CHAPTER 1 hardware: Computer equipment used to perform input,

processing, storage, and output activities.

data: Raw facts such as an employee number or total hours
worked in a week. software: The computer programs that govern the operation
of a particular computing device, be it desktop, laptop, tablet,
information: A collection of data organized and processed so
smartphone, or some other device.
that it has additional value beyond the value of the individual
facts. consumerization of IT: The trend of consumer technology
practices influencing the way business software is designed
process: A set of logically related tasks performed to achieve
and delivered.
a defined outcome.
database: An organized collection of facts and information,
knowledge: The awareness and understanding of a set of
typically consisting of two or more related data files.
information and the ways that information can be made
useful to support a specific task or reach a decision. data warehouse: A database that stores large amounts of
historical data in a form that readily supports analysis and
Process of transforming data into information: Transforming
management decision making.
data into information starts by selecting data, then organizing
it, and finally manipulating the data. extract-transform-load (ETL): The process by which raw data
is extracted from various sources, transformed into a format
information system (IS): A set of interrelated components
to support the analysis to be performed, and loaded into the
that collect, process, store, and disseminate data and
data warehouse.
information; an information system provides a feedback
mechanism to monitor and control its operation to make sure big data: A term used to describe data collections that are so
it continues to meet its goals and objectives. enormous (think petabytes or larger) and complex (from
sensor data to social media data) that traditional data
computer-based information system (CBIS): A single set of
management software, hardware, and analysis processes are
hardware, software, databases, networks, people, and
incapable of dealing with them.
procedures that are configured to collect, manipulate, store,
and process data into information. network: A group or system of connected computers and
equipment—in a room, building, campus, city, across the
technology infrastructure: All the hardware, software,
country, or around the world—that enables electronic
databases, networks, people, and procedures that are
communication.
configured to collect, manipulate, store, and process data
into information. Internet: The world’s largest computer network, consisting of
thousands of interconnected networks, all freely exchanging
Components of a computer-based information system:
information.
Hardware, software, networks, people, and procedures are
part of a business’s technology infrastructure. public cloud computing: A means of providing computing
services wherein a service provider organization owns and
procedure: A set of steps that need to be followed to achieve
manages the hardware, software, networking, and storage
a specific end result, such as enter a customer order, pay a
devices, with cloud user organizations (called tenants)
supplier invoice, or request a current inventory report.
accessing slices of shared resources via the Internet.
personal IS: An information system that improves the
World Wide Web (WWW): A network of links on the Internet
productivity of individual users in performing stand-alone
to files containing text, graphics, video, and sound.
tasks.
intranet: A network that enables communication,
group IS: An information system that improves
collaboration, search functions, and information sharing
communications and support collaboration among members
between the members of an organization’s team using a Web
of a workgroup.
browser.
enterprise IS: An information system that an organization
extranet: A network based on Web technologies that allows
uses to define structured interactions among its own
selected outsiders, such as business partners and customers,
employees and/or with external customers, suppliers,
to access authorized resources of a company’s intranet.
government agencies, and other business partners.
Internet of Things (IoT): A network of physical objects or
organizational complement: A key component that must be in
“things” embedded with sensors, processors, software, and
place to ensure successful implementation and use of an
network connectivity capability to enable them to exchange
information system.
data with the manufacturer of the device, device operators,
and other connected devices.
Internet of Everything: A network that encompasses not only
machineto-machine but also people-to-people and people-to-
machine connections.
e-commerce: Involves the exchange of money for goods and
services over electronic networks and encompasses many of
an organization’s outwardfacing processes—such as sales,
marketing, order taking, delivery, procurement of goods and
services, and customer service—that touch customers,
suppliers, and other business partners.
knowledge management system (KMS): An organized
collection of people, procedures, software, databases, and
devices that stores and retrieves knowledge, improves
collaboration, locates knowledge sources, captures and uses
knowledge, or in some other way enhances the knowledge
management process.
project: A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service, or result.
system acquisition: The process used to obtain the
information system resources needed to provide the services
necessary to meet a specific set of needs.

