3G
3G (or 3-G) is short for third-generation mobile telephone technology. The services associated with 3G provide the ability to transfer both voice data (a telephone call) and non-voice data (such as downloading information, exchanging email, and instant messaging). With data rates of up to 384kbps, it is nearly seven times as fast as a standard dial-up connection. If you stray out of range of 3G coverage the service will switch automatically to GPRS without your connection being interrupted. 802.11a
802.11a -- provides up to 54 Mbps transmission in the 5GHz band. Less potential for radio frequency interference than 802.11b and 802.11g. Relatively shorter range (about 60 metres) than 802.11b. Not interoperable with 802.11b. 802.11b
802.11b -- provides 11 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band. Not interoperable with 802.11a. Offers access to data at up to 100 metres from base station. 802.11g
802.11g -- provides up to 54 Mbps (typically 22 Mbps) in the 2.4 GHz band. Considered to be the successor to and compatible with 802.11b. Offers high-speed access to data at up to 100 metres from base station. AAA or Triple-A (authentication, authorisation, and auditing)
Refers to a framework for intelligently controlling access to computer resources, enforcing policies, auditing usage, and providing the information necessary to bill for services. These combined processes are considered important for effective network management and security. Access control list (ACL)
A data set associated with a file, directory or other network resource that defines the permissions for accessing it. Access Point
Access Point is a device that transmits and receives data (sometimes referred to as a transceiver) connecting users within a WLAN and also serves as the point of interconnection between the WLAN and a wired network, for example a company's LAN. Access Points are important for providing heightened wireless security and for extending the physical range of service a wireless user has access to. Each access point can serve multiple users within a defined network area; as people move beyond the range of one access point, they are automatically handed over to the next one. A small WLAN may only require a single access point; the number required increases as a function of the number of network users and the physical size of the network.  |
Adaptive Partitioned MultiProcessing (APMP)
An HP Data Protector feature that allows you to stage the backup on disk, with the option of copying it or moving it to tape later. It also allows automatic space management and retention (automatic space re-use of unprotected backups). Advanced Backup to Disk can be used to backup slow clients without multiplexing; for continuous backup of transaction log files; for easy access and sharing of resources; for backup in tape-less branch offices; and also for building a Virtual Tape Library. |
Advanced Backup to Disk
Access Point is a device that transmits and receives data (sometimes referred to as a transceiver) connecting users within a WLAN and also serves as the point of interconnection between the WLAN and a wired network, for example a company's LAN. Access Points are important for providing heightened wireless security and for extending the physical range of service a wireless user has access to. Each access point can serve multiple users within a defined network area; as people move beyond the range of one access point, they are automatically handed over to the next one. A small WLAN may only require a single access point; the number required increases as a function of the number of network users and the physical size of the network. AIT (Advanced Intelligent Tape)
A magnetic tape and drive system used for computer data storage and archiving Areal density (or bit density)
Important indicator of the performance of the disk and drive; corresponds to the number of magnetic bits per unit area Auxiliary storage (also known as external or secondary storage)
All addressable data storage that is not currently in the computer's main storage or memory Backup window
The period of time that a system is available to perform a backup procedure. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
The firmware code run by a PC when first powered on that tests the configuration settings and loads the operating system. Blade server
A server that is located in a rack or enclosure. Designed for deployment in high densities, these servers reduce power consumption and cooling requirements and save space by sharing some components with other servers in the same rack or enclosure. See also: ‘enclosure’ and ‘racks’ |
Bluetooth®
Bluetooth® complements wireless LAN perfectly by providing a quick and easy way of connecting one Bluetooth® enabled device to another without going through your network. For example, you could print a document at a satellite office from your laptop to any Bluetooth® enabled printer within range (Bluetooth®, products work over shorter distances than wireless networks - approximately 10 metres). In addition, by creating a temporary network, (also known as a personal area network - PAN) you can exchange files at informal meetings - say, around a client's conference table. Put simply, Bluetooth®, provides the opportunity for flexible, spontaneous working, especially if you don't have the time to connect to a fixed or wireless network. Broadband
Broadband is the standard term for high speed Internet connection. Business Information Optimisation (BIO)
