Lakeshore IT Infrastructure Modernization

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Compute Glossary

Application Migration

The process of moving an application from one environment to another, such as from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud or between different cloud platforms.

Application Modernization

Updating or transforming legacy applications to align with modern technologies, architectures, and practices—often involving cloud adoption, microservices, and containerization.

Big Data Analytics

The process of examining large and complex data sets to uncover patterns, trends, and insights using advanced analytics tools and techniques.

Cloud

A network of remote servers hosted on the internet that store, manage, and process data, enabling on-demand access to computing resources without local infrastructure.

Cloud Bursting

A hybrid cloud strategy where applications run in a private cloud but temporarily use public cloud resources during peak demand to handle additional workloads.

Cloud Computing

The delivery of computing services—including servers, storage, databases, networking, and software—over the internet, offering scalability and cost efficiency.

Container

A lightweight, portable unit that packages an application and its dependencies, ensuring consistent performance across different environments.

Data Governance

A set of policies and processes that ensure data is managed securely, accurately, and in compliance with regulations throughout its lifecycle.

Data Lake

A centralized repository that stores large volumes of raw, unstructured, and structured data for analytics and processing.

Data Migration

The process of transferring data between storage systems, formats, or environments, such as moving from on-premises to cloud storage.

Data Warehouse

A structured repository designed for storing and analyzing large volumes of organized data, typically used for business intelligence and reporting.

Edge Computing

A distributed computing model that processes data closer to its source (at the network edge) rather than in a centralized data center, reducing latency and improving performance.

Multicloud

The use of multiple cloud service providers within a single architecture to optimize performance, cost, and redundancy.

Quantum Computing

An advanced computing paradigm that uses quantum mechanics principles to perform calculations exponentially faster than classical computers for certain tasks.

Qubit

The basic unit of quantum information in quantum computing, capable of representing both 0 and 1 simultaneously through superposition.

Scaling Out

Increasing system capacity by adding more machines or nodes (horizontal scaling) to distribute workloads.

Scaling Up

Increasing system capacity by upgrading existing hardware resources (vertical scaling), such as adding more CPU or memory.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

A technology that hosts desktop environments on a centralized server, allowing users to access virtual desktops remotely.

Virtual Machine (VM)

A software-based emulation of a physical computer that runs its own operating system and applications independently on shared hardware.

Virtualization

The process of creating virtual versions of physical resources—such as servers, storage, or networks—to improve efficiency and scalability.

Networking Glossary

5G

The fifth generation of mobile network technology, offering ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and massive device connectivity to support advanced applications like IoT and autonomous systems.

Access Point

A networking device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi. It acts as a bridge between wireless clients and the local area network (LAN).

Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)

An IT framework that combines compute, storage, and networking into a single, software-driven system, simplifying management and improving scalability.

Internet Backbone

The primary data routes and high-capacity networks that form the core of the internet, connecting major data centers and ISPs globally.

IP Address

A unique numerical identifier assigned to each device connected to a network, enabling communication between devices over the internet or local networks.

IPv6

The latest version of the Internet Protocol, designed to replace IPv4, offering a vastly larger address space and improved security features.

Industry 4.0

The fourth industrial revolution, characterized by the integration of digital technologies such as IoT, AI, and automation into manufacturing and industrial processes.

Intent-Based Networking (IBNS)

A networking approach that uses automation and AI to translate business intent into network configurations, ensuring policies and performance goals are met dynamically.

Micro-Segmentation

A security technique that divides a network into smaller, isolated segments to limit lateral movement of threats and enforce granular security policies.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

An architecture that separates the network control plane from the data plane, enabling centralized management and dynamic configuration of network resources.

Network Security

The practice of protecting network infrastructure from unauthorized access, misuse, or attacks through technologies like firewalls, encryption, and intrusion detection.

Identity-Based Networking

A security model that controls network access based on user identity rather than device or IP address, enabling more granular and adaptive access policies.

Network Access Control (NAC)

A security solution that enforces policies to control which devices and users can access a network, ensuring compliance and reducing risk from unauthorized connections.

