Browse the Glossary - H (original) (raw)

• hackathon - A hackathon, also known as a codefest, is a social coding event that brings computer programmers and other interested people together to improve upon or build a new software program.
• hacker - A hacker is an individual who uses computer, networking or other skills to overcome a technical problem.
• hacking as a service (HaaS) - Hacking as a service (HaaS) is the commercialization of hacking skills, in which the hacker serves as a contractor.
• hacktivism - Hacktivism is the act of misusing a computer system or network for a socially or politically motivated reason.
• Hadoop - Hadoop is an open source distributed processing framework that manages data processing and storage for big data applications in scalable clusters of computer servers.
• Hadoop as a service (HaaS) - Hadoop as a service (HaaS), also known as Hadoop in the cloud, is a big data analytics framework that stores and analyzes data in the cloud using Hadoop.
• Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) - The Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) is the primary data storage system Hadoop applications use.
• hairpinning - In general telecommunication, hairpinning is returning a message from an origin endpoint back in the direction it came from as a way to get it to its destination endpoint.
• hamburger icon (slide drawer navigation) - A hamburger icon is a navigational symbol in user interface (UI) design.
• Hamming code - Hamming code is an error correction system that can detect and correct errors when data is stored or transmitted.
• HAProxy - HAProxy is a high-performance, open source load balancer and reverse proxy for TCP and HTTP applications.
• haptics - Haptics is the science of applying a sense of touch and control to interaction with computer applications.
• hard disk drive (HDD) - A computer hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile data storage device.
• hard skills - Hard skills are specific abilities, capabilities and skill sets that an individual can possess and demonstrate in a measured way.
• hard-drive encryption - Hard-drive encryption is a technology that encrypts the data stored on a hard drive using sophisticated mathematical functions.
• hardware clustering - Hardware clustering, sometimes called OS clustering, is a hardware-based method of turning multiple servers into a cluster -- a group of servers that acts like a single system.
• hardware emulation - Hardware emulation is the use of one hardware device to mimic the function of another hardware device.
• hardware RAID (hardware redundant array of independent disk) - Hardware RAID is a form of RAID (redundant array of independent disks) where processing is done on the motherboard or a separate RAID card.
• hardware security - Hardware security is vulnerability protection that comes in the form of a physical device rather than software that's installed on the hardware of a computer system.
• hardware security module (HSM) - A hardware security module (HSM) is a physical device that provides extra security for sensitive data.
• harmonic - A harmonic is a wave or signal whose frequency is an integral (whole number) multiple of the frequency of the same reference signal or wave.
• Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) - Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) is a message encryption method that uses a cryptographic key in conjunction with a hash function.
• HashiCorp - HashiCorp is a software company that provides a suite of modular DevOps infrastructure provisioning and management products.
• hashing - Hashing is the process of transforming any given key or a string of characters into another value.
• Hawthorne effect - The Hawthorne effect is the modification of behavior by study participants in response to their knowledge that they are being observed or singled out for special treatment.
• HD-DVD (high-definition DVD) - HD-DVD (high-definition DVD) is a defunct high-capacity optical storage medium that was once seen as the successor to the DVD.
• HDD form factor (hard disk drive form factor) - HDD form factor (hard disk drive form factor) is the size or geometry of a data storage device equipped with one or more magnetic-coated spinning platters and one or more moving actuator arms with magnetic heads to read and write information.
• HDLC (High-level Data Link Control) - HDLC (High-level Data Link Control) is a group of protocols or rules for transmitting data between network points (sometimes called nodes).
• HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) - HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a proprietary specification designed to ensure compatibility between video and audio devices over a single digital interface.
• HDTV (high-definition television) - HDTV (high-definition television) is a television display technology that provides picture quality similar to 35 mm movies with sound quality similar to that of a compact disc.
• headless browser - A headless browser is a web browser without a graphical user interface (GUI).
• headless commerce (headless e-commerce) - Headless commerce, also called headless e-commerce, is a platform architecture that decouples the front end of an e-commerce website with the back end.
• headless content management system (headless CMS) - A headless content management system (CMS) delivers back-end capabilities for editing, organizing and storing all types of digital information, without regard to how that content is published, displayed or used.
• headless system - A headless system is a computer that operates without a monitor, graphical user interface (GUI) or the typical peripherals used to control it, such as a keyboard and mouse.