A portfolio of HP solutions comprised of the Information Lifecycle Management (ILM) and Business Intelligence (BI) solution offerings. BIO provides cost-effective approaches for managing, protecting and extracting value from your organisation’s information assets. Cascading
Connecting switches to one another to create a large SAN fabric. CDMA
CDMA means code division multiple access, a broadband communication technology. Chassis
The rigid physical framework or housing of a computer or server that contains the parts, such as the CPU or blades. See enclosure or racks. Cluster
A group of a parallel or distributed computing systems that work collectively to form a single, unified computing resource. Clustering is a way to increase availability, processing capacity, and I/O bandwidth. Clusters can be employed to achieve specific goals, such as high availability (failback), load balancing (failover) or high performance for particularly demanding applications. Clustered Gateway
HP StorageWorks Enterprise File Services Clustered Gateway is a mid-range NAS file server gateway that can be configured into a cluster of Enterprise File Services Clustered Gateway nodes. Compartmentalisation
Divides networks into compartments or subnets to control security and other operational risks, facilitate standardisation, establish least privilege access and achieve a degree of redundancy. Many organisations use the structure of their business operations as an initial guide to compartmentalisation. Compressed capacity
The amount of data a storage device can store when redundant information is removed from the data in order to reduce the number of bits required to represent it. The typical compression ratio for tape drives is 2:1, allowing the drive to hold twice its native capacity. Actual compression is highly dependent upon data type and can be more or less than 2:1. Content filtering
Restricting the type of files that are shared across a server. D2D (disk-to-disk)
A storage method used for automated backup and rapid recovery of lost data D2D2T (disk-to-disk-to-tape)
A comprehensive data protection strategy that includes both disk and tape DAFS (Direct Access File System)
A file access protocol designed to take advantage of standard memory-to-memory interconnect technologies DAS (Direct Attached Storage)
Those parts of a Wide Area Network (WAN) in which the mass storage devices are connected locally by attaching a dedicated storage device directly to a server. DAS environments often involve a mix of different vendor storage and management interfaces. This approach is not ideal for supporting online business-critical operations, but it is simple, cost-effective, reliable and easy to manage for smaller environments. DAS provides a single point of management for the entire backup process. DAT (Digital Audio Tape)
Technology originally used for audio recording that has since been adapted for data storage. This term is used interchangeably with DDS. Data Protector
HP Data Protector is enterprise-class backup and recovery software. Data replication
Duplication of data to another system via a LAN or SAN infrastructure. DDS (Digital Data Storage)
The prevalent tape technology for small and medium business environments. The term is used interchangeably with DAT. Dedicated interconnect
A type of interconnect that is used solely for intracluster (node-to-node) communication. Communication to and from network clients does not occur over this type of interconnect. Also called ‘private interconnect’. Deduplicating
A method for compressing data by storing only modifications to the original data. In file deduplication, only one copy of the file is stored even though it may be referenced elsewhere. Direct-attached RAID storage
See DAS (Direct Attached Storage) and RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) Distributed file media format (DFMF)
A format that is used only by HP Storage Data Protector File Library and is not enabled in the default settings. Without this format, Storage Data Protector writes all data and catalogue segments into one file for each session. With DFMF, pure data blocks are written into different files. This is done for each file that is bigger than the used block size (default 64 KB). Consequently, for each backed up file, there is a dedicated file on the File Library, which holds the data blocks. If a consolidation session is performed on backups that are all located in the same File Library, the data that will be consolidated is already stored in one or more media files. The new DFMF concept tries to reuse those files. In contrast, normal backups, both full and incremental, always create new data block files. |
Distributed Lock Manager
Avoids problems associated with a master-centric approach. Each server participates in locking the cluster with the load spread evenly, which prevents bottlenecks. If a node fails, responsibility for the locks that it has been coordinating is redistributed to other nodes. This technology is designed to ensure data integrity and cache consistency. It can even handle cascading failures, in which multiple servers fall out unexpectedly. DLT (Digital Linear Tape)
A form of magnetic tape and drive system for use in computer data storage and archiving. This technology has been superseded by SDLT. Dynamic Capacity Management (DCM)
HP’s enterprise-class storage provisioning software. It reduces the necessity for ongoing storage administration, resulting in optimised capacity, improved disk utilisation, and minimal administrative interaction. EDGE
EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) is a 3G technology that delivers broadband-like data speeds to mobile devices. It is a global standard for wireless wide-area data communication being rapidly deployed by GSM carriers worldwide El Torito CD-ROM boot standard
A specification designed to allow a computer to boot from a CD-ROM. Enclosure
A physical container for a set of blade servers. It consists of a backplane that routes power and communication signals and additional hardware for cabling and thermal issues. It also hosts the CPU or server power supplies. Enterprise File Services (EFS)
HP StorageWorks Enterprise File Services (EFS) Clustered Gateway is a mid-range NAS file server gateway that can be configured into a cluster of EFS Clustered Gateway nodes. EVA (Enterprise Virtual Array)
The HP StorageWorks Enterprise Virtual Array family employs virtual technology to improve storage utilisation, simplify array management and increase data availability for small- and medium-sized businesses and enterprise-class storage environments. EVDO
means Evolution Data Optimized, a wireless radio broadband data standard adopted by many CDMA mobile phone service members. Exabyte
A unit of storage equal to 1,024 x 1,024 x 1,024 x Gigabytes = just over 1 billion Gigabytes. Fibre Channel (FC)
A topology and transport protocol used to send block-level data information between server and storage devices, such as disk drives and tape libraries GBIC (GigaBit Interface Converter)
An interface module that converts the light stream from a Fibre Channel cable into electronic signals for use by a network interface card Global Instant Capacity (GiCAP)
An HP offering that allows hardware usage rights to be shared among servers, allowing resources to be deactivated in one system and activated in another to meet changing system demands. GiCAP can help protect a mission-critical environment by making it more cost-effective to implement high availability systems. With GiCAP, usage rights for hardware resources (processors, cell boards and memory) in a system that becomes unavailable (either planned or unplanned) can be released and used to activate resources in another Instant Capacity server. |
GPRS
GPRS stands for General Packet Radio Service, this standard allows packet rather than circuit switch connections on cellular networks. The total available GPRS bandwidth can be immediately dedicated to those users who are actually sending at any given moment, providing higher utilisation where users only send and receive data intermittenly. This allows high-speed mobile access and the ability to connect to the mobile network when Internet access is required. GPS
GPS is short for Global Positioning System, GPS refers to satellite-based radio positioning systems that provide 24 hour three-dimensional position, velocity and time information to suitably equipped users anywhere on or near the surface of the Earth (and sometimes off the earth). GPS technology is used in a wide range of applications, including maritime, environmental, navigational, tracking and monitoring. Green storage
Storage technology that reduces strain on the environment, for instance by implementing features that lowers power consumption and cooling requirements. Hard partitioning
Hard partitioning is a model of configuration in which a single system can be physically separated into multiple partitions. These partitions define how the hard resources are shared. HBA (host bus adapter)
A PCI adapter that connects a server to the SAN fabric. Each HBA is referred to as a host. Heterogeneous connect
Clients or servers with different operating systems connecting to an NAS or SAN infrastructure at the same time. Heterogeneous data protection
Data protection across various hardware and operating systems from different vendors. High-performance computing (HPC)
The use of computing systems comprising multiple processors linked together in a single system with commercially available interconnects. Hot plug/hot swap
Refers to the ability to plug in or removal of a drive into a system while the power remains turned on. Hotspots
Hotspots are public WLANs located in airports, hotels, conference centres and other public areas. When you're within range of a Hotspot, you can connect wirelessly to the Internet via your laptop or PDA. Presently there are thousands of Hotspots throughout Europe, with many more planned for the very near future. |
HSDPA
A technology upgrade to current UMTS networks, High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a packet-based data service feature of the WCDMA standard that provides improved downlink data rates. Initial implementations of HSDPA were introduced commercially in 2005 at 1.8 Mbps peak downlink data rates and will evolve to higher rates over successive generations. HSDPA’s peak uplink speed is currently 384 Kbps. Some networks began to support 3.6 Mbps downlink data rates in 2006. The future evolution of HSDPA will consist of successive improvements in downlink data rates and, with the introduction of High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), substantial improvements in uplink data rates and quality of service as well. |
Hypervisor (also referred to as a Virtual Machine Monitor)
A layer of software interposed between the hardware and each “virtual” operating system to accomplish virtualisation. Its purpose is to manage the server resources in an abstract way and isolate interaction between the multiple instances of the operating systems running on the same server. |
iCAP (Instant Capacity – formerly known as iCOD)
