IT Definitions

J

Java

The term "Java" can be applied to Sun's Java platform or to its Java programming language. The Java platform is made up of a set of technologies that provide cross-platform, network-centric computing solutions. The programming language is simply one aspect of the Java platform. The elements of the Java platform include the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which provides a uniform Java byte code emulator for Java's cross-platform runtime environment; the Java programming language, which provides a robust, object-oriented language for constructing Java components and applications; and the standard Java-class library packages, which provide sets of reusable services that promote consistency among components and applications.

The Java programming language is based on C and extends and complements the basic capabilities of HTML. Java permits the creation of applications and application modules (called "applets") that run in the JVM on the browser. Browsers from Netscape and Microsoft have a JVM. Java's platform independence and security are designed in, rather than added on, so applications can run on a wide variety of desktop platforms as long as they can run a Java-enabled browser.

Java applet

A small piece of Java code that implements a specific function. Applets may run on a server or be downloaded and run on the client's machine.

Java ME (Java Platform, Micro Edition)

Reduced-feature version of Java defined by Sun Microsystems for use in mobile devices, such as mobile phones. Java ME (formerly known as Java 2ME) is part of a set of related Java technologies that includes definitions of profiles and configurations.

Java platform AD tools

The Java platform AD tool market includes tools used to construct applications that operate within Java Community Process (JCP)-certified and JCP-compliant Java runtimes. These tools may include code-centric integrated development environments, or they may employ more-advanced features, such as model-driven code generators or other architected rapid AD features.

JavaScript

A scripting language targeted specifically to the Internet. It is the first scripting language to fully conform to ECMAScript, the Web's only standard scripting language. Despite its name, JavaScript is not a derivative of Java; its origin is Netscape's Livescript language. JavaScript is, in fact, closer to C/C++ in syntax than it is to Java.

Java servlet

A Java program that operates in conjunction with a Web server, and can output Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) to a browser or even communicate with Java applets. Servlets offer an alternative to using Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and server application programming interfaces (SAPIs) to communicate with Web server processes.

jidoka

Automatic inspection such that defects can be prevented from moving further along in the production process.

JIT (just in time)

An approach of sequencing the arrival of material to a work center just prior to consumption to avoid large work-in-process inventories.

job scheduling

Job scheduling tools supervise a logical process (several jobs or programs) as they execute in a mainframe or distributed environment, providing scheduling and dependency management of the process as it runs, mainly in sequence, across disparate systems, geographies and applications. The tools in this category are used for "batch integration" of heterogeneous applications and data stores.

jukebox

An automatic media handler for an optical disk drive, also called a library. An optical jukebox is designed to move optical platters in and out of optical drives. The intent is to provide a large amount of easily accessed storage in a "near-line" fashion. Jukeboxes use robotics. Similar in concept to music jukeboxes, the robot arm locates the appropriate disk and, if it is not already mounted in a drive, clears the drive and loads the selected disk.

K

Ka-band (Kurtz-above band)

Frequency range allocated from 17.7GHz on the downlink and to 30.6GHz on the uplink for use by satellite communication systems. Ka-band satellites deliver high-speed broadband Internet connectivity and digital video/audio transmission. Satellites in this frequency range are characterized by two-way or bidirectional communications capability; wider-bandwidth transponders that provide higher overall capacity spot beams that can direct or focus signal transmissions to areas of higher density/population; and more-efficient use of available spectrum through multiple reuse of the same frequency. Ka-band satellites can be implemented as GEO- and non-GEO satellite systems. See also Kurtz-under band (Ku-band), L-band and S-band.

kaikaku

Radical and significant improvement.

kaizen

Incremental, continuous improvement.

kanban

A system that uses signals along a production process to implement the concept of JIT.

Kano Model

A methodology of classifying customer needs according to whether they are "delighters," "satisfiers" or "dissatisfiers."

KCC (Korea Communications Commission)

The broadcasting, communications and IT regulator in the Republic of South Korea, which superseded the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) and the Korean Broadcasting Commission in 2008. See also KCC.

kernel

The heart of an operating system, a kernel is the part of the operating system that interconnects with the hardware. With Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) software intended for use in Unix environments, the kernel's functional units are often included as a function library.

KM (knowledge management)

A business process that formalizes the management and use of an enterprise's intellectual assets. KM promotes a collaborative and integrative approach to the creation, capture, organization, access and use of information assets, including the tacit, uncaptured knowledge of people.

K-map (knowledge map)

A representation of concepts and their relationships (e.g., hierarchy, taxonomy and network). A K-map is a navigational aid that enables a user to hone in rapidly on the desired concept, and then follow links to relevant knowledge sources (information or people).

KM strategy

A declaration of how the enterprise will use knowledge to compete, and how knowledge management (KM) will support the enterprise's business strategies. A KM strategy may be knowledge-focused if the enterprise's market value is predominantly composed of intellectual capital, or knowledge-enabled if the enterprise has other valuable assets in addition to intellectual capital.

knowledge access

One of the five activities of the knowledge management (KM) process framework. Knowledge access is the retrieval or dissemination of knowledge to users.

knowledge architect

The individual who oversees implementation of the enterprise's knowledge architecture, who leads the "knowledge architecture team" in identifying, organizing and providing access to scattered, heterogeneous information in digital and paper form, and who leads the knowledge audit to determine and continually re-evaluate the specific knowledge needs of users and their business processes. The knowledge architect defines knowledge processes and identifies the technology requirements for creating, capturing, organizing, accessing and using knowledge assets.

knowledge assets

Information relevant to an enterprise's business function, including the captured and tacit knowledge of employees, customers or business partners; data and information stored in structured databases; data and information stored in textual form and unstructured databases (e.g., e-mail and workflow systems); information stored in digital and paper documents; purchased content; and public content from the Internet or other sources.

knowledge audit

A formal determination and evaluation of how and where knowledge is used in business processes. The knowledge audit identifies implicit user needs, as well as explicit information stores. With the audit, enterprises can identify and evaluate all information resources and workflows, and determine enterprise user access requirements. Access requirements will vary widely, from wide access (e.g., policies and procedures ) to extremely limited access (e.g., payroll processing). The knowledge audit is a rigorous process using questionnaires, interviews and resource descriptions.

knowledge base

The knowledge, which may include assertion, rules, objects and constraints, used by a knowledge-based or expert system. Its organization is based on knowledge representations. The developer or user of the system may be unaware of the underlying knowledge representations, seeing only the domain knowledge representations.

knowledge capital

Intangible assets of an enterprise that are required to achieve business goals, including employee's knowledge; data and information about processes, products, customers and competitors; and intellectual property such as patents or regulatory licenses.

knowledge capture

One of the five activities of the knowledge management process framework. Knowledge capture makes tacit knowledge explicit, i.e., it turns knowledge that is resident in the mind of the individual into an explicit representation available to the enterprise.

knowledge community

A group of people within an enterprise who engage in knowledge-sharing activities in support of a common work interest (shared responsibility for a business process, a product or service, or a project). The KC may include people from multiple disciplines within the enterprise, as well as extended-enterprise participants (service providers, supply-chain partners or customers).

knowledge content owners

Individuals who oversee the definition and delivery of knowledge content for their business processes to the knowledge management environment, and define access privileges to their knowledge resources. Human-resources executives are an example of knowledge content owners for benefits information resources; as such, they are responsible for ensuring that appropriate benefits content is available to support knowledge user and resource requirements, and that appropriate users are granted or denied access to it.

knowledge content specialists

Individuals who refine knowledge content from the originating owner into the specific product that the knowledge users require. These specialists have strong skills in the business process and its knowledge resources, as well as skill in organizing and filtering knowledge into a highly accessible and usable form. An extension to this definition is the external knowledge content specialist, who manages access to external content that the enterprise has purchased or subscribed to.

knowledge organization

One of the five activities of the knowledge management process framework. Knowledge organization is the classification and categorization of knowledge for navigation, storage and retrieval. This includes knowledge maintenance.

knowledge representation

Structures used to store knowledge in a manner that relates items of knowledge to one another, and that permits an inference engine to manipulate the knowledge and its relationships.

knowledge sharing

An activity that spans three components of the knowledge management (KM) process – knowledge capture, knowledge organization and knowledge access – to enable people to share knowledge across the boundaries of geography and time.

knowledge use

One of the five activities of the knowledge management process framework. Knowledge use is the application of knowledge to business decisions or opportunities. Use is also recursive, and continually generates feedback that affects and is integrated into the other knowledge activities.

knowledge users

Participants in knowledge management programs. They fill the dual roles of applying knowledge in their work tasks and contributing their own knowledge and insight to the enterprise's knowledge content.

knowledge work management

A discipline that promotes an integrated approach to identifying, managing and sharing all of an enterprise's information assets. Knowledge work management focuses on extending knowledge management to business processes (i.e., policies and procedures as well as unwritten rules).

knowledge workplace

This represents the intersection of three key trends: the leverage of intellectual capital, the virtualization of the workplace and the shift from hierarchical to organic models of management. The focus is on knowledge as the primary source of competitive advantage.

kohai

Japanese for "protégé"; used in lean enterprises to describe a student of lean practices who learns from a senpai.

