IT Definitions and Glossary Continues....

E

E1

European equivalent of T1; a common carrier-provided point-to-point digital line service used in private data networks and cellular, Wi-Fi and fixed-network backhaul. An E1 delivers 2.048 Mbps capacity that can be split into multiple 64 Kbps channels, and is typically charged by distance. See also T1 and T3.

EA (enterprise architecture)

See Our enterprise architecture definition.

EAM (enterprise asset management)

Evolving from computer(ized) maintenance management system applications that encompass work and material management for fault repair, regular preventive maintenance and service, EAM systems have been a key tool in asset care, maintenance, repair and overhaul. EAM applications are not limited to manufacturing; they also apply to utilities, facilities, transportation and other activities in which equipment subject to wear, failure or repair is used. EAM is a part of a strategy to increase plant capacity, using IT in lieu of new construction in large, asset-intensive enterprises. It integrates key plant control systems and ERP with maintenance activities and functions to reduce downtime and minimize maintenance spending. In its most complete form, EAM equates to an ERP solution for a nonmanufacturing environment, such as a utility, mining, defense or transportation operation. EAM functionality includes, but is not limited to:

• Record assets (asset management)
• Capital construction
• Planned maintenance of assets
• Reactive work management
• Disposal of assets
• Maintenance, repair and operations materials management
• Resource scheduling (people)
• Analytics and BI
• Condition monitoring
• Mobile workforce support
• Reliability-centered maintenance

EAP (extensible authentication protocol)

Extensible framework and transport for other network access authentication protocols. The original dial-up Point-To-Point Protocol (PPP) provided only basic security by using Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) and Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP). EAP was added to support more-sophisticated authentication, particularly on wireless networks. See also Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol (LEAP).

EAO (enterprise applications outsourcing)

EAO divides into four major domains: IT outsourcing (ITO), business process outsourcing (BPO), application service provider (ASP) and business service provider (BSP). Each domain reflects a different approach to outsourcing with respect to the degree of business responsibility transferred to the external services provider (ESP) and the autonomy of the enterprise in adjusting the application and business processes to its needs.

earth station

Collection of equipment installed on the earth's surface that enables communications over one or more satellites. Earth stations consist of a reflector antenna (or parabolic dish), a feed system to send and receive the RF carrier, data handling equipment and mechanical tracking equipment to keep the satellite within the antenna's data send/receive area. Earth stations are typically owned by the company receiving the data from the satellite network, thus must operate within certain specified parameters to maintain the network's stability. Earth stations are part of a satellite network's ground segment, which consists of all earth stations operating in a satellite system. These can be connected to the end user's equipment directly or via a terrestrial network. See also antenna and satellite dish.

EBIS (enterprise business intelligence suite)

A suite that offers multiple styles of common business intelligence functionality, including ad hoc query, reporting, charting, multidimensional viewing (OLAP) and light analysis (e.g., trending).

e-cash (electronic cash)

Describes currency that can be loaded onto smart cards, PCs, remote servers or handheld devices and used to purchase goods and services. It is typically used for low-value purchases and enables anonymous purchasing. Such smart cards may be referred to as stored value cards.

e-commerce sell-side

B2B and B2C enterprise software applications offer manufacturers and retailers the ability to sell, service and market their products to customers through the Web and channel partners. Sell-side software solutions also enable enterprises to automate the Web sales process and customer experience, gain insight into customer behavior and preferences, improve visibility into channel activities and performance, and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

ECM (enterprise content management)

See Our enterprise content management definition.

e-coupon (electronic coupon)

Describes applications that enable an electronic version of a coupon to be sent to a consumer's handheld device or mobile phone. Users can carry the e-coupon in their devices for use at an online store or a traditional business. The coupon may be presented on the device screen as a bar code that can be read by conventional bar-code readers.

e-CRM (electronic customer relationship management)

Integration of Web channels into the overall enterprise CRM strategy. E-CRM involves using the Web to support CRM with the goal of driving consistency within all channels relative to sales, customer service and support (CSS) and marketing initiatives. It can support a seamless customer experience and maximize customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and revenue.

EDA (event-driven architecture)

Event-driven architecture (EDA) is an architectural style in which a component (or multiple components) in a software system executes in response to receiving one or more event notifications. An event is anything that happens, and an event object is a record of that event.

EDGE (enhanced data rates for global evolution)

Part of the 3GPP set of standards and based on GSM and shared media packet data, EDGE uses a different and more efficient modulation scheme: the eight-phase shift key (8-PSK), rather than the Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) modulation scheme used over the radio interface by GSM and GPRS. This enhanced modulation technique opens up more bandwidth per radio carrier or cell. EDGE supports peak data rates of up to 384 kbps per cell, assuming that all eight time slots are used and that one time slot is not reserved for signaling. As with GPRS, bandwidth is shared by all concurrent users operating in the same cell. EDGE requires higher radio signal quality than that found in an average GSM network before higher data throughput speeds can be reached. EDGE also provides enhanced GRPS capabilities for data using 8-PSK, and when fully integrated with adaptive multirate (AMR), EDGE 2 also provides superior voice capacity to the GSM network.

