Please select from the menu above

  • API
    An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software. API is a set of clearly defined methods of communication between various software components and makes it easier to develop a computer program by providing all the building blocks.
  • API: Application Programming Interface
    In general terms, an API is a set of clearly defined methods of communication between various software components; a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software.
  • Broadband Technology
    Term Definition of Broadband Technology Broadband is a broad bandwidth data transmission having the capacity to concurrently transmit numerous signals as well as website traffic types. This technology is either coax , fiber optics, radio transmission or twisted pair. Due to the fact that a large band of frequencies offered, info is multiplexed in addition […]
  • BSS
    Business support systems (BSS) are the components that a teleco service provider (or telco) uses to run its business operations. Together with operations support systems (OSS), they are used to support various end-to-end teleco services. BSS and OSS have their own data and service responsibilities. The two systems together are often abbreviated OSS/BSS, BSS/OSS or simply B/OSS.
  • C-VLAN
    Customer VLAN
  • Capacity Planning/Auto-Scaling
    A trend in network and application performance to target the number of networking resources needed, with a focus on how to be cost-efficient during network upgrades. Network organizations should start by defining a capacity planning and performance management service that includes what aspects of the service they can currently provide and what is required for the […]
  • CDN Content Delivery Network
    A content delivery network (CDN) refers to a geographically distributed group of servers which work together to provide fast delivery of Internet content. A CDN allows for the quick transfer of assets needed for loading Internet content including HTML pages, javascript files, stylesheets, images, and videos.
  • CI: Converged Infrastructure
    Converged infrastructure combines the compute, network, and storage functions
  • CIR
    Committed Information Rate — is a bandwidth profile parameter and defines the average bits per second of service frames up to which the network delivers service frames and meets the performance objectives defined by the Class of Service (CoS) service attribute.
  • Cloud-native
    Cloud-native is a way of approaching the development and deployment of applications in such a way that takes account of the characteristics and nature of the cloud – resulting in processes and workflows that fully take advantage of the platform.
  • CMDB
    A configuration management database (CMDB) is a repository that acts as a data warehouse for information technology (IT) installations. It holds data relating to a collection of IT assets (commonly referred to as configuration items (CI)), as well as to descriptive relationships between such assets.
  • Connectivity
    In telecommunication and computing in general, a connection is the successful completion of necessary arrangements so that two or more parties (for example, people or programs) can communicate. Connectivity can be tied to both hardware and software.
  • CORD
    Central Office Re-architected as a Datacenter (CORD) design. CORD is an open community project targeting service providers that combines new-age technologies including software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) with cloud-enabled agility, commodity servers, white-box switches, disaggregated access technologies and open source software
  • CoS
    Class of Service Service frames delivery and performance levels agreed to by the service provider.
  • CSP: Communication Service Provider
    An umbrella term used to describe both traditional providers of communication services (i.e.: telecom) and alternate providers such as cable TV companies and other over-the-top providers.
  • Dark Fiber
    Dark fiber – refers to unused fiber-optic cable. Often times companies lay more lines than what’s needed in order to curb costs of having to do it again and again. The dark strands can be leased to individuals or other companies who want to establish optical connections among their own locations.
  • DevOps: (Software) Development and Operations
    DevOps is a software engineering culture and practice that aims at unifying software development (Dev) and software operation (Ops). A set of practices that automates the processes between software development and IT teams, in order that they can build, test, and release software faster and more reliably; DevOps aims at shorter development cycles, increased deployment […]
  • DWDM: Dense Wave Division Multiplexing
    The higher-capacity version of WDM, which is a means of increasing the capacity of fiber-optic data transmission systems through sending many wavelengths of light down a single strand of fiber.
  • End-to-End Service Assurance
    End-to-End Service Assurance is a comprehensive monitoring system across services, devices, and networks. It allows SPs to offer value-added services with their own service level guarantees that can be measured, managed, and reported.
  • Enhanced Telecom Operations Map – eTOM
    Term definition of the Enhanced Telecom Operations Map eTOM is defined as Enhanced Telecom Operations Map. The business process structure is an operating design framework for telecommunications companies in the telecom sector. This version explains the basic business service operations of service companies, but also specifies key components and how they need to be engaged. This […]
  • EoS
    Ethernet over SONET/SDH
  • EPL
    Ethernet Private Line — EPL provides a point-to- point Ethernet connection between a pair of dedicated User-Network Interfaces (UNIs). EPL service is specified using an E-Line service type. EPL is implemented as a point-to- point EVC.
  • ETSI: European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI)
    The European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI), is an independent standardization group that has been key in developing standards for information and communications technologies (ICT) in Europe. Created in 1988 as a nonprofit, ETSI was established by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration (CEPT).