KPI (key performance indicator)

A high-level measure of system output, traffic or other usage, simplified for gathering and review on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. Typical examples are bandwidth availability, transactions per second and calls per user. KPIs are often combined with cost measures (e.g., cost per transaction or cost per user) to build key system operating metrics.

KPIV (key process input variable)

Key process input variable – the most important input(s) to a process.

KPOV (key process output variable)

Key process output variable – the most important output(s) of a process.

KTS

A customer-premises telephone switching system that allows telephones to interface with the public telephone central exchange or internal lines (extensions) via nominated key access or an access code. Most KTSs are now of a hybrid capability, with PBX and KTS functions merged into a user-designated mix.

Ku-band (Kurtz-under band)

Frequency range allocated from 10.9GHz to 17GHz. Ku-band satellites are among the most numerous, operating for all forms of satellite communications, including video, voice and data services for consumers and enterprises. Most VSATs are in the Ku-band and are predominantly GEO-based systems. Ku-band satellite antennas (which are smaller than C-band antennas but suffer from rain fade in monsoon-like downpours) are typically used in Europe and North America. Bidirectional/interactive Ku-band antenna sizes range from 75 centimeters to 1.8 meters. See also Ka-band, L-band and S-band.

L

lagging and leading key performance indicators

Lagging indicators are metrics that measure end-state objectives or desired outcomes. They include all financial metrics. Nonprofit and public sector enterprises have additional nonfinancial lagging indicators that measure desired outcomes, such as students who graduate, incidence of crime and lives lost to terrorism.

Leading indicators are a defined set of metrics that are predictive of financial or other desired outcomes.

LAN (local-area network)

A geographically limited communication network that connects users within a defined area. A LAN is generally contained within a building or small group of buildings and is managed and owned by a single enterprise. The shorter distances within a building or campus enable faster communications at a lower cost than wide-area networks (WANs). Although an increasing number of LANs use Internet standards and protocols, they are normally protected from the public Internet by firewalls.

LANs are generally used to perform the following functions:

• Send output to printers attached to the network.
• Transfer data or software to or from other systems attached to the network.
• Send e-mail to other users on the network.
• Access wider-area networks, including the Internet, via a direct connection from the network, for external file transfer, e-mail, facsimile, group collaboration and videoconferencing.

LAN bridging

The connection of multiple physical local-area networks (LANs) to support a single logical LAN environment.

language-oriented development environments (distributed platforms, proprietary)

Typically, these are development environments for code targeted to deploy to distributed platforms (Windows, Linux, Unix) built on a compiler and a language. Language-oriented development environments generally include graphical user interface (GUI) builders, debuggers, editors and other utilities that are integrated into the environment. This market also includes proprietary fourth-generation language (4GL) language tools. It excludes products specifically targeted at deploying to either Java or .NET. It includes revenue for products such as PowerBuilder and Visual Basic 6.0 to the extent they target proprietary runtimes. It also includes languages such as COBOL, C/C++, FORTRAN, Ada and PASCAL, among others, that target proprietary runtimes on distributed platforms.

language-oriented development environments (mainframe, mini and midrange)

Typically, these are development environments for code targeted for deployment on mainframe or midrange platforms built on a compiler and a language, such as COBOL, C/C++, FORTRAN, Ada and PASCAL, among others. Language-oriented development environments generally include GUI builders, debuggers, editors and other utilities that are integrated into the environment. This market also includes proprietary 4GL language tools. It excludes products specifically targeted at deploying to either Java or .NET.

laser

A device that emits a highly coherent beam of light. The term stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." A typical laser has an active medium, which emits light, and a cavity structure, which selects certain wavelengths and directions for the emitted light. Lasers convert electrical energy into radiant energy in the visible or infrared parts of the spectrum, emitting light with a small spectral bandwidth. For this reason, they are widely used in fiber-optic communications, particularly as sources for long-haul links.

laser disk

An storage medium that uses laser technology to record and retrieve data.

latency

Measure of the responsiveness of a network, often expressed as the round-trip time (in milliseconds); that is, the time between initiating a network request and receiving a response. High latency tends to have more impact than bandwidth on the end-user experience in interactive applications, such as Web browsing. Low latency is required for many next-generation IP applications, such as VoIP, video telephony and PTT. See also round-trip time (RTT).

L-band

Portion of the electromagnetic spectrum allotted for satellite transmission in the 1GHz to 2GHz frequency range. A number of MSS providers operate part of their satellite networks in the L-band. See also Ka-band, Ku-band and S-band.

LBS (location-based services)

Services based on the location of a mobile user as determined by using network and/or mobile-device-based technology. Technologies supporting this include cell of origin (also known as cell ID), AOA, time of arrival (TOA), EOTD and GPS or assisted GPS. GPS can be used without network modification but requires mobile devices to support GPS. In WLAN systems, location can be determined by triangulation between several access points. Location data can be used for a variety of services to mobile-device users, including advertisements, billing, information, tracking and safety. See also e911 and GPS.

LCD (liquid crystal display)

A low-powered, flat-panel display technology. LCD displays create images using liquid crystal molecules controlled by an electrical field.

LCD (lowest common denominator)

One way to build portable applications is to support only those functions that are provided on all of the target platforms. This "LCD" approach enables programs to run on numerous platforms, but does so at the expense of forgoing the use of unique, added-value features that may be offered on individual platforms.

LCR (Lifetime Clinical Record)

A computer-based patient record system from Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services. LCR provides a longitudinal view of patients' lifetime clinical histories.

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)

A server-to-server interface for directory information exchange among directories, devised as a low-cost, simpler implementation of the X.500 Directory Access Protocol. It facilitates the implementation of replication and chaining among dissimilar directories. Proposed by the University of Michigan, it was adopted by Netscape in 1996 for directory lookup, and has become the preferred access path for looking up directory information not only in X.500 directories, but also in many other directory structures on the Internet.

lead management

Lead management integrates business process and technology to close the loop between marketing and sales channels, and to drive higher-value opportunities through improved demand creation, execution and opportunity management.

Lead management processes take in unqualified, "raw" leads from a variety of lead-generation sources, including Web registration pages and campaigns; direct mail campaigns; e-mail marketing; multichannel campaigns; database marketing and third-party leased lists; social CRM and social networking sites; and trade shows. The output of lead management processes – qualified, scored, nurtured, augmented and prioritized selling opportunities – are handed off to direct sales and channel sales organizations.

A key requirement is integration with CRM, sales force automation (SFA), partner relationship management (PRM) or related sales management systems. This includes the ability to pass qualified, prioritized and augmented leads to the sales organization for closure. It also enables analytic and reporting capability to track the amount, timing and source of closed leads.

lean

A customer-value focused approach to the provision of effective solutions involving the consumption of a minimum of resources.

lean enterprise

The extended supply chain responsible for effectively satisfying consumer requirements using a minimum of resources.

lean thinking

The process by which individuals can understand the need for, create and implement a lean enterprise.

LED (light-emitting diode)

A semiconductor that produces light when activated.

legacy application or system

An information system that may be based on outdated technologies, but is critical to day-to-day operations. Replacing legacy applications and systems with systems based on new and different technologies is one of the information systems (IS) professional's most significant challenges. As enterprises upgrade or change their technologies, they must ensure compatibility with old systems and data formats that are still in use.

LEO (low earth orbit)

Orbital plane located from several hundred to a few thousand miles about the earth's surface. LEO systems can be regional or global and require many more satellites than GEO-based systems to provide service. Big LEO systems provide mobile satellite phone services and consist of satellite constellations of some 48 to 66 satellites. See also GEO and middle earth orbit (MEO).

LEP (light-emitting polymer)

Technology patented by Cambridge Display Technology of the U.K., and based on the ability of certain plastics to glow when charged with an electric current. Still in the early stages of development, the technology has the long-term potential to enable the development of flexible displays that could be rolled up and placed in a jacket pocket. See also OLED.

level

1. In data management structures or communication protocols, the degree of subordination in a hierarchy.
2. Measurement of signal power at a specific point in a circuit.

LF (low frequency)

Generally indicates frequencies between 3 and 300 kilohertz (kHz).

library

A data management system for documents frequently, though not necessarily, organized in a hierarchy of "folders" and "drawers." Also called a "file cabinet."

license

A dedicated voice endpoint as a user or seat that is activated and in use with a unique logical address on an enterprise telephony voice system.

LIDM (line impact dot matrix)

A printing technology using a ribbon and an array of impact elements; suitable for making carbon copies.

life span (lifetime)

Average life of a device within the defined segment.

