P

P for Proxy

abbreviation / acronyms

Term

Definition

P-x

Pentium - (numbers)

The brand name for a series of Intel microprocessors used in IBM-compatible PCs. e.g. Pentium Pro (1995), Pentium II (1997), Pentium III (1999) and Pentium 4 (2002).

P&S

Point And Shoot

Digital camera type

p2mp

point-to-multipoint

Communication between a series of receivers and transmitters to a central location. Cisco p2mp typically is set up in three segments to enable frequency re-use. Cisco offers MMDS, U-NII, and LMDS systems in p2mp.

P2P

Peer to Peer

In a P2P network, the "peers" are computer systems which are connected to each other via the Internet. Files can be shared directly between systems on the network without the need of a central server.

P2SC

Power 2 Super Chip

IBM's Deep Blue processor

P3P

Platform for Privacy Preferences

protocol that specifies a way to determine if a Web site's security policies meet a user's privacy requirements. P3P includes a machine-readable vocabulary and syntax that can be used to describe Web site security policies and consumers' self-identified privacy preferences.

P4M

Pentium 4 Processor-M

the processor was specifically designed for use in a laptop. It includes low power technologies that help extend battery life.

PA-QSA

Payment Application Qualified Security Assessor

company approved by the PCI SSC to conduct assessments on payment applications against the PA-DSS.

PaaS

platform-as-a-service

An externally hosted service providing a complete platform to create, run, and operate applications, including development tools, administration and management tools, runtime engine, data management engine, security facilities, and user-management services.

PABX / PBX

private automatic branch exchange

a telephone switch on a customer's premises that primarily establishes voice-grade circuits — over access lines to a telephone company CO — between individual users and the PSTN.

PAC

Proxy Auto-Configuration

A PAC file (which is a .js file) provides a means to allow browser proxy configuration to be configured through the use of a single JavaScript function FindProxyForURL() Conceptually each time the browser needs to download an item, it calls FindProxyForURL() to determine how the item can be downloaded.

PACE

pressures, action, capabilities and enablers

indicate corporate behavior in specific business processes

PAD

Packet Assembler and Disassembler

Device performing the interface between X.25 data network and asynchronous device such as personal computer. Assembles user data into packets with identifying information used to control routing.

PAE

Physical Addressing Extension

Extension for Windows 2000/2003 Advanced Server to address more than 4 GB of memory

PAL

Phase Alternate Line

Processor Abstraction Layer

Publication Access List

A color television broadcasting system developed in West Germany and the United Kingdom that uses 650 picture lines and a 50-hertz field frequency.

Contains the code necessary to initially boot the processor and includes error recovery and processor self-test routines

SQL Server replication security mechanism

PAM

Performance Acceleration
Module

Port to Application Mapping

pluggable authentication module

pulse amplitude modulation

formerly NetApp’s Flash Cache

a feature of the Cisco IOS Firewall that allows you to customize TCP or UDP port numbers for network services or applications.

A UNIX programming interface that enables third-party security methods to be used.

A form of signal modulation in which the data is encoded in the amplitude of a series, or train, of regularly recurrent signal pulses.

PAN

Personal Area Network

Experimental technology in development at IBM, it allows information devices to discreetly communicate and synchronize with one another when in close proximity (using the human body as an antenna).

PAP

Password Authentication Protocol

Printer Access Protocol

A security protocol that uses password authentication to allow access to a network or host. In the PAP authentication procedure, an ID/password pair is repeatedly sent by the client to the host until verification is received.

The standard protocol based on AppleTalk that is used on Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server, and other platforms for transmitting print job data to a printer or print server.

PARC

Palo Alto Research Center

Xerox research center famed for having developed the first GUI in the 1970s.

PaRM

Patient relationship management

central repository for patient data, therapy, educational content, and alert mechanisms for the patient.

PASC

Portable Applications Standards Committee

a group within the IEEE. PASC is the group that has and continues to develop the POSIX family of standards. See them at HTTP://WWW.PASC.ORG.

PASV

Passive (command)

a ftp command that requests that the server "listen" on a data port (which is not its default data port) and to wait for a connection rather than initiate one upon receipt of a transfer command.

