8 IT Terms to Know

The IT field has a lot of terms and acronyms which you may not be familiar with if you aren’t an IT professional. However, there are many which are common enough — even outside IT circles — that you’ve probably come across them. Here are some of the most common IT terms you should know:

Information Technology (IT)

Let’s start off with the big one, information technology itself. Because this term is so common, a lot of people have a pretty general understanding of what it is already. Information technology refers to tech systems which are used for storing, receiving, and transferring information. Traditional pieces of information technology include things like phones and computers. However, thanks to the internet of things, just about everything electronic can be considered information technology today.

Green IT

Green information technology is, as you may have surmised, information technology which is good — or at least less bad — for the environment. It involves utilizing sustainable practices such as less energy consumption, reduced e-waste, and extended device lifecycles. Upgrading to more energy efficient technologies is one of the easiest ways to lessen the impact of IT on the environment. However, reducing e-waste and extending device lifecycles can sometimes seem to go against the idea of upgrading to new equipment. Although upgrading to energy efficient equipment is good, it’s not always necessary if doing so will create more e-waste — the toxic waste left over from electronic devices, such as mercury.

Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet of Things Security

The internet of things is a somewhat new concept which refers to the network of internet connected devices. And while it does include the more traditional electronic devices, it really refers to how those devices are connected to accessory devices, and how those accessory devices are connected to each other. For example, let’s say you try to print something out, but don’t have any more ink. Thanks to the internet of things, your printer may recognize this, connect to your home assistant, and order ink for itself via Amazon. Today, just about everything in your home or business can be connected.

However, despite the wide variety of uses, the internet of things can have some drawbacks — mainly in the security department. While your phone and computer may have good security software, it’s unlikely that your smart refrigerator does. This provides an entry point into your network for hackers or viruses.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

Voice over internet protocol is a cost effective alternative to a traditional landline phone service. As the name implies, it uses the internet for calls rather than telephone wires. It also doesn’t even require an actual phone — a computer with an internet connection is all you need. But one of the best benefits of voice over internet protocol is that your phone can go anywhere with you. A work cell phone is one way to solve this problem, but with voice over internet protocol you don’t even need a separate work phone. You can simply log in on your regular cell phone and receive calls made to your desk wherever you are.

Cloud Services

office 365

Cloud services refer to a wide range of offsite programs and data storage centers. Most people tend to think of cloud services as simply online data backups, but that’s only one way in which they are used. Of course, that’s also one of the most important ways — with cloud based storage, all of your data can be protected in the event something goes wrong with your local storage. However, the other half of cloud services is still extremely useful. This includes programs and applications which are hosted on “the cloud.” and don’t require installation. Adobe Creative Cloud is one such example — it grants you access to the full suite of Adobe programs without the need to install them to your device.

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

Security information and event management is the combination of security information management (SIM) and security event management (SEM). Pretty simple, right? But what exactly does that mean? Security information and event management tools collect and analyze large amounts of security data. They can then create overviews of that data and even implement alerts based on it. In short, it’s a way for your network’s security protocols to be audited.

Malware

hacker

Malware, short for malicious software, is one of those IT terms which everyone has heard of, but not everyone actually knows what it refers to. Any program or file with a negative impact is considered malware. This can include things like viruses which can severely damage your device, or even spyware which doesn’t do direct damage.

Managed Services Provider (MSP)

A managed services provider is an IT service company which provides proactive services. This could mean hosting servers or applications, upgrading security behind the scenes, or constantly monitoring data of all kinds to identify room for improvement. With a managed services provider you don’t have to worry about whether your data is secure or if your servers might get knocked offline. Everything is taken care of for you. And if you’re looking for a managed services provider, look no further than IT Services Group.

IT Services Group

IT Services Group may not be an IT term, but it’s still a name you should know if your business uses technology of any kind. Some of the services we provide are our Green IT initiative, VOIP phone systems, total cloud storage, and security information and event management, just to name a few. Contact IT Services Group today for more information about what this managed services provider can do for your business.