edge routers and switches

Edge aggregation routers and switches reside in the service provider's point of presence at the edge of the service provider's core network, where they aggregate diverse metropolitan and customer-facing ports for transport across the long-haul IP/MPLS backbone. They have variable switching capacity, because they can handle thousands of channelized TDM interfaces to Digital Signal Level 0 (DS-0) circuits and support the delivery of multiple IP services. They handle broadband aggregation, leased-line aggregation, Ethernet services aggregation, convergence and aggregation of multiple traffic types, advanced IP services and VPNs. They support the following service provider router protocols: WFQ, BGP-4, IS-IS, WRED, access control lists, MPLS VPN and IPsec. They have subscriber management, bandwidth management, IP switching and VPN provisioning capabilities. In addition, they support IP/MPLS and Layer 3 traffic aggregation.

e-discovery

E-discovery is the identification, preservation, collection, preparation, review and production of electronically stored information associated with legal and government proceedings. The e-discovery market is not unified or simple – significant differences exist among vendors and service providers regarding technologies, specialized markets, overall functionality and service offerings. Content and records management, information access and search, and e-mail archiving and retention technologies provide key foundations to the e-discovery function. More and more enterprises are looking to insource at least part of the e-discovery function, especially records management, identification, preservation and collection of electronic files. E-discovery technology can be provided as a stand-alone application, embedded in other applications or services, or accessed as a hosted offering.

EDL (Enterprise Definition Language)

EDL defines classes, which are user-specified groupings of storage objects based on a combination of node, path, file name, ownership or other filters. Classes are used to collect, analyze and manage storage resources by application, owner, location, node or some other installation-defined criteria.

EIS (executive information system)

An application program specifically designed for use by the corporate executive. Presentation of material is often structured after the "board briefing book" concept. Detailed information on the summarized charts is often made available by using a concept known as "drilling." The EIS acts as a usable interface to a database of company information. It automates high-level analysis and reporting, and typically has a user-friendly graphical interface.

EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture)

Originally developed as an alternative 32-bit master bus to IBM's Micro Channel master bus for its PS/2 family of microcomputers. Unlike the Micro Channel, one of the design goals of the EISA bus was to enable the use of add-on cards developed for IBM's PC and PC/AT computers.

EKA (enterprise knowledge architecture)

The table of contents, or "yellow pages," for information bases accessible through the information services of the intranet, including e-mail and Lotus notes. It enables an end user to navigate to enterprise resources using a hyperlink to the specific Web page, narrowing the search before launching a search inquiry.

e-learning

E-learning is the use of Internet technology for learning outside of the classroom. E-learning suites are software solutions that enable automation, administration and training over the Internet. E-learning suites are integrated product collections that comprise learning management systems (LMSs), virtual classrooms, courseware and learning content management systems (LCMSs). An LMS is software that automates the training process and function and includes registration and administration tools, skills and records management, courseware access, and programming interfaces to packaged applications. An LCMS is an integrated set of technology that manages all aspects of learning content. This includes authoring or acquisition, content history, auditing, replacement, and deletion. An LCMS generally works in conjunction with an LMS.

electronic signature

A traceable e-mail or a biometric applied to a message. The biometric may be based on digitized handwriting (handwriting that is converted by cryptography into a digital signature) or a biometric (e.g., a fingerprint that can be combined with a hash or digest of the message to show the signer's intent). The electronic signature cannot be removed and applied to other documents to forge a signature.

e-mail and collaboration-centric UC approach

This approach grew out of e-mail and Web conferencing solutions. Vendors have added IM and presence products to their portfolios. Other functionality that is becoming increasingly part of these solutions includes audio conferencing, videoconferencing and converged communications clients. The initial versions of the IM and presence products were separate. However, a high degree of integration across the portfolios has been a focus of these solutions, as have integrated voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities, which are typically offered as a "voice chat" option on the IM text-chat product. As more functionality and integration is added, these solutions are shifting toward the UC portfolio approach. Examples of these solutions include the initial versions of IBM's Lotus Notes, Sametime and Quickr, as well as Microsoft's Exchange and Live Communications Server (LCS).

e-mail and calendaring

Products in the e-mail and calendaring software market range from workgroups to global enterprise-class platforms. They offer e-mail and calendaring and, increasingly, are components within a larger collaborative platform. These products may also include an integrated directory capability.

e-mail security boundary

These are e-mail security boundary solutions (software, appliance or managed services) that scan or block inbound e-mail at the SMTP gateway for viruses, spam and malicious code. Increasingly, these boundary solutions may also scan outbound e-mail for compliance with internal policies.

EMS (enhanced messaging service)

Standard that uses some features defined in the Short Message Service (SMS) specification to enhance the user experience when sending messages. A thin client is added to the mobile phone and by using standard SMS parameter fields, such as the user data header, binary-encoded and concatenated messages can be sent that display enriched content, such as italicized, emboldened or underlined text, predefined sounds, monophonic tunes and static or animated images.

EMU (electronic messaging utility)

A Gartner concept describing a solid base of interworking electronic messaging provided as a utility service like electricity. The EMU is sturdy enough to bear the anticipated increase in number and size of messages, sufficiently generalized to ensure readability of attachments and well-connected to the world beyond the boundary of the enterprise. The EMU provides open interfaces to make its services available to end users and applications.

emulate

To imitate one system with another, so that the imitating system accepts the same data, executes the same computer programs and achieves the same results as the imitated system.

encapsulation

The binding and the hiding of the underlying implementation of an object's data and operations. The data is wrapped in a particular type of protocol header. The set of operations that is accessible is the object's interface. See tunneling.

encryption

The process of systematically encoding a bit stream before transmission so that an unauthorized party cannot decipher it.

endpoint protection platform (consumer)

This category includes stand-alone suites of endpoint security products, including antivirus, anti-spyware, personal firewalls and host-based intrusion prevention systems (HIPSs). Desktop and subscription antivirus sold or rented to the small office/home office segment and consumers only are included in this subsegment.

endpoint protection platform (enterprise)

This category comprises centrally managed suites of endpoint security products, including antivirus, anti-spyware, personal firewalls and HIPSs. Endpoint protection platform suites are being extended with new capabilities, such as disk file encryption, network access control and data loss prevention, but for the time being we will not include revenue for these extended functionalities.

