Common Abbreviations and Terminology in ICT 4.
Firewall: A security system that monitors and controls incoming and
Hardware Terminology
First things first, let’s start with the basics: hardware. Here are some
commonly used terms that you’ll encounter when talking about ICT
hardware:
1. CPU: Central Processing Unit. This is the “brain” of the computer,
responsible for carrying out instructions and performing calculations.
2. RAM: Random Access Memory. This is the short-term memory of
the computer, where data is stored temporarily while the computer
is running.
3. Hard Drive: The main storage device of the computer, where all
your files and programs are stored long-term.
4. Motherboard: The main circuit board of the computer, which
connects all the other components.
Software Terminology
Next up, let’s take a look at some software-related terms:
1. Operating System (OS): This is the software that manages the
computer’s resources and provides a user interface for interaction
with the hardware. Examples include Windows, macOS, and Linux.
2. Application (App): A program or software designed to perform
specific tasks, such as word processing, image editing, or gaming.
3. Browser: A software application used to access and view websites
on the internet. Examples include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox,
and Microsoft Edge.
outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
Networking Terminology
Now, let’s move on to networking terms:
1. LAN: Local Area Network. This is a network of computers and
devices that are connected within a limited area, such as an office
or a home.
2. WAN: Wide Area Network. This is a network that spans a large
geographical area, such as a city or even multiple cities.
3. Router: A networking device that forwards data packets between
computer networks.
4. VPN: Virtual Private Network. A network that allows remote users
to securely access a private network over the internet.
File System-Based Terminology
• Directory: Also known as a folder, a directory is a container for files
and other directories.
• File: A file is a collection of data that is stored on a storage device.
• Path: A path is the location of a file or directory in a file system. It is
usually represented as a series of directories separated by slashes,
such as /home/user/documents/file.txt.
• Partition: A partition is a section of a storage device that is treated
as a separate entity. It can be formatted with a file system and used
to store files.

Here are some commonly used terms related to file system types:
1. FAT: File Allocation Table. A file system used by older versions of
Windows and some removable storage devices.
2. NTFS: New Technology File System. A file system used by modern
versions of Windows.
3. Ext4: Fourth Extended File System. A file system used by Linux.
4. APFS: Apple File System. A file system used by macOS.
The following are the most commonly used file size options:
1. Byte (B): The smallest unit of file size, equivalent to 8 bits.
2. Kilobyte (KB): 1 KB is equivalent to 1024 bytes.
3. Megabyte (MB): 1 MB is equivalent to 1024 KB or 1,048,576 bytes.
4. Gigabyte (GB): 1 GB is equivalent to 1024 MB or 1,073,741,824
bytes.
5. Terabyte (TB): 1 TB is equivalent to 1024 GB or 1,099,511,627,776
bytes.
6. Petabyte (PB): 1 PB is equivalent to 1024 TB or
1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes.
KB and MB Conversion
Converting between KB and MB is a common task when dealing
with file sizes. Here’s a simple method for converting KB to MB and vice
versa:
1. To convert KB to MB, divide the number of KB by 1024. For example,
4096 KB is equivalent to 4 MB (4096/1024 = 4).
2. To convert MB to KB, multiply the number of MB by 1024. For
example, 2 MB is equivalent to 2048 KB (2 x 1024 = 2048).
Internet and Web Terminology
Last but not least, let’s explore some commonly used internet and
web terms:
1. URL: Uniform Resource Locator. This is the address of a website,
which you enter into a web browser to access the site.
2. HTTP/HTTPS: Hypertext Transfer Protocol/Secure. These are the
protocols used to transfer data over the internet. HTTPS is the more
secure version, which encrypts data to prevent unauthorized access.
3. DNS: Domain Name System. This is a system that translates domain
names (such as google.com) into IP addresses, which are used to
identify devices on a network.
4. HTML: Hypertext Markup Language. This is the standard language
used to create web pages
Common Computer Abbreviations
• 2FA – Two Factor Authentication
• 3G – Third Generation
• 4G – Fourth Generation
• 5G – Fifth Generation
• A/D – Analog to Digital
• AAA – Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting • AMOLED – Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode

