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The CompTIA glossary
Clear definitions for the 1,703 terms, acronyms, and concepts you'll meet on the CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+ exams — every one with a detailed explanation.
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Start studying freeCloud Computing56
autoscalingavailability zonesAWSAzureAzure ADAzure SQL Databasecloud applicationscloud backupscloud dependencycloud platformscloud servicesCloud synccommunity cloudcontainercontainer imagecontainer registrydata residencydedicated hostdedicated instancedesktop virtualizationDynamic MemoryelasticityFiles On-DemandGoogle Cloud Identityhosted serviceshybrid cloudIaaSInfrastructure as a Servicemetered utilizationMicrosoft Entra Connectmulti-cloudmultitenancynested virtualizationPaaSPlatform as a Serviceprivate cloudpublic cloudrecovery point objectiverecovery time objectiveresource poolingSaaSSelective syncshared responsibility modelslaSoftware as a Servicethick provisioningthin provisioningThrottlingType 1 hypervisorvCPUVDI connection brokerVirtual Desktop Infrastructurevirtual hardwareVMwareVPCXaaS
Database53
Always On (SQL Server)Amazon RDSApache Cassandracolumn-family databaseDatabase clusterDatabase driverdatabase replicationdatabase serverDELETEdocument databaseforeign keyGoogle Cloud SQLgraph databaseIndex (database)INSERTJDBCkey-value storeMariaDBMicrosoft SQL ServerMongoDBMulti-primary replicationMySQLNeo4jNoSQLNoSQL databasesODBCOracle DatabaseOracle RACPoint-in-time recoveryPostgreSQLprimary keyPrimary-replica replicationQuery execution planquery optimizationquery performanceRDBMSRedisrelational databaserollbackSELECTsnapshotSQLSQL Serverstored procedureTCP port 1521TCP port 27017TCP port 3306TCP port 5432TCP port 6379transaction log backupTransparent Data Encryption (TDE)UPDATEView (database)
General1
Hardware814
+5VSB10,000 RPM100BASE-TX10BASE-T12V12VHPWR15,000 RPM16x2.5-inch24-pin connector24x256-QAM3-pin3.3V32-bit4-pin4/8-pin 12 V connector5,400 RPM5V5V logic6-pin PCIe64-bit7,200 RPM75-ohm terminators8-pin PCIe80 PLUS Bronze80 PLUS Gold80 PLUS Platinum80 PLUS Silver80 PLUS TitaniumACAC adapterAC powerAC signalsaccelerometersaccess pointAccessory connectionactive stylusADFAGPairflowAirPrintAlt ModeAM4AM5AMD-Vanalog television signalanalog voice signalsanalog-to-digital converterAngle of Arrivalantenna performanceApple PayARMasset tagAsymmetric DSLatomic clockattenuationATXATX12V 2.0audio jackbacklightbackplanebackward compatibilitybandingBarracuda Email Security Gatewaybase stationBattery Efficiencybattery-backed cacheBBUBD-RBD-REbeep codesBIOSBIOS updateBIOS/UEFIblack mark sensorBLEBlower fanBlu-rayBluetoothBluetooth 4.0Bluetooth 5.2Bluetooth codecsBluetooth LE AudioBluetooth profilesBluetooth TetheringBNCbonded displayboot orderBPSKbridged tapsbroadcast televisionbufferBYODC ratingcable modemcable nodescable strippercable televisioncable testercachecapacitive sensorcapacitive styluscapacitive touch screencapture cardscapture devicescarriageCAS latencycase fanCat5eCategory 6aCategory 7Category 8CCDCCFLCDCD-RCD-RWCECcell towerCell Tower TriangulationCellular Datacellular radioschannel configurationschannel widthCharge CycleChargingchip