mobile commerce (m-commerce): The buying and selling of open source software: Software that is distributed for free,
goods and/or services using a mobile device, such as a tablet, with access permitted to the source code so that it can be
smartphone, or other portable device. studied, changed, and improved by software professionals at
the various user organizations—with no maintenance
electronic business (e-business): The use of information
charges.
systems and networks to perform business-related tasks and
functions beyond those performed for e-commerce. system development: The activity of building information
systems to meet users’ needs.
transaction: Any business-related exchange such as a
payment to an employee, a sale to a customer, or a payment cybercriminal: A computer hacker who is motivated by the
to a supplier. potential for monetary gain; cybercriminals hack into
computer systems to steal, often by transferring money from
transaction processing system (TPS): An organized collection
one account to another or by stealing and reselling credit
of people, procedures, software, databases, and devices used
card numbers, personal identities, and financial account
to process and record business transactions.
information.
management information system: An organized collection of
cyberterrorism: The intimidation of a government or a civilian
people, procedures, software, databases, and devices that
population by using information technology to disable critical
provides routine information to managers and decision
national infrastructure (e.g., energy, transportation, financial,
makers.
law enforcement, emergency response) to achieve political,
information silo: An isolated information system not easily religious, or ideological goals.
capable of exchanging information with other information
ethics: A set of beliefs about right and wrong behavior.
systems.
Ethical behavior conforms to generally accepted social
enterprise resource planning (ERP) system: A system that norms—many of which are almost universally accepted.
supports an organization’s routine business processes,
Internet censorship: The control or suppression of the
maintains records about those processes, and provides
publishing or accessing of information on the Internet.
extensive reporting and data analysis capabilities.
digital divide: The gulf between those who do and those who
business intelligence (BI): A wide range of applications,
don’t have access to modern information and
practices, and technologies for the extraction,
communications technology such as smartphones, personal
transformation, integration, visualization, analysis,
computers, and the Internet.
interpretation, and presentation of data to support improved
decision making. net neutrality: The principle that Internet service providers
(ISPs) should be required to treat all Internet traffic running
business analytics: The extensive use of data and quantitative
over their wired and wireless broadband networks the
analysis to support fact-based decision making within
same— without favoring content from some sources and/or
organizations.
blocking or slowing (also known as throttling) content from
data scientist: A person who understands the business and others.
the business analytics technology, while also recognizing the
limitations of their data, tools, and techniques; a data
scientist puts all of this together to deliver real improvements
in decision making with an organization.
 CHAPTER 2
organization: A group of people that is structured and
managed to meet its mission or set of group goals.
value chain: A series (chain) of activities that an organization
performs to transform inputs into outputs in such a way that
the value of the input is increased.
supply chain: A key value chain whose primary activities
include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics,
marketing and sales, and service.
supply chain management (SCM): The management of all the
activities required to get the right product into the right
consumer’s hands in the right quantity at the right time and
at the right cost—from the identification of suppliers and the
acquisition of raw materials through manufacture and
customer delivery.
virtual team: A group of individuals whose members are
distributed geographically, but who collaborate and complete
work through the use of information systems.
innovation: The application of new ideas to the products,
processes, and activities of a firm, leading to increased value.
reengineering (process redesign/business process
reengineering, BPR): The radical redesign of business
processes, organizational structures, information systems,
and values of the organization to achieve a breakthrough in
business results.
continuous improvement: Constantly seeking ways to
improve business processes and add value to products and
services.
outsourcing: A long-term business arrangement in which a
company contracts for services with an outside organization
that has expertise in providing a specific function.
offshore outsourcing (offshoring): An outsourcing
arrangement where the organization providing the service is
located in a country different from the firm obtaining the
services.
downsizing: Reducing the number of employees to cut costs.
culture: A set of major understandings and assumptions
shared by a group, such as within an ethnic group or a
country.
organizational culture: The major understandings and
assumptions for a business, corporation, or other
organization.
organizational change: How forprofit and nonprofit
organizations plan for, implement, and handle change.
soft side of implementing change: The work designed to help
employees embrace a new information system and way of
working.
change management model: A description of the phases an
individual or organization goes through in making a change
and principles for successful implementation of change.
Lewin’s change model: A threestage approach for
implementing change that involves unfreezing, moving, and
refreezing.
force field analysis: An approach to identifying both the
driving (positive) and restraining (negative) forces that
influence whether change can occur.
driving forces: The beliefs, expectations, and cultural norms
that tend to encourage a change and give it momentum.
restraining forces: Forces that make it difficult to accept a
change or to work to implement a change.
Leavitt’s diamond: An organizational change model that
proposes that every organizational system is made up of four
main components—people, tasks, structure, and
technology—that all interact; any change in one of these
elements will necessitate a change in the other three
elements.
organizational learning: The adaptations and adjustments
made within an organization based on experience and ideas
over time.
technology acceptance model (TAM): A model that specifies