PAT

Performance Acceleration Technology

port address translation

Speeds data flow between the processor and system memory to increase performance. Introduced with the Intel 875P chipset

Type of NAT that also translates the port numbers.

PAVCL

Panda Antivirus Command-Line Scanner

the anti-malware and heuristic engine from Panda.

PetaByte

2 to the 50th power bytes. Is equal to 1024 terabytes

PBM

pharmacy benefits management

A category of healthcare services that involves the managing the delivery of pharmacy and drug-related benefits for members of a managed care or payer plans.

PBN

policy-based networking

The application of business rules to govern network performance.

PBX

private branch exchange

see PABX

Personal Computer

A computer system used primarily by one person.

PCB

Printed Circuit Board

A substrate on which a pre-determined interconnect pattern has been formed, used to assemble and connect together ICs and other electronic components into a subassembly

PCCW

(formerly) Pacific Century CyberWorks

the holding company of HKT Group Holdings Limited, Hong Kong's premier telecommunications provider in the ICT industry. http://www.pccw.com/

PCD

Photo Compact Disc

File format for digitized photos by Kodak

PCI

Peripheral Component Interconnect

The industry standard system bus architecture that is used in most desktop and server models. PCI provides faster communications between the processor and components (such as memory, disk and video) than the original IBM bus, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)

PCI-E

Peripheral Component Interconnect - Express

New interface replacing PCI and AGP, max bandwidth of 500MB/sec

PCI DSS

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

A common industry security standard developed from a collaboration between Visa and MasterCard. cf CISP.

PCL

Printer Command Language

a command language that was developed by Hewlett-Packard for controlling Hewlett-Packard printers. Each PCL command consists of an escape key followed by a series of code numbers.

PCM

Pulse Code Modulation

the method of achieving the connection speed of 56K modems.

PCMCIA

Personal Computer Memory Card International Association

An industry association. The term is also used as shorthand for the standard it has devised for plug-in devices to be connected to notebook PCs. These can include modems, network cards and hard disks. PCMCIA devices are now known as PC-Cards. www.pcmcia.org

PCR

Peak Cell Rate

The Peak Cell Rate, in cells/sec, is the cell rate which the source may never exceed.

PCRE

Perl-compatible regular expressions

A special pattern of characters for describing searches and manipulating text.

PCS

Personal Communications Service

A wireless phone service somewhat similar to cellular telephone service. It's sometimes referred to as digital cellular. Like cellular, PCS is for mobile users and requires a number of antennas to blanket an area of coverage.

PCT

Private Communication Technology

Microsoft's proprietary alternative to SSL. Enables a client browser to communicate privately with a Web server over an encrypted channel.

PDA

Personal Digital Assistant

PDA are small portable computers which can be held in the hand and are also referred to as handheld or Pocket computers.

PDB

Program DataBase

Microsoft's format for debug indormation, not embedded in the object file or executable

PDC

Personal digital cellular

Primary Domain Controller

a 2G mobile-phone standard developed and used exclusively in Japan.

Provides user/computer domain authentication

PDE

possible duplicate emission

A payment that has been identified as a possible duplicate of another payment, because the contents of certain fields or combinations of fields in both payments are identical or similar.

PDF

Portable Document Format

a multi-platform file format developed by Adobe Systems. A PDF file captures document text, fonts, images, and even formatting of documents from a variety of applications.

PDH

Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy

a technology used in telecommunications networks to transport large quantities of data over digital transport equipment such as fibre optic and microwave radio systems.

PDL

Pure Dumb Luck

a programmer's or system engineer's best friend when it comes to fixing things.

PDM

Pure Digital Monitor

Monitor has no analog capability.

PDN

Primary Directory Number

The telephone number that the physical telephone set is associated with. Generally, the first telephone number listed on a multi-line set.

PDN

public data network

A communications common carrier network that provides data communications services over switched or nonswitched lines.

A network operated by a government or private organization to provide computer communications to the public, usually for a fee.