Network Virtualization

The process of combining hardware and software network resources into a single, virtualized network, enabling more flexible and efficient management of network services.

Power over Ethernet (PoE)

A technology that delivers electrical power and data over the same Ethernet cable, allowing devices like IP cameras and wireless access points to operate without separate power sources.

Routers

Networking devices that forward data packets between computer networks, directing traffic along the most efficient paths to ensure connectivity between devices and the internet.

Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN)

A virtualized WAN architecture that uses software to manage and optimize network traffic across multiple connections, improving performance, security, and cost efficiency.

Power and Cooling Glossary

Backup Generator

A secondary power source that provides electricity during outages, ensuring critical systems remain operational.

Black Out

A complete loss of electrical power in a given area or system.

Brown Out

A temporary drop in voltage in an electrical power supply, which can cause equipment malfunction or damage.

Double Conversion UPS

An uninterruptible power supply that converts incoming AC power to DC and then back to AC, providing clean and consistent power regardless of input fluctuations.

Dual Power Feed

A setup where equipment receives power from two independent sources, improving redundancy and reliability.

Form Factor

The physical size, shape, and design of hardware components, such as servers or UPS units.

Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF)

A smaller network distribution point that connects end-user devices to the main distribution frame (MDF) within a building.

Line Interactive UPS

A UPS that regulates voltage by adjusting power without switching to battery, offering protection against minor power fluctuations.

Liquid Cooling

A cooling method that uses liquid to dissipate heat from IT equipment, providing more efficient thermal management than air cooling.

Main Distribution Frame (MDF)

The primary network distribution point in a building that connects external lines to internal networks.

Managed UPS

An uninterruptible power supply with remote monitoring and management capabilities for proactive maintenance and control.

Modular UPS

A UPS system designed with interchangeable modules for scalability and easy maintenance.

N+1 Redundancy

A design principle where one additional component (such as a power supply) is added beyond what is required for operation, ensuring failover capability.

Power Distribution Unit (PDU)

A device that distributes electrical power to multiple IT equipment within a rack or data center.

Power Line Noise

Electrical interference on power lines that can disrupt or damage sensitive equipment.

Power Over Ethernet (PoE)

Technology that delivers electrical power and data over the same Ethernet cable, commonly used for devices like IP cameras and access points.

Power Swell

A temporary increase in voltage above normal levels, which can damage equipment.

Row-Based Cooling

A cooling strategy where cooling units are placed between rows of racks to provide targeted airflow.

Surge/Spike

A sudden increase in voltage that can damage electronic equipment.

System Downtime

The period during which a system or service is unavailable due to maintenance, failure, or other issues.

Tier I Data Center

Basic infrastructure with single path for power and cooling, offering limited redundancy.

Tier II Data Center

Includes redundant components for power and cooling but still has a single distribution path.

Tier III Data Center

Offers multiple power and cooling paths, allowing maintenance without downtime.

Tier IV Data Center

Highest level of redundancy and fault tolerance, ensuring continuous availability even during failures.

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

A device that provides backup power during outages and protects against power fluctuations.

UPS Runtime

The amount of time a UPS can supply power to connected equipment during an outage.

Voltage - Volt-Ampere (VA)

A unit used to measure apparent power in an electrical circuit, commonly used to size UPS systems.

Storage Glossary

 All-Flash Storage

A storage system that uses only solid-state drives (SSDs) instead of traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) for faster performance and lower latency.

Array

A collection of storage devices (such as disks) grouped together to function as a single unit for improved performance, capacity, or redundancy.

Asynchronous Replication

A data replication method where changes are copied to the secondary system with a delay, not in real-time.

 Backup

A copy of data stored separately to protect against data loss or corruption.

Backup Schedule

A predefined plan that determines when backups occur (e.g., daily, weekly).

Backup Window

The time period allocated for completing backup operations.

Bare-Metal Restore

A recovery process that restores a complete system, including the operating system, applications, and data, onto a new or empty hardware.

Block Data

Data stored in fixed-size blocks, commonly used in block-level storage systems.

Business Continuity

A strategy ensuring that critical business functions continue during and after a disaster or disruption.