HP's Instant Capacity (iCAP) software product provides the ability to increase processing capacity instantly on (specified) HP enterprise servers through a two-phase purchasing model for acquiring server hardware on demand. With Instant Capacity, you initially purchase a specified number of active system components (cores, cell boards, and memory) and a specified number of inactive (iCAP) components that do not have usage rights, but are already plugged into the system. To activate an iCAP component, additional usage rights must be obtained by purchasing a component-specific Right to Use (RTU) codeword from HP. iLO 2 (Integrated Lights-Out 2)
HP’s fourth generation of Lights-Out remote management for remote control of ProLiant servers. Incremental backup
A method for data backup in which multiple backups are kept, not just the most recent. InfiniBand
An industry-standard specification that defines an I/O architecture used to interconnect servers, communications infrastructure equipment, storage and embedded systems primarily used in high-performance computing. It is ideal to carry multiple traffic types over a single connection because of its low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnect. Information Lifecycle Management (ILM)
A comprehensive set of tailored solutions that work together across the customer’s information value chain to capture, manage, retain, and deliver information. To achieve cost efficiencies, multiple tiers of storage devices are used. ILM is part of Business Information Optimisation (BIO). Infrared
Infrared is similar to Bluetooth® in that it's another method of peer-to-peer networking. Here data is transmitted via radio waves across short distances from device to device. (The range data can be sent using infrared is shorter than with Bluetooth®.) You could, for instance, send a text document to a colleague by bringing your laptops close together and exchanging the data via each device's infrared port. Insight Control Environment
HP software suite featuring the tools for managing ProLiant and BladeSystem infrastructure. The latest release offers new collaborative remote administration and enhanced power management capabilities. Insight Display
A display, usually located on the front of a server, that provides information about the health of the system by showing failing customer replaceable units (CRUs) location and mapping information for internal system components. Instant Restore (IR)
HP Data Protector’s ability to recover a system instantly from a clone taken previously by pointing the operating system at the clone Integrity Essentials
HP Integrity Essentials help you control IT infrastructure with unified management of your HP Integrity server environment running HP-UX 11i, Windows, Linux and OpenVMS. iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface; pronounced 'iscuzzy')
Protocol that allows midsized businesses to benefit from affordable networked storage using standard TCP/IP infrastructure, instead of a direct SCSI compatible cable. This makes it possible to read data blocks or send them at high speed to a storage device such as a disk or tape drive. ISV (Independent Software Vendor)
A company that produces standardised software specialised for specific markets. ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library)
A set of best practices for managing IT and aligned with the principle of Service Management. The recently updated ITIL V3 seeks to transform IT into a better service provider to help companies achieve common business goals. JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks)
A term used for a storage enclosure supplied with pre-integrated disk drives. KVM
keyboard, video and mouse LAN (Local Area Network)
A network that is typically based on Ethernet and confined to a single building. LAN
Local area networks are independent fixed wire networks that make up your fixed network. Cables and wires connect each device to your servers. LANs are the most common type of networks used, but this may not be the case for long - wireless local area networks are becoming more popular. LAN backup
When data is created on one machine and saved on another machine on the same network. Ideal for automating the backup process and scheduling backups on certain servers at specific times. LAN-free backup
A backup configuration with which data backup and restore operations take place over a Fibre Channel connection instead of a LAN. Latency
A measure of the speed of memory or the time between initiating a request for a byte or word in memory until it is retrieved. The less the latency, the faster the reading operation. Library and Tape Tools (L&TT)
HP StorageWorks Library and Tape Tools assist in diagnostics, troubleshooting and configuration of tape drives. LTO (Linear Tape-Open)
An open-format super tape technology developed jointly by HP, IBM, and Seagate. LUN (logical unit number)
A 3-bit identifier serving as address for an individual disk drive to distinguish it from other devices with the same SCSI ID. Frequently not an entire disk drive, but rather virtual partitions of a RAID set. Media Access Control (MAC)
The MAC address is the physical address of a device connected to a network. This unique hardware identity can be used to allow devices access to networks such as a wireless area network (WLAN) via an access point. Megabits per second (Mbps)
Megabits per second (a million bits per second) is a unit used to measure the rate of information transfer. [A bit, short for binary digit, is the smallest unit of information a computer can hold] Mirror Clone
A mirrored LUN that can be re-synced periodically with its parent. This reduces the numbers of clones needed and saves space. Mouse