PDP

Policy Decision Point

The point where policy decisions are made, responsible for handling policy decisions on behalf of PEPs

PDQ

Product Data Quality

Oracle MDM term (developed as a result of its acquisition in 2009 of Silver Creek Systems, is licensed based on the number of processors)

PDS

partitioned data set

A data set on direct access storage that is divided into partitions, called members, each of which can contain a program, part of a program, or data.

PDU

Protocol Data Unit

Message of a given protocol comprising payload and protocol-specific control information, typically contained in header. Passes over protocol interfaces that exist between layers of protocols (per OSI model).

PEAP

Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol

A protocol proposed by Microsoft, Cisco and RSA Security for securely transporting authentication data, including passwords, over 802.11 wireless networks

PEARL

Process and Experiment Automation Realtime Language

PEF

Preferred Executable Format

An executable format understood by the Code Fragment Manager.

PEM

Privacy Enhanced Mail

PEP

Policy Enforcement Point

program entry procedure

A port on a network device where the policy decisions are actually enforced

A procedure provided by the compiler that is the entry point for an ILE program on a dynamic program call.

Perl

Practical Extraction and Report Language

Perl is a programming language that is widely used for both very simple, small tasks and for very large complex applications.

PERT

Program Evaluation and Review Technique

a method for project planning by analyzing the time required for each step. It is also called "critical path method".

PET

Personal Electronic Transactor

an early (circa 1977-1980, around the same time as the Apple][) home computer featuring a ROM-based BASIC developed by Microsoft which it uses as a default "OS".

PF Key

Program Function Key

keyboard shortcut keys for VM/CMS.

PFM

personal financial management

A category of desktop applications used to manage personal finances. Examples include Intuit's Quicken and Microsoft Money.

PFS

Public-Key Forward Secrecy

For a key agreement protocol based on asymmetric cryptography, the property that ensures that a session key derived from a set of long-term public and private keys will not be compromised if one of the private keys is compromised in the future.

PGP

Pretty Good Privacy

An electronic transfer protocol that allows for the private exchange of files or mail using public key encryption.

PGR

presentation graphics routines

A group of routines within the operating system that allows business charts to be defined and displayed procedurally through function routines.

PGI

Premiere Global Services, Inc.

global provider of conferencing and collaboration solutions. http://www.pgi.com/

pgSQL

PostgreSQL

An open source object-relational database management system developed in the late 1980's which supports the SQL standard.

PHB

Per-Hop-Behavior

The forwarding treatment given to a specific class of traffic, based on criteria defined in the Differentiated Service field. Routers and switches use PHBs to determine priorities for servicing various traffic flows

PHI

Protected Health Information

PHI is a term used in HIPAA meaning individually identifiable health information that is transmitted or maintained by electronic media or is transmitted or maintained in any other form or medium.

PHP

PHP Hypertext Preprocessor (originally Personal Home Page)

PHP is a programming language used almost exclusively for creating software that is part of a web site. The PHP language is designed to be intermingled with the HTML that is used to create web pages. See also http://www.php.net/

PHS

Personal Handy Phone System

Personal communications system used in Japan as both a digital cordless phone in homes and offices and as a cellular phone outdoors.

PHY

Physical Layer

The physical layer provides for transmission of cells over a physical medium connecting two ATM devices.

PHZIP

Phil Katz's ZIP

an archiving tool originally written by the late Phil Katz, and marketed by his company PKWARE, Inc. The first version of PKZIP appeared in 1989.

PiB

pebibyte

1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes. 1024 tebibytes.

PIC

Position-Independent Code

A file containing object code that is almost ready for execution on the target. The final remaining step is to use a locator or loader to fix the remaining relocatable addresses within the code.

Picnic

Problem In Chair, Not In Computer

An abbreviation indicating that a problem was not computer related but lies with the person in the chair, i.e. a user related problem.

PID

Process ID

Proportional Integral Derivative

A number assigned to a UNIX process when it starts. The PID allows you to refer to the process at a later time.

A three-part technique for designing control systems that use feedback.

PIE

Presence, Identity and Edge

Core constituents of peer to peer (P2P) applications

PII

personally identifiable information

PII is any data about an individual that could, potentially identify that person, such as a name, ...