revisionchipsetCisco Meraki MXCMOS batteryCMOS jumperCMTScoaxcoaxial cablecolor gamutCOM portcommunication infrastructurecompressed airCompTIA A+console connectionsconsole portContactless Paymentscontroller cacheCOPECopper cablingcopper telephone linescoulomb countingCPECPUCPU architecturecrimperCRT monitorCSMcutter areaDACdaisy-chainingdata bus widthdata rateData transferdaughterboardDB25DB9DCDC powerDC voltageDDRDDR generationsDDR2DDR3DDR4DDR5degraded arrayDemarcdemarcation pointdesktop computerDevice Managerdial-up modemdigital datadigital signalsdigital televisiondigitizerDIMMdirect burial cabledirect thermal printingdirect-litDiscoverable Modedish antennaDisk Managementdisplay burn-inDisplayPortDisplayPort MSTdistributed file systemsdockingdocking stationDOCSISdot matrix printerDP Alt ModeDPIdraft modedriverdriver controldriver issuesdriver signingdrop lineDSLDSL modemDSL signalDSL splitterDSLAMDSSSDual In-line Memory Moduledual SIMDual-Channeldual-linkdual-slotduplexduplex scanningduplexerDVDDVD-RDVD-RWDVD+RDVD+RWDVIDVI-ADVI-DDVI-IeARCECCECC vs. non-ECC RAMedge-litEDIDEIRPelectromagnetic fieldelectromagnetic interferenceelectromagnetic resonance (EMR) sensorelectromagnetic resonance stylusElectronic Industries Allianceembedded MultiMediaCardembedded systemsEMIeMMCEphemeris DataEPSeSATAESDESD precautionseSIMEthernetEthernet cableEthernet jackEthernet surge protectoreUICCEXPOexternal 2.5-inch hard drivesF-typefailoverfan curvefault tolerancefeed assemblyfeed rollersfeederFHSSfiberfield devicesfield-replaceable unit (FRU)FireWirefirmwareflash managementflash memoryFlex Cableform factorFortinet FortiGatefrequency-division multiplexingFresnel zonefriction feedfront-panel audio headerfull backupfull-arrayfully modular power supplyfusergap sensingGB/sGbpsGDI printergeneral-purpose serverGigabit Ethernetgigabits per secondgigabytes per secondGPSGPUgraphics tabletgrayscaleground stationGSMHBAHBA modeHDCPHDDHDMIHDRheadsetHealthcare IoTheat sinkhigh-refreshhigh-voltage contactsHMIhot sparehot-swapHSMHSPA+Human Interface Devices (HID)Hyper-ThreadinghypervisorI/OICICCIDIDCIEEEIEEE 802.3afIEEE 802.3atiGPUimaging drumimpact printerin-plane switchinginductive chargingindustrial control systemsIndustrial IoT (IIoT)infrared depth mappingink cartridgeinkjet printerIntel VT-dinternet applianceinternet connection typeinverterIOMMUIOPSIoTIP phoneIPS glowIR emitterITXJ-mountka-bandKensington security slotku-bandKVM switchlarge data transferslaser printerlatencyLCDLEDLED backlightLED indicatorslegacy devicelegacy systemslegacy USB supportLGALGA 1200LGA 1700light pulsesLightning connectorline inline of sightline outline qualityliquid coolingliquid crystalsLithium-ionLithium-Ion Polymer (Li-Po) BatteriesLNB (Low-Noise Block Downconverter)load balancerLocal looplogical volumeloopback plugloose terminationsLPDDRLPDDR2LPDDR3LPDDR4LPDDR5M.2M.2 driveMAC addressMagnetic FieldmAhmainframe computersmanaged switchmanagement interfaceMax theoretical speedmegabits per secondmemorymemory channelmemory controllermemory effectMFDMFPMHF connectorMHzMICmic inmicro-SIMMicro-USBmicroATXmicrophone arraymicrophone modulemicroSDMicrosolderingmilliampere-hourMIMOMini DisplayPort connectorMini PCIemini