• AAC – Advanced Audio Coding • AMOLED – Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode

• AAL – ATM Adaptation Layer • AMP – Accelerated Mobile Pages

• AAS – Authentication as a Service • ANSI – American National Standards Institute

• ABAP – Advanced Business Application Programming • API – Application Programming Interface

• AC – Alternating Current • APN – Access Point Name

• ACC – Adaptive Cruise Control • APS – Advanced Planning and Scheduling

• ACL – Access Control List • ARP – Address Resolution Protocol

• ACPI – Advanced Configuration and Power Interface • ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange

• AD – Active Directory • ASP – Active Server Pages

• ADC – Analog to Digital Converter • ATA – Advanced Technology Attachment

• ADC – Analog-to-Digital Converter • ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode

• ADSL – Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line • ATX – Advanced Technology Extended

• AES – Advanced Encryption Standard • AV – Audio/Visual

• AFK – Away From Keyboard • AV – Audio-Visual

• AGP – Accelerated Graphics Port • AVG – Anti-Virus Guard

• A-GPS – Assisted GPS • AVI – Audio Video Interleave

• AI – Artificial Intelligence • AVR – Automatic Voltage Regulator

• AJAX – Asynchronous JavaScript and XML • AWG – American Wire Gauge

• ALU – Arithmetic Logic Unit • B2B – Business to Business

• AM – Amplitude Modulation • B2B – Business-to-Business

• B2C – Business to Consumer • CAPTCHA – Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell
Computers and Humans Apart
• B2C – Business-to-Consumer
• CAT – Category
• BAU – Business As Usual
• CBT – Computer-Based Training
• BBP – Best Business Practice
• CC – Carbon Copy
• BCC – Blind Carbon Copy
• CCD – Charge-Coupled Device
• BCD – Binary Coded Decimal
• CCFL – Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp
• BIOS – Basic Input/Output System
• CCM – Counter with CBC-MAC
• BIT – Binary Digit
• CD – Compact Disc
• BLOB – Binary Large Object
• CDM – Conceptual Data Model
• BMP – Bitmap
• CDN – Content Delivery Network
• BOM – Bill of Materials
• CDR – Call Detail Record
• BOOTP – Bootstrap Protocol
• CD-R – Compact Disc Recordable
• BPM – Business Process Management
• CD-ROM – Compact Disc Read-Only Memory
• BPS – Bits per Second
• CD-RW – Compact Disc Re-Writable
• BRB – Be Right Back
• CEO – Chief Executive Officer
• BSSID – Basic Service Set Identifier
• CERT – Computer Emergency Response Team
• BYOD – Bring Your Own Device
• CGI – Common Gateway Interface
• C2C – Customer to Customer
• CHAP – Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol
• CA – Certificate Authority
• CIDR – Classless Inter-Domain Routing
• CAD – Computer-Aided Design
• CIFS – Common Internet File System
• CAM – Computer-Aided Manufacturing
• CIM – Common Information Model • DAC – Digital to Analog Converter

• CIO – Chief Information Officer • DAO – Data Access Object

• CIS – Customer Information System • DBA – Database Administrator

• CISC – Complex Instruction Set Computer • DBMS – Database Management System

• CISC – Complex Instruction Set Computing • DC – Direct Current

• CLI – Command Line Interface • DDoS – Distributed Denial of Service

• CMOS – Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor • DDR – Double Data Rate

• CMS – Content Management System • DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

• CMS – Customer Management System • DIMM – Dual In-line Memory Module

• CNC – Computer Numerical Control • DIP – Dual In-line Package

• COBOL – Common Business Oriented Language • DNS – Domain Name System

• CODEC – Coder-Decoder • DOS – Disk Operating System

• COM – Component Object Model • DPI – Dots Per Inch

• CPU – Central Processing Unit • DRM – Digital Rights Management

• CRC – Cyclic Redundancy Check • DSL – Digital Subscriber Line

• CRM – Customer Relationship Management • DSP – Digital Signal Processor

• CRUD – Create, Read, Update, Delete • DTD – Document Type Definition

• CSS – Cascading Style Sheets • DVD – Digital Versatile Disc

• CSV – Comma-Separated Values • DVD – Digital Video Disc

• CTI – Computer Telephony Integration • EAI – Enterprise Application Integration