PIM

Personal Information Manager

Protocol Independent Multicast

A PIM is a software application that serves as a planner, notebook, and address book all in one.

IP routing protocol-independent and can leverage whichever unicast routing protocols are used to populate the unicast routing table, including EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, and static routes

personal identification number

A numeric code — typed on an automated teller machine or telephone keypad, or a computer keyboard — used to gain access to personal funds or information.

PINE

Program for Internet News and E-Mail

a character-based E-Mail client for UNIX systems. Developed at the University of Washington, PINE replaces an older E-Mail program called elm.

ping

Packet Internet or Inter-Network Groper

To check if a server is running. From the sound that a sonar systems makes in movies, you know, when they are searching for a submarine.

PIO

Programmed Input/Output

a method of transferring data between two devices that uses the computer's main processor as part of the data path.

PIO Mode	Data Transfer Rate (MBps)	Standard
0	3.3	ATA
1	5.2	ATA
2	8.3	ATA
3	11.1	ATA-2
4	16.6	ATA-2

PIPE

Private Internet Protocol Encapsulation

Extension of RFC 2003 (IP Encapsulation within IP) which allows to encapsulate and decapsulate private IP addresses in the same way as described in RFC 2003, and to transfer them across the public Internet

PIPs

process integration packs

Oracle Siebel's feature integrating business processes between Siebel CRM and other Oracle applications.

PIX

Private Internet eXchange

Popular IP firewall and NAT appliance, the design of which was acquired by Cisco systems in 1995.

pixel / pel

Picture Element

A pixel is the smallest unit of information in a digital image, resembling a tiny square.

An element of a raster pattern about which a toned area on a photoconductor can appear.

PKCS

Public-Key Cryptography Standards

a set of standards developed by RSA Laboratories and others.

PKI

public-key infrastructure

The techniques necessary to manage public-key cryptography (see separate entry), as well as the various systems for authentication, nonrepudiation and integrity that can be built on top of a public-key system.

PL/1

Programming Language 1

One of the widely used high-level programming languages oriented toward both business and mathematical programs.

PLA

Programmable Logic Array

a chip (IC) based programmed logical program.

PLC

PowerLine Communication

product life cycle

Technology that uses the power lines to connecto to the Internet

a marketing theory which dictates the the sequence of events, or lifespan divisions of any marketed product or brand, including technologies, consumer goods, and any item which is marketed to the public and sold at retail outlets on a national basis.

PLCP

Physical Layer Convergence Protocol

Defined by the IEEE 802.6 and used for DS3 transmission of ATM. ATM cells are encapsulated in 125microsecond frame defined by PLCP, which is defined inside DS3 M-frame.

PLD

Programmable Logic Device

An IC incorporating an array of programmable logic devices that are not pre-connected but where the connections are programmed by the user via blowing fused linked or via other techniques.

PLL

Phase Lock Loop

a mechanism whereby timing information is transferred within a data stream and the receiver derives the signal element timing by locking its local clock source to the received timing information.

PLM

product life cycle management

In the virtual domain, manufacturers design and simulate product performance, production plants, manufacturing processes, service and maintenance procedures, the customer experience, and even the impact of product disposal.

PLMN

public land mobile network

generic term for a mobile wireless network that is centrally operated and administrated by an organization and uses land-based radio frequency transmitters or base stations as network hubs.

PLOGI

port login

The port-to-port login process by which initiators establish sessions with targets.

PLPA

pageable link pack area

An area of virtual storage containing supervisor call (SVC) routines, access methods, and other read-only system and user programs that can be shared among users of the system.

PL/SQL

Procedural Language/Structured Query Language

Oracle's (RDBMS) Procedural Language extension to SQL.

PMD

Physical Media Dependent

Sublayer that defines parameters at lowest level, such as speed of bits on media.