PCsMini-LEDMini-USBmirroringmmWaveMobile HotspotMoCA filtermodemmodem-routermodular keyboardsmodular power supplymodulated signalMolex connectorMolex-to-SATA powermonochromeMopriamotherboardmSATAMSDSMT/sMU-MIMOmulti-feedmulti-gigabit speedsmultifunction devicemultimode fibermultipart paperMultipath Errorsmultipoint connectivitymultisocket motherboardN+1 redundancyNANDNAND flash memorynano-SIMNASnative drivernative resolutionneighborhood cabinetsNestnetwork cablingnetwork devicenetwork interfacenetwork printernetwork printingnetwork switchnetwork tapnetworking devicesNFCNICNickel-Cadmium (NiCd) BatteriesNickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteriesnitsnoise cancellationnon-modular power supplyNon-Removable (Internal) Batterynon-volatile memoryNVMeNVMe SSDOEMOFDMOLEDOptical Clear Adhesive (OCA)optical equipmentoptical resolutionoptical sensoroptical signalsOTG (On-The-Go)outdoor-rated Ethernetoutput railsPackage-on-Packagepalm rejectionpanel antennapaper gap adjustmentparitypartial array self-refreshpartitionpatch cablepatch panelPCBPCIPCI ExpressPCIePCIe auxiliary power connectorsPCIe slotPCIEX1PCIEX16PCLPCL 5PCL 6PCsPDPDLPDUPeer-to-Peer Modeperformance bottleneckPGAPhased-array antennaphone linepickup rollerspigment-based inkpinoutpixel densityplatenPLCplenum cableplug-and-playPoEPoE injectorPoE switchPoE+pointing stickpoor-quality cordsPoPport replicatorportable SSDsPOSPOSTPostScript Printer Descriptionpower cyclingpower efficiencyPower Goodpower levelPower over Ethernetpredictive maintenancepressure sensitivityprint jobprint layerprint pathprint portprint queueprint serverprint settingsprinter calibrationprinter driverprinter maintenance kitprinter memoryprinter poolingprinter share nameprinter web pageprintheadprivacy shutterprovider facilitiesprox cardPS_ONPS/2PSEPSUPSU connectorsPUKpunchdown blockpunchdown toolPWMqamQPSKQR codequad-channelquadrature amplitude modulationradio communicationradio linksradio wavesRadio-Frequency IdentificationRAIDRAID 0RAID 1RAID 10RAID 5RAID 6RAID controllerrain fadeRAMRAW printingRDIMMread/write headReader/Writer Modereallocated sectorsrear I/Oredundancyredundant power supplyrefresh rateregion codeRemovable Batteryresistive touch screenRFRFIDRG-59RG6RGBRISCRJ11RJ45routerRPMRS-232RSSIRTUS.M.A.R.T.S/PDIFSANSASSATASATA dataSATA data cableSATA IIISATA powerSatellitesatellite dishSatellite Geometrysatellite linkssatellite modemSC connectorSCADASCADA serverscalingscreen resolutionSDSDHCSDHC-only deviceSDXCsector radiosSecure BootSecure ElementSecure Enclavesemi-modular power supplySensor Fusionsensor gridseparation padsSerial cablesserial signalingserverSFPSFXshared printingshared-bussignal barsSIMSIM cardsimultaneous multithreadingsingle point of failuresingle-channelsingle-linksingle-pass duplex ADFsingle-slotSiPsmart cardSMTSNRSoCSODIMMsoftware RAIDsoldered memorysound cardsSpeed Classspindle speedspudgersSSDSSPstandoffsstatic pressurestatus feedbackstorageStratum 0Stratum 2Stratum 3stripingsubpixelssurge protectionsustained read/writeSVM Modeswitchswollen batterySystem-in-PackageT1T2T568AT568BTachometerTDRtear barTelecommunications Industry Associationtelecommunications roomtelephone company facilitiestelevision signalstest jackthermal