  • EVPL
    Ethernet Virtual Private Line — EVPL is another E-Line service that provides a point-to- point Ethernet connection between two Ethernet UNIs. EVPL allows a single physical connection (UNI) to customer premises equipment for multiple virtual connections.
  • FCAPS
    Fault, Configuration, Administration, Performance, and Security FCAPS is the ISO Telecommunications Management Network model for network management.
  • HCI: Hyperconverged Infrastructure
    Like CI, Hyperconverged Infrastructure combines the compute, network, and storage functions. However, HCI is software-defined and uses smaller, more flexible building blocks for increased customization. It’s a more agile, maneuverable infrastructure, and it’s less expensive than it’s CI counterpart.
  • IaaS
    Information as a Service (IaaS) is a proven approach to efficient service provision. Thinking about information and data as separate from the processes that use them is one key element. Information is often delivered through SOA infrastructure.
  • Integration
    SPs and other Network operators have always dealt with a need to integrate technologies into their environment as they consume them from multiple vendors. Integration is a necessity that has grown even more important as open source has enabled them to select from a broader set of vendors/partners to create business value from their service […]
  • IT transformation
    IT transformation is most typically characterized as the adoption of a “cloud” operating model that leverages modern technology. IT transformation requires a great deal of planning, evaluation, reorganization, and modernization of infrastructure technologies and applications. Every organization approaches IT transformation at a different pace, and not every organization will want to deploy a full cloud […]
  • LAD
    Lambda Add/Drop — The LAD lambda add/drop DWDM terminal multiplexer provides optical add/drop multiplexing capability across predefined ITU channel designations.
  • LAG
    Link Aggregation Group — Link Aggregation Group allows for the grouping of Ethernet interfaces to form a single link layer interface. LAGs provide a logical aggregation of bandwidth and link redundancy (fault tolerance).
  • Legacy Network
    The term used to describe a network based on older, outdated protocols. For example, any network not based on the IP (TCP/IP) protocol. In a broader sense, as technologies advance, assets that do not support the services and capabilites enabled by the newer generation equipment and architectures are deemed to be legacy. It should be noted that legacy […]
  • MACD : Move, Add, Change, or Delete (Disconnect)
    MACD is the acronym to describe any order for a move, an add, a change or a disconnection of services.
  • MEC: Multi-Access Edge Computing
    Formerly known as Mobile Edge Computing, MEC computing refers to computing at the edge of a network. The edge is similar to a distributed cloud with proximity close to the end user that delivers ultra-low latency, reliability, and scalability. Also called Fog Computing
  • Microservices
    An architectural style that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled services, which implement business capabilities.A variant of the service-oriented architecture (SOA) architectural style, the microservice architecture enables the continuous delivery/deployment of large, complex applications.
  • Modularity
    Modularity – is one measure of the structure of networks or graphs. It was designed to measure the strength of division of a network into modules (also called groups, clusters or communities). Networks with high modularity have dense connections between the nodes within modules but sparse connections between nodes in different modules.
  • MPLS
    Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a type of data-carrying technique for high-performance telecommunications networks. MPLS directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a routing table.
  • MPLS – Multi-Protocol Label Switching
    Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a type of data-carrying technique for high-performance telecommunications networks. MPLS directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a routing table
  • Multi-Tenancy
    The term “software multi-tenancy” refers to a software architecture in which a single instance of software runs on a server and serves multiple tenants. A tenant is a group of users who share a common access with specific privileges to the software instance.
  • Network Usage Reporting
    Network Usage Reporting tracks which departments within an enterprise use networking resources.
  • NFV – Network Functions Virtualization
    Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is an architecture for network and telecom infrastructure in which network equipment’s functions are virtualized and packaged in virtual machines to deploy on top of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware platform.
  • NFV MANO: NFV – Management and Organization (MANO)
    It is the ETSI-defined framework for the management and orchestration of all resources in the cloud data center. This includes computing, networking, storage, and virtual machine (VM) resources. The main focus of NFV MANO is to allow flexible on-boarding and avoid the struggles that can be associated with rapid deployment of network components.
  • NOC: Network Operations Center
    A network operations center (or NOC, pronounced “knock”) is one or more locations from which control is exercised over a computer, television broadcast or telecommunications network.
  • Open Source Software
    The phrase “open source” refers to anything individuals can modify and share because its layout is publicly available. Historical Facts About Open Source Software Open source software is computer software with source code that anybody can examine, modify, and improve. In the infancy of computers, programmers and developers both used computer applications to understand from […]
  • Open Telco framework
    The key to the Open Telco framework is a set of three agile open platforms – network infrastructure, data management, and application development from which the operators can rapidly develop and deploy innovative services for their end customers.
  • Operational Support System
    What is an Operational Support System? The definition of an operational support system is a group of applications which support communications services suppliers keep track of, manage, evaluate and control a phone or pc network. As the standard voice phone systems combines with packet-oriented net traffic including VoIP, broadband applications like tele-conferencing and DSL, sophisticated […]
  • Operational Support Systems (OSS) Fulfillment?
