I sometimes have problems in trying to remember a few of the acronyms in common usage by the IT and Communications industry. I’m building this table to help. I hope you will find use for it in your work as well.
| Acronym | Stands For | Comment |
| ABA | Attacker Behavior Analytics | looking at how cyber criminals are attacking an IT network |
| ACI | Application-Centric Infrastructure | Cisco’s SDN approach launched in 2013 |
| AICPA | American Institute of Certified Public Accountants | US-based authority publishing auditing standards |
| APIC | Application Policy Infrastructure Controller | Cisco’s controller providing policy management as part of its ACI SDN |
| API | Application Programmable Interface | source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other, according to Wikipedia |
| APU | Advanced Processing Unit | microprocessor type |
| ASHRAE | American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers | standards body |
| ASP | Average Selling Price | the division of revenues by nit shipments |
| ASP | Application Service Provider | supplier type |
| AVS | Application Virtual Switch | Cisco switch implementing ACI policies at the virtual networking layer |
| BIPS | Billions of Instructions per Second | microprocessor speed |
| BPaaS | Business Process as a Service | a workload-oriented description of SaaS |
| Brexit | Britain’s exit (from the EU) | a term originating in the UK – now also applied to the election of Donald Trump as US president |
| BRIC | Brazil, Russia, India, China | regional grouping used for targeting ‘growth’ markets |
| BOM | Bill Of Materials | stock keeping item |
| CAD | Computer Aided Design | application and workload description |
| CAMSS | Cloud Analytics Mobile Social Security | IBM’s target markets for the z System |
| CBT | Computer Based Test | standard way of monitoring events |
| CCA | Carbon Change Agreement | UK government plan |
| CCL | Carbon Change Levy | UK government tax |
| CEC | Central Electronics Complex | An IBM term to define a mainframe or high-end storage machine |
| CI | Converged Infrastructure | an integrated system including server, storage, networking and orchestration management software |
| CI/CD | Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery | software development technique for building, testing and deploying code |
| CICS | Customer Information Control System | IBM mainframe transaction server |
| CIFS | Common Internet File Services | application type |
| CSIRT | Computer Incident Response Team | a group responsible for reacting to security attacks, as in the single point of contact for implementation of the EU’s NIS directive in a member state |
| CO | COntrolling | part of SAP ERP programmes |
| CoD | Capacity on Demand | charging for processors once switched on |
| CPU | Computer Processing Unit | microprocessor type |
| CRAC | Carbon Room Air Conditioning | data centre air handling unit |
| CRC | Carbon Reduction Commitment | UK government plan |
| CRCEES | Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Reduction Scheme | UK government plan |
| CRM | Customer Relationship Management | A type of software application for interacting with clients and prospects |
| CSP | Cloud Service Provider | typically a supplier of SaaS; could also include IaaS and PaaS vendors |
| CSR | Corporate and Social Responsibility | part of company strategy |
| CXO | Chief X Officer | X’ = anything |
| DACH | Deutschland (Germany), Austria, Confoederatio Helvetica (Switzerland) | the main German speaking nations |
| DAS | Direct Attached Storage | storage devices attached directly into the bus of a server or PC |
| DB2 | Data Base 2 | IBM relational database |
| DB2 Analytics Accelerator | DB2 Analytics Accelerator | IBM PureData for Analytics (Netazza) attachable to System z |
| DDoS | Distributed Denial of Service | a type of security attack |
| DDR | Double Data Rate | for synchronous dynamic random access memory |
| DECC | Department of Environment and Climate Change | UK government department |
| DIMM | Dual In-line Memory Module | microprocessor component |
| DLP | Data Loss Prevention | software/service to prevent the loss of data |
| DMZ | De-Militarised Zone | data centre protected space |
| DSP | Digital Service Supplier | one target of the EU’s NIS Directive |
| ECC | Error Checking and Correction | microprocessor component |
| EDR | Endpoint Detection and Response | a cloud delivered service providing security for PCs’ smartphones, tablets and virtual desktops |
| EMEA | Europe Middle East and Africa | regional grouping sub regions |
| ERP | Enterprise Resource Planning | workload |
| ETL | Extract, Transform, Load | process of database management used in datawarehousing |
| EU | European Union | regional political grouping |
| FC-NVMe | Non-Volatile Memory express using Fibre Channel | storage architecture |
| FCM | Flash Core Module | a high-end component incorporating solid NAND disks |
| FCoE | Fibre Channel over Ethernet | networking for storage |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation | EU law governing the rights to privacy for EU citizens to be implemented on May 25th 2018 |