• CTR – Click-Through Rate • EAP – Extensible Authentication Protocol

• EEPROM – Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory • HTTP – Hypertext Transfer Protocol

• EIDE – Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics • HTTPS – Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure

• EJB – Enterprise JavaBeans • I/O – Input/Output

• EMF – Enhanced Metafile • IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service

• EMF – Enhanced Metafile Format • IBM – International Business Machines

• EMI – Electromagnetic Interference • ICMP – Internet Control Message Protocol

• ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning • IDE – Integrated Development Environment

• EULA – End User License Agreement • IDS – Intrusion Detection System

• FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions • IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

• FAT – File Allocation Table • IIS – Internet Information Services

• FDD – Floppy Disk Drive • IMAP – Internet Message Access Protocol

• FTP – File Transfer Protocol • IoT – Internet of Things

• GB – Gigabyte • IP – Internet Protocol

• GHz – Gigahertz • IPS – Intrusion Prevention System

• GIF – Graphics Interchange Format • IPsec – Internet Protocol Security

• GPS – Global Positioning System • IPv4 – Internet Protocol version 4

• GUI – Graphical User Interface • IPv6 – Internet Protocol version 6

• HD – High Definition • IRC – Internet Relay Chat

• HDD – Hard Disk Drive • ISA – Industry Standard Architecture

• HDMI – High-Definition Multimedia Interface • ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network

• HTML – Hypertext Markup Language • ISO – International Organization for Standardization

• ISP – Internet Service Provider • MAC – Media Access Control

• IT – Information Technology • MAN – Metropolitan Area Network

• J2EE – Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition • MB – Megabyte

• J2ME – Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition • Mbps – Megabits per second

• J2SE – Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition • MCSE – Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

• JAR – Java Archive • MD5 – Message Digest 5

• JDBC – Java Database Connectivity • MIME – Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions

• JSON – JavaScript Object Notation • MMORPG – Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

• JSP – JavaServer Pages • MMS – Multimedia Messaging Service

• JVM – Java Virtual Machine • MOA – Massive Online Analysis

• KPI – Key Performance Indicator • MOBO – Motherboard

• LAN – Local Area Network • MOOC – Massive Open Online Course

• LCD – Liquid Crystal Display • MPEG – Moving Picture Experts Group

• LDAP – Lightweight Directory Access Protocol • MPLS – Multiprotocol Label Switching

