connects a computer's firmware to its operating system and attached computing hardware.
Unified Modeling Language (UML) - Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a standard notation for modeling real-world objects as a first step in designing an object-oriented system.
unified storage (multiprotocol storage) - Unified storage -- sometimes called network unified storage or multiprotocol storage -- is a storage system that makes it possible to run and manage files and applications from a single device.
unified threat management (UTM) - Unified threat management (UTM) describes an information security (infosec) system that provides a single point of protection against threats, including viruses, worms, spyware and other malware, and network attacks.
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) - A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is a character sequence that identifies a logical (abstract) or physical resource -- usually, but not always, connected to the internet.
uninterruptible power supply (UPS) - An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a device that allows a computer to keep running for at least a short time when incoming power is interrupted.
unique device identifier (UDID) - A unique device identifier (UDID) is a 24-character string assigned to Apple devices.
unique identifier (UID) - A unique identifier (UID) is a numeric or alphanumeric string that is associated with a single entity within a given system.
unique selling point (USP) - A unique selling point (USP), also called a unique selling proposition, is a marketing statement that differentiates a product or brand from its competitors.
unit testing - Unit testing is a software development process in which the smallest testable parts of an application, called units, are individually scrutinized for proper operation.
United Launch Alliance (ULA) - United Launch Alliance (ULA) is a private aerospace launch provider.
Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) - Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) is a type of physical authentication device that uses encryption and private keys to protect and unlock supported accounts.
universal basic income (UBI) - Universal basic income (UBI) is a model for providing all citizens of a country or other geographic area with a given sum of money, regardless of their income, resources or employment status.
Universal Naming Convention (UNC) - The Universal Naming Convention (UNC) is a standard for naming resources -- such as files and devices -- that are shared by computers on a network.
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) - Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a standard that lets network devices automatically find, communicate with and control each other.
Universal Process Notation (UPN) - Universal Process Notation is a method for illustrating the steps in a business process.
Universal Service Fund (USF) - The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a United States government program that supports telecommunications access and affordability in rural and low-income communities.
Unix - Unix -- trademarked as UNIX -- is a multiuser, multitasking operating system (OS) designed for flexibility and adaptability.
unknown unknown - An unknown unknown is unidentified information.
unlocked cell phone - An unlocked cell phone is a cellular telephone that can be used with more than one service provider, allowing a user the flexibility to switch between different networks.
unobtainium - Unobtainium is a term used to refer to a material that cannot be accessed.
unshielded twisted pair (UTP) - Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is a ubiquitous type of copper cabling used in telephone wiring and local area networks (LANs).
unstructured data - Unstructured data is information, in many different forms, that doesn't follow conventional data models, making it difficult to store and manage in a mainstream relational database.
unstructured text - The unstructured text collected from social media activities plays a key role in predictive analytics for the enterprise because it is a prime source for sentiment analysis to determine the general attitude of consumers toward a brand or idea.
unsupervised learning - Unsupervised learning is a type of machine learning (ML) technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to identify patterns in data sets that are neither classified nor labeled.
unzipping - Unzipping is the act of extracting the files from a zipped single file or similar file archive.
upcharge - An upcharge is an additional fee that is added to a bill after a contract has already been negotiated.
uploading - Uploading is the transmission of data from a local device to a remote device.
upskilling - Upskilling is a workplace trend that provides training programs and development opportunities to expand an employee's abilities and minimize skill gaps.
uptime and downtime - In computing, uptime is a measure of how long a computer or service is on and available.
Uptime Institute's data center tier standards - Data center tiers are a system created by Uptime Institute LLC to describe the availability of infrastructure resources in a facility.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the Internet.
URN (Uniform Resource Name) - A URN (Uniform Resource Name) is a permanent identifier for internet resources that employs the urn scheme.
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - The U.S.
usage-based pricing - Usage-based pricing is a consumption-based pricing model in which customers are charged only when they use a product or service.
USART (universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter) - A USART (universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter) is hardware that enables a device to communicate using serial protocols.
USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB) - USB 3.0 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data transfer standard that is backwards compatible with USB 2.
USB flash drive - A USB flash drive -- also known as a stick, thumb or pen drive -- is a plug-and-play portable storage device that uses flash memory and can attach to a keychain.
USB Killer - USB Killer is a device that connects to USB drives and delivers a surge which can damage or destroy unprotected hardware.
USB redirection - USB redirection is a technology that enables an end user to plug an external device into a USB port on their endpoint and access the device from within a remote desktop or application.
USB-C (USB Type C) - USB-C is a connection type standard designed to replace all USB types on the computer and device ends of future USB with a single reversible connector.
use case - A use case is a methodology used in system analysis to identify, clarify and organize system requirements.
use case diagram (UML use case diagram) - A use case diagram is a way to summarize details of a system and the users within that system.
user acceptance testing (UAT) - User acceptance testing (UAT), also called application testing or end-user testing, is a phase of software development in which the software is tested in the real world by its intended audience.
user account provisioning - User account provisioning is a business process for creating and managing access to resources in an information technology (IT) system.
user authentication - User authentication verifies the identity of a user attempting to gain access to a network or computing resource by authorizing a human-to-machine transfer of credentials during interactions on a network to confirm a user's authenticity.
user behavior analytics (UBA) - User behavior analytics (UBA) is the tracking, collecting and assessing of user data and activities using monitoring systems.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) - User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a communications protocol primarily used to establish low-latency and loss-tolerating connections between applications on the internet.
user experience - User experience (UX) design is the process and practice used to design and implement a product that will provide positive and relevant interactions with users.
user group - In personal or business computing, a user group is a set of people who have similar interests, goals or concerns.
user interface (UI) - The user interface (UI) is the point of human-computer interaction and communication in a device.
User Principal Name (UPN) - In Microsoft Active Directory, a User Principal Name (UPN) is a username and domain in an email address format.
user story - A user story is a tool in Agile software development used to capture a description of a software feature from a user's perspective.
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) - USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a GSM (Global System for Mobile) communications protocol that is used to send text messages.
utility computing - Utility computing is a service provisioning model where a provider makes computing resources, infrastructure management and technical services available to customers as they need them.
utility storage - Utility storage is a service model in which a provider makes storage capacity available to an individual, organization or business unit on a pay-per-use basis.
Uuencode (Uuencode/Uudecode) - Uuencode (also called Uuencode/Uudecode) is a popular utility for encoding and decoding files exchanged between users or systems in a network.
UUID (Universal Unique Identifier) - A UUID (Universal Unique Identifier) is a 128-bit value used to uniquely identify an object or entity on the internet.
UX research - User experience (UX) research is the study of learning what end users of a system or product need and want, then employing those insights to enhance the design process for products, services or software.
What is UCaaS? Unified communications as a service guide - Unified communications as a service (UCaaS) is a cloud delivery model that offers a variety of communication and collaboration applications and services.
What is unified endpoint management (UEM)? A complete guide - Unified endpoint management (UEM) is an approach to securing and controlling desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets in a connected, cohesive manner from a single console.
What is user-generated content and why is it important? - User-generated content (UGC) is published information that an unpaid contributor provides to a website.