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- Safety Integrity Level (SIL)Safety Integrity Level (SIL) is a term defined in international standards IEC 61508 and IEC 61511. It is used to evaluate the reliability of security functions and features in electrical, electronic and programmable electronic systems (E/E/PESs).
- SAPSAP AG is a leading global provider of business software.
- SAS (= Statement on Auditing Standards)Statements on Auditing Standards (commonly abbreviated to SAS) are published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and provide guidance to external auditors with regard to auditing companies.
- S-DSL (= Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line)Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) employs a circuit-switched data transmission method with high data rates for the local loop in telephone networks. SDSL only supports services that use the same data transfer rate in both directions.
- Seamless CommunicationThe term Seamless Communication is sometimes used to describe the growing fusion between landline and mobile telephone technology (often termed fixed-mobile convergence, or FMC). It is also used for the integration of IT-based with analog communications technologies. In short, Seamless Communication makes it possible to communicate across different technologies in a straightforward, user-friendly way.
- Service Level AgreementA SLA is a formal document, generally part of contractual documentation for an ICT service, which defines quantitative (or qualitative) indicators or metrics that are regularly measured as a means of monitoring the service. The SLA includes all relevant rules and responsibilities. SLAs typically cover operating times and service availability.
- SOA (= Service Oriented Architecture Services)A service-oriented architecture comprises loosely coupled services intended to support the requirements of business processes and users. Resources are made available as independent services that can be accessed via standard interfaces, i.e. without knowledge of the underlying platform or technology.
- SOXThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX, SarbOx, or SOA) is a United States federal law passed in response to a number of major corporate and accounting scandals. The legislation establishes new or enhanced accounting standards for all U.S. public company boards, management, and public accounting firms.
- Supply ChainAlso known as logistics or value chain, encompasses supply or value-creation process involving multiple companies. The value chain begins with the production of raw materials, proceeds through various production and transport stages, to sales and distribution, and concludes with the end-customer. A large number of companies with diverse IT systems participate in such a chain. Where companies are connected via a communications network that transcends all the various stages, the entity is called a value network. Most information exchange within a value network is effected via the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems of the participating companies.
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- TCP/IPThe four-layer TCP/IP reference model describes the structure and relationships between the protocols of the Internet protocol suite.
- TelecommunicationsIn a narrow sense, the term telecommunications is currently understood to mean data exchange via electrical and electronic systems, particularly telephony.
- TelematicsBlend of telecommunications and informatics (another term for IT). This area of research studies the interrelationships between different communications engineering fields (digital technology, semiconductors, microelectronics and optoelectronics), and more especially the areas of IT and telecommunications that are based on these underlying technologies. One area of telematics that has risen to prominence in recent years is vehicle telematics: systems and services designed to increase transportation safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and reduce the environmental impact. Vehicle telematics is making increasing use of satellite-based navigation and positioning systems (e.g. GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to locate positions and route, plan and navigate journeys.
- TETRA (= Terrestrial Trunked Radio)TETRA (terrestrial trunked radio, originally called trans-European trunked radio) is a standard for digital trunked radio. Its special features make it particularly suitable for government agencies, specifically emergency and police services.
- Time to MarketThe length of time it takes for a product to progress from the development stage to market-readiness. During this period, a product incurs costs without generating revenue. Used by many enterprises as a performance indicator, since a shorter time to market represents a competitive advantage.
- Total Cost of OwnershipTCO is a type of calculation developed by management consultants Gartner Group to help consumers and enterprise managers assess all costs related to the purchase of investment goods. Besides the usual costs of purchase, TCO includes all costs related to the use of infrastructure (e.g. energy, maintenance and repair). TCO is often used in the IT industry to determine the overall cost of investments in software or hardware.
- TraceabilityTraceability means the ability to determine at any time when, where, and by whom, specific goods were obtained, produced, processed, stored, transported, consumed, or disposed of.
