glossary category

Probability that a computer system will be operable throughout its mission duration (only takes into account the effects of failure of the system)

Probability that a computer system will be operable at a future time (takes into account the effects of failure and repair/maintenance of the system)

A modular packaged environmental control unit designed specifically to maintain the ambient air temperature and/or humidity of spaces that typically contain data communcations equipment. These products can typically perform all (or a subset) of the following functions: cool, reheat, humidify, dehumidify. They may have multiple steps for some of these functions.

Term that applies to any computer application that demands a lot of computation, such as meteorology programs and other scientific applications. A similar but distinct term, computer-intensive, refers to applications that require a lot of computers, such as grid computing. The two types of applications are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Some applications are both compute- and computer-intensive

Servers dedicated for computation or processing that are typically required to have greater processing power (and, hence, dissipate more heat) than servers dedicated solely for storage (also see server)

A computational technology that enables you to study the dynamics of fluid flow and heat transfer numerically

A program that translates (presumably) human-readable source code into a form that is native for a particular machine

Equipment used for information transfer. The information can be in the form of digital data for data communications or analog signals for traditional wireline voice communication

A document that defines the verification and testing process to ensure the project delivers what is expected, including training, documentation, and project close-out

* Factory acceptance tests (Level 1 commissioning): Testing of products prior to leaving their place of manufacture
* Field component verification (Level 2 commissioning): Inspection and verification of products upon receipt
* System construction verification (Level 3 commissioning): Field inspections and certifications that components are assembled and properly integrated into systems as required by plans and specifications