the factors that can lead to better attitudes about an
information system, along with higher acceptance and usage
of it.
diffusion of innovation theory: A theory developed by E.M.
Rogers to explain how a new idea or product gains
acceptance and diffuses (or spreads) through a specific
population or subset of an organization.
shadow IT: The information systems and solutions built and
deployed by departments other than the information systems
department. In many cases, the information systems
department may not even be aware of these efforts.
certification: A process for testing skills and knowledge;
successful completion of a certification exam results in a
statement by the certifying authority that confirms an
individual is capable of performing particular tasks.
 CHAPTER 3
central processing unit (CPU): The part of a computer that
sequences and executes instructions.
memory: A component of the computer that provides the
processor with a working storage area to hold program
instructions and data.
input/output device: A computer component that provides
data and instructions to the computer and receives results
from it.
bus: A set of electronic circuits used to route data and
instructions to and from the various components of a
computer.
clock speed: A series of electronic pulses produced at a
predetermined rate that affects machine cycle time.
gigahertz (GHz): A unit of frequency that is equal to one
billion cycles per second; a measure of clock speed.
instruction set architecture (ISA): A basic set of commands
(opcodes) that the processor can execute.
processor family: A set of processors from the same
manufacturer that have similar features and capabilities.
multiprocessing: The simultaneous execution of two or more
instructions at the same time.
coprocessor: The part of the computer that speeds
processing by executing specific types of instructions while
the CPU works on another processing activity.
multicore processor: A microprocessor that has two or more
independent processing units, called cores, which are capable
of sequencing and executing instructions.
parallel computing: The simultaneous execution of the same
task on multiple processors to obtain results faster.
massively parallel processing system: A system that speeds
processing by linking hundreds or thousands of processors to
operate at the same time, or in parallel, with each processor
having its own bus, memory, disks, copy of the operating
system, and applications.
grid computing: The use of a collection of computers, often
owned by multiple individuals or organizations, that work in a
coordinated manner to solve a common problem.
integrated circuit (IC): A set of electronic circuits on one small
piece of semiconductor material, normally silicon.
semiconductor fabrication plant: A factory where integrated
circuits are manufactured; also called a fab or a foundry.
main memory: The component of a computer that provides
the CPU with a working storage area for program instructions
and data.
byte (B): Eight bits that together represent a single character
of data.
random access memory (RAM): A form of memory in which
instructions or data can be temporarily stored.
cache memory: A type of highspeed memory that a processor
can access more rapidly than main memory.
read-only memory (ROM): A nonvolatile form of memory.
secondary storage: A device that stores large amounts of
data, instructions, and information more permanently than
allowed with main memory
magnetic tape: A type of sequential secondary storage
medium, now used primarily for storing backups of critical
organizational data in the event of a disaster.
hard disk drive (HDD): A direct access storage device used to
store and retrieve data from rapidly rotating disks coated
with magnetic material.
redundant array of independent/inexpensive disks (RAID): A
method of storing data that generates extra bits of data from
existing data, allowing the system to create a “reconstruction
map” so that if a hard drive fails, the system can rebuild lost
data.
virtual tape: A storage device for less frequently needed data.
With virtual tape systems, data appears to be stored entirely
on tape cartridges, although some parts of it might actually
be located on faster hard disks.
optical storage device: A form of data storage that uses lasers
to read and write data.
compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM): A common form
of optical disc on which data cannot be modified once it has
been recorded.
digital video disc (DVD): A form of optical disc storage that
looks like a CD but that can store more data and access it
more quickly.
Solid state storage device (SSD): A storage device that stores
data in memory chips rather than on hard disk drives or
optical media.
network-attached storage (NAS): A hard disk drive storage
device that is set up with its own network address and
provides file-based storage services to other devices on the
network.
storage area network (SAN): A high-speed, special-purpose
network that integrates different types of data storage
devices (e.g., hard disk drives, magnetic tape, solid state
secondary storage devices) into a single storage system and
connects that to computing resources across an entire
organization.
policy-based storage management: The automation of
storage using previously defined policies.
storage as a service: A data storage model where a data
storage service provider rents space to individuals and
organizations.
data entry: Converting humanreadable data into a machine-
readable form.
data input: Transferring machinereadable data into the
system.
source data automation: Capturing and editing data where it
is initially created and in a form that can be directly entered
into a computer, thus ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
speech-recognition technology : Input devices that recognize
human speech.
magnetic stripe card: A type of card that stores a limited
amount of data by modifying the magnetism of tiny iron-
based particles contained in a band on the card.
smart card: A credit card embedded with a computer chip
that contains key consumer and account data; smart card
users must either enter their PIN (chip-and-PIN) or sign (chip-
and-sign) for each transaction to be approved.
contactless payment card: A card with an embedded chip that
only needs to be held close to a terminal to transfer its data;
no PIN number needs to be entered.
point-of-sale (POS) device: A device used to enter data into a
computer system.
radio frequency identification (RFID): A technology that
employs a microchip with an antenna to broadcast its unique
identifier and location to receivers.
computer graphics card: A component of a computer that
takes binary data from the CPU and translates it into an
image you see on your display device.
graphics processing unit (GPU): A powerful processing chip