| Generation Y | Y = 1980s | the latest generation entering the workforce (born into a technological world, rather than learning it as it develops) |
| GPL | General Public Licence | software licence type |
| GPU | Graphical Processing Unit | microprocessor type |
| GRT | Granular Restore Technology | a feature of Symantec/Veritas backup software |
| HADR | High Availability Disaster Recovery | techniques for ensuring systems against failure and data loss |
| HCI | Hyper-Converged Infrastructure | an integrated system including hardware, hypervisor and virtualisation management software |
| HDMI | High-Definition Multimedia Interface | audio visual connector |
| HTTP | HyperText Transfer Protocol | the foundation of communications via the World Wide Web |
| HUGI | Hurry Up (and) Get Idle | microprocessor term |
| IAM | Identity Access Management | software for protecting IT applications and resources from unauthorised users |
| ICS | Industrial Control System | computer systems used to monitor and control industrial processes |
| ICT | Information and Communications Technology | a name for the whole computing and telecommunications market |
| I/O | Input/Output | hardware type |
| IaaS | Infrastructure as a Service | Cloud Computing workload |
| IAM | Identity Access Management | a way of preventing security attacks |
| IDS | Intruder Detection System | a method for discovering cybersecurity attacks |
| IFL | Integrated Facility for Linux | IBM mainframe term for offloading Linux workloads |
| iLO | integrated Lights Out | an internal HP server management system |
| IOT | Integrated Operating Team | IBM operational territories such as North America |
| ITOM | Information Technology Operations Management | IBM term for software management and analytics offerings |
| ISMS | Information Security Management System | term for the process of securing corporate IT systems |
| JBOD | Just a Bunch Of Disks | Raw storage connected in an array without RAID configuration |
| JBOM | Just a Bunch Of Memory | Raw memory (DRAM or NAND) connected in an array without RAIM configuration |
| IP | Internet Protocol | the communications protocol that routes traffic across the Internet |
| IP | Intellectual Property | relating to the owner of patents for technology or methods |
| IP | Instruction Processor | the building block of System z machines |
| IPS | Intrusion Protection System | a method for spotting security attacks |
| IPV6 | Internet Protocol version 6 | uses a 128-bit address, allowing 7.9×1028times as many as IPv4, which uses 32-bit addresses |
| ISAM | IBM Indexed Sequential Access Method | a way of indexing data for fast retrieval, originally developed for mainframe computing |
| ISV | Independent Software Vendor | supplier type |
| ITC | Information Technology and Communications | a name for the whole computing and telecommunications market |
| ITIL | Information Technology Infrastructure Library | certifiable and formal IT processes |
| JBOD | Just a Bunch Of Disks | simple storage implementation without RAID |
| JBOF | Just a Bunch Of Fals disks | simple flash storage implementation without RAID |
| JCL | Job Control Language | scripting language for IBM mainframe operating systems |
| KVM | Kernel-based Virtual Machine | in this case not Keyboard Video Monitor |
| L2 | Level Two | used for cache memory |
| LAN | Local Area Network | hardware type |
| LUN | Logical Unit Number | unique identifier of SCSI drives (0 to 7) |
| LoB | Line of Business | a description of organisational users/buyers outside the IT shop |
| M&O | Management and Orchestration | a description of system and virtualisation software used by VCE |
| MCA | Micro Chip Architecture | not in this case Micro Channel Achitecture, which was a feature of IBM’s PS/2 |
| MDR | Managed Detection and Response | security service identifying threats and dealing with them proactively |
| MEDR | Managed Endpoint Detection and Response | security service identifying threats to PCs, smartphones, tablets and virtual desktops and dealing with them proactively |
| MIPS | Millions of Instructions per Second | microprocessor sped |
| MemCache | Memory Caching | used to speed up dynamic database-driven websites by caching data and objects in RAM |
| MPLS | Multi-Protocol Label Switching | networking type |
| MQ | Message Queue | IBM message orientated middleware |
| MSP | Managed Service Provider | cloud delivering IT services supplier |
| MSSP | Managed Security Service Provider | cloud delivering security supplier |
| NAND | Negated And | a logic gate which produces an output that is false only if all its inputs are true used in solid state memory devices |
| NGFW | Next Generation FireWall | a newer type of firewall |
| NAS | Network Attached Storage | storage system type |
| NIC | Network Interface Card | component added to a computing device to enable connectivity to an IT network |
| NIS Directive | Network and Information Security Directive | EU legislation enacted by member states in 2018 setting out the legal obligations on providers to protect critical services by improving cyber-security. |
| NTA | Network Traffic Analysis | cloud delivered service analysing and reporting on an organisation’s network data flows |
