IT Management Glossary
Essential terminology for IT Service Management (ITSM) and Configuration Management Database (CMDB). Navigate complex IT concepts with clear, actionable definitions.
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2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)
A security process requiring two different authentication factors: something you know (password) and something you have (TOTP code from authenticator app). Significantly reduces risk of unauthorized access.
A
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of protocols and tools that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data. APIs enable integrations between ITSM platforms, monitoring tools, LDAP directories, and third-party services for seamless automation.
Asset Management
The systematic process of deploying, operating, maintaining, upgrading, and disposing of assets cost-effectively throughout their lifecycle. In IT, this includes hardware, software, licenses, and infrastructure components tracked in a centralized system.
Audit Trail
A chronological record of system activities that provides documentary evidence of the sequence of operations. Essential for compliance (GDPR, ISO 27001), security investigations, and change tracking in ITSM platforms.
Automation
The use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention. In ITSM, includes automated workflows, alert notifications, contract renewals, and compliance checks to reduce manual effort and errors.
B
Baseline Configuration
A configuration of a service, product, or infrastructure that has been formally reviewed and agreed upon, serving as the basis for future activities. Used as a reference point for change management.
BCP (Business Continuity Plan)
A documented collection of procedures and information to help an organization continue operating during disruptions. In IT, specifies recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) for critical services.
C
Change Management
The process of controlling the lifecycle of all changes to IT infrastructure and services, enabling beneficial changes to be made with minimum disruption. Includes impact analysis, approval workflows, and rollback procedures.
CI (Configuration Item)
Any component that needs to be managed in order to deliver an IT service. CIs include hardware (servers, routers), software (applications, licenses), documentation, and relationships between items stored in a CMDB.
CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
A centralized repository that stores information about Configuration Items (CIs) and their relationships throughout their lifecycle. Acts as the single source of truth for IT infrastructure, enabling impact analysis and change management.
Compliance
Adherence to laws, regulations, standards, and internal policies. In IT, includes GDPR (data protection), ISO 27001 (information security), NIS2 (network security), SOC 2, and industry-specific regulations.
Configuration Management
The process of identifying, controlling, and maintaining information about Configuration Items (CIs) throughout their lifecycle. Ensures the CMDB remains accurate and up-to-date, supporting change management and impact analysis.
Contract Lifecycle Management
The process of managing contracts from creation through execution, performance tracking, renewal, and termination. Includes automated alerts for expiration dates, SLA monitoring, and vendor performance evaluation.
D
Dashboard
A visual interface that displays key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and data points relevant to specific objectives. Real-time dashboards enable quick decision-making and proactive issue management.
Dependency Mapping
The process of identifying and documenting relationships between IT components, services, and business processes. Critical for impact analysis, change management, and understanding cascade effects of failures.
DMS (Document Management System)
A software platform for storing, managing, tracking, and versioning electronic documents. Modern DMS include OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for indexing scanned documents and full-text search capabilities.
E
End-to-End Visibility
Complete visibility across all components, processes, and relationships in IT infrastructure. Enables understanding of how changes propagate through the system and their impact on business services.
G
GED (Gestion Électronique de Documents)
French term for Electronic Document Management. System for digitizing, storing, indexing, and retrieving documents electronically with version control and access management.
I
Impact Analysis
The assessment of consequences that a proposed change or incident may have on IT services and business operations. Uses CMDB relationship data to identify affected components and dependent services.
Incident Management
The process of managing the lifecycle of all incidents to restore normal service operation as quickly as possible with minimal business impact. Includes detection, logging, categorization, investigation, and resolution.
Integration
The connection of different IT systems, applications, and data sources to work together as a coordinated system. Common integrations include LDAP/Active Directory, monitoring tools, ticketing systems, and cloud platforms.
IT Asset
Any valuable component that contributes to the delivery of IT services. Includes physical assets (servers, workstations, network equipment), software licenses, cloud subscriptions, and digital resources.
ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library)
A framework of best practices for IT Service Management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with business needs. Defines processes for service strategy, design, transition, operation, and continual improvement.
ITSM (IT Service Management)
The implementation and management of quality IT services that meet the needs of the business. ITSM encompasses processes, policies, and procedures covering the entire lifecycle of IT services from planning to retirement.