that renders images on the screen display
bioprinting: The use of 3D printers to build human parts and
organs from actual human cells.
digital audio player: A device that can store, organize, and
play digital music files.
MP3: A standard format for compressing a sound sequence
into a small file.
e-book: The digital media equivalent of a conventional
printed book.
portable computer: A computer small enough to carry easily.
wearable computer: An electronic device capable of storing
and processing data that is incorporated into a person’s
clothing or personal accessories.
laptop: A personal computer designed for use by mobile
users, being small and light enough to sit comfortably on a
user’s lap
tablet: A portable, lightweight computer with no keyboard
that allows you to roam the office, home, or factory floor
carrying the device like a clipboard.
thin client: A low-cost, centrally managed computer with no
internal or external attached drives for data storage.
desktop computer: A nonportable computer that fits on a
desktop and provides sufficient computing power, memory,
and storage for most business computing tasks.
nettop: A very small, inexpensive desktop computer typically
used for Internet access, email, accessing Web-based
applications, document processing, and audio/video
playback.
workstations: A more powerful personal computer used for
mathematical computing, computer-assisted design, and
other high-end processing but still small enough to fit on a
desktop.
server: A computer employed by many users to perform a
specific task, such as running network or Internet
applications.
scalability: The ability to increase the processing capability of
a computer system so that it can handle more users, more
data, or more transactions in a given period.
mainframe computer: A large, powerful computer often
shared by hundreds of concurrent users connected to the
machine over a network.
supercomputers: The most powerful computer systems with
the fastest processing speeds.
server farm: A facility that houses a large number of servers
in the same room, where access to the machines can be
controlled and authorized support personnel can more easily
manage and maintain the servers.
virtual server: A method of logically dividing the resources of
a single physical server to create multiple logical servers, each
acting as its own dedicated machine.
container: A way for software developers and hardware
managers to package applications and software components
into a well-defined, compact envelope that can be used to
more easily manage it, including moving it across various
hosts.
blade server: A server that houses many individual computer
motherboards that include one or more processors,
computer memory, computer storage, and computer
network connections.
data center: A climateand-access-controlled building or a set
of buildings that houses the computer hardware that delivers
an organization’s data and information services.
green computing: A program concerned with the efficient and
environmentally responsible design, manufacture, operation,
and disposal of IS-related products.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT): A
system that enables purchasers to evaluate, compare, and
select electronic products based on a set of environmental
criteria.
CHAPTER 4
system software: Software that includes operating systems,
utilities, and middleware that coordinate the activities and
functions of the hardware and other programs throughout
the computer system.
application software: Programs that help users solve
particular computing problems.
sphere of influence: The scope of the problems and
opportunities that the software addresses.
personal sphere of influence: The sphere of influence that
serves the needs of an individual user.
personal productivity software: Software that enables users
to improve their personal effectiveness, increasing the
amount of work and quality of work they can do.
workgroup: Two or more people who work together to
achieve a common goal.
workgroup sphere of influence: The sphere of influence that
helps workgroup members attain their common goals.
enterprise sphere of influence: The sphere of influence that
serves the needs of an organization in its interactions with its
environment.
operating system (OS): A set of computer programs that
controls the computer hardware and acts as an interface to
application software.
kernel: The heart of the operating system that controls the
most critical processes of the OS.
user interface: The element of the operating system that
allows people to access and interact with the computer
system.
command-based user interface: A user interface that requires
you to give text commands to the computer to perform basic
activities.
graphical user interface (GUI): An interface that displays
pictures (icons) and menus that people use to send
commands to the computer system.
application programming interface (API): A set of
programming instructions and standards that enables one
software program to access and use the services of another
software program.
hardware independence: The ability of a software program to
run on any platform, without concern for the specific
underlying hardware.
embedded system: A computer system (including some sort
of processor) that is implanted in and dedicated to the
control of another device.
utility program: A program that helps to perform
maintenance or correct problems with a computer system.
middleware: Software that allows various systems to
communicate and exchange data.
enterprise application integration (EAI): The systematic tying
together of disparate applications so that they can
communicate.
service-oriented architecture (SOA): A software design
approach based on the use of discrete pieces of software
(modules) to provide specific functions as services to other
applications.
rich Internet application (RIA): A Web-delivered application
combines hardware resources of the Web server and the PC
to deliver valuable software services through a Web browser
interface.
proprietary software: Oneof-a-kind software designed for a
specific application and owned by the company, organization,
or person that uses it.
off-the-shelf software: Software produced by software
vendors to address needs that are common across
businesses, organizations, or individuals.
Software as a Service (SaaS): A service that allows businesses
to subscribe to Web-delivered application software.
software suite: A collection of programs packaged together
and sold in a bundle.
workgroup application software: Software that supports
teamwork, whether team members are in the same location
or dispersed around the world.
programming languages: Sets of keywords, commands,
symbols, and rules for constructing statements by which
humans can communicate instructions to a computer.
syntax: A set of rules associated with a programming