PMDB

performance management database

PME

Power Management Event

Feature that allows most LAN devices to wake up from standby states (S1 or S3)

PMM

Post Memory Manager

A mechanism used by option ROMs to allocate RAM memory for use during system startup

PMI

Portable Management Interface

Project Management Institute

Privilege Management Infrastructure

Product and manufacturing information

PMI is a platform-dependent interface defined by Sun Microsystems used in network management

PMI establishes Project Management ISO validated standards and policy

security infrastructure to authorize users

annotation shown on 3D CAD models of components and products

PMML

Predictive Model Markup Language

A standard developed by the Data Mining Group (DMG) to represent predictive analytic models. PMML is supported by leading BI and analytics vendors like IBM, SAS, MicroStrategy, Oracle and SAP.

PMO

Project management office

The group that handles the day-to-day management of offshore projects to ensure that processes are running smoothly.

PMR

Perpendicular Magnetic Recording

Private Mobile Radio

How a hard drive records data: magnetic elements are aligned vertically, as opposed to longitudinally on older drives

a traditional method of communications with mobile assets, where a centralised base station transmits in all directions to mobile (in vehicle) and portable (hand held) radios.

PMSM

permanent magnet synchronous motors

pNFS

parallel Network File System

a protocol extension of NFS 4.1, the first major performance upgrade to the widely deployed NFS in more than a decade.

PNG

Portable Network Graphics

PNG is a graphics format specifically designed for use on the World Wide Web. PNG enable compression of images without any loss of quality, including high-resolution images. Another important feature of PNG is that anyone may create software that works with PNG images without paying any fees - the PNG standard is free of any licensing costs.

PnP

Plug and Play

PnP is a catchy phrase used to describe devices that work with a computer system as soon as they are connected. The user does not have to manually install drivers for the device or even tell the computer that a new device has been added.

PNP

Personal Network Platform

delivers core network functions to individuals. PNP offers full flexibility, transparency, scalability, and expandability.

PNRP

Peer Name Resolution Protocol

Secure, scalable, and dynamic name registration and name resolution protocol first developed for Windows XP and then upgraded in Windows Vista

POC

Proof of Concept

Push-to-talk Over Cellular

Proof of Concept

the push to talk (PTT) voice service for mobile communications. It provides direct one-to-one and one-to-many voice communication service in the cellular network.

POD

Proof of Deposit

Publishing on demand

Software system used by financial institutions to verify teller transactions. Usually consists of reader/sorter control software, reject-reentry system, and reporting systems

A process that allows for the printing of individual copies as orders come in

PoE

Power Over Ethernet

PoE is also called Power over LAN or in-line power. It allows appliances such as IP telephones and WLAN access points to receive power over suitable LAN cabling. The international standard is known as IEEE 802.3af. However, some vendors have implemented proprietary solutions.

pog.com

Play Online Games

specialize in finding the best minigames on internet either in flash or shockwave. You need to have them installed in order to play. All our games are 100% free of charge and can be played without creating an account. http://www.pog.com

POLP

principle of least privilege

POLP is the practice of limiting access to the minimal level that will allow normal functioning. Applied to employees, the principle of least privilege translates to giving people the lowest level of user rights that they can have and still do their jobs. The principle is also applied to things other than people, including programs and processes.

PON

passive optical networking

a unique point-to-multipoint infrastructure that allows for the sharing of one optical fiber among several buildings

POP

Point of Presence

Post Office Protocol

protected object policy

usually means a city or location where a network can be connected to, often with dial up phone lines.

a way that e-mail client software such as Eudora gets mail from a mail server. When you obtain an account from an ISP you almost always get a POP account with it, and it is this POP account that you tell your e-mail software to use to get your mail.

A type of security policy that imposes additional conditions on the operation permitted by the ACL policy to access a protected object.

POP3

Post Office Protocol v3

POP3, sometimes referred to as just "POP," is a simple, standardized method of delivering e-mail messages. A POP3 mail server receives e-mails and filters them into the appropriate user folders. When a user connects to the mail server to retrieve his mail, the messages are downloaded from mail server to the user's hard disk.

POS

point of sale

A category of systems that use personal computers or specialized terminals in combination with cash registers, optical scanners or magnetic-stripe readers to capture and record data at the time of transaction. POS systems are usually online to a central computer for credit checking and inventory updating.

