Lecture Notes: Glossary and IT Terminology (Units 1-12)

A curated set of vocabulary flashcards drawn from the lecture notes, covering core terms across units 1–12.

Data lake

A centralized repository that stores structured and unstructured data at any scale.

Off the shelf

Something taken from something that already exists, instead of something you created.

Proxy

Gateway between you and the Internet.

Query

Keywords you use to look for data.

Policy

Guidelines officially agreed by a group.

To upgrade

To improve the quality or usefulness of something, or move it to a newer/better standard.

To collaborate

To work with someone else for a common purpose or project.

Code

Text written in a programming language by a computer programmer.

Programming

Writing code (a set of instructions) to be interpreted and executed by a computer.

Novice

Someone who is not experienced in a job or situation.

Debugging

Removing bugs or mistakes from a program.

Define (a function)

To declare or specify a function in programming.

Algorithm

A set of mathematical instructions that will help calculate an answer.

Library

A collection of files, programs, routines, scripts, or functions referenced in code.

Function

Code called and executed anywhere in a program; also called a function, procedure, method, or subprogram.

Router

Hardware device designed to receive, analyze, and move incoming packets to another network.

Switch

Hardware device that filters and forwards network packets.

To configure

To arrange or change controls on a device so it can be used in a specific way.

Ring topology

Network layout where device connections form a circular data path.

Mesh topology

Network where every device is interconnected with others.

Hub

A basic networking device that connects multiple computers or devices.

Backbone

Part of a network carrying the majority of traffic at high speeds, linking large networks.

Outsourcing

Paying to have part of a company's work done by another company.

Offshoring

Basing a business or part of it in a different country to reduce costs.

Nearshoring

Transferring operations to a nearby country.

Intangible

Impossible to touch or precisely value.

Conducive

Providing the right conditions for something good to happen or exist.

To imply

To communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly.

Organic

Happening naturally over time, without being forced or planned.

Abandonware

Software that is no longer produced or supported by the original creator.

Plug-in

A small program that adds features to a larger program.

Data center

Facility used to store computers, servers, routers, switches, and other equipment in one location.

Patch

A small program that fixes bugs or flaws in software.

Hotfix

A quick software patch to fix a critical issue.

Bottleneck

A point where data flow is slowed due to limited capacity.

Human rights

The basic rights every person should have (justice, freedom, etc.).

Child labor

The use of children to do work that should be done by adults.

Stakeholder

An individual or group with an interest in a project or organization.

Shareholder

An owner of shares in a company; has a stake in profits and governance rights.

Reputation

The overall public opinion about someone or something based on past behavior.

Labor standards

Rules outlining acceptable working conditions and rights for workers.

Code of conduct

A set of rules that members of an organization must follow.

Procurement

The process of obtaining goods or services from external sources.

Acquisition

The act of acquiring control of another company or asset.

Emerging countries

Countries becoming globally significant due to growth and development.

Total cost of ownership

The full lifecycle cost of owning a product or system.

Merger

Two companies joining to form a single company.

Takeover

One company gaining control of another.

PLC

Public Limited Company; a company whose shares are traded publicly.

Ltd.

Limited liability company; owners' liability is limited.

SME

Small and Medium Enterprise.

NGO

Non-Governmental Organization.

Domestic

Relating to one's own country.

Competitor

A company that rivals another in the same market.

Subcontractor

A company hired to perform a portion of work for another company.

Sweatshop

A factory with poor working conditions and low pay.

Exploit

To use someone unfairly for one's own advantage.

Data breach

A security incident where data is accessed without authorization.

Ethical hacking

Testing computer systems legally to find and fix vulnerabilities.

Consumer privacy

Protecting individuals' personal information when using online services.

Intellectual Property

Legal rights protecting creations of the mind, such as inventions and artworks.

To transfer

To move money or data from one place to another.

To be decentralized

Describing a system with no single central authority controlling it.

Crypto wallet

Software that stores private keys used to access cryptocurrency.

Signature

Data used to identify or authenticate a user or document.

Ledger

A record-keeping document for financial accounts.

Token

A digital representation of value used in crypto systems.

Currency

Anything that holds value and can be exchanged for goods or services.

Ledger

A record-keeping document for financial accounts.

Decentralized

Not governed by a central authority; distributed across many nodes.

Data transfer

Movement of data from one system or network to another.

VPN

A virtual private network that creates a secure tunnel for data.

Deep packet inspection

A method of inspecting data packets to monitor or block content.

Dark web

A hidden portion of the web accessible with special software.

Dissent

A strong difference of opinion regarding an official suggestion or plan.

Deep web

Parts of the internet not indexed by standard search engines.

NISQ

Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum computing; imperfect quantum machines.

Cloud computing

Using remote servers on the internet to store, manage, and process data.

Parallel processing

Running multiple computations simultaneously to speed up tasks.

Cache

A fast, temporary storage area for frequently used data.

Token

A digital representation of value used in a crypto system.

Open source

Software whose source code is freely available to modify and distribute.

Proprietary software

Software that is owned by someone and restricted from modification.

License agreement

A contract detailing rights and restrictions for using software.