language.
compiler: A special software program that converts the
programmer’s source code into the machine-language
instructions, which consist of binary digits.
single-user license: A software license that permits you to
install the software on one or more computers, used by one
person.
CHAPTER 5
database: A well-designed, organized, and carefully managed
collection of data.
database management system (DBMS): A group of programs
used to access and manage a database as well as provide an
interface between the database and its users and other
application programs.
bit: A binary digit (i.e., 0 or 1) that represents a circuit that is
either on or off.
character: A basic building block of most information,
consisting of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numeric
digits, or special symbols.
field: Typically a name, a number, or a combination of
characters that describes an aspect of a business object or
activity.
record: A collection of data fields all related to one object,
activity, or individual.
file: A collection of related records.
hierarchy of data: Bits, characters, fields, records, files, and
databases.
entity: A person, place, or thing for which data is collected,
stored, and maintained.
attribute: A characteristic of an entity.
data item: The specific value of an attribute.
primary key: A field or set of fields that uniquely identifies the
record.
database approach to data management: An approach to
data management where multiple information systems share
a pool of related data.
data model: A diagram of data entities and their
relationships.
enterprise data model: A data model that provides a
roadmap for building database and information systems by
creating a single definition and format for data that can
ensure data compatibility and the ability to exchange and
integrate data among systems.
entity-relationship (ER) diagram: A data model that uses basic
graphical symbols to show the organization of and
relationships between data.
relational database model: A simple but highly useful way to
organize data into collections of two-dimensional tables
called relations.
domain: The range of allowable values for a data attribute.
selecting: Manipulating data to eliminate rows according to
certain criteria.
projecting: Manipulating data to eliminate columns in a table.
joining: Manipulating data to combine two or more tables.
linking: The ability to combine two or more tables through
common data attributes to form a new table with only the
unique data attributes.
Data cleansing (data cleaning or data scrubbing): The process
of detecting and then correcting or deleting incomplete,
incorrect, inaccurate, or irrelevant records that reside in a
database.
SQL: A special-purpose programming language for accessing
and manipulating data stored in a relational database.
ACID properties: Properties (atomicity, consistency, isolation,
durability) that guarantee relational database transactions
are processed reliably and ensure the integrity of data in the
database.
schema: A description that defines the logical and physical
structure of the database by identifying the tables, the fields
in each table, and the relationships between fields and tables.
data definition language (DDL): A collection of instructions
and commands used to define and describe data and
relationships in a specific database.
data dictionary: A detailed description of all the data used in
the database.
concurrency control: A method of dealing with a situation in
which two or more users or applications need to access the
same record at the same time.
data manipulation language (DML): A specific language,
provided with a DBMS, which allows users to access and
modify the data, to make queries, and to generate reports.
database administrators (DBAs): Skilled and trained IS
professionals who hold discussions with business users to
define their data needs; apply database programming
languages to craft a set of databases to meet those needs;
test and evaluate databases; implement changes to improve
the performance of databases; and assure that data is secure
from unauthorized access.
data administrator: An individual responsible for defining and
implementing consistent principles for a variety of data
issues.
database as a service (DaaS): An arrangement where the
database is stored on a service provider’s servers and
accessed by the service subscriber over a network, typically
the Internet, with the database administration handled by
the service provider.
data management: An integrated set of functions that defines
the processes by which data is obtained, certified fit for use,
stored, secured, and processed in such a way as to ensure
that the accessibility, reliability, and timeliness of the data
meet the needs of the data users within an organization.
data governance: The core component of data management;
it defines the roles, responsibilities, and processes for
ensuring that data can be trusted and used by the entire
organization, with people identified and in place who are
responsible for fixing and preventing issues with data.
data steward: An individual responsible for the management
of critical data elements, including identifying and acquiring
new data sources; creating and maintaining consistent
reference data and master data definitions; and analyzing
data for quality and reconciling data issues.
data lifecycle management (DLM): A policy-based approach
to managing the flow of an enterprise’s data, from its initial
acquisition or creation and storage to the time when it
becomes outdated and is deleted.
data mart: A subset of a data warehouse that is used by
small- and medium-sized businesses and departments within
large companies to support decision making.
data lake (enterprise data hub): A “store everything”
approach to big data that saves all the data in its raw and
unaltered form.
NoSQL database: A way to store and retrieve data that is
modeled using some means other than the simple two
dimensional tabular relations used in relational databases.
Hadoop: An open-source software framework including
several software modules that provide a means for storing
and processing extremely large data sets.
Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS): A system used for
data storage that divides the data into subsets and distributes
the subsets onto different servers for processing.
MapReduce program: A composite program that consists of a
Map procedure that performs filtering and sorting and a
Reduce method that performs a summary operation.
in-memory database (IMDB): A database management
system that stores the entire database in random access
memory (RAM).
CHAPTER 6
computer network: The communications media, devices, and
software connecting two or more computer systems or
devices.
communications medium: Any material substance that carries