LIFO (last in, first out)

LIMS (laboratory information management system)

Applications used to manage the collection of samples, collection and formatting of test results, and the reporting of results by sample or product category. LIMS applications may be generic, product/manufacturing-specific, or environmental-, medical- or R&D-focused.

line

1. A communications path between two or more points, including a satellite or microwave channel.
2. In data communications, a circuit connecting two or more devices.
3. A transmission path from a nonswitching subscriber terminal to a switching system.

line balancing

The optimization of the assignment of operations to workstations in an assembly line to minimize idle time and the number of workstations required.

line dot matrix

An output device that forms text and graphics in one or more rows of dots at a time, using an array of print elements that exert mechanical force through a ribbon onto the page.

line driver

A communications transmitter/receiver used to extend the transmission distance between terminals and computers that are directly connected. It acts as an interface between logic circuits and a two-wire transmission line.

line hit

Electrical interference causing the introduction of undesirable signals on a circuit.

line inkjet

An output device that creates the desired image by emitting ink from an array of orifices or nozzles arranged across the full width of the paper. Line inkjet printers follow the same segmentation as page products because they compete directly with the laser output devices.

line level

Signal strength on a transmission channel.

line load control

Equipment in a telephone system that provides a means by which essential paths may be ensured continuity of service under overloaded conditions. This is generally accomplished by temporarily denying originating service to some or all of the nonessential lines.

line loading

The process of installing loading coils in series with each conductor on a transmission line, usually 88 millihenry coils installed at 6,000-foot intervals.

link

1. A physical circuit between two points.
2. A conceptual (or virtual) circuit between two users of a packet switched (or other) network that enables them to communicate, even when different physical paths are used.
3. ee hyperlink.

link redundancy level

The ratio of the actual number of paths to the minimum number of paths required to connect all nodes of a network.

Linux

Linus Torvalds developed the original OS kernel at the University of Helsinki. Linux is a Unix-based computer OS and was originally designed as free software for open-source development. Its source code can be freely modified, used and redistributed by anyone under the GNU Public License. Several GUIs run on top of Linux, including K Desktop Environment and GNU Network Object Model Environment. Of the many distributions of Linux, the most-popular enterprise versions include those from Red Hat (Red Hat Enterprise Linux), Novell (SUSE Enterprise Linux), Ubuntu and Debian, and regional ones, such as Mandriva, Red Flag and Asianux. There are two Linux subsegments, Linux (client) and Linux (server), in our segmentation.

LISP (List Processing)

An object-oriented programming language.

little-endian

A method of storing or transmitting data where the most significant bit or byte is presented last. See big-endian.

LMDS (local multipoint distribution service)

Microwave-based wireless technology that operates at around 28GHz. In the U.S. and other countries, it is used for fixed high-speed data, Internet access and advanced telephone and entertainment services in metropolitan areas.

LMM (local modifications memory)

A technology that remembers manual changes to the graphical user interface (GUI) design and reapplies them should the screen need to be reconverted and generated.

LMR (longitudinal medical record)

A record of a person's inpatient and outpatient healthcare, from birth to death, regardless of when and where such care was obtained.

LMS (labor management system)

A system that provides labor productivity reporting and planning capabilities. The planning capabilities provides the ability to analyze workforce requirements given a certain amount of work to be performed and a standard unit of time to perform each element of work. Labor productivity planning capabilities provide the ability to measure and report the performance of individuals, groups or facilities vs. a pre-defined standard for performing each defined element of work.

LNP (local number portability)

The ability to change to a different local phone service provider while retaining the same phone number.

LNP (logistics network planning)

The class of tools required to analyze the trade-offs among inventory quantities, number and location of warehouses, and transportation costs to most profitably support a desired level of customer service. LNP is a proven scientific method for analyzing the required cost and service levels that warehouses need to meet specified customer service objectives.

load

1. To copy a program into the memory of a computing device so that it can later be used for processing.
2. To add inductance to a transmission line to minimize amplitude distortion (see loading coil).

load balancing

The ability of processors to schedule themselves to ensure that all are kept busy while instruction streams are available.

LOB (line of business)

A corporate subdivision focused on a single product or family of products.

LOC (line of code)

A unit used in measuring or estimating the scale of programming or code conversion efforts.

LOINC (Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes)

A system of names and codes for identifying laboratory and clinical observations.

long-haul

Long distance – telephone circuits that cross out of the local exchange.

long-haul DWDM and metro WDM systems

The first WDM systems were made for long-haul transport applications. WDM systems made it possible to split each fiber into a number of "virtual fibers" – one for each wavelength in the system. Given the high cost of long-haul fiber links, it was easy for WDM technology to offer a compelling value proposition, even though it was relatively expensive. In addition, a single optical amplifier for all the channels in a WDM system represented a clear cost advantage compared with the individual amplifiers and regenerators used in single-channel systems.

As a result of the great speed at which WDM technology has matured, it is now the technology of choice for both long-haul and metropolitan applications. Commercial DWDM systems are available with more than 100 channels, and the maximum line rate has been increased: first from 2.5 Gbps to 10 Gbps, and more recently to 40 Gbps.

Gartner tracks the following WDM subsegments:

• Metro WDM: WDM systems without in-line amplifiers, including both DWDM and coarse WDM (CWDM).
• Long-haul DWDM: Systems with in-line amplifiers. In-line optical amplifiers are considered an integral part of long-haul DWDM systems.

There is an increasing demand in the long-haul DWDM segment for equipment supporting the ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) G.709 standard ("Interface for the Optical Transport Network"). This standard aims at improving network operations in relation to DWDM equipment and OXE, while ensuring backward compatibility with SDH/SONET.

longitudinal balance

A measure of the electrical balance between the two conductors (tip and ring) of a telephone circuit. Specifically, it is the difference between the tip-to-ground and ring-to-ground AC signal voltages, expressed in decibels.

Lotus Sametime

Enterprise IM service operating via Lotus Domino servers.

look and feel

The appearance and behavior of a graphical user interface to the end user (who sees it as part of an application), determined by the tools and style guide provided by the vendor (and by whether the software developer obeys these guidelines).

loop

A local circuit between an exchange and a subscriber telephone station. Also called subscriber loop or local line.

loopback

A test of the performance and quality of a line or terminating equipment. See analog loopback and digital loopback.

loosely coupled multiprocessing

A configuration of several processors, each with its own memory, that execute user and operating-system code independently.

LOS (line of sight)

A characteristic of some open-air transmission technologies where the area between a transmitter and a receiver must be clear and unobstructed. This applies to microwave, infrared and open-air laser-type transmissions that operate at frequencies which transmit through the air in a perfectly straight line. A clear, open-air, direct transmission path is one that is free of obstructions such as buildings, but is in some cases impeded by adverse weather or environmental conditions.

lower-CASE

A category of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools used for application generation rather than application modeling.

LPS (local positioning system)

Technology used to pinpoint indoor position, similar to the global positioning system (GPS) used to locate outdoor position. LPS triangulates signals from cell controllers to proprietary long-range, long-life, low-cost radio frequency electronic tags. By calculating the distance between cell controllers, electronic tags and several different antennae, equipment or personnel inside an enterprise can be instantly located.

LRC (longitudinal redundancy check)

A data communications error-trapping technique in which a character is accumulated at both the sending and receiving stations during the transmission and is compared for an equal condition, which indicates a good transmission of the previous block.

LTE (long term evolution)

A 3GPP project to define the requirements and basic framework for the WCDMA mobile radio access network beyond 3G, also known as Release 8 – probably the last step before 4G. The core specifications for Release 8 were completed in late 2007, with commercial deployments scheduled in 2010. LTE includes objectives such as: 100 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload peak data rates in 20MHz of spectrum; full mobility to speeds of up to 500 km per hour; support for 3G network overlay and handovers between 3G and LTE. It will likely use MIMO, OFDMA and single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) in the link layers. Notably, it will not use CDMA for the radio layer, and there is a major operator-driven effort under way by ETSI to cap the IP royalties for LTE at a maximum of 5% of the cost of the equipment. 3GPP is working on an extended version of LTE called LTE advanced, which will make LTE fully ITU-4G-compliant. See also MIMO, OFDMA, System Architecture Evolution (SAE) and UTRAN.

LTE-A

Long Term Evolution Advanced, is defined in 3GPP Release 10 and is intended to be the first fully compliant version of the ITU's specification for 4G systems. The targeted peak rate for downlink is 1 Gbps and, for uplink, greater than 500 Mbps. This should be achieved with scalable usage of up to 100 MHz spectrum. LTE-A should support various cell types, including pico and femto, to improve uplink speeds as well as relay technologies to improve coverage. Furthermore, LTE-A should be backward compatible to LTE, Release 8.

Lu

Interface connecting the radio network controller (RNC) with an MSC or SGSN in a 3G network.

Lub

Interface connecting the RNC with the Node B.

lurker

A user who does not participate in an online discussion (e.g., in a chat room), but merely observes the activity.

M

M2M (machine-to-machine)

Connection of two or more devices over a cellular network, in which a human does not control at least one side of the connection. This includes in-car navigation systems, remote-monitoring and control equipment, alarms and inventory management systems.

MAC (Media Access Control)

An IEEE protocol defining the methods used to gain access to the physical layer of a LAN (i.e., Layer 1 of the OSI model – see OSI).

MAC (message authentication code)

A way of confirming that a message has not been tampered with.