• health informatics - Health informatics is the practice of acquiring, studying and managing health data and applying medical concepts in conjunction with health information technology systems to help clinicians provide better healthcare.
• Health Information Exchange (HIE) - Health information exchange (HIE) is the electronic transmission of healthcare-related data among medical facilities, health information organizations -- companies that oversee and govern the exchange of this data -- and government agencies according to national standards.
• Health IT (health information technology) - Health IT (health information technology) is the area of IT involving the design, development, creation, use and maintenance of information systems for the healthcare industry.
• healthcare CIO (healthcare chief information officer) - A healthcare CIO (healthcare chief information officer) is an executive at a healthcare organization that oversees the operation of the information technology department and consults with other C-level personnel on technology-related needs and purchasing decisions.
• heap - In certain programming languages including C and Pascal, a heap is an area of pre-reserved computer main storage (memory) that a program process can use to store data in some variable amount that won't be known until the program is running.
• heartbeat (computing) - In computing, a heartbeat is a program that runs specialized scripts automatically whenever a system is initialized or rebooted.
• Heartbleed - Heartbleed was a vulnerability in some implementations of OpenSSL, an open source cryptographic library.
• heat - Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from one physical system to another system or from one region in a physical system to another region.
• heat map (heatmap) - A heat map is a two-dimensional representation of data in which various values are represented by colors.
• HELLO packet - A HELLO packet is a special data packet (message) that is sent out periodically from a router to establish and confirm network adjacency relationships to other routers in the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) communications protocol.
• help desk - A help desk is the individual, group, organizational function or external service that an IT user calls to get help with a problem.
• hertz (Hz) - Hertz (Hz) is the standard unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI).
• heuristic - As an adjective, heuristic (pronounced hyu-RIS-tik and from the Greek "heuriskein" meaning "to discover") pertains to the process of gaining knowledge or some desired result by intelligent guesswork rather than by following some preestablished formula.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP Enterprise, HPE) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HP Enterprise, also known as HPE) is an American multinational company that specializes in business IT (information technology).
• Hewlett-Packard (HP) - HP (Hewlett-Packard) is a prominent IT company based in Palo Alto, California.
• hexadecimal - Hexadecimal is a numbering system with base 16.
• Hibernate - Hibernate is an open source object relational mapping (ORM) tool that provides a framework to map object-oriented domain models to relational databases for web applications.
• Hick's law - Hick's law is a psychological principle which states that the more options are available to a person, the longer it will take for him or her to make a decision about which option is best.
• hierarchical storage management (HSM) - Hierarchical storage management (HSM) is policy-based management of data files that uses storage media economically and without the user being aware of when files are retrieved from storage.
• hierarchy - Generally speaking, hierarchy refers to an organizational structure in which items are ranked in a specific manner, usually according to levels of importance.
• high-performance computing - High-performance computing (HPC) is the practice of using parallel data processing to improve computing performance and perform complex calculations.
• high-touch customer service - High-touch customer service is a category of contact center interaction that requires human interaction.
• HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) - The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to promote the best use of IT and management systems in the healthcare industry.
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) - HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.
• HireVue - HireVue is an enterprise video interviewing technology provider of a platform that lets recruiters and hiring managers screen candidates and conduct live interviews over the internet.
• histogram - A histogram is a type of chart that shows the frequency distribution of data points across a continuous range of numerical values.
• historical data - Historical data, in a broad context, is data collected about past events and circumstances pertaining to a particular subject.
• HL7 (Health Level Seven International) - HL7 (Health Level Seven International) is a set of standards, formats and definitions for exchanging and developing electronic health records (EHRs).
• hockey stick growth - Hockey stick growth is a growth pattern in a line chart that shows a sudden and extremely rapid growth after a long period of linear growth.
• Hofstadter's law - Hofstadter's law states that a project always takes longer than expected, even when the law is taken into account.
• holacracy - A holacracy is a governance structure characterized by a distribution of power among self-organizing groups, rather than the typical top-down hierarchical corporate culture model.
• holistic (holistic technology) - Holistic technology is an approach to IT management that considers the infrastructure as a whole instead of as a collection of individual systems.
• holographic storage (holostorage) - Holographic storage is computer storage that uses laser beams to store computer-generated data in three dimensions.
• homomorphic encryption - Homomorphic encryption is the conversion of data into ciphertext that can be analyzed and worked with as if it were still in its original form.