input device MSA (Modular Smart Array)
HP's family of entry-level storage arrays that include Serial ATA and SCSI disk enclosures as well as shared storage and SAN arrays. Native capacity
The total usable volume of bits and bytes that a storage device can hold. Near-online
Backup configurations, such as tiered storage and disk-to-disk backup, that use disk-based storage devices to store infrequently accessed data. Network virtualisation
Pooling of network resources, which can then be distributed in real time to meet demand, thus making it possible to improve overall utilisation and service quality. These resources can be monitored and managed from a single console. Network-attached storage (NAS)
Connects storage systems (RAID, tape and other mass storage) directly to an IP network. New solutions make it relatively easy to install. This type of system allows authorised users to directly access stored information from anywhere on the network, making data retrieval fast and easy. Node
An individual server in a cluster Node group
A group of nodes defined by a trusted user to divide a network into manageable units. Nodes in a node group usually have something in common, such as the operating system type, backup schedule, application type or hardware type. nPars
Physical and electrical isolation between hardware-defined partitions OBDR (One-Button Disaster Recovery)
Allows a complete and fast restore of the server's operating system and configuration, software applications, and all system data using only a single tape cartridge. Every full backup with overwrite that is performed creates an OBDR disaster recovery tape. The operating system and configuration are stored on the backup tape with the data. In the case of an emergency, IT administrators can initiate OBDR from a remote location, and a complete system restore is usually possible in under an hour. Open source
Refers to the availability of software source code to the general public, allowing users to create, update or alter software content, individually or collaboratively. Open Source Integrated Portfolio (OSIP)
HP Open Source Integrated Portfolio is a broad range of software, middleware, services, operating systems, and platforms that meet the growing needs of customers interested in deploying open source in their environment. PAN
Personal area networks, or PANs, are close range casual networks that work separately from a fixed or wireless network, by creating a temporary network. You can exchange files at impromptu meetings easily, save time printing a document without having to connect to a fixed or wireless network, and share information between Bluetooth® enabled devices wherever you go. Petabyte
A unit of storage equal to 1,024 Terabytes, or just over a million Gigabytes PIT (point-in-time)
See snapshot ProLiant Essentials
Designed to simplify server management, ProLiant Essentials is a portfolio of modular, flexible software tools that extend the functionality of HP Systems Insight Manager and expand the capabilities of ProLiant servers, while lowering overall lifecycle costs and reducing demands on IT resources. Quad core
New chip technology in which a single chip features four distinct processors working concurrently. Quota management
Restricting how much data a volume or file share can store to prevent disk space from reaching zero. Racks
A set of components cabled together to communicate between themselves. A rack is a container for an enclosure. Radio Module Device
means a wireless device that is capable of communicating directly with a mobile telecommunications network in accordance with appropriate 3G UMTS or HSDPA communication standards. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)
A method of writing data simultaneously over multiple disk drives in disk arrays as if they were one physical unit for increased data protection. Originally, it was an acronym for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks to reflect the data accessibility and cost advantages that properly implemented arrays could provide. Since then, the acronym has evolved to mean Redundant Array of Independent Disks to emphasise the technique's potential data availability advantages over conventional disk storage systems. RAS
reliability, service, availability Redundant
A term that describes network resources installed to back up primary resources. Remote Insight Lights-Out Edition II (RILOE II)
A PCI card that provides a powerful remote management option for ProLiant server models without embedded Integrated Lights-Out. RILOE II provides full front-of-the-server remote control of resources located in data centres and remote sites. Using RILOE II features, an administrator can deploy, configure, monitor, update and troubleshoot remote ProLiant servers anywhere, anytime from a standard Web browser in Windows and Linux environments. Replica
HP Data Protector terminology for a snapshot, clone or mirror clone. Replication
Mirroring data between two arrays (usually located in separate data centres) to achieve the highest availability in case one of the data centres fails. Replication is typically facilitated via host/IP-based methods. Enterprise arrays such as EVA or XP arrays often use SAN-based replication directly between two arrays. Roaming
Roaming refers to the ability of a wireless user to move freely, or "roam", within a building, campus or large complex while maintaining an unbroken wireless connection to the wireless local are network (WLAN). This is achieved by using a number of strategically positioned access points. As a user moves beyond the range of one access point, they are automatically handed over to the next one. SAN (Storage Area Network)