• LED – Light Emitting Diode • MRP – Material Requirements Planning

• LIFO – Last In, First Out • MS SQL – Microsoft SQL Server

• LIFO – Last-In, First-Out • MSDN – Microsoft Developer Network

• LINQ – Language Integrated Query • MSSQL – Microsoft SQL Server

• Linux – A Unix-like operating system • MVC – Model-View-Controller

• LMS – Learning Management System • NAS – Network-Attached Storage

• LTE – Long-Term Evolution • NAT – Network Address Translation

• NAV – Norton Anti-Virus • PCMCIA – Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association
• NFC – Near Field Communication
• PDF – Portable Document Format
• NIC – Network Interface Card
• Perl – Practical Extraction and Reporting Language
• NLP – Natural Language Processing
• PHP – Hypertext Preprocessor
• NNTP – Network News Transfer Protocol
• PING – Packet InterNet Groper
• NTFS – New Technology File System
• PKI – Public Key Infrastructure
• OAuth – Open Authorization
• PLC – Programmable Logic Controller
• OCR – Optical Character Recognition
• PNG – Portable Network Graphics
• ODBC – Open Database Connectivity
• POP – Post Office Protocol
• OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer
• OSIX – Portable Operating System Interface
• OLE – Object Linking and Embedding
• POST – Power-On Self Test
• OLED – Organic Light Emitting Diode
• PPC – Pay-per-click
• OOP – Object-Oriented Programming
• PPP – Point-to-Point Protocol
• ORM – Object-Relational Mapping
• PPTP – Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
• OS – Operating System
• PS/2 – Personal System/2
• OSI – Open Systems Interconnection
• PSP – PlayStation Portable
• P2P – Peer-to-Peer
• PSTN – Public Switched Telephone Network
• PaaS – Platform as a Service
• QA – Quality Assurance
• PAN – Personal Area Network
• QoS – Quality of Service
• PCI – Peripheral Component Interconnect
• RAID – Redundant Array of Independent Disks
• PCI-E – Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
• RAM – Random Access Memory • SEM – Search Engine Marketing

• RDBMS – Relational Database Management System • SEO – Search Engine Optimization

• RFID – Radio Frequency Identification • SERP – Search Engine Results Page

• RGB – Red Green Blue • SFTP – Secure File Transfer Protocol

• RISC – Reduced Instruction Set Computing • SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

• RJ45 – Registered Jack-45 • SMTP – Simple Network Management Protocol

• RMI – Remote Method Invocation • SNMP – Simple Network Management Protocol

• ROI – Return on Investment • SNS – Social Network Service

• ROM – Read-Only Memory • SOAP – Simple Object Access Protocol

• RPC – Remote Procedure • SQL – Structured Query Language

• RPC – Remote Procedure Call • SSH – Secure Shell

• RSS – Really Simple Syndication • SSL – Secure Sockets Layer

• RTF – Rich Text Format • SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics

• SaaS – Software as a Service • TCP – Transmission Control Protocol

• SAN – Storage Area Network • TCP/IP – Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

• SAS – Serial Attached SCSI • TFTP – Trivial File Transfer Protocol

• SATA – Serial Advanced Technology Attachment • TIFF – Tagged Image File Format

• SCSI – Small Computer System Interface • TLS – Transport Layer Security

• SD – Secure Digital • TPM – Trusted Platform Module

• SDK – Software Development Kit • TTL – Time to Live

• SDLC – Systems Development Life Cycle • UDP – User Datagram Protocol

• UI – User Interface • WEP – Wired Equivalent Privacy

• UML – Unified Modeling Language • Wi-Fi – Wireless Fidelity

• UNC – Universal Naming Convention • WiMAX – Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

• URI – Uniform Resource Identifier • WIMP – Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer

• URL – Uniform Resource Locator • WINS – Windows Internet Name Service

• USB – Universal Serial Bus • WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network

• UTF – Unicode Transformation Format • WMA – Windows Media Audio

• UTF-8 – Unicode Transformation Format 8-bit • WMI – Windows Management Instrumentation

• UX – User Experience • WML – Wireless Markup Language

• VLAN – Virtual Local Area Network • WMP – Windows Media Player

• VM – Virtual Machine • WORM – Write Once Read Many

• VNC – Virtual Network Computing • WPA – Wi-Fi Protected Access

• VPN – Virtual Private Network • WSDL – Web Services Description Language

• VR – Virtual Reality • XHTML – Extensible Hypertext Markup Language

• VRAM – Video Random Access Memory • XML – Extensible Markup Language

• VRML – Virtual Reality Modeling Language • XSL – Extensible Stylesheet Language

• W3C – World Wide Web Consortium • XSLT – Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations

• WAN – Wide Area Network • Y2K – Year 2000

• WAP – Wireless Application Protocol • ZIP – Zone Improvement Plan

• WBEM – Web-Based Enterprise Management

• WCF – Windows Communication Foundation

What is a file system?

A file system is a method of organizing and storing files on a storage

device, such as a hard drive, SSD, or USB drive.

What are file attributes?

File attributes are metadata that describes the properties of a file,

such as its size, modification time, ownership, and permissions.

What are some commonly used file systems?

Some commonly used file systems include FAT, NTFS, Ext4, and
APFS.