Glossary

Data gravity is an analogy describing the phenomenon where large datasets attract applications, services, and additional data. As the volume of data increases, the "mass" of the dataset grows, requiring compute resources to be located in close proximity to minimize latency and maximize throughput. This makes it progressively difficult and expensive to move the data or the associated processing logic to a different environment.

Debian is a stable, free, and open-source Linux distribution composed of free software-licensed utilities and non-free software. It is one of the oldest and most trusted operating systems, known for its strict adherence to the Debian Free Software Guidelines and its massive software repository.

Deep Learning is a type of machine learning that uses artificial neural networks with multiple layers (hence "deep") to recognize complex patterns in data (images, text, audio). It attempts to mimic the behavior of the human brain to process data and create patterns for use in decision making.

A key activity in the Service Value Chain that ensures services are delivered and supported according to agreed specifications and stakeholders' expectations. It includes everything from resolving incidents to processing service requests.

Input to the Service Value System based on opportunities and needs from internal and external stakeholders. Demand can be value demand (customer wants a new feature) or failure demand (customer needs a fix for a broken feature).

The movement of any service component or other configuration item into any environment (e.g., test, staging, production). Deployment is distinct from "Release" (which makes a feature available to users); deployment is the technical act of moving the bits.

The practice of creating plans/specifications for the construction of an object, system, or measurable human interaction. In IT, this includes software design, infrastructure design, and service design.

A key activity in the Service Value Chain that ensures products and services continually meet stakeholder expectations for quality, costs, and time to market. It covers the move from "idea" to "live service."

In UI design, a design pattern is a reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem. It is not a finished design that can be transformed directly into code, but a general concept or template for how to solve a problem that can be used in many different situations.

A practical, human-centered approach used by product designers to solve complex problems. It involves five phases: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

A workspace where developers write, test, and debug code before it is moved to testing or production environments. It typically includes the local machine setup, IDEs, and local server instances.

A cultural and professional movement that stresses communication, collaboration, and integration between software developers and information technology operations professionals. It aims to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery with high software quality.

The integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It is also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo and get comfortable with failure.

A sudden, unplanned event that causes great damage or loss. In IT, a disaster is an event that causes a service interruption of such magnitude that it cannot be resolved through standard incident management processes and requires the invocation of a continuity plan.

A set of clearly defined and documented procedures that outline how an organization will recover its IT infrastructure in the event of a disaster.

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities, most prominently translating memorable domain names to the numerical IP addresses needed for locating and identifying computer services and devices with the underlying network protocols.

DNS records are database entries used to map a domain name to a resource, such as an IP address (A/AAAA), a mail server (MX), or another name (CNAME). Each record contains specific fields, including a name, type, TTL (Time to Live), and data relevant to the record type. These records are stored in zone files on authoritative nameservers.

A DNS zone is a distinct portion of the Domain Name System namespace that is managed by a specific organization or administrator. This administrative space allows for more granular control of DNS components, such as authoritative nameservers. A zone starts at a domain name and extends down to include all subdomains, except those for which other zones are defined.

Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) is a suite of specifications for securing certain information provided by the Domain Name System (DNS). It provides DNS resolvers with origin authentication of DNS data, authenticated denial of existence, and data integrity, but does not provide availability or confidentiality. DNSSEC uses digital signatures based on public-key cryptography to sign DNS records.

Docker is an open source platform for developing, shipping, and running applications. It enables the separation of applications from infrastructure by packaging software into standardized units called containers that include everything needed to run: code, runtime, system tools, system libraries, and settings.

A domain is a distinct subset of the Internet namespace managed as a single administrative unit within the Domain Name System (DNS). Identified by a unique, human-readable string, it functions as an addressable identifier for services and resources. Technically and legally, a domain is held as a conditional leasehold from a central registry, rather than being owned as absolute property.

Domain squatting refers to the practice of registering one or more domain names with the primary goal of reselling them to the rightful trademark owner at an inflated price. This includes variants such as typosquatting, where common misspellings of a brand are registered to capture accidental traffic or facilitate phishing activities.