Cloning

Creating an exact copy of a storage volume or system for backup or testing purposes.

Cloud Storage

A service that stores data on remote servers accessed via the internet.

Compression

Reducing the size of data to save storage space and improve transfer speed.

Cyber Resiliency

The ability of an organization to continuously deliver intended outcomes despite cyberattacks, system failures, or other disruptions. It combines cybersecurity, business continuity, and disaster recovery strategies.

Data Cache

A temporary storage area that holds frequently accessed data for faster retrieval.

Data Protection

Measures and technologies used to safeguard data from loss, corruption, or unauthorized access.

Data Transfer Rate

The speed at which data moves between devices or systems, usually measured in Mbps or Gbps.

Deduplication

A process that eliminates duplicate copies of data to save storage space.

Direct Attached Storage (DAS)

Storage directly connected to a server or computer without a network.

Disaster Recovery

A set of processes and tools to restore systems and data after a catastrophic event.

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) 

A cloud-based service that provides backup and recovery of IT infrastructure and data in case of a disaster, enabling rapid restoration without requiring on-premises hardware.

Disaster Recovery Plan

A documented strategy outlining procedures and resources needed to restore IT systems and data after a disaster or major disruption.

Disk Duplexing

A fault-tolerance technique where two disks mirror each other, each with its own controller.

Disk Striping

Splitting data across multiple disks to improve performance.

Disk-to-Disk-to-Tape (D2D2T)

A backup strategy that first copies data to disk and then to tape for long-term storage.

Distributed Storage

A system where data is spread across multiple physical locations for redundancy and scalability.

Encryption (Storage Encryption)

Securing data by converting it into an unreadable format, requiring a key to decrypt.

Failover

The process of automatically switching to a standby system, server, or network when the primary system fails, ensuring continuity of operations.

Fault Tolerance

The ability of a system to continue operating properly even when some components fail.

Full Backup

A backup that copies all data from the source system.

Incremental Backup

A backup that only copies data changed since the last backup.

Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD)

A storage configuration where disks are not combined into RAID but used individually.

Latency

The delay between a request for data and its delivery.

Load Balancing

Distributing workloads across multiple systems or resources to optimize performance.

Logical Unit Number (LUN)

An identifier for a logical storage device presented to a host in a SAN environment.

Mirrored Servers

Two servers configured to replicate each other for redundancy.

Mirroring

 Copying data in real-time from one disk or system to another for redundancy.

Multipathing

Using multiple physical paths between a server and storage to improve performance and fault tolerance.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A storage device connected to a network, providing file-level access to multiple clients.

Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe)

A high-performance storage protocol designed for SSDs that connects directly via PCIe, offering faster data transfer and lower latency compared to traditional protocols like SATA.

Point-in-Time Copy

A snapshot of data at a specific moment, used for backup or recovery.

Recovery Point Objective (RPO)

The maximum acceptable amount of data loss measured in time. It defines how far back in time data can be restored after a failure.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO)

The maximum acceptable duration to restore systems and resume operations after a disruption.

Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)

A storage technology that combines multiple disks for redundancy or performance.

Redundancy

Duplication of critical components or data to ensure availability in case of failure.

Remote Access

The ability to access systems or data from a distant location.

Replication

Copying data from one location to another for backup or disaster recovery.

Restore

The process of recovering data from a backup.

SAN (Storage Area Network)

A high-speed network that provides block-level storage access to servers, commonly used in enterprise environments for centralized storage.

Snapshot

A point-in-time copy of data, often used for backup or quick recovery without duplicating the entire dataset.

Storage Array 

A system that contains multiple storage devices managed as a single entity.

Storage Controller

Hardware or software that manages data flow between storage devices and servers.

Synchronous Replication

A replication method where data is copied to the secondary system in real-time.

Tiered Storage

Organizing data across different storage types based on performance and cost.

Tiering

The process of moving data between storage tiers based on usage patterns.

Tape Library (Virtual Tape Library)

A disk-based system that emulates tape storage for backup purposes.

Volume

A logical storage unit created from physical storage resources.

Virtual Tape Library (VTL)

A disk-based backup system that simulates traditional tape libraries.