MAC (moves, adds and changes)

General term for the routine work performed on computer equipment in an enterprise, including installations, relocations and upgrades.

Magic Quadrant

Gartner's Magic Quadrants depict markets in the middle phases of their life cycle by using a two-dimensional matrix that evaluates vendors based on their completeness of vision and ability to execute. The Magic Quadrant has 15 weighted criteria that plot vendors based on their relative strengths in the market.

mainframe

A large-capacity computer system with processing power that is significantly superior to PCs or midrange computers. Traditionally, mainframes have been associated with centralized, rather than distributed, computing environments. Skilled technicians are required to program and maintain mainframes, although client/server technology has made mainframes easier to operate from the user's and programmer's perspectives. They are generally used by large organizations to handle data processing for enterprisewide administrative tasks like payroll or accounts payable.

mainstream notebook

A computer system that meets all the criteria for a notebook PC but is designed to be the best compromise between all-inclusive functionality and light weight. Mainstream notebooks weigh between 4.5 and 6 pounds with the weight-saver and battery modules. Mainstream notebooks often have a single bay for the inclusion of a peripheral, such as a CD-ROM.

MAN (metropolitan-area network)

WAN technology deployed primarily in a city or region.

mainstream PC

Mainstream PCs meet all criteria for mobile PCs but typically weigh 4 pounds or more but less than 7.5 pounds.

managed object

A data processing or data communications resource that may be managed through the use of an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) management protocol. The resource itself need not be an OSI resource. A managed object may be a piece of equipment, a software component, an abstract collection of information or a combination of all three.

management consulting

Strategic consulting focused on high-level corporate or business unit strategy (e.g., deciding what businesses to participate in or whether to make an acquisition), or on operational improvement ( (e.g., improving customer service or determining the most effective type of retail delivery system).

manufacturer

Producer of branded or unbranded finished products. A manufacturer could be a contract manufacturer, OEM or both.

manufacturing planning

Definition of the weekly or daily production and machine schedules across multiple plants or lines to meet orders and forecast demand. Some manufacturing planning modules also incorporate materials planning.

manufacturing scheduling

Generation of plant-level execution schedules by product and resource (e.g., line and machine) and resolution of day-to-day capacity bottlenecks. Scheduling applications normally include a more granular level of resource information, and will provide such functionality as sequence dependent setup, tank scheduling and point-of-use material availability.

MAP (mobile application part)

Protocol in GSM networks for communication among network elements.

MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface)

The programming interface specification that enables an application to send and receive mail over a Microsoft Mail messaging system. It was designed to separate the mail engine from the mail client.

mapping

The transcription of functions into terms that make them equivalent on two different systems. In network operations, it is the logical association of one set of values, such as addresses, on one network with quantities or values of another set, such as devices, on a second network (e.g., name-address mapping).

market spoilers (also market killers)

Web-based businesses that aggregate information about a market and its suppliers, present the aggregated information to consumers via a Web site, and offer decision support to allow customers to differentiate offerings based on independent validation of competitors' services and features. These businesses diminish the advantage of suppliers that compete through brand identity or reputation.

marketing

The domain of customer relationship management (CRM) comprising the selection, acquisition, retention and extension of customer relationships. As marketing models change and new strategies are created that add value to customer relationships, use of technology-enabled marketing will emerge through the Web.

marketing resource management

These applications enable strategic planning and budgeting, program management, creative development and distribution, content management, media planning and execution, event coordination, and resource measurement.

MarketScope

Gartner's MarketScopes rate vendors based on criteria that focus on the important aspects of an emerging or mature market. In emerging markets, vendors and products are less well known or tested in the market, and it would be difficult to analyze all criteria typically used in a Magic Quadrant. In mature markets, vendors and products are typically well known, and demand for relative comparison shifts to a focus on differentiating criteria. By focusing on a limited set of criteria for these markets, MarketScopes will help you understand the dynamics of the market as well as the strengths of its vendors, even when the market is not well suited for Magic Quadrant analysis

MAS (marketing automation system)

Systems that help marketers execute multichannel marketing campaigns by providing a scripting environment for authoring business rules and interfaces to a variety of third-party applications.

mashup

Assemblies of existing software and data services into new Web-based solutions.

master black belt

Designation in Six Sigma of a practitioner who has achieved a very high level of mastery of Six Sigma techniques and is qualified to supervise Black Belts in the practice of Six Sigma skills.

master data management (MDM)

Master data management (MDM) is a technology-enabled discipline in which business and IT work together to ensure the uniformity, accuracy, stewardship, semantic consistency and accountability of the enterprise's official, shared master data assets. Master data is the consistent and uniform set of identifiers and extended attributes that describes the core entities of the enterprise, such as customers, prospects, citizens, suppliers, sites, hierarchies, and chart of accounts...

• Read the full master data management definition

materials management

A term to describe the grouping of management functions related to the complete cycle of material flow, from the purchase and internal control of production materials, to the planning and control of work in process, to the warehousing, shipping and distribution of the finished product. It differs from materials control in that the latter term, traditionally, is limited to the internal control of production materials.

MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service)

Part of the 3GPP Release 6 enhancements to the WCDMA standard, this supports point-to-multipoint broadcast of mobile TV services to handheld devices over cellular networks.

MB-OFDM (multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing)

UWB bearer technology promoted by the WiMedia Alliance and chosen by the Bluetooth SIG for integration with current Bluetooth wireless technology. MB-OFDM will offer data throughputs of 480 Mbps and will work with applications designed to use wired standards, such as IEEE 1394 (FireWire) and Universal Serial Bus. WiMedia devices will be capable of falling back to EDR or standard Bluetooth protocols to offer backward compatibility with the large number of Bluetooth devices already on the market. See also UWB.

M-business (mobile business)

New business models enabled by the extensive deployment of key mobile and wireless technologies and devices (for example, Bluetooth, e-purses, smartphones, UMTS and WAP), and by the inherent mobility of most people's work styles and lifestyles. The value proposition of m-business is that the user can benefit from information or services any time and in any place.

M-commerce (mobile commerce)

Delivery of e-commerce capabilities directly to mobile service users by means of wireless technology.

MC-CDMA (multicarrier code division multiple access)

Underlying standard for the cdma2000 family developed by the 3GPP2 standards organization of the ITU. See also cdma2000.

MCM (marketing content management)

A category of applications that help enterprises respond rapidly to unfolding business circumstances by applying the optimal combination of marketing content across multiple channels. MCM databases provide enterprises with an overview of all available marketing content.

MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission)

Regulator for the converging communications and multimedia industry in Malaysia.

MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional)

A Microsoft certification that requires passing a single operating-system test. MCPs can further specialize in Internet technologies to attain an MCP with Internet or site-building specialization, or can continue taking the exams necessary to become a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

MCR (minimum cell rate)

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) parameter used to determine the minimum number of cells permitted in a specific time period.

MDDBMS (multidimensional database management system)

A database management system that stores and manages data in dimensional arrays, indexed by dimensions and measured over time.

MDF (main distribution frame)

A wiring arrangement that connects outside lines on one side and internal lines from exchange equipment on the other.

MDM (master data management)

See Our master data management definition.

MDM (mobile device management)

See Our mobile device management definition.

MDS (marketing database system)

A database system designed to meet the specialized analytical and application needs of marketers.

MediaFLO (media forward link only)

An OFDM-based mobile TV and data-casting technology developed by Qualcomm for multicasting media content to mobile devices. With initial deployments in the U.S. in the 700MHz band by Verizon and subsequently by AT&T, MediaFLO is an alternative to other mobile TV candidate technologies including DMB, DVB-H and MBMS.

media gateways

A gateway is an infrastructure network element that converts one or more input protocols or media to one or more output media or protocols, such as TDM circuit-switched networks, ATM or IP. It acts as a translation unit between disparate telecom networks, such as PSTNs, NGNs, second-generation (2G), generation two-and-a-half (2.5G) and 3G RANs, and PBXs. Media gateways support VoIP and/or voice over ATM (VoATM). They manage QoS to ensure that voice traffic has priority and that users receive "toll quality" voice service. Manufacturers' revenue is used as a reporting metric.

media objects

Non-Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files or applications that can be displayed or executed as part of an HTML document. Examples include graphic, audio and video files, and Java applets.

medical management

An umbrella term that encompasses the use of IT for health, disease, care and case management functions. Medical management strategies are designed to modify consumer and provider behavior to improve the quality and outcome of healthcare delivery.

megaportal

A portal that attempts to serve the entire Internet community (in contrast to a vertical Internet portal, which targets a niche audience).

MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems)

Extremely small mechanical systems using component sizes of the order of micrometres. MEMS can be constructed using silicon fabrication technologies, so can combine silicon electronics and mechanics on the same chip. MEMS can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including sensors (on-chip accelerometers, for example) and displays (for example, Qualcomm's Mirasol or Texas Instruments' DLP [Digital Light Processing).