A high-speed, special-purpose network that is typically part of an overall network of computing resources for an enterprise. A SAN connects different data storage devices to servers, enabling network resources to share storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries. The software knows the characteristics of the storage devices and the quantity and value of data stored in them. A SAN can provide backup and archival storage for multiple or remote locations. An excellent option for companies looking to invest in their first larger-scale storage solution. SAN fabric
The communication infrastructure that connects workstations and servers to storage devices in a SAN. The fabric enables any server to connect to any storage device through the Fibre Channel. SAS (serial-attached SCSI)
This is an interface, not a transport protocol like Fibre Channel, but it offers the benefits of FC in that it is a reliable, cost-effective storage option for non- mission critical data. SATA-2
Serial ATA with speed increased to 3 Gbps. See Serial ATA. Scale-out
A growth strategy that boosts the power of data centres by spreading the workload across a larger number of different resources rather than employing fewer severs with greater processing power and more memory. Scaling out, which is also referred to as horizontal scaling, usually involves adding additional servers that are independent, but closely linked in a “multi-box” approach. This frequently involves employing industry-standard servers. See also ‘scale-up’. Scale-up
A growth strategy that boosts the power of data centres by spreading the workload across a larger number of different resources rather than employing fewer severs with greater processing power and more memory. Scaling out, which is also referred to as horizontal scaling, usually involves adding additional servers that are independent, but closely linked in a “multi-box” approach. This frequently involves employing industry-standard servers. See also ‘scale-up’. SCSI (Small Computer System Interface, pronounced "scuzzy")
A popular server interface standard for fast and flexible connection of a variety of devices (including mass storage devices) to a host computer. SCSI standards define both the physical connections (cables and connectors) between the devices and the protocols they use to communicate with each other. SDLT (Super Digital Linear Tape; also Super DLT)
A tape technology that extends the life of DLT. SDLT makes it possible to store upwards of 100 GB on a single cartridge and can transfer data at speeds of up to 10 megabytes per second. Serial ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)
A new, low-cost standard for connecting storage devices into computer systems. Serial ATA is based on serial signaling technology – unlike the current Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) interface, which uses parallel signaling. Serial ATA offers thinner, longer and more flexible cables. Server virtualisation
Pools and shares physical server resources. Server virtualisation is available in three variants, depending on where the virtualisation software runs: In hosted virtualisation, it runs on top of the operating system (OS). In hypervisor virtualisation, it runs on top of its own kernel on the bare metal, and in a third alternative, known as paravirtualisation, the OS is ported to run on top on top of the virtual machine monitor (VMM). Serverless backup
Disk-to-tape backup with little or no data passing through a server; this improves performance for all users. Service Essentials
HP Service Essentials provides tools that notify you when a significant system event has occurred or may potentially occur. You can configure and customise alert notification status for key hardware components including ProLiant servers, Linux-based Integrity servers and their associated internal devices, including Modular Smart Array (MSA) attached storage. Serviceguard for Linux
HP Serviceguard for Linux is high availability clustering software that enables efficient, continuous access to critical applications, information and services for the Linux environment. Service-Level Objectives (SLOs)
Specific and measurable quality-of-service targets Silos
A management system that cannot exchange information with other related systems within its own organization or other related management systems. SIM (Systems Insight Manager)
HP’s unified server/storage management console, which helps maximise IT staff efficiency and hardware platform availability for small and large server deployments SMI-S (Storage Management Initiative Specification)
The interface standard that enables interoperability in both hardware and software between storage products of different vendors SMP
Symmetric Multiprocessing or Server Migration Pack SnapClone
An instantly usable byte-for-byte copy of a system volume. Snapshot
A duplicate set of data on a server, NAS device or RAID array that offers a point-in-time copy of the data while requiring minimal disk space. SNIA
An acronym for Storage Networking Industry Association, a non-profit trade organisation, incorporated in December 1997. Members are dedicated to "ensuring that storage networks become complete and trusted solutions across the IT community." |
SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture)