| NFS | Network File System | networking type |
| NFV | Network Functions Virtualization | the decoupling of network functions from dedicated hardware devices – part of SDN |
| NGD | Next Generation Data | Company name |
| NIC | Network Interface Controller | a device connecting a computer or storage device to a network |
| NOR | Not Or | a digital logic gate that implements logical NOR used in solid state memory devices |
| NSK | Non Stop Kernel | HP (originally Tandem) operating system |
| NSX | unknown acronym | VMware’s SDN |
| NYSE | New York Stock Exchange | organisation name |
| NVMe | Non-Volatile Memory express | a way of building flash-based storage systems using PCIe without emulating SAS or SATA disk drives |
| NVMeoF | Non-Volatile Memory express over Fabric | a way of building flash-based storage systems without emulating SAS or SATA disk drives |
| NVMe oI | NVMe over Infiniband | SAN connected via Mellanox made Infiniband |
| NVMeoFC | NVMe over Fibre Channel | NVMe drives connected via a Fibre Channel SAN |
| ODCA | Open Data Center Alliance | user group |
| ODM | Original Design Manufacturer | supplier role purchasing components to make its own systems – often to provide cloud services |
| OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer | supplier role in taking another’s product and rebranding it as its own |
| OES | Open Enterprise Server | Novell LAN operating system |
| OES | Operator of Essential Services | one target of the EU’s NIS Directive |
| OMAP | Open Multimedia Application Platform | software standard |
| OpenCL | Open Computing Language | software development standard |
| OpenGL | Open Graphics Library | software development standard for graphics |
| OSS | Operations Support Systems | computers used by Telcoms suppliers to manage their networks |
| OT | Operational Technology | computers used for industrial – as opposed to administrative – purposes |
| OTT | Over The Top | used to describe application delivery which avoids traditional delievery and sales channels |
| PaaS | Platform as a Service | Cloud Computing workload |
| PACS | Picture Archiving and Communication System | storage systems standard |
| PC AT | Personal Computer advanced Technology | the first PC to be shipped with an integrated hard disk |
| PCIe | Peripheral Component Interconnect express | standard connector built into servers and storage area arrays for adding FCMs |
| Physical Access | an attack involving the theft of physical equipment from an organisation or individual | |
| PIGS | Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain | sometimes ‘Italy’ – not ‘Ireland’ |
| PIIGS | Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain | includes Italy and Ireland |
| PKI | Public Key Infrastructure | an IT system protected through the use of encryption |
| PLM | Product Lifecycle Management | software driven process of managing the design and manufacturing of products |
| PoP | Point of Presence | the location of resources (data centres, offices, etc.) |
| prosumer | pro(ducer con)sumer | consumers adding content to the Internet |
| PDU | Power Distribution Unit | physical connection to electricity, typically in the data centre |
| PUE | Power Usage Efficiency | a rating of the electrical efficiency, typically in the data centre |
| QoS | Quality of Service | a guaranteed level of performance based on an SLA |
| RAID | Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks | various combinations of raw storage connected to provide protection from physical breakages and data loss |
| RAIM | Redundant Array of Independent Memory | various combinations of memory (DRAM or NAND) connected to provide protection from physical breakages and data loss |
| RBAC | Role-Based Access Control | the restriction of system access to authorised users |
| RDMA | Remote Direct Memory Access | communications protocol |
| RHEL | Red Hat Enterprise Linux | product name |
| RHEV | Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization | product name |
| RIM | Research In Motion | Company name |
| RISC | Reduced Instruction Set Computing | chip architectures used in IBM Power and Oracle/Sun Solaris Unix servers |
| RoCE | RDMA over Converged Ethernet | network protocol |
| RoHS | Reduction of Hazardous Substances | EC legislation restricting the use of noxious materials in electrical equipment |
| RPO | Recovery Point Objective | The planned amount of data to be recovered in a storage failure |
| RTO | Recovery Time Objective | The planned period of time to recover from a storage failure |
| SaaS | Software as a Service | Cloud Computing workload |
| SAN | Storage Area Network | storage system type |
| SAM | Serviceable Available Market | the part of the ‘TAM’ for which a supplier has relevant offerings |
| SAS | Serial-attached SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) | a low cost disk drive and an acronym of acronyms |
| SATA | Serial Advanced Technology Adopter | a computer bus interface connecting host bus adaoptors to storage devices |
| SCADA | Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition | computer systems which display the process under control and provide access to control functions |