MEO (middle earth orbit )

Orbital plane with an altitude between geosynchronous orbit at 22,237 miles and the earth's surface. MEO satellites typically orbit the Earth from 9,000 km to 15,000 km. See also GEO and LEO.

MES (manufacturing execution system)

1. Computerized systems that formalize production methods and procedures within the manufacturing environment, providing online tools to execute work orders.
2. A broadly defined area that deals with plant floor applications that facilitate manufacturing. It is a catchall phrase that encompasses any manufacturing system not already classified in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) or open control system (OCS) categories. In the broadest definition, MESs include computerized maintenance management systems (CMMSs), laboratory information management systems (LIMSs), shop floor controls (SFCs), production information management systems (PIMSs), statistical process systems (SPSs), quality control systems (QCSs), and specialized applications such as batch reporting and control. While Gartner includes man-machine interface/human-machine interface (MMI/HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) as part of OCS, in the past others have referred to these as MES applications.

MES (marketing encyclopedia system)

A system that electronically distributes and consolidates up-to-date marketing information into a highly cross-referenced, single-source repository. An MES enables users to quickly locate and display information, thus shortening sales cycles and decreasing printing and distribution costs. An MES contains a database capable of storing all types of information that will be incorporated into the system (e.g., audio, video, sound, text and graphics). The system should have the capability to be used unconnected to a server and should include a remote communications mechanism for electronically downloading and uploading information.

mesh network

Has no centralized access points but uses wireless nodes to create a virtual wireless backbone. Mesh network nodes typically establish network links with neighboring nodes, enabling user traffic to be sent through the network by hopping between nodes on many different paths. At least some nodes must be connected to a core network for backhaul. Mesh networks are self-healing, self-organizing and somewhat scalable, with additional capacity supplied by adding incremental nodes. See also Wi-Fi mesh.

message authentication

A function in which the device determines if the received message arrived from its stated source and in unaltered form. The actual message need not be encrypted, but its authentication code must be.

message broker

A logical hub that copies and resends messages to one or more destinations. As a value-adding third party between information sources and information consumers, it can complement a service-oriented architecture (SOA). Like an SOA, a broker is a design abstraction that may be implemented using component software for some or all of the connections. The interface from a message broker to the application may use an object request broker (ORB) or object transaction monitor (OTM); a request to the message broker may be implemented as a series of method calls to participating components.

message feedback

A method of checking the accuracy of data transmission. The received data is returned to the sending end for comparison with the original data, which is stored there for this purpose. Also called information feedback and loop checking.

message format

Rules for the placement of portions of a message, such as the heading, address, text, end-of-message indication and error-detecting bits.

message numbering

The identification of each message within a communications system through the assignment of a sequential number.

message passing

Services performing a simple, one-way transfer operation between two programs. Like the other one-way messaging models, message passing generally leaves the sending program unblocked. Also, as with all forms of messaging, message passing is usually connectionless, which means that the sending application does not have to explicitly establish and manage a connection with the message's intended recipient. Although message passing is not inherently a two-way communication model, two-way communication can be accomplished by sending the response in a separate message.

message queuing

The message-queuing or store-and-forward model is basically the message-passing model with one additional feature. Message queuing is asynchronous in a manner similar to a traditional postal system – i.e., the recipient need not be available when the message is sent. Message queuing stores messages at an intermediate node on the network in a queue and then forwards the messages to the intended targets.

message switching

The technique of receiving a message, storing it until the proper outgoing line is available, and then retransmitting it. Unlike in-line switching, no direct connection between the incoming and outgoing lines is established.

message warehouse

A message broker service that temporarily stores messages to be analyzed or retransmitted at a later time.

messaging

Alphanumeric or graphic one-way or two-way service that sends, receives and displays messages on a mobile device.

messaging device

A data-centric device designed primarily to process electronic messages. A basic messaging device weighs less than 1 pound and is designed for one-way outbound messaging. Limited responses, such acknowledgments, are also possible but are not common. A two-way messaging device weighs less than 1 pound and is designed to send and receive messages.

metadata

Gartner defines metadata as "information that describes various facets of an information asset to improve its usability throughout its life cycle." It is metadata that makes information into an asset. Generally speaking, the more valuable the information asset, the more critical it is to manage the metadata about it, because it is the metadata definition that provides understanding that unlocks the value of data.

metadata and data modeling tools

Metadata and data modeling tools support the creation and documentation of models describing the structures, flows, mappings and transformations, relationships, and quality of data. These tools enable users to discover and design data models, create relationships between models, and map and reconcile physical models to logical models.

Recent market activity has created a demand for open access to a wide array of metadata that was previously not considered under the metadata management definition. As a result, metadata management is now pursued through the creation of metadata repositories and the introduction of at least a browsing interface for developers and end users alike.

Metadata can also be used in an active or passive role in the organization, and the tools represent this dichotomy as well. Many metadata tools collect and collate metadata in a passive documentation and viewing role that provides for data definition review, business process flow evaluation, data lineage analysis, change impact analysis and many other passive activities. These tools are considered more-traditional tools. A few metadata tools address the concept of active metadata. Active metadata solutions collect information on current system operations, notify end users of data content changes and perform routing tasks for information to end users.

metadirectory

A directory that acts as a superset of all other directories. Metadirectories have evolved from stand-alone products to services that enable a given directory to synchronize and exchange information with other data repositories.

metalanguage

A language used to describe a language. A metalanguage defines a language's constructs, such as character sets, syntax and valid sequences.

method-of-purchase segmentation

The IT services market can be divided by the primary methods of purchase used by end users and IT services providers:

• Discrete – Project-specific contractual arrangement, with a predetermined scope of work to be completed within a given time period. With discrete services, management responsibility for the delivery of services and outcome is retained by the company; discrete projects may last a few weeks to several years, depending on the project. Typical projects can include, but are not limited to, custom AD, legacy transition services, and enterprise application integration and deployment. In discrete services, management responsibility for the delivery of services and outcome is retained by the company. Typical projects can include, but are not limited to, general staff augmentation, custom application development, legacy transition services, and enterprise application integration.
• Outsourcing – Multiyear or annuity-based contractual arrangement, whereby a company provisions services on an ongoing basis at a specified level of competency. Outsourcing involves some degree of transfer of management responsibility for the ongoing delivery of IT services or processes to an external provider, with performance tied to service levels or outcomes. Outsourcing encompasses the management of IT infrastructure (data center, desktop or network), enterprise applications and business processes. Outsourcing agreements always include services from the management category, transaction processing or business management segments, and may include services from the product support, consulting, and development and integration. As part of an outsourcing agreement, the ESP may acquire the physical assets or the employees of a business client. Services may be provided at the client site or remotely from a vendor-owned site.

metrication

Building metrics or measurement tools into applications to monitor what is happening in the network or local environment where the application is operating.

MFP (multifunction product)

A network-attached document production device that combines two or more of the copy, print, scan and fax functions.

MHTML (Messaging Hypertext Markup Language)

A language that is capable of packaging externally referenced image files within an HTML page, potentially increasing the bulk of the page significantly.

MIB (Management Information Base)

A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) flat-file, nonrelational database that describes devices being monitored. Network management platforms monitor nodes by reading the value of the managed resources in the MIB. Management platforms can effect changes in managed resources by altering MIB values (e.g., by establishing thresholds beyond which alerts are created).

MIC (Ministry of Information and Communication)

Former communication and IT regulator in the Republic of South Korea, replaced in 2008 by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), comprised of the MIC and the Korean Broadcasting Commission. See also KCC.

MICR (magnetic-ink character recognition)

Machine recognition and digitization of magnetically charged characters printed on paper (typically bank drafts and deposit slips).

microbrowser

A small-footprint Web browser suitable for low-powered mobile devices, which supports slimmed-down versions of HTML such as XHTML/Basic.

microcode

The microinstructions, especially of a microprocessor, that govern the details of operation. Microcoded functions can improve performance but add a layer of complexity. For example, microcode errors appear to software as being hardware failures.

microfilm

A high-resolution film used to record images reduced in size from the original.

microprocessor

A central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip, also known as a microprocessing unit (MPU). Desktop and portable computers typically contain one microprocessor, while more powerful computers often make use of multiple microprocessors.

Microsoft .NET platform AD tools

The Microsoft .NET platform AD tool market includes tools used to construct applications that operate within the Microsoft .NET managed code platform. These tools may include code-centric integrated development environments, or they may employ more-advanced features, such as model-driven code generators or other architected rapid AD features.

middleware

The software "glue" that helps programs and databases (which may be on different computers) work together. Its most basic function is to enable communication between different pieces of software.

midrange computer

A computer with an architecture similar to that of the minicomputer, which is used for multiple users.

MII (Ministry of Information Industry)

The former communications and IT regulator in the Peoples Republic of China, replaced in March 2008 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

MIMD (multiple instruction, multiple data)

A design for parallel computers characterized by the simultaneous execution of many different instruction streams (programs), each of which handles different data.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Messaging Extensions)

MIME functions enable the transport of attachments and non-ASCII text via the Simple Message Transport Protocol (SMTP). They cover most (but not all) of the features of X.400, and interface with X.400 via the MIME-X.400 Enhanced Relay (MIXER) specification.