• honey monkey - A honey monkey is a virtual computer system that is programmed to lure, detect, identify and neutralize malicious activity on the Internet.
• honeynet - A honeynet is a network set up with intentional vulnerabilities hosted on a decoy server to attract hackers.
• honeypot (computing) - A honeypot is a network-attached system set up as a decoy to lure cyber attackers and detect, deflect and study hacking attempts to gain unauthorized access to information systems.
• hook - In programming, a hook is a place and usually an interface provided in packaged code that allows a programmer to insert customized programming.
• horsepower (hp) - Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement in the foot-pound-second (fps or ft-lb/s) or English system, sometimes used to express the rate at which mechanical energy is expended.
• host (in computing) - A host is a computer or other device that communicates with other hosts on a network.
• host bus adapter (HBA) - A host bus adapter (HBA) is a circuit board or integrated circuit adapter that connects a host system, such as a server, to a storage or network device.
• host intrusion prevention system (HIPS) - A host intrusion prevention system (HIPS) is an approach to security that relies on third-party software tools to identify and prevent malicious activities.
• host virtual machine (host VM) - A host virtual machine is the server component of a virtual machine the underlying hardware that provides computing resources to support a particular guest VM.
• hosted services - Hosted services are applications, IT infrastructure components or functions that organizations access from external service providers, typically through an internet connection.
• hosted virtual desktop (HVD) - A hosted virtual desktop (HVD) is a user interface that connects to applications and data that are stored on a cloud provider's servers rather than on the user's computer or the corporate network.
• hosting (website hosting, web hosting and webhosting) - Web hosting -- also known as website hosting or webhosting -- is the process where a web hosting provider stores and maintains website files and applications on a server to make its customers' websites accessible on the internet.
• hot plugging - Hot plugging is the addition of a component to a running computer system without significant interruption to the operation of the system.
• hot swap - A hot swap describes the act of removing components from or plugging them into a computer system while the power remains switched on.
• hot/cold aisle - The hot and cold aisles in the data center are part of an energy-efficient layout for server racks and other computing equipment.
• hotfix - A hotfix is code -- sometimes called a patch -- that fixes a bug in a product.
• hotkey - A hot key is a key or a combination of keys on a computer keyboard that, when pressed at one time, performs a task (such as starting an application) more quickly than performing a task by using a mouse or other input device.
• Hotspot 2.0 - Hotspot 2.0, also known as Wi-Fi Certified Passpoint, is a standard for public-access Wi-Fi that enables seamless roaming among Wi-Fi networks and between Wi-Fi and cellular networks.
• How many bytes for... - Data is often expressed in bytes, which are composed of eight binary digits.
• How social media can help you find jobs that aren't advertised - Social media can help you find hidden employment opportunities, providing a platform both for showcasing your own expertise and for connecting with others who can help you along.
• How to write a business case - A business case document is a formal, written argument intended to convince a decision-maker to approve some kind of action.
• HR automation - Human resources automation (HR automation) is a method of using software to automate and streamline repetitive and laborious HR tasks.
• HR help desk - HR help desk refers to a central source of information employees can consult about human resource questions.
• HR service delivery - HR service delivery is a term used to explain how an organization's human resources department offers services to and interacts with employees.
• HR technology (human resources tech) - HR technology (human resources technology) is an umbrella term for hardware and software used to automate the human resource function in organizations.
• HRIS (human resource information system) - A human resource information system (HRIS) is software that provides a centralized repository of employee master data that the human resource management (HRM) group needs for completing core human resource (core HR) processes.
• HRIS director (human resources information system director) - An HRIS (human resource information system) director is the manager who serves as a technical point of contact for the organization's human resource management department.
• HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) - High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSPDA) is a packet-based mobile telephony protocol used in 3G Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) radio networks to increase data capacity and speed up download rates.
• HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) - HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a text-based approach to describing how content contained within an HTML file is structured.
• HTML5 - HTML5 is commonly thought to be the fifth version, or release, of the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), a standardized descriptive language that specifies how to structure webpages.
• HTML5 mobile app - An HTML5 mobile app is a web application developed with version 5 of HTML, a web content standard designed for handheld devices like smartphones and tablets.
• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) - HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the set of rules for transferring files -- such as text, images, sound, video and other multimedia files -- over the web.