coatingthermal padsthermal paperthermal pastethermal printerthermal runawaythermal throttlingthermal transfer printingthin clientthroughputThunderboltThunderbolt 1Thunderbolt 2Thunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 4TIA/EIA-568tilt detectionTime to First FixTiming AdvanceTNtonertoner cartridgeTOSLINKtouch layertouchpadTower DensityTPMTPM 2.0tractor-feedtransfer rollertransparency modeTrilaterationTRIMTRRSTV tunerType-BU.2U.FL connectorUDIMMUEFIUEFI updateUHS ratingsUNII-1UNII-2AUNII-3Universal Flash StorageUniversal Print Driversunmanaged switchUPSuptimeUSBUSB 2.0USB 2.0-grade cableUSB 3.0USB 3.1 Gen 2USB 3.2USB 3.xUSB flash driveUSB pass-throughUSB portsUSB TetheringUSB-AUSB-CUSB-C Alt ModeUSB-C OTG adapterUSB-C Power DeliveryUSB-to-EthernetUSB-to-serial adapterUSB4UTMUTPVAVACvery small aperture terminalVGAvideo capturevideo cardsVideo Classviewing anglevirtual CPUvirtual diskvirtualizationvirtualization hostvirtualization supportVM sprawlvoice assistant integrationvoice devicevoltage regulatorVPN ConcentratorVRAMVRMvsatVT-xwall platesWatchGuard Fireboxwatt-hourwattage ratingWear Leveling CountwebcamWhwhole-house splitterWi-Fi analyzerwiring closetWLAN moduleworkstationwrite-back cachewrite-protect switchwrite-through modeWWAN cardx1x16x4x64x8x86XMPYagi antennazero clientZIF
Networking367
.app110 block2.4 GHz band2G3G4G5G66 block802.11802.11ac802.11ax802.11nA recordA-GPSAAAA recordACKACMAADSLADSL2+AFCAFPAlternative AAlternative Balways-on VPNAngled Physical ContactAPIAPIPAAPNARPauthoritative name serverAuto-MDI-Xauto-negotiationbackhaulband steeringbandwidthbandwidth usagebeamformingBluetooth pairingbridged networkingbroadband internetbroadcast domainbroadcast trafficbufferbloatCalDAVcaptive portalCardDAVCat6Category 7aCDMACDMA2000Cell IDcellular networkchannel bondingCIFScisco iosclient requestclient-server modelCMGCMPCMRCNAME recordCOcomputer networksCRC errorscrossover cableData capdata packetsdatagramdefault gatewaydestination portdestination unreachableDFSdhclientDHCPDHCP exclusionDHCP leaseDHCP relayDHCP reservationDHCP scopeDHCP serverDHCP starvationDHCPACKDHCPDISCOVERDHCPNAKDHCPOFFERDHCPREQUESTdial-updigDNSDNS cacheDNS hierarchyDNS over HTTPSDNS over TLSDNS propagationDNS resolutionDNS serverDOCSIS 3.0DOCSIS 3.1DORAdownstreamDSL filterdual standbyduplex mismatchDynamic IP Addressingegressemail trafficEthernet frameETSIExternal vSwitchFast EthernetFC connectorFCCfiber internetFiber-optic cablefile serverfive-tuplefixed wirelessFTPFTTBFTTC (Fiber-to-the-Curb)FTTHFTTNFTTP (Fiber-to-the-Premises)FTTx (Fiber-to-the-x)gatewaygeostationary orbitGPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network)guest networkhandoverHEADheader analysishost-only networkinghostnamehotspotHSPAHTTPHTTP status codeshybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC)ICMPIMAPIMEIIMSIingressInternal vSwitchinternet protocol networksIPip addressIP configurationIP headerIP-based virtual hostingipconfigipconfig /releaseIPP (Internet Printing Protocol)IPv4IPv6ISPjitterkeystone jackLANLayer 2LC connectorleased lineslegacy networksLEOload balancing algorithmLoRaWANLTELTE dataLTE-AdvancedMACMAC address tableMAC filteringMAC learningMANmapped drivemaster terminal unitMbpsMDAmesh