MIMO (multiple input/multiple output)

Multi-antenna wireless technology suitable for base stations and mobile devices that can increase throughput, system capacity and spectral efficiency, reduce fading and improve resistance to interference. It is being used in pre-standard 802.11n WLAN equipment and is likely to be adopted in WiMAX and future cellular standards.

minicomputer

A computing device that is typically more powerful than a PC, but less powerful than a mainframe, and is therefore often referred to as "midrange." A minicomputer can support or more users.

mini-notebook PC

This category typically includes mobile computing devices with screen sizes over 5 inches and less than 11 inches that run a full version of a client OS, such as Linux or Windows XP. Mini-notebooks do not include microinformation devices, which according to Gartner definitions are a separate product category and include mobile computing devices with screen sizes between 3 inches and 5 inches. This category, defined primarily by screen size, overrides other platforms defined by weight.

mini-PC

These are desk-based PCs with volume of less than 15 liters.

MIPS (million instructions per second)

An approximate measure of a computer's raw processing power. MIPS figures can be misleading because measurement techniques often differ, and different computers may require different sets of instructions to perform the same activity.

mission-critical

A term used to describe applications that are critical to the survival of an enterprise. Mission-critical services require a combination of several factors, such as availability, reliability, serviceability and performance. Each of these must be weighted in importance to fit the particular mission to be supported.

mizusumashi

Literally, "water spider" – a "troubleshooter" who enables others to do work.

M-JPEG (Motion JPEG)

A version of Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) for compression of motion video, as opposed to still images. Frame-to-frame redundancy is ignored, resulting in less compression than Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG). The advantages are simplicity and fast access to individual images.

MLM (Medical Logic Module)

The Arden Syntax for MLMs is a de facto standard in healthcare for coding clinical information (e.g., to generate clinical alerts, suggest interpretations or diagnoses, guide compliance with protocols). Each MLM encodes only one decision and evaluates as true or false. Although an MLM can call another MLM, in practice, this rarely occurs.

MM (micro-marketplace)

A narrowly focused market that aggregates multiple vendor offerings, content and value-added services (such as comparison of features) to enable buyers within a particular industry, geographic region or affinity group to make informed purchasing decisions.

MM (multimedia)

Applications and technologies that manipulate text, data, images, sound and full-motion-video objects. Given the usage of multiple formats, multimedia is capable of delivering a stronger and more engaging message than standard text. Multimedia files are typically larger than text-based information and are therefore usually stored on CD-ROMs. Games and educational software commonly use multimedia.

MMDS (multichannel multipoint distribution service)

Fixed wireless technology, sometimes referred to as wireless cable TV or wireless generic DSL (xDSL). MMDS operates between 2.5GHz and 2.7GHz and is used for broadcasting, personal communications and interactive media services in metropolitan areas.

MMIS (materials management information system)

A software suite packaged as an integrated offering to meet materials management, human-resources and back-office needs. At a minimum, MMISs should be designed to interface readily with other mission-critical information systems in the enterprise.

MML (multimedia markup language)

Microbrowser developed for the J-Phone (now Vodafone KK) mobile data service, similar to DoCoMo's proprietary cHTML browser.

MMS (multimedia messaging service)

3GPP mobile messaging standard that supports picture messaging, sound, graphics and voice. Unlike EMS, MMS does not draw on established messaging technology (such as SMS). Instead, it requires network operators to deploy new infrastructure, including a multimedia messaging service center. It uses a wireless data bearer to deliver messages and requires MMS functionality in mobile devices. The MMS standard was defined jointly by the 3GPP (TS 23.140) and the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), incorporating the WAP Forum. MMS supports many features that could not be delivered using established mobile messaging standards.

MNO (mobile-network operator)

Company that owns and operates one or more mobile networks.

MNS (managed network services)

The vendor delivery of primarily operational support for a new environment in which the hardware assets, financial obligations and personnel still remain on the books of the customer.

MO (magneto-optic)

A type of storage technology that uses magnetization produced by a focused light beam.

mobile and wireless infrastructure software platforms

These development tools and deployment servers are used to create brand-new customer mobile applications or to "mobilize" established conventional enterprise applications, e-mail and enterprise data stores.

mobile and wireless packaged application software

The terms "mobile application" and "wireless application" are used in the trade press, often interchangeably, and can refer to simple stand-alone software or to internetworked processes of great complexity. Mobile and wireless applications can range from a menuing system on a smartphone, to a calendar or a tic-tac-toe game on a PDA, to Internet/corporate e-mail connectivity, to a sales force automation order-entry system that updates back-end databases over a wireless link.

mobile carrier

An entity that owns/operates a mobility wireless network infrastructure and provides aforementioned services.

mobile Centrex

Network-based service using wireless mobile phones that enables traditional PBX-style calling features. Mobile Centrex can be provided in several forms: IP PBX with cellular or Wi-Fi dual-mode handsets, private base stations with cellular single-mode handsets, or mobile virtual private networks (VPNs).

mobile communications services

Gartner segments the North American, Western European, Asia/Pacific and Japanese markets for mobile-communication services as follows:

• Postpaid – Connections
• Prepaid – Connections
• Penetration rate by country
• Biannual review of connections by major market and mobile-network operator
• Total churn
• Voice and data revenue and average revenue per unit (ARPU).

Gartner segments the rest of the world and worldwide (roll-up) markets for mobile communications services as follows:

• Latin America – Penetration rate, connections, technology split, revenue, voice/data split and ARPU
• Eastern Europe – Penetration rate, connections, technology split, revenue, voice/data split and ARPU
• Middle East – Penetration rate, connections, technology split, revenue, voice/data split and ARPU
• Africa – Penetration rate, connections, technology split, revenue, voice/data split and ARPU
• Worldwide roll-up – Penetration rate, connections, technology split, revenue, voice/data split and ARPU

We define the line items as follows:

• ARPU: A mobile network operator's average revenue per connection.
• Churn: A measure of how many customers are disconnecting from the network. Churn is calculated as gross connections minus net new connections divided by customer base at the end of the previous year. Segmentation can affect churn – for example, an operator with a large prepaid segment may have higher churn than one with a large number of postpaid/contract customers. As a market reaches maturity, churn is expected to decline or stabilize, influenced by operators' focus on retention. However, there are still factors that can increase churn in a mature market; examples are the introduction of stricter prepaid disconnection policies and the entry of new operators.
• Connections: The number of individual network connections at the end of a given year. In this regard, multiple subscriber identity module (SIM) cards bearing one number count as a single connection, whereas two numbers associated with a single SIM card count as two connections. Usage charges are also calculated separately. Prepaid SIM cards count as single connections provided they are in operation at the end of the year in question. The connection forecast includes data card connections but currently excludes machine-to-machine connections.
• Data revenue: The sum of messaging revenue and data-over-cellular revenue.
• Gross connections: The total number of new connections to a network in a given year.
• Net new connections: Gross new connections minus the number of disconnections from the network in a given year.
• Penetration rate: The number of connections to a service divided by the total population.
• Prepaid connection: A connection that requires no contract and for which the user pays in advance.
• Total service revenue: The sum of data revenue, connection revenue, monthly access revenue and voice traffic revenue.

Mobile device management (MDM) includes software that provides the following functions: software distribution, policy management, inventory management, security management and service management for smartphones and media tablets...

• Read the full mobile device management definition

mobile devices

Gartner segments the North American, Western European, Asia/Pacific, Japanese, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, African and Latin American markets for mobile communications devices as follows:

• Sales to end users, retirements, installed base, average selling price (ASP) and revenue
• By phone category, including basic phones, enhanced phones, entry-level smartphones and feature smartphones
• Sales to end users by bearer technology, for example, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), LTE, cdma2000 1xRTT, cdma2000 EV-DO and personal digital cellular (PDC)

These statistics exclude machine-to-machine modules, GSM/GPRS/WCDMA/HxPA PC cards, wireless sleeves and other peripheral devices.

mobile DRM (mobile digital rights management)

Technology that enables the secure distribution, promotion and sale of digital content for mobile devices. The OMA sees mobile DRM as an enabler of controlled consumption of digital content, enabling content providers to specify usage rights on such content. Usage rights include, among other things, the ability to enable content to be previewed and the ability to prevent illegal copying and redistribution.

mobile earth station

A radio transmitter or receiver situated on a ship, aircraft or other vehicle and used for satellite communications.