An architectural approach that decomposes software assets or potentially new functionality into services that can be composed more dynamically to enable rapid response to changing business requirements. SOA helps enterprises increase loose coupling and reuse of frequently used software assets. Here, services work together based on common semantics. These services are modularly implemented components that can be invoked by a consumer or a client. Their interface can be identified and used without knowledge of its internal design. The producer and consumer of these services can be separated from one another, and the services can be registered so that a consumer or client can locate them either statically or dynamically in the registry. Soft partitioning
A method of creating a subpartition by dividing a hard partition of storage space into separate logical units. There are no hardware boundaries between soft partitions. Storage Consolidation
The concept of centralising and sharing storage resources among many application servers. Storage Essentials
HP Storage Essentials is the first open, standards-based suite of storage products designed to integrate into HP Systems Insight Manager. HP Storage Essentials Suite delivers integrated heterogeneous functionality for network (DAS, SAN, NAS) management, storage resource management, provisioning and application infrastructure monitoring. Storage virtualisation
The abstraction of logical storage from physical storage to enable the pooling and sharing of network storage assets to simplify resource management and boost utilisation. Switch
A network device that selects a path or circuit for sending a unit of data to its next destination. Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP)
A system architecture in which two or more identical processors share a memory and use the same operating system to balance workload and achieve higher processing speeds by simultaneously completing individual processes. Synthetic full backup
Eliminates the need to run regular full backups by consolidating incremental backups. Minimises traffic burden on the network in distributed environments. (Similar to, but not the same as a “virtual full backup”) Systems Insight Manager
HP Systems Insight Manager is a unified infrastructure management tool. When used in conjunction with Essentials plug-ins, it becomes a comprehensive, easy-to-use platform that enables organisations to holistically control their Windows, HP-UX, and Linux environments. Temporary Instant Capacity (TiCAP)
Prepares you for demands on system resources by ordering a 30 processing-day block of temporary capacity for any system that contains Instant Capacity processors. For example, with one TiCAP block, one processor can be activated for 30 days or two processors can be activated for 15 days. Terabyte
A unit of storage, abbreviated as T or TB, equal to 1,024 Gigabytes. Ultrium
A tape format based on Linear Tape Open (LTO) technology. Ultrium is the fastest-growing tape format for mid-range and high-end backup Unified Cluster Portfolio
HP’s comprehensive, modular package of tested and pre-configured hardware, software and services for scalable computation, data management and visualisation. It features flexible platforms, a wide range of open source and commercial middleware, and industry-standard technology. Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)
UMTS is one of the primary 3G technologies used for WWANs today. Built on WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) standards (the successor technology for GSM/GPRS networks), UTMS can provide data speeds up to 384 Kbps. A faster standard, dubbed High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) will be the next development for this branch of the cellular tree. UPS (Uninterruptible Power System)
The Uninterruptible Power System, or UPS, is a device that contains a battery and some circuitry to supply your computer with power for a predefined time, should there be any sort of interruption in the outlet power. |
USB / USB 2.0
Short for Universal Serial Bus [connect the computer to external memory and peripherals], a USB is an external bus standard that allows the transfer of data at rates up to 12 Mbits per second and USB2 480Mbits per second. A USB port is used to connect peripheral devices, such as mice, printers and keyboards among others, to your computer.USB is an external interface standard, or connector, for communication between a computer and external peripherals and devices. USB is intended to replace existing serial ports, parallel ports, keyboard and monitor connectors and can be used with keyboards, mice, monitors, printers and removable hard drives. USB works at 1.5 and 12 Mbps (Megabits per second) with specific consideration for low cost peripherals. USB 2.0, sometimes referred to as 'Hi-Speed USB', is a much faster enhanced version - working at 480 Mbps. |
Virtual connect
An industry standard-based implementation of server-edge I/O virtualisation. It allows data centre staff to wire and configure blades into the network and storage once, and then replace them as needed without having to repeat configuration. This is done by adding an abstraction layer between the servers and the external networks so that the LAN and SAN see a pool of servers rather than individual servers. Once the LAN and SAN connections are made to the pool of servers, the server administrator uses a Virtual Connect Manager User Interface to create an I/O connection profile for each server. Instead of using the default media access control (MAC) addresses for all network interface controllers (NICs) and default World Wide Names (WWNs) for all host bus adapters (HBAs), the Virtual Connect Manager creates bay-specific I/O profiles, assigns unique MAC addresses and WWNs to these profiles, and administers them locally. |