    This short article delves in to the functions of the operational support systems and business support systems in today’s ever changing marketplace. Both play an important role in the telecommunications industry’s evolution as well as in the role of technology. What are Operational Support Systems? Operational support systems are software programs and sometimes computer hardware […]
  • PaaS
    Platform as a service (PaaS) or application platform as a service (aPaaS) is a category of cloud computing services that provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.
  • PBB-TE
    Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) is an approved telecommunications networking standard that adapts Ethernet technology to carrier class transport networks.
  • RBAC – Role-based Access Control
    In computer systems security, role-based access control (RBAC) is an approach to restricting system access to authorized users.
  • RFID
    Term definition of RFID RFID refers to Radio-Frequency Identification. The phrase is attributed to refers to minute electronic devices which are made up of miniature chip and a receiver. The chip normally is able to carry 2k bytes or less of information and data The Radio-Frequency Identification device accomplishes the identical objective as either the […]
  • RU
    Rack Unit — One rack unit is 1.75 inches in height. Racked equipment is specified to be mounted in increments of RUs in height.
  • SaaS
    Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet. SaaS is one of three main categories of cloud computing, alongside infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a  service (PaaS).
  • SAN
    Storage Area Network
  • SD-WAN Software-Defined Wide Area Network
    SD-WAN technologies offer Improve operational efficiency allowing adaptors to meet the increased demand for providing high-speed internet and strong network coverage. There are two deployment type: on-premises and on cloud
  • SDDC – Software-Defined Data Center
    SDDC offers an integrated architecture combining legacy architectures, cloud computing, and workload-centric architectures into a single architecture. SDDC helps in unification of server storage and networking, along with simplified management of all resources through applications.
  • SDN: Software-Defined Networking
    Software-defined networking (SDN) separates the network’s control (brains) and forwarding (muscle) planes and provides a centralized view of the distributed network for more efficient orchestration and automation of network services.
  • Service Fulfillment
    Visionael uses  data about services stored in the Inventory, which  triggers a dynamic fulfillment process as part of the OSS Suite.
  • SFP
    Small form-factor pluggable optical transceiver.
  • SMART: Specific, Measureable, Attainable/Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, and Timebound
    SMART principles help clarifying objectives and the sub objectives for many IT projects, including Performance Management and Security initiatives. They provide the critical foundation necessary for defining success and refining objectives and goals
  • SNMP
    Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a protocol for network management. It is used for collecting information from, and configuring, network devices, such as servers, printers, hubs, switches, and routers on an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
  • Transponder
    Optional device in a DWDM system that provides the conversion of one optical wavelength to a precision narrow band wavelength.
  • uCPE: Universal Customer Premise Equipment
    Universal customer premise equipment (uCPE) is also a software-based solution that runs VNFs, but it does so at the customer site.  The device is a remotely manageable platform on which hosted service providers can easily deploy, modify or delete VNFs at customer’s sites over Wide Area Networks (WAN)
  • UNM Unified Network Management
    Unified Network Management tools provide one user interface from which Admins can configure, monitor, update and troubleshoot both wired and wireless network devices.
  • vCPE: Virtual Customer Premise Equipment
    Virtual customer premise equipment (vCPE) services: Connecting branches has always been expensive — requiring fixed-function boxes and manual configuration. Virtualizing and selectively moving these functions into the CO improves agility and slashes operator costs.
  • VNF: Virtual Network Function
    A virtual network function (or VNF) takes on the responsibility of handling specific network functions that run on one or more virtual machines (VMs) on top of the hardware networking infrastructure — routers, switches, etc. Individual virtual network functions can be connected or combined together as building blocks to offer a full-scale networking communication service
  • VNS – Virtualized Network Services
    VNS offerings typically revolve around security, WAN optimization, SD-WAN, and WAN routing, and contain a mix of on-premise, cloud-based services and hybrid platforms/infrastructures. The emergence of use cases for virtualization — such as hybrid cloud, network automation, and DevOps automation — drive the rollout virtualized network services.
  • vRouter: Virtual Router
    A software function that replicates in software the functionality of a hardware-based Layer 3 Internet Protocol (IP) routing, which has traditionally used a dedicated hardware device
  • WAN: Wide Area Network
    A computer or communications network that covers a geographic area which is larger than a business campus. Usually, the dividing line between a local or campus network and an Wide Area Network is a router.
  • WDM
    In fiber-optic communications, wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a technology which multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light.
  • White Box
    Network devices, such as switches and routers, that as based on “generic” merchant silicon networking chipset available for anyone to buy, as opposed to proprietary silicon chips designed by and for a single networking vendor.
  • XFP
    10-Gbps Small Form-Factor optical transceiver