| SCSI | Small Computer Standard Interface | a point-to-point connection protocol connecting disk drives to computers |
| SDDC | Software Defined Data Centre | an application-down approach to infrastructure including orchestration |
| SDN | Software Defined Network | an application-down approach to networking |
| SDS | Software Defined Storage | an application-down approach to storage, separating control and data planes |
| SIEM | Security Information and Event Management | a type of security software |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | A formal contract to supply a set standard of computing experience – often over a specific time span |
| SKU | Stock Keeping Units | number of different configurations for sale |
| SMAC | Social Mobile Analytics Cloud | a description of modern application drivers |
| SMB | Server Message Block | a network sharing file protocol common of Microsoft Windows environments |
| SMB | Small and Medium Business | a description of user organisations by employee size – typically between 0 and 1,000 employees |
| SMP | Symmetrical Multi-Processing | processor design type |
| SME | Small and Medium Enterprises | a description of user organisations by employee size – typically between 0 and 1,000 employees |
| SoC | System on Chip | microprocessor design incorporating multiple components |
| SOC | Security Operations Center | physical offices for the detection of security attacks |
| SOC2 | System and Organization Control 2 | an SSAE financial auditing regulation including cyber security issues |
| Spear Phishing | an attack on specific organisations and individuals with rogue email messages to acquire information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details | |
| SPEC | The Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation | benchmarking body |
| SQL Injection | an attack on data driven applications by including portions of SQL statements in an entry field in an attempt to get the website to pass a newly formed rogue SQL command to the database | |
| SSAE | Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements | auditing information of the AICPA |
| SSL VPN | Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network | a method of providing use security protection by hiding IP addresses |
| SSO | Single Sign On | software which allows users of multiple applications to be authenticated once for all of them |
| STEM | Science Technology Engineering Maths | school curriculum focus on industry subjects |
| SVC | Storage Virtual Controller | IBM storage system offering |
| TAM | Total Available Market | marketing term for all spending associated with a market or sub-market |
| TB | Terabyte | storage capacity |
| TCA | Total Cost of Acquisition | used in comparing costs of old v new solutions |
| TCO | Total Cost of Ownership | used in comparing costs of old v new solutions |
| TEM | Trusted Enterprise Manager | |
| TPC | Tivoli Storage Productivity Center | IBM storage systems management offering |
| TLS/SSL | Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer | encryption techniques used by telcos and cloud suppliers for data in motion |
| Trojan Software | an attack involving a non self-replicating Malware programme appearing to perform a desirable function, but providing backdoor entry for unauthorised access to the target computer | |
| TSM | Tivoli Storage Manager | IBM storage systems management offering |
| UBA | User Behaviour Analytics | security process evaluating how users interact with an organisation’s IT |
| UCS | Unified Computing System | Cisco IT including servers |
| UPS | Uninterruptible Power Supply | redundant power provisioning unit |
| UTM | Unified Threat Management | software/service providing security from criminal intrusion into IT systems |
| VAAI | vStorage API for Array Integration | a VMware storage API |
| VADP | vStorage API for Data Protection | a VMware storage API for data protection |
| VASA | vStorage API for Storage Awareness | a VMware storage API |
| VCE | Virtual Computing Environment | company name (incorporating EMC, Cisco and VMware elements) |
| VDI | Virtual Desktop Infrastructure | PC virtualisation type |
| VM | Virtual Machine | a guest operating system running on top of a server hypervisor |
| VSAN | Virtual Storage Area Network | a collection of ports from connected Fibre Channel switches forming a virtual fabric offering high-level protocols such as FCP, FCIP, FICON or iSCSI |
| Web 2.0 | 2.0 = newer | newer Internet companies |
| VVOL | VMware Virtual Volumes | a VMWare API |
| WAF | Web Application Firewall | a way of restricting the flow of data from HTTP applications |
| x86 | x86 | chip architectures using the x86 instruction set currently produced by Intel and AMD |
| XIV | Latin for 14 | an Israel-based storage systems company acquired by IBM in 2008 |
| zAAP | z Application Assist Processor | IBM mainframe term for offloading Java workloads |
| zBX | z BladeCenter eXtension | IBM mainframe term for its attached processor cabinet |
| zIIP | z Integrated Information Processor | IBM mainframe term for offloading database workloads |
| XGS | IBM Security Network Protection product range | |
| XSS | Cross-Site Scripting | a type of security attack |