Mobile Explorer

Microsoft's microbrowser for Windows Mobile smartphones and PDAs. See also microbrowser.

mobile fax

Facility that allows facsimile reception and transmission over a cellular network.

mobile IM (instant messaging)

IM available from a wireless device. This is an evolution of two-way SMS and paging technologies. IM not only offers Internet compatibility but also its concept of presence and "buddy lists;" it also permits the autodiscovery of addressable recipients. Wide-area mobile IM is available on suitably configured cell phones and PDAs, but usage is dwarfed by the worldwide volumes of SMS. WLAN IM requires enterprises to make the decision to install the equipment, with a more problematic justification.

mobile IP

Defines a packet-forwarding mechanism for mobile and remote hosts so that remote users can connect to their networks over the Internet. It can work with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). See ATMP.

mobile middleware

Middleware designed to address specific challenges faced by mobile applications running on wireless links that may be slow, intermittent or have high latency. Mobile middleware performs functions such as protocol optimization, data synchronization and data compression.

mobile network

Cellular telecommunication system comprising MSCs, antenna cell sites and radio base stations.

mobile network infrastructure

Gartner analyzes the global market for mobile network infrastructure, as well as regional markets including Western Europe, North America, Asia/Pacific and Japan. Our reports are segmented as follows:

• By radio and core network elements, as well as by technology standard.
• By industry standard – for example, cdma2000 single-carrier (1x) Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE), time division multiple access (TDMA), Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) in China, and wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

mobile payment

Gartner defines mobile payment as transactions conducted using a mobile phone and payment instruments that include:

• Banking instruments such as cash, bank account or debit/credit card, and
• Stored value accounts (SVAs) such as transport card, gift card, Paypal or mobile wallet

and exclude transactions that use:

• Carrier billing using the telecom's billing system with no integration of the bank's payment infrastructure, or
• Telebanking by using the mobile phone to call the service center via an interactive voice response (IVR) system. However, IVR used in combination with other mobile channels such as Short Message Service (SMS) or Unstructured Structured Service Data (USSD) is included.

mobile PC

Mobile PCs meet all PC criteria but are designed to be easily moved from place to place. The system is completely self-contained and can be carried as a single unit, which includes a keyboard, a display, mass storage and the main system unit. Its power sources are alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). This segment also includes tablet devices that are distinguished by a pen-based OS, which uses a pen as a primary input device rather than a keyboard (no longer tracked separately). Mobile PCs include desktop replacement, mainstream, mini-notebook, ultraportable, tablet or other mobile configurations.

mobile PC ODMs

Mobile PC ODMs are defined as mobile PC contract manufacturers that provide mobile PC manufacturing services to mobile PC OEM vendors.

mobile portal

Internet gateway that enables mobile devices to connect remotely with an enterprise intranet or extranet, typically via a Web browser interface. Consumer-oriented mobile portals provide access to mobile services and content using channels such as SMS, a microbrowser such as WAP, i-mode and voice. Consumer mobile portals aggregate content from many sources and may offer personalized services and content to mobile users – for example, unified messaging, news, search facilities, directories and m-commerce transactions.

mobile satellite communications

Satellite-based services to ships, motor vehicles and aircraft.

mobile transformers

Mobile device products with an innovative and/or adaptive form factor that users can modify dynamically, based on specific context and needs. Some products are still at conceptual model stage (for example, the Nokia Morph); others are already commercially available. Modu's Modu Mobile uses a modular, Lego-like approach, based on building blocks, to assemble and create the most appropriate form factor for a user at a given time. Nokia's Morph instead adopts innovative materials (based on nanotechnologies) that enable flexible, foldable, stretchable designs – allowing users to transform their mobile devices into radically different shapes.

mobile TV

Any linear, continuous content that is streamed or broadcast over a network to mobile phones. This is often referred to as "live" or real-time TV.

mobile VPN (mobile virtual private network)

Designed for use on resource-constrained devices and in addition to traditional VPN services; provides functions to address the specific challenges of mobile networking. Examples include IP session persistence, protocol optimization and data compression. See also VPN.

mobile Web 2.0

Use of Web 2.0 technology and business models in the mobile market.

mobile wireless

Client device support for roaming while connected at vehicular speeds without dropping a session. The terms "nomadic," "portable" and "mobile" often vary in definition when used by vendors. See also fixed wireless and semi-mobile wireless.

mobile/wireless portal

A Web site with a wide range of content, services and links designed for mobile devices. It acts as a value-added middleman by selecting the content sources and assembling them in a simple-to-navigate (and customizable) interface for presentation to the end-user's mobile device.

mobile WLL (mobile wireless local loop)

Wireless access solutions deployed using standardized cellular or low-mobility infrastructure and mobile devices. This primarily includes technologies such as cdmaOne (IS-95A and B), cdma2000 1x RTT, Personal HandyPhone System (PHS) and personal access communication services (PACS). For commercial or regulatory reasons, mobile WLLs are not operated as full mobility cellular services, even though the networks may be technically capable of supporting such services. Personal Access System (PAS) is a trademark of UTStarcom for its portfolio of mobile WLL products based on the PHS standard.

Mobisode

Audio (or audio and video) content specifically designed for playback on mobile audio/video players such as Apple's iPod and MPEG-enabled mobile phones. Mobisodes are an example of "sticky" content and are similar in concept to the radio programs of the 1940s and 1950s. These consisted of compelling short daily or weekly episodes that encouraged subscribers to keep coming back for the next edition. See also podcast.

modem speed

Composed of 9.6 kilobits per second (Kbps), 14.4 Kbps and 33.6 Kbps.

modulation

The application of information onto a carrier signal by varying one or more of the signal's basic characteristics (frequency, amplitude or phase); the conversion of a signal from its original (e.g., digital) format to analog format. Specific types include:

• AM (amplitude modulation)
• ADPCM (adaptive differential pulse code modulation)
• FM (frequency modulation)
• PAM (pulse amplitude modulation)
• PCM (pulse code modulation)
• PWM (pulse width modulation; also called PDM, or pulse duration modulation)

MOM (message-oriented middleware)

MOM products provide connectionless program-to-program communications services for intra-application and interapplication (that is, integration) purposes. Interactions implemented with MOM may be fully asynchronous (one way, store and forward) or partially synchronous (immediate, one-way delivery or two-way request/reply exchanges). MOM strengths are in connectionless (loosely coupled) communications, store and forward (queuing), guaranteed delivery, broad platform support (run on many OSs), and in some cases, content- or subject-based addressing (for example, publish and subscribe). Unlike remote procedure calls (RPCs), MOM products also support one-to-many, many-to-one or many-to-many delivery.

MOM products complement application servers by providing features that are missing or not well-supported through RPC and other connection-oriented communications mechanisms, such as Component Object Model (COM)+, Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) and SOAP RPC. All major Java application servers and most integration suites now include a bundled MOM service, often based on the Java Messaging System standard, but stand-alone (unembedded) MOM products are also still sold. The popular stand-alone (unembedded) communications middleware products on the market today are MOM or a combination of messaging and other forms of middleware.

MOUs (minutes of use)

Measurement (usually monthly) of a wireless user's total circuit-switched voice connection time.

MP (multiprocessor)

A computer that incorporates multiple processors with access to common storage.

MP3 (MPEG Layer 3)

Format for audio compression that offers significant compression while retaining excellent audio quality. MP3 is one of many audio compression algorithms that can reduce audio storage requirements to typical ranges of 0.3 to 1.0 megabytes per minute.

M-payment (mobile payment)

Payments initiated or completed through wireless devices. Many carriers are targeting the underdeveloped micropayments (less than $10) market for digital content and physical goods as a point of entry into retail payments.

MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group)

A digital video standard for compression of full-motion images. The compression ratios achieved with MPEG encoding make it an ideal standard for delivery of digital video data.

MPEG-1 deals with mono and stereo sound coding, at sampling frequencies commonly used for high-quality audio. MPEG-2 contains an extension to lower sampling frequencies, providing better sound quality at the low bit rates, and an extension for multichannel sound. MPEG-3 and MPEG-4, with further improvements, are under development. Both MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 have a three-layer structure. Each layer represents a family of coding algorithms. Layer 3 deals with sound encoding, and can't be used by itself to encode audio files. In this form, it is known as MP3.

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching)

A protocol that improves Internet Protocol (IP) service levels for data streaming.

MPLS-TP (Multiprotocol Label Switching Transport Profile)

MPOA (multiprotocol over ATM)

A routing option that combines the second phase of local-area network (LAN) emulation with a route server, a route set cache of protocols, and route cache devices or edge devices that maintain route tables updated by the server.

MPP (massively parallel processing)

An architecture that uses hundreds or thousands of parallel processors.

MPS (managed print service)

A Gartner generic term for a service offered by an external provider to optimize or manage a company's document output to certain objectives, such as driving down costs, improving efficiency and productivity, and keeping information secure. In a MPS, the service provider takes primary responsibility for meeting the customer's office printing needs, including the printing equipment, the supplies, the service and overall management of the printer fleet.

MQM (message-queuing middleware)

A model to store and forward messages, thereby enabling asynchronous operations.

MRO (maintenance, repair and operations)

The activities associated with the operation and repair of any facility, equipment or asset, and the material purchased to support these activities.

MRP (material requirements planning)

An early category of manufacturing business software, which focused only on planning manufacturing materials and inventories, and did not integrate planning for other resources, such as people and machine capacity.