K
Knowledge Base
A centralized repository of information, documentation, procedures, FAQs, and solutions. Enables self-service support, faster incident resolution, and knowledge sharing across teams.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively an organization is achieving key business objectives. IT KPIs include uptime percentage, mean time to resolution (MTTR), ticket resolution rate, and SLA compliance.
L
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)
A protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services. Commonly used for centralized authentication, allowing users to access multiple systems with single credentials (SSO).
License Management
The administration of software licenses throughout their lifecycle, ensuring compliance with vendor agreements and optimizing costs. Includes tracking usage, renewals, and identifying unused licenses.
Living Documentation
Documentation that is continuously updated and reflects the current state of systems and processes. Automated synchronization with CMDB ensures accuracy and eliminates outdated information.
M
Mean Time To Resolution (MTTR)
The average time required to resolve an incident or problem from initial report to resolution. A key IT performance metric for measuring efficiency of incident management processes.
Multi-Tenant Architecture
A software architecture where a single instance of the application serves multiple customers (tenants), with data isolation and customization per tenant. Common in SaaS platforms for security and scalability.
N
Network Flow
The path of data communication between IT components. Documenting network flows helps with security analysis, troubleshooting, compliance audits, and understanding service dependencies.
NIS2 Directive
European Union directive on security of network and information systems. Imposes cybersecurity requirements on critical infrastructure operators including risk management, incident reporting, and supply chain security.
O
OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
Technology that converts scanned documents, PDFs, or images containing text into machine-readable, searchable, and editable text. Essential for digitizing paper archives and enabling full-text search.
P
Problem Management
An ITIL process focused on identifying and managing the root causes of incidents to prevent recurrence. Includes problem detection, root cause analysis, workaround implementation, and permanent solution deployment.
Project Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet requirements. IT project management includes planning, resource allocation, risk management, and delivery tracking.
R
RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)
A security approach that restricts system access based on user roles within an organization. Users are assigned roles (Admin, Manager, User) with specific permissions, simplifying access management and improving security.
Real-Time Monitoring
Continuous observation of IT systems and services with immediate alerting on anomalies or threshold breaches. Enables proactive issue detection before they impact business operations.
Relationship
A connection between Configuration Items (CIs) in a CMDB. Types include 'depends_on' (service dependencies), 'runs_on' (application on server), 'owned_by' (responsibility), enabling impact analysis and change management.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
A systematic methodology for identifying the underlying cause of incidents or problems, rather than just treating symptoms. Common techniques include 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams, and failure mode analysis to prevent recurrence.
RPO (Recovery Point Objective)
The maximum acceptable amount of data loss measured in time. For example, RPO of 4 hours means the organization can tolerate losing up to 4 hours of data in a disaster scenario.
RTO (Recovery Time Objective)
The maximum acceptable time that a system or service can be down after a failure. For example, RTO of 2 hours means the service must be restored within 2 hours of disruption.
S
SaaS (Software as a Service)
A software distribution model where applications are hosted by a vendor and made available to customers over the internet. Users access software via web browser without installation, with subscription-based pricing.
Service Catalog
A centralized database of all IT services available to users, including descriptions, ownership, costs, and request procedures. Enables self-service and standardizes service delivery.
Service Desk
The single point of contact between IT service provider and users. Handles incident reports, service requests, and provides first-level support. Modern service desks use ticketing systems with automation and knowledge base integration.
Single Source of Truth (SSOT)
The practice of structuring information models so that every data element is stored exactly once, with all references pointing to this single location. In ITSM, the CMDB serves as SSOT for infrastructure data.
SLA (Service Level Agreement)
A formal commitment between a service provider and client defining expected service levels, including availability, performance, response times, and penalties for non-compliance. Critical for contract management.
Structured Data
Data organized in a predefined format (schema) that makes it easily searchable and processable by machines. In web context, Schema.org markup helps search engines and AI understand content semantics.
T
Ticketing System
A software platform for managing and tracking incidents, service requests, and problems. Includes workflow automation, priority management, assignment rules, and SLA tracking.
U
Uptime
The amount of time a system or service is operational and available. Typically expressed as a percentage (e.g., 99.9% uptime = 8.76 hours downtime per year). Critical SLA metric.
V
Version Control
The management of changes to documents, software code, or configurations over time. Enables tracking modifications, reverting to previous versions, and understanding evolution of items.
W
Workflow Automation
The design and execution of repeatable business processes where tasks, documents, or information are passed between participants according to defined rules. Reduces manual work and ensures consistency.