an electronic signal to support communications between a
sending and a receiving device.
network topology: The shape or structure of a network,
including the arrangement of the communication links and
hardware devices on the network.
star network: A network in which all network devices connect
to one another through a single central device called the hub
node.
bus network: A network in which all network devices are
connected to a common backbone that serves as a shared
communications medium.
mesh network: A network that uses multiple access points to
link a series of devices that speak to each other to form a
network connection across a large area.
personal area network (PAN): A network that supports the
interconnection of information technology devices close to
one person.
local area network (LAN): A network that connects computer
systems and devices within a small area, such as an office,
home, or several floors in a building.
metropolitan area network (MAN): A network that connects
users and their computers in a geographical area that spans a
campus or city.
wide area network (WAN): A network that connects large
geographic regions.
client/server architecture: An approach to computing
wherein multiple computer platforms are dedicated to
special functions, such as database management, printing,
communications, and program execution.
channel bandwidth: The rate at which data is exchanged,
usually measured in bits per second (bps).
broadband communications: High-speed Internet access that
is always on and that is faster than traditional dial-up access.
wireless communication: The transfer of information
between two or more points that are not connected by an
electrical conductor.
near field communication (NFC): A very short-range wireless
connectivity technology that enables two devices placed
within a few inches of each other to exchange data.
Bluetooth: A wireless communications specification that
describes how cell phones, computers, faxes, printers, and
other electronic devices can be interconnected over distances
of 10 to 30 feet at a rate of about 2 Mbps.
Wi-Fi: A medium-range wireless communications technology
brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Long Term Evolution (LTE): A standard for wireless
communications for mobile phones based on packet
switching.
network operating system (NOS): Systems software that
controls the computer systems and devices on a network and
allows them to communicate with each other.
network-management software: Software that enables a
manager on a networked desktop to monitor the use of
individual computers and shared hardware (such as printers),
scan for viruses, and ensure compliance with software
licenses.
mobile device management (MDM) software: Software that
manages and troubleshoots mobile devices remotely, pushing
out applications, data, patches, and settings while enforcing
group policies for security.
software-defined networking (SDN): An emerging approach
to networking that allows network administrators to have
programmable central control of the network via a controller
without requiring physical access to all the network devices.
Internet Protocol (IP): A communication standard that
enables computers to route communications traffic from one
network to another as needed.
Internet backbone: One of the Internet’s high-speed, long-
distance communications links.
IP address: A 64-bit number that identifies a computer on the
Internet.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL): A Web address that
specifies the exact location of a Web page using letters and
words that map to an IP address and a location on the host.
Internet service provider (ISP): Any organization that provides
Internet access to people.
hyperlink: Highlighted text or graphics in a Web document
that, when clicked, opens a new Web page containing related
content.
Web browser: Web client software— such as Chrome, Edge,
Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari—used to view Web
pages.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): The standard page
description language for Web pages.
tag: A code that tells the Web browser how to format text—
as a heading, as a list, or as body text—and whether images,
sound, and other elements should be inserted.
Extensible Markup Language (XML): The markup language
designed to transport and store data on the Web.
Cascading Style Sheet (CSS): A markup language for defining
the visual design of a Web page or group of pages.
Web 2.0: The Web as a computing platform that supports
software applications and the sharing of information among
users.
search engine: A valuable tool that enables you to find
information on the Web by specifying words that are key to a
topic of interest, known as keywords.
search engine optimization (SEO): A process for driving traffic
to a Web site by using techniques that improve the site’s
ranking in search results.
Instant messaging: The online, real-time communication
between two or more people who are connected via the
Internet
Web log (blog): A Web site that people and businesses use to
share their observations, experiences, and opinions on a wide
range of topics.
podcast: An audio broadcast you can listen to over the
Internet.
content streaming: A method for transferring large media
files over the Internet so that the data stream of voice and
pictures plays more or less continuously as the file is being
downloaded.
virtual private network (VPN): A secure connection between
two points on the Internet; VPNs transfer information by
encapsulating traffic in IP packets and sending the packets
over the Internet.
cloud computing: A computing environment where software
and storage are provided as an Internet service and are
accessed with a Web browser.
infrastructure as a service (IaaS): An information systems
strategy in which an organization outsources the equipment
used to support its data processing operations, including
servers, storage devices, and networking components.
platform as a service (PaaS): An approach that provides users
with a computing platform, typically including operating
system, programming language execution environment,
database services, and Web server.
private cloud environment: A single tenant cloud.
hybrid cloud: A cloud computing environment is composed of
both private and public clouds integrated through
networking.
digital certificate: An attachment to an email message or data
embedded in a Web site that verifies the identity of a sender
or Web site.
certificate authority (CA): A trusted third-party organization
or company that issues digital certificates.
Transport Layer Security (TLS): A communications protocol or
system of rules that ensures privacy between communicating
applications and their users on the Internet.
electronic cash: An amount of money that is computerized,
stored, and used as cash for e-commerce transactions.