POSIX

Portable Operating System Interface for UNIX

A family of open system standards based on UNIX, which allows applications to be written to a single target environment in which they can run unchanged on a variety of systems.

POST

power-on self test

Set of hardware diagnostics that runs on a hardware device when that device is powered up.

POTS

Plain Old Telephone Service

POTS is the standard telephone service that most homes use. It is also referred to as the PSTN or the Public Switched Telephone Network.

POWER

Performance Optimization With Enhanced Risc

Performance Optimization With Enhanced Risc by IBM

POX

plain old XML

PPC

Pay-Per-Click

Where a company (or advertiser) pays (a search engine or affiliate site) for each click-through on an advertisement.

PPD

Postscript Printer Description

A file that contains information about the capabilities of a particular printer model. The PPD file provides the controls you need to take advantage of special features such as multiple paper trays, special paper sizes, or duplex printing.

PPE

PowerPC Processor Element

In the Cell Broadband Engine architecture, a grouping of multiple PowerPC Processor Units (PPUs).

PPM

Parts Per Million

project portfolio management

In positioning terms, ppm is a representation of position error as a function of
distance between two communicating devices.

A strategy for oversight of a portfolio of related or interdependent projects, with the intent of limiting duplicate work efforts and leveraging decision making and skills across projects.

PPN

Primary Port Network

The main switching module for the Definity G3R or G3I switch.

PPP

Point to Point Protocol

Public–private partnership

the Internet standard for dial-up modem connections. PPP is a set of rules that defines how your modem exchanges packets of data with other systems on the Internet.

describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government

PPPoE

Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet

PPPoE is a specification for connecting multiple computer users on local network to a remote site using a modem, gateway or router that supports the appropriate protocol layers and authentication for the point-to-point connection to be established.

PPRC

Peer to Peer Remote Copy

A remote-copy service that provides a synchronous copy of a volume or disk for disaster recovery, device migration, and workload migration.

PPTP

Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol

PPTP is a networking standard for connecting to virtual private networks, or VPNs. VPNs are secure networks that can be accessed over the Internet, allowing users to access a network from a remote location. This is useful for people who need to connect to an office network from home or access their home computer from another location.

PPU

PowerPC Processor Unit

A 64-bit PowerPC core processor located at the heart of the Cell Broadband Engine multiprocessor, with associated cache, and a Vector Multimedia Extensions (VMX) unit.

PQA

Palm Query Application

A small applet that can be downloaded onto a Palm OS-based PDA that allows for the retrieval of information from the Web.

PRADO

PHP Rapid Application Development Object-oriented

an open source, PHP5-based programming framework designed for professional web applications development. PRADO is an MVC-based framework, which allows event-driven programming.

PRC

Primary Reference Clock

Clock used in synchronous networks like SONET and SDH

PRI

Primary Rate Interface

An Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interface that connects private branch exchanges (PBXs) to the network at the North American 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps) T1 rate. It is electrically identical to the ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI).

PRINCE

Projects in Controlled Environments

A public domain standard for IT developers for the U.K. government. PRINCE provides a process model to define what is involved in setting up, managing and closing down each stage of a project.

PROM

Programmable ROM

A ROM which is programmable by the user

PRPQ

programming request for price quotation

A customer request for a price quotation on alterations or additions to the functional capabilities of system control programming or licensed programs.

A customer request for a price quotation for a licensed program to be designed especially for a particular group of customers or an application.

Picosecond

1/1000 of a nanosecond, or one trillionth of a second. T

PlayStation

PostScript

Photoshop

Game console by Sony

PostScript (file name extension)

Photoshop of Adobe Systems, Inc.

PS is also People Search (Yahoo!), Packet Stream (AT&T), Protection Scheme (Nortel), Protection Switching (Alcatel), PeopleSoft, Inc. (software company)

PS/2

personal system/2

A type of connector for attaching a PS/2-compatible keyboard, mouse, or keypad.

PSA

professional service automation

PSD

PhotoShop Drawing

File name extension. Used by Photoshop and other Adobe programs

PSIP

Program and Systems Information Protocol

the ATSC standard for digital television channel naming, numbering and navigation.

