CodeHS IT Infrastructure Vocabulary

NFC (Near Field Communication)

A form of radio communication that transfers data wirelessly over very short distances

Command Line Interface (CLI)

An interface that accepts text commands at a prompt, usually for immediate execution with immediate display of output.

routing table

List of networks and paths the router references for decisions on packet forwarding

Bluetooth

Short range, low bandwidth wireless technology that uses radio waves to transmit information

non-volatile storage

Storage which does not lose its contents when the power is removed.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Temporary memory a computer uses to store information while it is processing.

volatile storage

Temporary storage, such as in random access memory. When the power is off, the data in volatile storage is cleared out.

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

The chip that does the processing needed to display images on the screen; can be located on the motherboard, inside the CPU, or on a video graphics board.

WLAN

Wireless Local Area Network

Network Interface Card (NIC)

a hardware component that enables computers to communicate over a network

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

a server that is placed on a network with the sole purpose of providing storage to users, computers, and devices attached to the network

BIOS

a special kind of firmware that runs programs strictly to start up a computer

port scan

checks to see which ports on a network are open

motherboard

circuit board with ports and sockets used to connect the main devices of a computer

Central Procssing Unit (CPU)

core component of a device that accepts and executes instructions

firewall

device or software that blocks unwanted Internet traffic while allowing legitimate traffic.

Plug and Play devices:

device that will be recognized by your computer and install on it's own

network device

electronic device which is required for communication between devices

switch

enables wired connections between more than one computer or device

Solid State Drive (SSD)

fast access storage device used in computers

driver

group of files that allows a device to communicate with computer's operating system

network adaptor

internal component of a computer that is used for communication over a network

network port

location where information is sent from one computer to another

file server

network attached storage that is equipped with powerful network adapters

modem

network device that allows a device to connect to the internet

access point

network device that allows other WiFi devices to connect to a wired network

wireless networking standards

set of protocols that specify how your WiFi network and other data transmission work

VLAN

virtual LAN that allows for the setup of separate networks by configuring a network device

router

wireless access point that allows for network management and security configuration.