Creativyst's Glossary of Industry Related Terms

Industry Terms

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(Creativyst™ Glossary)

Data Binding

Generally used to describe how fields from a DBMS are bound to elements within an application that interfaces to the database.

In XML it is a term currently used to describe how XML elements are tied to HTML elements in an HTML document.

In ODBC it describes how columns from the underlying relational database are connected to the columns used in the application software code using the functions from the ODBC API.

See Also: SQL Document Element

Data Encryption Standard

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	DES - A 56-bit symmetric-key cipher standardized by the US government in the 1970s; for many years DES was considered the 'gold standard' of cryptographic algorithms. Today it is obsolete because of the improvement and availability of ever more advanced computers. As of this writing the most advanced encryption standard promoted by the US government is AES or Advanced Encryption Standard.
	See Also: Cryptography Encryption Advanced Encryption Standard

Database Management System

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	DBMS - A software program that permits data to be stored in file tables and retrieved electronically. Most modern DBMS's are Relational in nature and utilize SQL (Structured Query Language) to assist users in accessing and manipulating the data stored in the tables. Relational Databases often include an ODBC interface, allowing other programs to access the tables they manage in a standard way.
	See Also: SQL ODBC RDBMS

Database

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	A set of data usually stored on a hard disk, maintained by a software program called a Database Management System.
	See Also: SQL ODBC Data Binding

DBMS

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	See: Data Base Management System

DDI

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	See: Direct Inward Dialing

DDoS

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	Distributed Denial of Service. A type of DoS attack carried out by hackers in which multiple Trojan horse attacking programs are set up on servers around the Internet. The attacking programs are each set to send massive quantities of network traffic to a target simultaneously in an effort to disable the target by overloading it.

Decryption

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	The process of converting unreadable cipher text back into its original, readable plain text form; a form of descrambling.
	See Also: Cryptography Cipher Text Plain Text

Delay

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	Another word for latency.
	See Also: QoS ToS

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

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	DWDM - Using optical multiplexers and optical amplifiers, DWDM combines multiple optical signals so they can be amplified as a group and transported over a single fiber to increase capacity.

DEQUE

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	Double Ended QUEue (Pronounced "Deck"): A queue that combines the attributes of a LIFO and a FIFO into a single construct.
	See Also: Queue LIFO FIFO

DES

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	See: Data Encryption Standard

DHCP

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Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol -- A standard protocol that allows computers to attach to a network and retrieve a temporary IP address from a pool of IP addresses maintained on a DHCP server. The computer may then communicate with other systems over a standard TCP/IP network while it is logged on. DHCP has other functions as well, such as loading initial code for the system, but is most known for providing temporary IP addresses.

DHCP is a successor to an older protocol called BOOTP, used for the same thing. BOOTP is fully supported by DHCP in order to support older clients that don't have DHCP.

See Also: Internet modem

DID

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	See: Direct Inward Dialing

Differentiated Services Code Point

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	An alternate use for the ToS byte in IP packets. Six bits of this byte are being reallocated for use as the DSCP field where each DSCP specifies a particular per-hop behavior that is applied to the packet. Support for DSCP is still lacking in some network equipment (see RFC 2474). Also, DSCP is not compatible with IP Precedence.
	See Also: TCP/IP Network Internet

Digital Subscriber Line

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	See: DSL

Direct Dialling Inward

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	European equivalent term for Direct Inward Dialing (US
	See Also: Direct Inward Dialing

Direct Inward Dialing

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DID - The presentation of the last 2, 3 or 4 digits of a dialed telephone number to a PBX to switch the call to the relevant employee. Commonly used for CTI, Audiotex and IVR systems to activate different services depending on the number dialed, even though the call is delivered over the same physical telephone line. Known in Europe as. Direct Dialling Inward or DDI (Note the spelling difference for the word "dialling" as well).

Document Element

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	In XML: The name of the single, top-level element which contains all other elements in the document. There can only be one document element in an XML document.

DOS

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1. Disk Operating System (written: DOS). An operating system that ran on early IBM compatible computers. Dubbed QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) by its original creator, it was subsequently purchased by Bill Gates who then used it to take over the world (point, narf).

Some programmers and IT workers consider DOS the single most widely spread computer virus in human history.

. . . . . . .
2. Denial of Service (written: DoS). A method used by hackers to disable a server or set of servers on the Internet by bombarding the target(s) with data traffic. Methods have become more sophisticated over the years to include such things as setting up Trojan horses on multiple servers and sources around the web which are all programmed to send traffic to the target server at the same time. This is called a Distributed Denial of Service attack or DDoS.

Double Ended Queue

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	See: DEQUE

DSCP

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	See: Differentiated Services Code Point

DSL

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Digital Subscriber Line - A residential and business based digital communication service in which the line onto the premises is not based on audio frequencies but instead carries digital signals directly. The effect of this is that data communications rates are possible which far exceed those achievable with Modems over a standard analog phone lines (POTS).

The high data rates associated with DSL make it an alternative to cable modems. The advantage of DSL over cable modems is that DSL is a direct "home run" connection to the network. So, available bandwidth will not degrade as neighbors begin using the service. The disadvantage is that DSL availability and speed depends on how far the user's premises are from the CO ("Central Office").

There are many different types or 'flavors' of Digital Subscriber Line services. To denote a specific type a letter is prefixed to the DSL acronym. For example, ADSL is Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line and SDSL is Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line. When talking about DSL in general terms, it is usually referred to as simply "DSL" but is sometimes referred to as "xDSL" (where the 'x' denotes 'any' type letter).

	Digital Sequence Spread Spectrum - A form of spread spectrum radio data transmission. It is similar to FHSS in that it hops from frequency to frequency transmitting a small amount of data on each hop. It has the added benefit of adding redundancy to the transmitted data to help detect and automatically correct data transmission errors.
	See Also: 802.11b CDMA2000