Glossary Items

B

  1. A backbone network is part of the computer network infrastructure that connects different networks and provides a path for data exchange between these different networks.
  2. Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) is a cloud service model in which developers outsource all the behind-the-scenes aspects of a web or mobile application so that they only have to write and maintain the frontend.
  3. A bar code (often seen as a single word, barcode) is the small image of lines (bars) and spaces that is affixed to retail store items, identification cards, and postal mail to identify a particular product number, person, or location.
    The code uses a sequence of vertical bars and spaces to represent numbers and other symbols. A bar code symbol typically consists of five parts: a quiet zone, a start character, data characters (including an optional check character), a stop character, and another quiet zone.
  4. A base station is the location of a fixed communication and is part of a network’s wireless telephone system. It relays information to and from a transmitting/receiving unit, such as a mobile phone.
    The term base station is used in the context of mobile telephony, wireless computer networking and other wireless communications and in land surveying: in surveying it is a GPS receiver at a known position, while in wireless communications it is a transceiver connecting a number of other devices to one another and/or to a wider area.
  5. A base station controller (BSC) is a critical mobile network component that controls one or more base transceiver stations (BTS), also known as base stations or cell sites.
    Key BSC functions include radio network management (such as radio frequency control), BTS handover management and call setup. Often perceived as the intelligence behind the BTS, the BSC serves as a mediator between base stations and the MSCs, while providing voice pathways for mobile phones and other compatible devices, such as a land line or the Internet.
  6. As part of a cellular network, a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) has equipment for the encryption and decryption of communications, spectrum filtering equipment, antennas and transceivers (TRX) to name a few.
    As part of a cellular network, a BTS has equipment for the encryption and decryption of communications, spectrum filtering equipment, antennas and transceivers (TRX) to name a few. A BTS typically has multiple transceivers that allow it to serve many of the cell's different frequencies and sectors.
  7. Low-cost devices that communicate with smartphone apps indoors, without the need for GPS. Beacons use BLE and are key enablers for the smart retail category, triggering messages as consumers pass-through locations or near products.
    Beacons use BLE and are key enablers for the smart retail category, triggering messages as consumers pass through locations or near products.
  8. The belief-desire-intention (BDI) software model is a software model developed for intelligent programming agents. Superficially characterized by the implementation of an agent's beliefs, desires, and intentions, it uses these concepts to solve a particular problem in agent programming
    Superficially characterized by the implementation of an agent's beliefs, desires and intentions, it actually uses these concepts to solve a particular problem in agent programming. In essence, it provides a mechanism for separating the activity of selecting a plan (from a plan library or an external planner application) from the execution of currently active plans. Consequently, BDI agents are able to balance the time spent on deliberating about plans (choosing what to do) and executing those plans (doing it). A third activity, creating the plans in the first place (planning), is not within the scope of the model, and is left to the system designer and programmer.
  9. The connected world including cars, homes, and wearables are creating a rapidly expanding world of access to the customer.
    Two out of three of IT and business executives that had been surveyed report that smart objects will have a high or very high impact on their organizations by helping to advance a company’s industry position or gain competitive advantage.
  10. Biometrics is the technical term for body measurements and calculations. It refers to metrics related to human characteristics. Biometric identifiers are often categorized as physiological versus behavioral characteristics.
    Biometric identifiers are the distinctive, measurable characteristics used to label and describe individuals. Biometric identifiers are often categorized as physiological versus behavioral characteristics. Physiological characteristics are related to the shape of the body. Examples include, but are not limited to fingerprint, palm veins, face recognition, DNA, palm print, hand geometry, iris recognition, retina and odour/scent. Behavioral characteristics are related to the pattern of behavior of a person, including but not limited to typing rhythm, gait, and voice.
  11. Blended Workforce is a labor force involving close collaboration between humans and intelligent machines in the form of augmentation. The blended workforce can enhance workers' productivity.
  12. Block Explorer is a software tool that allows a blockchain to be transparent. Anybody can go on to the online page of the block explorer and check past and current transactions and information on them.
    This is the tool that allows a Blockchain to be transparent, anybody can go on to the online page of the block explorer and check past and current transactions and information on them. I380
  13. Block Height refers to the number of blocks of a particular Blockchain since the genesis block. It represents the current block number. The current block number will be how many blocks have been created since that particular Blockchain was created.
    This piece of information is found on the block explorer. It represents the current block number. The current block number will be how many blocks have been created since that particular Blockchain was created.
  14. An incentive to block miners for securing the network by providing hash power to it. The miner who calculated the correct hash of the next block gets coins for verifying the transactions in that block. New coins are minted every time a new block is added to the chain.
    The miner who calculated the correct hash of the next block gets coins for verifying the transactions in that block. New coins are minted every time a new block is added to the chain.In Bitcoin, the block reward halves every 4 years, making it a deflationary cryptocurrency.
  15. A blockchain is a decentralized, distributed, and oftentimes public, digital ledger that is used to record transactions across many computers so that any involved record cannot be altered retroactively, without the alteration of all subsequent blocks.