PSK

phase shift keying

Phase modulation that uses discrete changes of phase.

PSLC

Parallel Sysplex License Charge

A software licensing arrangement available to vendors if the pieces making up their Parallel Sysplex complex have been qualified by IBM. Charges are based on the total machine capacity.

PSN

Packet Switch Node

Playstation Network

Processor Serial Number

A dedicated computer whose purpose is to accept, route and forward packets in a packet switched network.

PSN stands for Playstation Network of Sony

An embedded serial number in Intel Pentium III microprocessors. It allows software manufacturers and websites to identify individuals more precisely.

PSP

Personal Software Process

PlayStation Portable

Methods to improve the quality of work of individual software engineers

Game console by Sony

PSPs

print service providers

PSS

Print SubSystem

Software for IBM mainframes that provides an AFP and line data printing solution using PCL and PostScript printers

PSTN

public switched telephone network

the worldwide network of public voice communication facilities.

Any common carrier network that provides circuit switching among public users.

PTF

Print To Fax

Fax driver for Lotus Domino Fax Server

PTR record

Pointer record

A DNS record type that translates IP (IPv4) addresses to domain names. Used in DNS reverse lookups.

PTT

Push To Talk

Postal, Telephone, and Telegraph

Functionality in the group communication terminal device. You have to push PTT-button to get the permission for transmission

An agency that regulates and administers the telephone and postal systems in certain countries.

PTTs

Post, telegraph, and telephone authorities

government agencies responsible for postal mail, telegraph, and telephone services. Such monopolies existed in many countries, but since the 1980s many of them have been partially or completely privatized.

PTZ

pan-tilt-zoom

video conferencing camera capability

PUMA

Privileged user monitoring and auditing

Protected User Mode Audio

IBM Tivoli SIEM capability

Together with UMA, is an engine in the Windows Vista Protected Environment that provides a safer environment for audio playback, as well as checking that the enabled outputs are consistent with what the content allows

PUP

Potentially unwanted program

a term used to describe unwanted programs such as Trojans, spyware and adware, along with other malware which may compromise your privacy. Some antivirus and PC security software packages will scan for and protect your system against PUPs.

PUT

program update tape

A code release to Transaction Processing Facility customers containing maintenance (program fixes) and new function.

PVC

permanent virtual circuit

Polyvinyl Chloride

A virtual circuit that is pre-defined in routing tables among the various routers and switches in a packet-switched network, rather than being established on a call-by-call basis.

The common vinyl shielding used to cover the pairs in the copper four-pair wire used for numerous Ethernet standards.

PVR

personal video recorder

A device that records television programs on an internal hard drive in anticipation of viewer preferences.

PVST

Per-VLAN Spanning Tree

In Ethernet switched environments where multiple Virtual LANs exist, spanning tree can be deployed per Virtual LAN.

PVV

PIN verification value

Discretionary value encoded in magnetic stripe of payment card.

PWM

Pulse width modulation

a powerful technique for controlling analog circuits with a processor's digital outputs. PWM is employed in a wide variety of applications, ranging from measurement and communications to power control and conversion.

PWR

PoWeR

PWS

Personal Web Server (or Peer Web Services )

the baby brother of Microsoft IIS. Both products are hybrid compilations and substitutes for an Internet capable web server.

PXE

Preboot eXecution Environment

Provides a way for a system to initiate a network connection to various servers prior to loading an OS

packet

Logical grouping of information that includes a header containing control information and (usually) user data. Packets most often are used to refer to network layer units of data.

Palladium

a plan from Intel, AMD, and Microsoft to build security into personal computers and servers at the microprocessor level. Assuming that enough users buy computers with Palladium capabilities, each user may now for the first time be able to effectively filter out spam, ensure that only authorized programs can ever be run by the computer, and encrypt the data in your computer.

Palm

This brand name refers to Palm Inc.'s line of PDA devices, as well as its operating-system platform, the Palm OS. Palm once dominated the PDA market with an estimated 80 percent market share

parity

In RAID storage, a data-protection method that provides the ability to reconstruct data. When data is protected by parity, it’s still available if a drive fails.

partition(ing)

Partitions are physical or logical mechanisms for isolating operational environments within single or multiple servers.