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- UMTSUniversal Mobile Telecommunications System is a third-generation (3G) mobile telephony standard that will replace GSM-based mobile communications and offer a broader range of services. UTMS supports powerful multimedia offerings. In addition to voice and audio, these can include rapid transfer of data, graphics and text as well as moving images and video. To take fuller advantage of these new capabilities, UTMS cellular phones are equipped with video cameras and color displays.
- UnbundlingA regulatory provision in deregulated telecommunications markets obliging the major provider (normally a former state monopolist) to allow other operators – for a fee – to use the local loop, i.e. the physical connection from the local telephone exchange to the end customer.
- Unified MessagingUnified Messaging enables all types of incoming and outgoing messages, such as e-mails, voice mails, faxes, text messages (SMS) or MMS messages, to be presented in a single, unified form. Generally, a standard graphical user interface is used. A service or system that supports Unified Messaging is known as a UMS (Unified Messaging Service or Unified Messaging System).
- USB (= Universal Serial Bus)The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus system used to connect a computer with external (peripheral) components. Devices or storage media (such as USB sticks) that support USB can be connected without disrupting operation (hot-plugging). A device's type and properties are automatically detected when it is plugged in.
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- VALIDATVALIDAT guarantees the quality of data exchange via interfaces between different CAD platforms. One scenario where this is required is when a virtual team of developers located worldwide collaborate on a project.
- Video on DemandVOD is a multimedia service that allows subscribers at any time to play a video from the selection on offer (e.g. movies, educational programs or music clips). Content is stored in compressed form on video server networks and is usually delivered via a broadband network (the Internet) to be shown on a television or other suitable equipment. In the TV market, VOD is often provided as a pay-per-view or subscription service.
- Voice over IPVoice over IP (or VoIP) employs a common infrastructure (based on the TCP/IP protocol) for voice and data. In practice, this allows users to make phone calls using computer networks, i.e. data networks based on the widespread Internet Protocol (IP). VoIP technology exploits existing connectivity resources in a much more efficient way, which reduces the cost of a phone call. Moreover, using a common network makes it easier for IT applications and telephony to work together.
- Voice over Wireless LANAlso known as Voice over Wi-Fi. A convergence model for IP-based mobile voice communications (Voice over IP) on WLAN infrastructure. It makes communications possible without physical links or conventional mobile telephone networks.
- VPNVirtual Private Networks are made-to-measure, network-based voice solutions that enable companies to integrate multiple locations into a single network – without the cost of setting up their own corporate infrastructure. A VPN supports applications such as central dial-in, central switchboard, teleworking, customer telephone services and contact management.
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- WANWide Area Networks are designed for voice or data communications over long distances. The design of a WAN is based on the services required. The conventional analog telephone network or ISDN are suitable for telephony, while packet-oriented public data networks are intended for data transfer services.
- WAP (= Wireless Application Protocol)The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a collection of technologies and protocols designed to make Internet content available in a form adapted to mobile telephony, with its slower transmission rates and longer response times, and with the small displays of cellular telephones.
- WebcastA Webcast is a live broadcast of audiovisual content over the Internet. Webcasts are generally used for informational purposes and are often on scientific or technical topics.
- White PapersA white paper is a document giving an overview of services, standards or technical topics. Case studies, customer references, and market research findings can also be presented in white papers.
- WIMAXWorldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, a synonym for the IEEE 802.16 standard. Generic term for systems (or their air interfaces) that give wireless access to broadband networks. Thanks to its range and high data rates, WiMAX technology can be used by enterprises and private households for wireless, stationary broadband access to the Internet or other broadband networks. The standard includes a mobile version of particular interest to enterprises. It will enable nomadic employees who use notebooks to log on to the Internet or corporate intranet from any location within the company or beyond.
- WLAN (= Wireless Local Area Network)Wireless LAN or WLAN is a wireless local-area network usually based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. In some countries (including the USA, Spain, France and South Africa) the term Wi-Fi is used as a synonym for WLAN.