ENS (enterprise nervous system)

Gartner's term for the intelligent network that provides unifying connectivity among people, application systems and devices in different locations and business units across a virtual enterprise. The emerging ENS is based on the traditional enterprise network, but it is an evolution of that network, providing value-added functions that elevate the role of the network well beyond that of plain communication. Whereas a conventional network simply aims to transfer data between sending application systems and explicitly defined destinations, an ENS offloads work from the application systems because it:

• Offers enhanced quality-of-service for communication
• Transforms messages
• Redirects messages as appropriate, using logical business rules
• May track and control business processes

enterprise application outsourcing

Enterprise application outsourcing is a multiyear or annuity contract/relationship involving the purchase of ongoing application service for managing, enhancing and maintaining custom or packaged application software in the server/host or desktop platforms. Enterprise application outsourcing does not include applications services sold as discrete, project-based services or staff augmentation services. In addition to application management services, application outsourcing isolates the services specifically delivered in a longer-term contract in support of the life cycle of applications such as consulting/advisory services, AD, integration, deployment and support services. Help desk services are limited to user support for enterprise applications. Services may be provided at the client site or off-site. IT assets may be owned by the client, the ESP or a third party. Contracts may include the transfer of client employees, IT assets and facilities to the ESP.

enterprise applications

Software products designed to integrate computer systems that run all phases of an enterprise's operations to facilitate cooperation and coordination of work across the enterprise. The intent is to integrate core business processes (e.g., sales, accounting, finance, human resources, inventory and manufacturing). The ideal enterprise system could control all major business processes in real time via a single software architecture on a client/server platform. Enterprise software is expanding its scope to link the enterprise with suppliers, business partners and customers.

enterprise application outsourcing

Enterprise application outsourcing is a multiyear or annuity contract/relationship involving the purchase of ongoing application service for managing, enhancing and maintaining custom or packaged application software in the server/host or desktop platforms. Enterprise application outsourcing does not include applications services sold as discrete, project-based services or staff augmentation services. In addition to application management services, application outsourcing isolates the services specifically delivered in a longer-term contract in support of the life cycle of applications such as consulting/advisory services, AD, integration, deployment and support services. Help desk services are limited to user support for enterprise applications. Services may be provided at the client site or off-site. IT assets may be owned by the client, the ESP or a third party. Contracts may include the transfer of client employees, IT assets and facilities to the ESP.

enterprise application software

Enterprise application software includes content, communication, and collaboration software; CRM software; digital and content creation software, ERP software; office suites; project and portfolio management; and SCM software. "Others" categories capture the functionality that is part of a broader offering but that does not fit easily into the following existing subcategories of software:

• Content, communication and collaboration – The content, communication and collaboration software market sector comprises software products, tools and hosted services to organize, access, use and share content. Content management and/or collaboration initiatives involve managing and interacting with a multitude of content types, including documents, records, images, forms and increasingly, digital media. Included in this market sector are enterprise content management, e-mail and calendaring, Web conferencing and shared workspaces/team collaboration, instant messaging, e-learning suites, information access with search, and enterprise content management systems. For the enterprise application software segment, content, communications and collaboration software does not include products targeted at specific business functions or processes, such as engineering design or customer service and support, in which some form of collaboration and knowledge management capability is included as part of the packaged application.
• CRM – The CRM software sector provides functionality to enterprises in three segments of CRM: sales (including sales force automation), marketing (including campaign management and lead management, and analytics), and customer service and support (including contact center technical support software and field service management software). CRM technologies should enable greater customer insight, increased customer access, more-effective customer interactions, and integration throughout all customer channels and back-office enterprise functions.
• Digital content creation (DCC) – DCC software is used for creating or altering visual digital content. The digital content can be computer-generated or transformed from analog means, such as photographs or videos. The main software segments include desktop publishing, graphic and digital imaging, document readers and viewers, digital video and audio editing, and DVD authoring. Not included in this market coverage are other DCC software segments, such as digital asset management, Web content management, and broadcast production technologies used in media, publishing and enterprise markets. Web application development tools are also not included in this category of software.
• ERP – ERP is an application strategy focused on several distinct enterprise application suite markets. ERP is typically referred to as a back-office application set, but ERP applications automate and support more than administrative processes and include the support of production and inventory processes, as well as asset management. ERP software category comprises four major business process support areas: manufacturing and operations, human capital management, financial management systems, and enterprise asset management.
• Office suites – Office suite software packages bundle office or business management applications that include word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation graphics. Other forms of office suites that are not included in this market definition are database tools, graphics suite, e-mail and calendaring, shared work space and team collaboration tools, and social software offerings that may have content authoring capabilities. Delivery options include licensed and hosted models.
• PPM – PPM applications include business processes with functions across multiple domains, such as planning and scheduling, tracking time and progress, program management, resource profiling and allocation, and portfolio analysis and prioritization.
• SCM – SCM is a business strategy to improve shareholder and customer value by optimizing the flow of products, services and related information from source to customer. SCM encompasses the processes of creating and fulfilling the market's demand for goods and services. It is a set of business processes that encompasses a trading partner community engaged in a common goal of satisfying the end customer. Thus, a supply chain process can stretch from a supplier's supplier to a customer's customer. At a high level, SCM software is segmented into SCP, supply chain execution, service parts planning, and procurement (includes e-procurement, strategic sourcing, [buy-side] and catalog management) components.