autonomic computing: The ability of IT systems to manage p-card (procurement card or purchasing card): A credit card
themselves and adapt to changes in the computing used to streamline the traditional purchase order and invoice
environment, business policies, and operating objectives. payment processes.

CHAPTER 7

business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce: A subset of e-

commerce in which all the participants are organizations.

business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce: A form of e-

commerce in which customers deal directly with an
organization and avoid intermediaries.

consumer-to-consumer (C2C) e-commerce: A subset of e-

commerce that involves electronic transactions between
consumers using a third party to facilitate the process.

e-government: The use of information and communications

technology to simplify the sharing of information, speed
formerly paper-based processes, and improve the
relationship between citizens and government.

identity theft: The use of someone’s personal identification

information without his or her permission, often to commit
fraud or other crimes.

electronic exchange: An electronic forum where

manufacturers, suppliers, and competitors buy and sell
goods, trade market information, and run back-office
operations.

market segmentation: The identification of specific markets

to target them with tailored advertising messages.

storefront broker: A company that acts as an intermediary

between your Web site and online merchants who have the
products and retail expertise.

meta tag: An HTML code, not visible on the displayed Web

page, that contains keywords representing your site’s
content, which search engines use to build indexes pointing
to your Web site.

personalization: The process of tailoring Web pages to

specifically target individual consumers.