networkingmetered connectionMetered Wi-FiMetro Ethernetmillimeter waveMPLSMSTMTAMTUmulticastMX recordNATneighborhood congestionNetBIOSNetBTnetshnetwork discoverynetwork layernetwork operations centernetwork outagenetwork pathNetwork Policiesnetwork profileNetwork Technologynext hopNFSNFSv4NIDnocNRnslookupNTPNTP Pool ProjectOFDMAOLT (Optical Line Terminal)ONTOSI modelPACpacket datapacket filteringpacket lossPANPAN ProfilePassive optical splitterPC connectorpeer-to-peerpingpoint-to-multipointpoint-to-pointPoint-to-Point Protocol over EthernetPON (Passive Optical Network)POP3port 9100port configurationport flappingport forwardingport mirroringport numberport securityPOTSpowered devicesPPPPPPoEprivate IP addressPrivate vSwitchPRLprotocol analyzerprovider's data networkproxy serverPTR recordpublic IP addresspublic networkPXEQoSQuality of Serviceradio access networkRADIUSrecursive DNS resolverregulatory domainremote display protocolroamingrogue DHCP serverroot DNS serverroot zoneroutingrouting protocolsrouting tablerural broadband installssatellite internetSC/APCSDSLSecond-Level Domainsshare namesimplexsingle-mode fiberSMBSMB 3.0SMTPSNMPSNTPSOHOsource portSPF recordSPICESSIDST connectorSTARTTLSStatic IP AddressingSTPstraight-through cableStratum 1Stratum 15Stratum 16sub-6 GHzSubdomainssubnetsubnet masksuperscopeSymmetric DSLSYNSYN-ACKsyslog serverTCPTCP headerTCP port 1433TCP/IPtelnetTetheringTFTPthree-way handshaketime.apple.comtime.google.comtime.windows.comTLDTLD servertoner probetraceroutetracerttraffic managementtraffic segmentationtransport layerTTLtwisted pairTXT recordU-NIIUDPUDP headerUDP port 123Ultra Physical ContactUMTSUNC pathUNII-2CUNII-5UNII-6UNII-7UNII-8UPnPupstreamVDSLVDSL2Very-high-bit-rate DSLVirtual LANvirtual switchVLANVMvNICVoIPVoLTEVPNvSwitchwake-on-LANwall jackWANWeb Proxy Auto-Discovery protocolWi-FiWi-Fi 6EWi-Fi callingWi-Fi DirectWiMAXWINSWISPWLANworkgroupWPADWWANXGS-PONZ-WaveZigbeezone file
Operating Systems112
.deb.rpmActive DirectoryADMIN$APFSAPT (Advanced Package Tool)boot recordbootloaderBSODC$chkdskchronyclean installationControl PanelCUPSDisk CleanupDISMDNFevent viewerexFAText4Failover clusteringFAT32Finderforce stopGPTGroup PolicyGroup Policy EditorGRUBhibernatehost kernelimage deploymentin-place upgradeinit systemiPadOSipconfig /alljournalctlkernelkernel driverkiosk modeLegacy BIOSLinuxLocal Users and Groupslocal0login scriptLow Data ModemacOSmacOS DockMBRmd / mkdirMedia Feature PackMMCmount commandmultibootnanonet useNTFSntpdOperating SystemOS imagepartition tablePDC EmulatorPowerShellprint processorprocess IDrecovery partitionReFSreimagerepair installationResource Monitorrestore pointrmdir / rdRSRSafe ModeServer ManagersfcSpotlightStartup Repairsudosyslog daemonsyslog internalsystem daemonsSystem Restoresystemctlsystemdsystemd-timesyncdTask ManagerTask Schedulertime drifttroubleshooting methodologyType 3 (User Mode)Type 4 (v4)unameunixUPNUser Account Controluser profileuser-levelVHDVHDXviVMware ESXiW32TimeWindowsWindows editionsWindows Memory DiagnosticWindows Recovery EnvironmentWindows RegistrywinverxcopyXenXFS
Programming18
Security180