enterprise architecture (EA)

Enterprise architecture (EA) is the process of translating business vision and strategy into effective enterprise change by creating, communicating and improving the key requirements, principles and models that describe the enterprise's future state and enable its evolution...

• Read the full enterprise architecture definition

enterprise-class

A term referring to the ability of a given tool or product to handle complex processes or services.

enterprise computing hardware services

This segment includes server hardware services.

• Server hardware services – This category consists of various multiuser systems including supercomputers, mainframes, midrange systems, blades and other servers.

enterprise console

A key component of event-management systems, comprised of applications' component maps, autodiscovery mechanisms, agents that send information to a manager and a correlation engine (at the agent level, the mid-level manager and the console level).

enterprise content management (ECM)

Enterprise content management (ECM) represents both a strategy to deal with all types of unstructured content and a set of software products for managing the entire content life cycle...

• Read the full enterprise content management definition

enterprise data services revenue

This segment refers to revenue from data services provided to enterprise customers. Services include:

• Leased lines: Point-to-point dedicated circuits, typically based on TDM. Service includes access, local and long distance services. It also includes high-speed services based on Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM).
• Legacy packet: Early generation packet-switched services such as X.25, Frame Relay and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) for WAN connectivity. They are combined in a single category due to declining usage by enterprises.
• IP VPN: Packet-switched service using IP. It is a corporate-class service running on a dedicated IP backbone network reserved for business use, with quality of service controls backed by service level guarantees. It does not run on the Internet.
• Ethernet: Revenue combines (but does not split out) Ethernet WAN and Ethernet access services. Ethernet WAN includes all Ethernet variants, but it primarily refers to dedicated/switched Ethernet (commonly referred to as Ethernet private line), and Ethernet over Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), which includes virtual private LAN service (VPLS). Ethernet access is used as a high-speed access service for connecting to private corporate networks. Revenues include the monthly recurring charge as well as the initial installation and activation charges (Ethernet access bundled with Internet access are captured separately under the Enterprise Internet services revenues section as broadband access revenues).
• DSL: Used as an access service for connecting private corporate networks. This service includes the major DSL variants: asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL); symmetric digital subscriber line (SDSL); and very high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL). (DSL access bundled with Internet access is captured separately under the enterprise Internet services revenues section as broadband access revenues.) Revenues include the monthly recurring charge, rental cost of modem, if applicable, and the initial installation and activation charges.

enterprise grade

Products that integrate into an infrastructure with a minimum of complexity and offer transparent proxy support.

enterprise information archiving

Enterprise information archiving is the next step in the evolution of archiving that incorporates new products and solutions for archiving user data (e-mail, files on file shares, instant messages, Microsoft SharePoint documents), and, optionally, other content types such as structured data. These products provide features such as single-instance storage across content types, retention management, content indexing and at least basic tools for e-discovery, such as search and legal hold. Due to the complexity associated with managing multiple data types within an archive, enterprise information archiving may more broadly encompass capabilities like federated archive repository management, while delivering common policy management for migration, retention and discovery.

enterprise information management

An integrative discipline for structuring, describing and governing information assets, regardless of organizational and technological boundaries, enabling business insight.

enterprise Internet services revenue

This segment refers to revenue from Internet-related services provided by Internet service providers (ISPs) to enterprise customers. Services include:

• Broadband access: Refers to revenue from dedicated and broadband access for accessing the Internet. The service is primarily based on xDSL and Ethernet. Revenues are based on the monthly subscription charge, as well as the initial installation and cost of modem rental, if applicable (revenues for the last-mile access are captured separately under enterprise data services revenues, depending on the access technology).
• Web hosting: Hosting of content, data and Web-based applications within data centers. This revenue includes colocation, dedicated hosting and shared hosting.

enterprise network service provider

An entity (infra or non-infra based) that provides network services to enterprises, SMBs and governments. Managed services and some SI activities are usually included.

enterprise resource planning (ERP)

See Our ERP definition.

enterprise social software

Enterprise social software is typically used to enhance social networks, both within the enterprise and across key members of the enterprise's supply and distribution chains. Implementers view social networks as an important method for enhancing communication, coordination and collaboration for business purposes.

enterprise solutions

Solutions designed to integrate multiple facets of a company's business through the interchange of information from various business process areas and related databases. These solutions enable companies to retrieve and disseminate mission-critical data throughout the organization, providing managers with real-time operating information.

enterprise telephony

The provision of enterprise voice communications using equipment dedicated for use by a single company. This equipment may be premises-based or hosted in a central office or data center. Includes traditional PBX/key telephone system (KTS), IP-enabled PBX systems and pure IP-PBX technology, but excludes Centrex, IP Centrex and other technologies designed for multi-tenant solutions.

enterprise telephony equipment segmentation

Gartner measures the enterprise telephony market by the number of telephony lines that were shipped, installed and in use according to the following segmentation scheme.