Virtual full backup
Reduces the time and resources needed to perform full a backup; uses “pointers” rather than duplicating data – thus improving tape utilisation and providing heterogeneous data protection. This is a space-efficient version of a “synthetic full backup.” Virtual instances
(see virtual machines) Virtual Library System (VLS)
Low-cost disk emulating tape. VLS improves backup performance from slow data sources. It emulates popular tape libraries and tape drives and removes the need to change backup software or monitoring policies. By emulating multiple tape drives simultaneously, more backup jobs can be done in parallel, resulting in reduced backup times. Furthermore, because the data resides on disk, single file restores are fast. The result is automated backup, improved restore performance and simplified configuration and management integrated with your current tape environment. Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM or “hypervisor”)
A layer of software interposed between the hardware and each “virtual” operating system to accomplish the virtualisation. Its purpose is to manage the server resources in an abstract way, and isolate interaction between the multiple instances of the operating systems running on the same server. VPN
A virtual private network, or VPN, uses the Internet to connect users to their work or personal networks or servers through a secure 'tunnel'. This means you can connect to your office network securely wherever there's access to the Internet. For example, you could set up a VPN at any one of the hundreds of Hotspots located in airports, hotels and conference centres. Virtual slices
See virtual machine Virtual Tape Library (VTL)
A dedicated computing appliance that emulates the drives of a physical tape library and stores backup images to disk. Backup applications, such as Storage Data Protector, use the VTL emulated tape and library devices for backups when, in fact, it is an array-based appliance. The VTL consists of three components: computer hardware, application software, and a RAID-based array of disk drives. The application software emulates a tape library and tape drives and the RAID-based array of drives provides redundancy to ensure that no backup data is lost if a hard drive fails. |
Virtualisation
A broad “umbrella” term referring to a vast collection of enabling technologies that are combined into products and solutions to achieve significant IT advantages. More specifically, this involves the aggregation of physical IT resources into a unified structure (“pool”) combined with the sharing of those resources. Virtualisation simplifies resource management and enables dynamic allocation of resources, including processing power, storage and networking, to match demand. The goal is to lower costs, increase agility, and improve service quality through consistent availability and better utilisation of resources. vPars (Virtual Partitions)
HP-UX 11i Virtual Partitions (vPars), is a soft partitioning technology, within HP’s Virtual Server Environment, that enables you to create multiple virtual servers or partitions within a single server or nPartition. VSE (Virtual Server Environment)
The HP Virtual Server Environment (VSE) for HP Integrity and HP 9000 servers creates virtual servers that can automatically grow and shrink based on the service-level objectives (SLOs) set for each application they host. Through tight integration with partitioning, high availability and utility pricing, HP VSE allows you to maintain service levels in the event of downtime and to pay for spare capacity on an as-needed basis. Vsnap (Virtual snapshot)
Space-efficient snapshot feature available on products from the Enterprise Virtual Array family Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
A European directive that requires manufacturers of electrical and electronic goods to take responsibility for the collecting and recycling or ecological disposal of their products at the end of the product lifecycle. Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is a non-profit organization created to provide an interoperability certification for Wireless LAN products based on the 802.11 standard. Wireless WAN (WWAN)
A wireless WAN (Wide Area Network) is a network of wireless services that work beyond a single building, operated by a service provider such as your mobile phone operator. In a wireless WAN, you can reach a provider’s voice or data network wirelessly instead of plugging your laptop into a phone jack and dialling into the Internet or connecting to a public hotspot. In a WAN, each mobile device communicates to a provider’s base station. Service providers install networks of base stations (similar to mobile phone towers) throughout large geographic areas, effectively providing coverage across entire states, regions, or even countries. WLAN
Wireless Local Area Networks or WLANs provide cable-free connection between laptops, desktop PCs, printers, PDAs and your office network via wireless access points. This provides a simple way of expanding your network (and your business) without the hassle and expense of installing additional cabling. WORM (Write Once Read Many times)
A class of optical recording systems that allow recording and adding of data but not altering of recorded data ZDB (Zero-Downtime Backup)
A feature that ensures that there will be no interruption to an application during backup. | 