    A blockchain is a distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of transactional data records hardened against tampering and revision, even by operators of the data store's nodes. The initial and most widely known application of the blockchain technology is the public ledger of transactions for bitcoin and the inspiration of similar distributed ledgers known as altchains. Each blockchain record is enforced cryptographically and hosted on machines working as data store nodes.
  16. A container data structure comprising of the transactions made on that particular Blockchain. Different Blockchains have different block sizes (e.g. Bitcoins block size is 1MB).
    This is the building block of Distributed Ledger Technology. Blocks have packets of data and new blocks are only created using the hash of older blocks in the chain. This allows the data in the blocks to be transparent, public and immutable. The technology can be used in Auditing, Finance, and tracking payments to content creators/payees.
  17. A file that houses private keys and allows access to view and transactions via a software client. Each blockchain has its own wallet file, and it is used to make transactions with.
    Each Blockchain has its own wallet file and it is used to make transactions with. There are different types of wallets such as hot, cold or multi-signature wallets, each with different levels of security.
  18. A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances. Short-range wireless technology standard which operates on the 2.4 MHz band. Bluetooth can be used for sending both data and audio, with popular uses, including wireless headsets and cordless keyboards.
    Short-range wireless technology standard which operates on the 2.4 MHz band. Bluetooth can be used for sending both data and audio, with popular uses including wireless headsets and cordless keyboards. Bluetooth devices can be set up with different hardware profiles to help perform specific tasks, for example audio adapter, audio headset, serial, and keyboard profiles.
  19. Ultra-low power version of the Bluetooth technology that is up to 15 times more efficient than Bluetooth. Compared to Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is intended to provide considerably reduced power consumption and cost while maintaining a similar communication range.
    Compared to Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth Smart is intended to provide considerably reduced power consumption and cost while maintaining a similar communication range. The latest iteration of Bluetooth, also called Bluetooth 4.0. It offers lower power use for portable devices and new profiles including Bluetooth Mesh, a Bluetooth topology that allows devices to be connected together, sending/repeating commands from the hub to any connected device. Apple’s iBeacon is an example of a BLE application, and BLE as many potential uses for IoT devices.
  20. A wireless network of wearable computing devices and physiological sensors, which may even be embedded inside the body. A key use case for BANs is e-Health applications.
    A BAN may also be referred to as a WBAN (wireless body area network) or a BSN (body sensor network). A key use case for BANs is e-Health applications.
  21. A boot loader is a small program that places the operating system (OS) of a computer into memory. Most new computers are shipped with boot loaders for some version of Microsoft Windows or the Mac OS. If a computer is to be used with Linux, a special boot loader must be installed.
    When a computer is powered-up or restarted, the basic input/output system (BIOS) performs some initial tests, and then transfers control to the master boot record (MBR) where the boot loader resides. Most new computers are shipped with boot loaders for some version of Microsoft Windows or the Mac OS. If a computer is to be used with Linux, a special boot loader must be installed.
  22. An underlying operating system for the IoT developed by Google, supporting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, and Android-based things. An operating system for the Internet of Things.
    An operating system for the Internet of Things.
  23. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) refers to employees who bring their own Wi-Fi enabled devices into the corporate network. Smartphones are the most common example, but employees also take their own tablets, laptops, and USB drives into the workplace.
    Smartphones are the most common example but employees also take their own tablets, laptops and USB drives into the workplace. BYOD is part of the larger trend of IT consumerization, in which consumer software and hardware are being brought into the enterprise. Whether employee-owned hardware and software are supported or not, they pose security risks to the organization if they connect to the corporate network or access corporate data. To minimize the risk and accommodate consumer technologies, many businesses are implementing BYOD policies.
  24. Brownfield (software development) describes the problem and the process of having to consider already existing systems when implementing new software systems.
    The term brownfield was originally used in construction and development to reference land that at some point was occupied by a permanent structure. In a brownfield project the structure would need to be demolished or renovated. Today, the term brownfield project is used in many industries, including software development, to mean to start a project based on prior work or to rebuild (engineer) a product from an existing one.
  25. A network protocol for building automation and control networks. By connecting to Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet) with the MS/TP protocol, for the first time, universal communication is possible between field devices and control technology with a freely usable standard.
    BACnet was designed to allow communication of building automation and control systems for applications such as heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control (HVAC), lighting control, access control, and fire detection systems and their associated equipment. The BACnet protocol provides mechanisms for computerized building automation devices to exchange information, regardless of the particular building service they perform.
  26. Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is a systematic process to determine and evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical business operations as a result of a disaster, accident, or emergency.
    Business impact analysis (BIA) is a systematic process to determine and evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical business operations as a result of a disaster, accident or emergency. A BIA is an essential component of an organization's business continuance plan; it includes an exploratory component to reveal any vulnerabilities and a planning component to develop strategies for minimizing risk. The result is a business impact analysis report, which describes the potential risks specific to the organization studied.
  27. Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) is an XML-based language that allows Web services in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) to interconnect and share data. An OASIS standard executable language for specifying actions within business processes with web services.
    An OASIS standard executable language for specifying actions within business processes with web services.
  28. Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is a graphical representation for specifying business processes in a business process model. A graphical representation for specifying business processes in a business process model, so that the current process may be analyzed or improved.
    A graphical representation for specifying business processes in a business process model, so that the current process may be analyzed or improved.
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