Total Line Shipments:

• IP extension lines.
• TDM extension lines.
• Total Revenue:
• IP line revenue.
• TDM line revenue.

enterprise unified communications infrastructure

This domain encompasses server-based products and software that provide a central platform for communications for enterprises and other organizations. A key part of the UC proposition is the promise of a more consistent user experience across a wider range of communications channels and features. To achieve this, a critical task is to tightly integrate the server-based communications products and application functionality into a UC infrastructure. This domain is the key battlefield for infrastructure vendors with leadership aspirations in UC.

This domain emerges as a result of convergence in the established separate markets for telephony PBXs, e-mail and calendaring, voice mail, audioconferencing, Web conferencing and the more recent market for IM. It also encompasses some aspects of mobility applications, such as enterprise wireless e-mail software. In addition, we expect that new features and functions will emerge as important elements of an enterprise UC infrastructure portfolio. Examples include: rich presence server applications; multiparty videoconferencing functionality; and improved access to corporate communications features for mobile staff.

enterprise voice services revenue

Revenue from voice services provided to enterprise customers. Revenue comprises two main segments: calling revenue and connection revenue. These segments incorporate and combine public switched telephone network (PSTN) and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) revenues, but do not split the revenue for each of these types of service.

The PSTN includes traditional telephone lines, both analog and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). In the latter case, each channel in use is equivalent to one voice line. A VoIP telephone connection is delivered over a dedicated or broadband access (which can include Session Initiation Protocol [SIP] trunks), connecting to an IP network or the Internet. A virtual line must come with a telephone number assigned for terminating PSTN calls to an IP or SIP phone, a soft-phone (PC), or IP-enabled time division multiplexing (TDM) phone. Details of the revenue segments are as follows:

• Connection Revenue: revenue associated with monthly recurring fees to connect to services. Included in this line are revenues from fixed monthly connection (or subscription) fees associated with providing a telephone line or connection, telephone number and related value-added services, such as calling line identification and voice mail. In most markets, the connection fee excludes calling charges, which are additional charges, based on usage volume. However, in some markets, the connection fee bundles unlimited calling or limited number of minutes. Under such circumstances, the connection revenue will be inflated, but the calling revenue will be smaller.
• Calling Revenue: revenue associated with individually tariffed outbound calling made from either a PSTN or VoIP connection, including any supplemental flat rate plans. This will include national and international long distance services. In some markets there are metered calling charges for local calls.

entry-level smartphone

This smartphone is closer to an enhanced phone in specification and usage, but because it runs on an open OS it is classified as a smartphone. The device's primary focus is on voice communication.

EOC (enterprise operations center)

The concept of managing multitechnology computing platforms. Not necessarily a centralized facility, but rather the organizational and process management of enterprise IT assets and operations.

EOS (electronic output strategy)

An enterprise's integrated policies, procedures and infrastructure for printing and publishing electronically generated documents.

EOTD (enhanced observed time difference)

Measures the time differences of arrival of a signal from three base stations, and can be implemented without changing the network. Response time is approximately five seconds. See also LBS.

EP (enterprise portal)

Internet technologies that provide windows into enterprise information, applications and processes. EPs go by many names, including corporate portals, business portals and enterprise information portals. There are two types: horizontal enterprise portals (HEPs) and vertical enterprise portals (VEPs).

EPM (enterprise performance management)

The process of monitoring performance across the enterprise with the goal of improving business performance. An EPM system integrates and analyzes data from many sources, including, but not limited to, e-commerce systems, front-office and back-office applications, data warehouses and external data sources. Advanced EPM systems can support many performance methodologies such as the balanced scorecard.

e-purse (electronic purse)

Describes applications that enable value (for example, e-cash) to be loaded onto a smart card or handheld device that can be used to make purchases. A device or card can hold multiple e-purse applications designed for specific uses (for example, an e-purse on a student card or device could be restricted to purchases at a bookstore).

Erlang

Unit of telecommunications traffic measurement giving the total volume of traffic during one hour. Cellular system capacity depends on the number of channels available for voice and data, the amount of traffic users generate and the grade of service offered to users. Telecommunication engineers use Erlang traffic formulas to understand traffic patterns and to design networks with sufficient capacity to avoid excessive blocked calls. Variations of the formulas are used for call center capacity planning. The unit is named after Danish telecommunications pioneer Agner Krarup Erlang, who first described the traffic volume formula in 1909.

ERP (enterprise resource planning)

ERP (enterprise resource planning) is defined as the ability to deliver an integrated suite of business applications. ERP tools share a common process and data model, covering broad and deep operational end-to-end processes, such as those found in finance, HR, distribution, manufacturing, service and the supply chain...

• Read the full ERP definition

ESP (external services provider)

An enterprise that is a separate legal entity from the contracting company that provides services such as consulting, software development – including systems integration and application service providers (ASPs) – and outsourcing. ESPs supplement the skills and resources of an in-house IS department.

Ethernet

A baseband local-area network (LAN) originally developed by Xerox and supported by Intel, Digital Equipment (now Compaq Computer) and Hewlett-Packard. It has a bus topology with carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) access control. Ethernet is not identical to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3. Related terms include:

• Ethernet address: 48-bit code for Layer 2 networking maintained by the IEEE and hardwired into network adapters; also called MAC address.
• Ethernet, thick: Ethernet coaxial cable suitable for networks that are medium/large or with widely spaced nodes.
• Ethernet, thin: Ethernet coaxial cable suitable only for small networks with closely connected nodes.