The act of creating a logical (as opposed to physical) drive.

To break into smaller sections, such as a hard drive. Partitioning can also be used to allow multiple operating systems on the same drive of a given computer.

patch

A software fix for a bug in a program

A particular type of cable for networking that is a through cable; pin 1 to pin1, pin2 to pin 2 and so on.

Pen-Centric Tablet PCs

pen-centric and run full, user-controlled operating systems, such as Apple's iPad

Penetration Test

Penetration tests attempt to exploit vulnerabilities to determine whether unauthorized access or other malicious activity is possible.

Peoples

Peoples is PCS operator in Hong Kong, now brand name "PEOPLES" of China Mobile Hong Kong. http://www.peoples.com.hk

phish(ing)

An e-mail or website designed to redirect you to a bogus website with the intention of gaining bank or credit card information, or to download malicious program onto a computer without the users knowledge.

The technique is also often used to secure credit card numbers, bank account information, brokerage information, and generally anything that could yield a financial gain in line with fraud operations.

platform-independent

A term describing software that can run on a variety of hardware platforms or software architectures. Platform-independent software can be used in many different environments, requiring less planning and translation across an enterprise.

Photobucket

Photobucket is an image hosting, video hosting, slideshow creation and photo sharing website. http://photobucket.com/

Plug-in

A small piece of software that adds features to already existing, usually large, programs.

pocket PC

A PDA platform launched by Microsoft and several partner hardware vendors in April 2000.

podcast

A coined term to define a broadcast of multimedia files to an Apple IPod or other appropriate receiver. A podcast is an audio or video file that subscribers can hear or view online.

Ported In / Out

In: a telephone number is considered to be ported in when service provider

Out: telephone number is considered to be ported out when a number assigned to service provider A is moved from service provider A's switch to service provider B's switch

PostScript

A language that describes the appearance (text and graphics) of a printed page. PostScript is an industry standard for printing and imaging. Many printers contain or can be loaded with PostScript software.

pop-up menu

A menu that appears in a dialog box.

port

Ports can be classified as hardware ports or network (software) ports. Hardware ports consist of the outlets on the computer where cables or plugs connect. Examples include USB, SCSI and Ethernet ports.

portal

Usually used as a marketing term to described a Web site that is or is intended to be the first place people see when using the Web. Typically a "Portal site" has a catalog of web sites, a search engine, or both.

precedence

the property of arithmetic operations that determines which operations are done first in a complex expression.

Predictive Analytics

describe any approach to data mining with three attributes: rapid analysis measured in hours or days

Presentation Layer

The OSI layer that determines how application information is represented or encoded while in transit between two end systems.

Private Cloud Computing

a form of cloud computing in which service access is limited, and/or the customer has some control/ownership of the service implementation.

Proprietary

Refers to a technological design or architecture whose configuration is unavailable to the public and may not be duplicated without permission from the designer or architect. Apple's Macintosh? platform is the quintessential example of proprietary architecture.

Protocol

On the Internet "protocol" usually refers to a set of rules that define an exact format for communication between systems.

Proxy

A Proxy Server sits in between a Client and the "real" Server that a Client is trying to use. Client's are sometimes configured to use a Proxy Server, usually an HTTP server.

Public Domain

Of all the kinds of software or information you can download, public domain has the fewest strings attached. With public domain downloads, there are no copyright restrictions.

Public Virtual Worlds

an online networked virtual environment in which participants are immersed in a 3D representation of a virtual space and interact with other participants and the environment through an avatar

pull

The transmission of information in response to a specific request for that information. Opening a webpage in a browser is an example of pull technology.

Pull-down menu

A menu which appears from nowhere when you click on or put your cursor over a link.

push

A generic term applied to the methods, products or services used to deliver information to an internet user, without the user specifically requesting that item of information.

Python

a programming language invented by Guido van Rossum for quick, easy construction of relatively small programs, especially those that involve character string operations. www.python.org