2FA3D facial recognition802.1XAAAABACaccess control listaccount lockoutadmin permissionsadministrator accountadvanced encryption standardadwareaesanti-malwareantivirusapp passwordapplication controlat-rest encryptionattachment scanningaudit logsAUPAuthenticationAuthorizationBECBiometric AuthenticationBIOS passwordBitLockerblacklistbrowser extensionbrute force attacksCACACCCPAcertificate warningCertificate-Based Authenticationchain of custodyCISCisco Email Securitycompliance checksConditional accesscontent filteringcybersecuritydata exfiltrationdata retentionDDoSdefense in depthdenial of servicedevice posturedirectory traversalDKIMDKIM recordDLPDMARCDMARC recordDNS hijackingDNS spoofingDNS tunnelingDNSSECDoHDoTdrive shreddingEAP-TLSEDREFSEncryption Policiesfederated identityfile hashingFirewallFRTfull wipefull-disk encryptionGatekeeperGDPRhardware tokenHIPAAHMAC-based One-Time PasswordsHOTPHTTPSidentity providerIdentity synchronizationIDS/IPSin-transit encryptionincident responseIPSjailbreak detectionjailbreakingKDCKerberoslocal accountmalwareman-in-the-middle attackmantrapsMDMMDRMFAMicrosoft accountMicrosoft Defender AntivirusMicrosoft Defender for Office 365Microsoft Entra IDMimecastmonlist commandNDAnetwork securitynext-generation firewallNISTNTFS permissionsNTP amplification attacksOAuthoffboardingOTPPass-through authenticationPasskeyPassword hash synchronizationpassword managerPassword-Based AuthenticationPatch Tuesdaypermission inheritancepermissionsPGPphishingPIIPIVprinciple of least privilegeProofpointpublic-key cryptographyPUPransomwareRBACRead & Executereputation filteringrogue access pointroot detectionrule baseS/MIMEsandboxingscreen locksecure printsecurity information and event managementselective wipesender authenticationSFTPSharing permissionsshoulder surfingsiemsignature databasesSonicWallSophos UTMspamspam gatewaySPFspoofingSQL injectionSSHSSLSSL/TLS certificateSSOstandard user accountstateful packet inspectionTACACS+TGTtime-based attack vectorsTime-based One-Time PasswordsTLSToken-Based AuthenticationTOTPtrojantwo-factor authenticationuser permissionsvirtual TPMvirusVM escapevulnerabilitiesvulnerabilityWindows FirewallWindows HelloWPAWPA2WPA2/WPA3-EnterpriseWPA3XDRXSS
Software100
.dmg.msiActiveSyncApache HTTP ServerAPK (Android Package Kit)application virtualizationARCaudio codecautodiscoverbackend serverbackend systemCaddyCMCMDBcodecConfiguration profileconnection stringconnector appcontainer runtimeCSVData Saverdifferential backupdirectory indexesdistributed systemsDLLdocument rootelastic stackemulationend-of-lifeescalationEULAExchange ActiveSyncFastCGIfeature updatefile synchronizationgeofencingGFSGlobal Address List (GAL)Google WorkspacegraylogHyper-Vimage layerinsert modeiOSISOJPEGknowledge baseknown folder backupLDAPLiteSpeedlock contentionmachine learningmail servermanagement agentMicrosoft 365Microsoft IISmiddlewaremod_phpMUANginxOCRonboardingOne-way syncPDFPDF/APNGPostScriptPresence statusprint spoolerPush synchronizationRDPRMMrobocopyrollback planrsyslogrsyslog.confscreen sharingservice-level agreementshared clipboardSharePointSideloadSOPsplunkstatic contentsyslogsyslog-ngticketing systemTIFFTime MachineTwo-way syncType 2 hypervisorVersion historyvirtual hostingVirtualBoxVMDKvoice assistantsweb serverwindows event collectorwindows event forwardingXcode