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)

Nonprofit enterprise whose mission is to produce the telecommunications standards that will be used throughout Europe. Standards developed by ETSI may be adopted by the European Commission as the technical base for directives or regulations. ETSI's main task is to remove all deviations from global standards and to focus on a defined, European-specific set of requirements. ETSI also ensures interoperability among standards, such as Integrated Services Digital Network, GSM and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS).

event, fault and log management

Event management (as well as log management and fault management) tools are used to collect, report and help with diagnosis of problems (faults) identified in the environment. This segment also includes IT operations and administration "policy" software, which creates and manages lists of users (in cooperation with security and human resource management system products) and lists of the environment's elements, determines appropriate access policies to those elements on a per-user or "role" basis, and audits adherence to those policies.

In cooperation with separate security products, event management/fault management products can recognize and trigger a response to breaches in security. Event management tools also collect statistics about events and usage, and they can perform historical trend analysis. System administrators can view analyzed data in near real time and use it to respond to conditions displayed, and to guide the reassigning of resources using separate configuration management (CM) tools.

e-wallet (electronic wallet)

Residing on a device or a server, this software application stores personal information (for example, passwords and shipping addresses), digital certificates and information for a variety of payment instruments (for example, credit cards or e-cash) used for e-commerce transactions. The information can be applied automatically to payment and other Web transactions.

expert system

A software system that can learn new procedures by analyzing the outcome of past events, or that contains a knowledge base of rules that can be applied to new data or circumstances not explicitly anticipated by the developer. Applications include network management, database management and data mining, computer vision and image processing, speech recognition, biometrics and software for complex evaluation in such fields as petroleum geology.

extension line

A unique physical address in a telephone system used for internal stations (extensions) and ancillary services.

external social software

External social software is typically used to create community sites for customers, market influencers and crowd sourcing (as in collecting innovative ideas from the Web at large), as well as to measure overall market sentiments and trends.

extranet

A collaborative, Internet-based network that facilitates intercompany relationships by linking an enterprise with its suppliers, customers or other external business partners. Extranets use Internet-derived applications and technology to provide secured extensions of internal business processes to external business partners.

F

fast-packet switching

A generic term for improved packet-switching technologies such as frame relay and cell relay. Fast-packet techniques feature less functionality than traditional X.25 packet-switching for higher packet-switching speeds and lower processing costs.

fault detection and isolation

Online diagnostics that detect and isolate faults in real time, prevent contamination into other areas, and attempt to retry operations.

FCC (Federal Communications Commission)

The communications regulator in the United States of America (Federal Communications Commission).

FDD (frequency division duplex)

Radio modulation scheme that defines separate uplink and downlink frequencies, enabling users to transmit and receive simultaneously.

FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface)

An American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for 100 megabits per second (Mbps) fiber-optic local-area networks (LANs). Incorporates token processing and supports circuit-switched voice and packetized data.

feature smartphone

This smartphone is optimized in its specification and features to support one or more primary functions like music, video, gaming, pictures, browsing, mobile TV, navigation and messaging. Compared to entry-level smartphones, these devices usually have larger displays, more powerful processors, more embedded memory and better battery capacity. These devices can have a touchscreen to help the manipulation and consumption of content and data input. They can include an enhanced or full qwerty keyboard to support rich messaging. Examples include: Motorola Z8 and Z10, Motorola Q; Nokia 6110, 6210 Navigator, N95 8GB, N96, N77, N90, N91, N93i, N81 8GB, N86, N97, E51, E65, E90, E61i, E70 E71; Samsung SGH-i450, i550, i600, i620, i780, Omnia i900; Sony Ericsson W950, W960 and Xperia X1; Apple iPhone; Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry Pearl 81xx, Curve 83xx, 88xx, 87xx and 8900, Bold 9000 and Storm; HTC Touch Diamond, S7xx, S6xx, TyTN II; Palm Centro, Treo 500v, Treo 7xx, Treo 6xx and Pre; LG KT610. See also entry-level smartphone and smartphone.

FeliCa

Contactless NFC integrated circuit card technology developed by Sony that enables users to read and write data by placing the card in close proximity to a card reader. The technology has been adopted widely in Japan and elsewhere in the Asia/Pacific region for train ticket payment and generic e-commerce. Mobile handsets with an embedded FeliCa card are common in Japan; these are called "Osaifu Keitai" (literally "wallet mobile phone"). See also Osaifu Keitai.

femtocell

Smaller than picocells, these cellular base stations are designed for use in residential or corporate environments that connect to the customer's broadband connection using an IP link. Advantages include lower cost than microcellular technology, physically smaller units and greater network efficiency. See also picocell.