MRP II (manufacturing resource planning)

A method for effective planning of all the resources of a manufacturing company. Ideally, it addresses operational planning in units and financial planning in dollars, and has a simulation capability to answer "what if" questions. It is made up of a variety of functions, each linked together: business planning, production planning, master production scheduling (MPS), material requirements planning (MRP), capacity requirements planning (CRP) and the execution systems for capacity and priority. Outputs from these systems can be integrated with business reports (e.g., business plans, purchase commitment reports, shipping budgets or inventory projections). MRP II is a direct outgrowth and extension of MRP. MRP II is migrating toward enterprise resource planning (ERP).

MSA (metropolitan service area or metropolitan statistical area)

Geographic area designation used for the allocation of 1,900MHz cellular licenses to mobile service providers in the U.S. that determines where they can operate. An MSA is an urban area with at least 50,000 people or a non-urban area with at least 100,000 people. There are 306 MSAs and 428 RSAs in the U.S. There is considerable overlap with the older BTA and MTA designations. See also BTA, MTA and RSA.

MSC (mobile switching center)

Stand-alone switch with lines and trunks supporting wireless telephony services. It covers core-switching functionalities and does not include off-switch subscriber information platforms, such as HLRs and visitor location registers (VLRs).

MSI (medium-scale integration)

Fewer than 100 circuits built onto a single chip. MSI is used frequently in third-generation systems.

MSN IM (Microsoft Instant Messaging)

Free, public IM service.

MSO (management services organization)

A service organization of an integrated delivery system or hospital that provides management services for multiple affiliated physician practices and clinics.

MSP (management service provider)

Also known as "managed-service providers," MSPs deliver network, application, system and e-management services across a network to multiple enterprises, using a "pay as you go" pricing model. A "pure play" MSP focuses on management services as its core offering. In addition, the MSP market includes offerings from other providers – including application service providers (ASPs), Web hosting companies and network service providers (NSPs) – that supplement their traditional offerings with management services. (See ASP and NSP.)

MSS (mobile satellite service)

Networks of communication satellites intended for use with mobile and portable wireless telephones. There are three major types: aeronautical MSS, land MSS and maritime MSS. See also ATC.

MSSP (managed security service provider)

An MSSP provides outsourced monitoring and management of security devices and systems. Common services include managed firewall, intrusion detection, virtual private network, vulnerability scanning and anti-viral services. MSSPs use high-availability security operation centers (either from their own facilities or from other data center providers) to provide 24x7 services designed to reduce the number of operational security personnel an enterprise needs to hire, train and retain to maintain an acceptable security posture.

MSU (million service units)

Millions of service units (MSUs) were introduced to the IBM software pricing methodologies in the mid-1990s. For almost 10 years, there was a consistent ratio between MSUs and MIPS. In 2003, IBM changed its direction to publish separate "pricing" and "performance" MSUs. In 2004, IBM changed again, this time to assign a single published MSU rating for each system and capacity setting that standardized on what was previously called the "pricing" MSU. Today, MSUs are used for software pricing only; they are not a capacity metric. The ratio of MIPS to MSU varies depending upon IBM mainframe generation.

MTA (metropolitan trading area)

Geographic area designation used for the allocation of 800MHz cellular licenses to mobile service providers in the U.S. that determines where they can operate. Each MTA is made up of several BTAs. There are 493 BTAs and 51 MTAs in the U.S. See also BTA, MSA and RSA.

MTBF (mean time between failures)

The cumulative average time that a manufacturer estimates will elapse between failures in a computer component or system.

MTTR (mean time to repair)

An estimated average time required to do repairs on equipment.

MUD (multiuser detection)

Technique employed in cellular networks to reduce interference and enhance capacity and cell coverage.

muda

The Japanese term for waste relating to any activity that consumes resources but adds no value.

multiband

Mobile device that can function on different (multiple) frequency bands, such as a dual-band GSM900MHz mobile device that also operates in the 1,800MHz frequency band. See also dual-band, dual-mode and tri-band.

multicast

Multicast, as opposed to broadcast, is a signal transmitted to only a subset of potential destinations.

multichannel IPTV

The typical IPTV model involves both broadcast pay-TV and on-demand services. Most IPTV providers offer both, though it is multichannel pay TV that remains the key selling point in most services – and it generates most of the revenue. As a result, many IPTV services still have a strong focus on competing in a like-for-like manner against existing pay-TV services such as cable TV and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite offerings, often with similar packages of channels. Although this will change as new functionality is made available to IPTV users, it means that multichannel TV will be the foundation of IPTV offerings for several years. As a result, our key metric when sizing the market is the number of multichannel IPTV subscribers.

multienterprise (B2B) solutions

Multienterprise (B2B) gateway software is a form of integration middleware that is used to consolidate and centralize a company's multienterprise data, application and process integration and interoperability requirements with external business partners. The types of projects supported by B2B gateway software include traditional approaches to B2B (including EDI), contemporary approaches to B2B (including XML and Applicability Statement 2 [AS2]), and emerging approaches to B2B (including service-oriented architecture [SOA] and Web-services-based process integration). It includes middleware technology from multiple disciplines, including integration middleware, ESBs, application servers, composite application suites, EDI translators, and B2B-enabled integration middleware that is increasingly available with packaged applications. The key point is that IT users are specifically looking for technology that enables them to manage all aspects of IT infrastructure.

Gartner also includes stand-alone EDI translators and managed file transfer software within the B2B software market.

multimedia workstation

A workstation that can process multimedia applications.

multimode

Mobile device that functions on several different radio systems. Multimode devices may support wide-area wireless broadband connections, such as WLAN, as well as multiple cellular networks. See also dual-mode and GAN.

multimode fiber

A fiber supporting propagation of multiple modes. The cable has a core diameter of 50-100 microns. It causes more distortion and gives less bandwidth than single-mode (monomode) fiber.

multipass device

A color page output device that needs to pass the print head over a page multiple times to print each color. In the case of a laser printer/MFP, it passes over one of the four (CMYK) developing units once to generate the four-color results. On each pass a different color is imaged on the paper. The paper would need to complete four passes to image a full-color CMYK image.

multiple console operation

A private branch exchange (PBX) supporting more than one attendant's position to handle heavy traffic. Call traffic is distributed evenly among the consoles in use.

multiple customer group operation

A public branch exchange (PBX) that can be shared by several different companies, each having separate consoles and trunks. Stations are assigned to one company or the other and are then capable of reaching only that company's trunks and attendants.

multiplexing

Division of a transmission facility into two or more channels either by splitting the frequency band transmitted by the channel into narrower bands, each of which is used to constitute a distinct channel (frequency division multiplexing), or by allotting this common channel to several different information channels, one at a time (time division multiplexing).

multipoint

Pertaining or referring to a communications line to which three or more stations are connected. It implies that the line physically extends from one station to another until all are connected. See point to point.

multipoint line

A single communications channel (typically a leased telephone circuit) to which more than one station or logical unit is attached, though only one can transmit at a time. Such arrangements usually require a polling mechanism under the control of a master station to ensure that only one device transmits data at a time. Also called a multidrop line.

multiprogramming

A computer system operation whereby a number of independent jobs are processed together. Rather than allow each job to run to completion in turn, the computer switches between them so as to improve the use of the system hardware components.

multiservice edge routers

These routers are another subcategory of edge router. They are optimized to support the aggregation and convergence of traffic from disparate traditional networks and to forward it to the IP/MPLS network core. Multiservice edge routers have evolved to incorporate multiple services and to handle packet processing of ATM/frame relay, Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPNs, leased lines, video applications, broadband aggregation, Ethernet and voice applications. These routers support virtual private LAN service (VPLS) and all major routing protocols, and have a virtual IP/MPLS control plane.

Multiservice edge router vendors and their products include:

• Alcatel-Lucent: 7750 Service Router.
• Cisco: Cisco 7600 with OSM interface and Cisco ASR 9000.
• Juniper Networks: M320.
• Redback Networks: SmartEdge router series.
• Tellabs: 8800 MSR Series.

multisourcing and multisourced services

Multisourcing is the disciplined provisioning and blending of business and IT services from the optimal set of internal and external providers in the pursuit of business goals.

Multisourced services are business and IT services sourced from internal and external providers.

multithreading

Concurrent processing of more than one message (or similar service request) by an application program.

mura

The Japanese term for waste arising from unevenness or variation.

muri

The Japanese term for waste caused by overstressing people, plant or equipment.

MVNE (mobile virtual network enabler)

Does not have a relationship with customers but provides network infrastructure and related services, such as provisioning, administration and OSS/BSS, to enable mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) to offer services to their own customers. In the U.S., Visage is an example of an MVNE.

MVNO (mobile virtual network operator)

Company that does not own a mobile spectrum license but sells mobile services under its brand name using the network of a licensed mobile operator. Virgin Mobile is one example of an MVNO. The term is applied to a variety of arrangements with a mobile network operator. At one end are companies offering mobile services under a particular brand, with their own marketing and tariff structure, usually through a sophisticated CRM system. At the other end are companies with their own core network infrastructures, issuing their own SIM cards and controlling elements of network infrastructure such as the HLR and MSC, in addition to their own products.