FHMA (frequency-hopping multiple access)

Spread-spectrum transmission technology that enables simultaneous data or voice communications to share the same communication medium by causing transmitting and receiving stations to change the frequency rapidly in a pseudorandom sequence among many discrete radio channels. Transceivers are synchronized using a hopping sequence calculated from a predefined algorithm. This sequence can be adjusted dynamically to avoid other transmissions and interference in the same frequency band.

fiber optics

A high-bandwidth transmission technology that uses light to carry digital information. One fiber telephone cable carries hundreds of thousands of voice circuits. These cables, or light guides, replace conventional coaxial cables and wire pairs. Fiber transmission facilities occupy far less physical volume for an equivalent transmission capacity, which is a major advantage in crowded ducts. Optical fiber is also immune to electrical interference.

field service management software

These applications are designed within a CRM environment that enable field service technicians or dispatchers to diagnose problems categorically, identify the required parts and information, and dispatch them to the client or site. The system identifies the proper tools or materials required for the specific problem and their current location. It includes field service workforce schedule optimization, support for wireless mobile technicians and intelligent device management of equipment. Field service management ties into an overall service resource planning system that includes contract management, warranty, claims, parts management, depot repair, enterprise asset management (EAM) and product life cycle management (PLM) systems.

file server

A computer containing files available to all users connected to a local-area network (LAN). In some LANs, a microcomputer is designated as the file server, while in others it is a computer with a large disk drive and specialized software. Some file servers also offer other resources such as gateways and protocol conversion.

financial analytical applications

A subset of business intelligence with a specific emphasis on financial process, including, but not limited to, budgeting, forecasting, expense allocation and cost/revenue analysis.

financial footprint

The amount of money paid, monthly or yearly, to a vendor to support a particular system or application. Because most hardware and software is easily upgradable, financial-footprint management involves managing a stream of recurring payments instead of physical assets.

finished branded product

A completed equipment or device, labeled by a manufacturer that is available for sale to customers. The product can either be new or remanufactured.

finite loading

Conceptually, the term means putting no more work into a factory than the factory can be expected to execute. The term usually refers to a computer technique that involves automatic shop priority revision to level load operation by operation.

firewall

An application or an entire computer (e.g., an Internet gateway server) that controls access to the network and monitors the flow of network traffic. A firewall can screen and keep out unwanted network traffic and ward off outside intrusion into a private network. This is particularly important when a local network connects to the Internet. Firewalls have become critical applications as use of the Internet has increased.

first generation (1G or analog)

Wireless networks based on analog frequency division multiple access technologies. Many systems were individually tailored, country-specific solutions, including technologies such as AMPS, Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) and total access communications system (TACS). Although these were the first generation of mobile telephony, they are never referred to as "1G."

fixed-line carrier

An entity that owns/operates a fixed-line network infrastructure (including fixed wireless).

fixed wireless

Client devices are located at a stationary location and usually require a fixed (main) power supply and an antenna external to the client work platform. The terms "nomadic," "portable" and "mobile" often vary in definition when used by vendors. See also mobile wireless and semi-mobile wireless.

flexible media and conferencing switching

Flexible media and conferencing switching can be used by employees with intensive collaboration requirements. Flexible media and conferencing integrates with contextual presence lists, and communication between various teams and customers can be achieved via IM, audio conferencing, Web conferencing or e-mail.

flow

All activities being undertaken within the lean enterprise at an even rate without delays, interruptions or other batching.

FM (facilities management)

1. Entering into an agreement with a service supplier to manage internal company facilities such as telecommunications or data-processing services. Facilities management does not involve the transfer of ownership of facilities to the service provider.
2. For government enterprises, FM is the most prevalent type of contractual relationship where the vendor assumes responsibility for one or more information technology (IT) functions. Unlike outsourcing, it refers to the vendor operating and managing the assets (usually hardware and software), but not taking ownership. In a government-owned, contractor-operated deal, the government owns the equipment and operating systems, and the contractor operates the equipment with its personnel. Usually, the equipment is maintained in a government facility, but it can reside in a vendor-owned facility. In a government-owned, government-operated arrangement, the government owns the equipment and manages the operation using contractor personnel.

FM (frequency modulation)

One of three ways of modifying a sine wave signal to make it carry information. The sine wave or "carrier" has its frequency modified in accordance with the information to be transmitted. The frequency function of the modulated wave can be continuous or discontinuous.

FMC (fixed-mobile convergence)

Device and infrastructure technology trend that enables the transparent use of voice and data applications across fixed and mobile access points. See also fixed-mobile substitution (FMS).

FMEA (failure modes effects analysis)

Failure modes effects analysis; a technique used in product life cycle management activities to predict how a product or process might fail and what the effects of that failure might be.

FMS (financial management systems)

Financial management system (FMS) applications provide visibility into an enterprise's financial position through automation and process support for any activity that has a financial impact, and they provide financial reporting data as needed by local and international regulations. These applications include, but are not limited to:

• Core financial applications
• General ledger
• Accounts payable
• Accounts receivable
• Fixed assets
• Extended financial applications
• Project accounting
• Treasury and cash management
• Financial reporting and analytics
• CPM
• Budgeting, planning and forecasting
• Financial consolidation
• Financial, statutory and management reporting
• Dashboards/scorecards
• Profitability modeling and optimization
• Other FMSs
• Tax management

FMS (flexible manufacturing system)

Flexible manufacturing system; a process that is highly adaptable and can produce different products with minimal changeover times or reconfiguration.

FOMA (Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access)

NTT DoCoMo's WCDMA cellular service, launched in October 2001, was only the second deployment of its kind in the world – the first being the network of Manx Telecom on the Isle of Man.

FP (function point)

Function points measure the size of an application system based on the functional view of the system. The size is determined by counting the number of inputs, outputs, queries, internal files and external files in the system and adjusting that total for the functional complexity of the system. Function point analysis, originally developed at IBM, has as an advantage its focus on measuring software produced in terms of functionality delivered to the end user, rather than in terms of development deliverables, which have no direct bearing on the end user.

FPD (flat panel display)

A core component for notebooks, liquid crystal display (LCD) flat panel displays are broadening their applications on the commercial desktops. There are five key FPD technologies available: LCD, gas plasma, electroluminescent (EL) display, field emission display and digital micromirror devices. The most mature is LCD, which includes active-matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) and passive-matrix liquid crystal display (PMLCD).

FPY (First Pass Yield)

A measure of quality in a process that reflects the percentage of product made correctly without any rework or corrective activity.

FR (frame relay)

An American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard (T1S1) for an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) packet-mode bearer service that defines a user-to-network interface. The two main benefits are bandwidth on demand and integrated access. The standard currently addresses data communications speeds up to 2 megabits per second (Mbps) over permanent virtual circuits. Frame relay transmits data packets at high speeds across a digital network encapsulated in a transmission unit called a frame. It requires a dedicated connection during the transmission period. It is used on wide area networks (WANS) and also in private network environments with leased lines over T-1 lines. Frame relay is faster than traditional networks, because it was designed for today's reliable circuits and performs less rigorous error detection. When circuits are less reliable, a great deal of network traffic is dedicated solely to correcting errors.

framework

A style guide that defines the look, feel and interoperability of software applications.

framing

A control procedure used with multiplexed digital channels, whereby bits are inserted so the receiver can identify the time slots allocated to each channel. Framing bits can also carry alarm signals indicating specific alarm conditions.

frequency

An expression of how frequently a periodic wave form or signal repeats itself at a given amplitude. It can be expressed in hertz (Hz), kilohertz (kHz), megahertz (MHz), etc.

frequency band

The range of frequencies defined and dedicated to a particular type of service or radio technology; a frequency band is usually divided into a number of channels.

frequency reuse

Technique for using a specified range of frequencies more than once in the same radio system so that the total capacity of the system is increased without increasing its allocated bandwidth. Frequency reuse schemes require sufficient isolation among the signals that use the same frequencies so that mutual interference among them is controlled at an acceptable level. For satellites, frequency reuse can be achieved by using orthogonal polarization states for transmission and/or by using satellite antenna (spot) beams that serve separate, non-overlapping geographic regions. See also spot beam.

frontware

Software that runs on a client workstation to provide better end-user interfaces for application programs running elsewhere.

FSS (fixed-service satellite)

Any satellite communication service among earth stations located at fixed geographic positions. Generally, the type of fixed satellite services provided by FSS operators include telephone calls, TV signals for broadcasting of programming content and Internet/data transmissions. FSS-based services typically operate from a completely different set of satellites from those for mobile, satellite-based services, such as satellite phones or mobile broadband. See also MSS.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

A Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) standard used to log onto a network, list directories and copy files. That is, it provides authentication of the user and lets users transfer files, list directories, delete and rename files on the foreign host, and perform wild-card transfers.

FTTH (fiber to the home)

FTTH includes fiber-optic access solutions designed for residential deployments. In FTTH networks, fibers are directly connected to individual homes or multitenant buildings. FTTH includes various flavors of both PONs and PTP Ethernet-based solutions. Fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) solutions where fibers are not installed all the way to the residential premises are not included in the FTTH segment. FTTN solutions are instead tracked according to the technology used in the last mile (typically VDSL). With FTTH solutions, the "in-house" connectivity may be based on fiber, coaxial cable, copper or wireless technologies. FTTH covers only the electronics associated with the FTTH rollouts; it excludes associated cabling and civil works.

FTTN (fiber to the node)

FTTP (fiber to the premises)

The term residential fiber to the premises (FTTP) refers to equipment used in fiber access deployments where fibers extend all the way to the end-user premises and the equipment is designed and optimized for use in residential applications. Equipment designed and optimized for fiber-to-the-business applications is not included – such equipment is included in the optical transport segment.

FTTP is further divided into point-to-point (PTP) FTTP and point-to-multipoint FTTP. PTP FTTP technologies are more expensive to deploy because of a higher fiber count, but have the advantage of offering a dedicated fiber to each end-user location, which makes it possible to share PTP infrastructure between different carriers. Very often, a PTP FTTP deployment has optical Ethernet switches both at the CO and the customer premises.

Point-to-multipoint FTTP technology is commonly referred to as passive optical network (PON) technology. There are various types, including broadband PON (BPON), gigabit PON (GPON) and Ethernet PON (EPON). GPON is the most popular for large carriers, although there are significant EPON deployments in Asia/Pacific and Japan. The different types of PON are collectively called xPON.

FTTP, FTTH, fiber to the x (FTTx) and other similar terms are often used interchangeably in literature on this topic.

fuel cell

Technology for low-cost miniature battery power supplies. As with batteries, fuel cells generate electricity through a chemical reaction. However, fuel cells are recharged by refilling or replacing the chemicals (examples include hydrogen, methyl alcohol or aluminum mixed with oxygen from the air) instead of plugging a charger into a wall socket. Fuel cells deliver energy density many times that of lithium and can power sophisticated devices longer. Choosing a stable fuel source that is safe and readily available and decreasing the size for smaller devices while maintaining efficiency remain challenges.

fuzzy logic

This reasoning paradigm deals with approximate or imprecise information by enabling variables to be described (often linguistically) and acted upon in terms of their degree of membership in predetermined sets. Control systems in electronic equipment and consumer products and other embedded control systems are among the most popular applications.