glossary

Sep 18 2008   7:51PM GMT

Overheard: The new vocabulary of cloud computing - glossary

Posted by: Margaret Rouse
Technology, glossary, Cloud computing

Have you ever wanted to make up a word? Now’s the time. Just make sure it has something to do with a cloud. Play a little Rolling Stones and get those neurons firing (Hey, hey, hey, hey — get off of my cloud)

I just want to jot these down before I forget. Seems like every day I stumble across more newly-coined cloud terms. Did you know how cloud computing got its name? From flow charts, where a cloud is used to represent the Internet.

cloud app -  a software application that is never installed on a local machine — it’s always accessed over the Internet.

cloud arcs - short for cloud architectures. Designs for software applications that can be accessed and used over the Internet.  (Cloud-chitecture is just too hard to pronounce.)

cloud bridge - running an application in such a way that its components are integrated within multiple cloud environments (which could be any combination of internal/private and external/public clouds).

cloud client - computing device for cloud computing. Updated version of thin client.

cloud enabler - vendor that provides technology or service that enables a client or other vendor to take advantage of cloud computing.

cloud envy - used to describe a vendor who jumps on the cloud computing bandwagon by rebranding existing services.

cloud OS - anything about Google chrome.

cloud portability - the ability to move applications and associated data across multiple cloud computing environments.

cloud provider – makes storage or software available to others over a private network or public network (like the Internet.)

cloud service architecture (CSA) - an architecture in which applications and application components act as services on the Internet

cloud storage - (just what it says) Sometimes compared to leasing a car – you’ll have monthly payments but hopefully you’ll always have the lastest/greatest technology. You’ll never own the technology though.

cloudburst - what happens when your cloud has an outage or security breach and your data is unavailable.

cloud as a service (CaaS) -  a cloud computing service that has been opened up into a platform that others can build upon.

cloud-oriented architecture (COA) – IT architecture that lends itself well to incorporating cloud computing components.

cloudsourcing - outsourcing storage or taking advantage of some other type of cloud service.

cloudstorm - connecting multiple cloud computing environments. Also called cloud network.

cloudware - software that enables building, deploying, running or managing applications in a cloud computing environment.

external cloud - a cloud computing environment that is external to the boundaries of the organization.

funnel cloud – discussion about cloud computing that goes round and round but never turns into action (never “touches the ground”)

hybrid cloud - a computing environment that combines both private and public cloud computing environments.

internal cloud – also called a private cloud. A cloud computing-like environment within the boundaries of an organization.

private cloud – an internal cloud behind the organization’s firewall. The company’s IT department provides softwares and hardware as a service to its customers — the people who work for the company. Vendors love the words “private cloud.”

public cloud – a cloud computing environment that is open for use to the general public.

vertical cloud - a cloud computing environment optimized for use in a particular vertical industry

virtual private cloud (VPC) - similar to VPN but applied to cloud computing. Can be used to bridge private cloud and public cloud environments.

Have you run into a cloud word that’s not on this list or have an addition/correction to my notes above? Drop a comment below or write to me –  mrouse at techtarget dot com.

Jan 12 2008   4:36PM GMT

Agile Development Glossary

Posted by: Margaret Rouse
Project management, Pmo, Programming, Agile development, glossary

Alex Howard created a handy glossary for business owners who want to learn how to speak Agile to their PMO.

Acceptance Test:

An acceptance test confirms that an story is complete by matching a user action scenario with a desired outcome. Acceptance testing is also called beta testing, application testing, and end user testing.

Agile Software Development:

Agile software development is a methodology for the creative process that anticipates the need for flexibility and applies a level of pragmatism into the delivery of the finished product. Agile software development (ASD) focuses on keeping code simple, testing often, and delivering functional bits of the application as soon as they’re ready.

Customer:

In agile software development, a customer is a person with an understanding of both the business needs and operational constraints for a project. The customer provides guidance during development on what priorities should be emphasized.

Domain Model:

A domain model describes the application domain responsible for creating a shared language between business and IT.

Iteration:

An iteration is a single development cycle, usually measured as one week or two weeks. An iteration may also be defined as the elapsed time between iteration planning sessions.

Planning Board:

A planning board is used to track the progress of an agile develoment project. After iteration planning, stories are written on cards and pinned up in priority order on a planning board located in the development area. Development progress is marked on story cards during the week and reviewed daily.

Planning Game:

A planning game is a meeting attended by both IT and business teams that is focused on choosing stories for a release or iteration. Story selection is based upon which estimates of which stories will provide the most business value given development estimates.

Release:

A release is a deployable software package that is culmination of several iterations of development. Releases can be made before the end of an iteration.

Release Plan:

A release plan is an evolving flowchart that describes which features will be delivered in upcoming releases. Each story in a release plan has a rough size estimate associated with it.

Spike:

A spike is a story that cannot be estimated until a development team runs a time-boxed investigation. The output of a spike story is an estimate for the original story.

Stand-up:

A stand-up is a daily progress meeting, traditionally held within a development area. Business customers may attend for the purpose of gathering information. The term “standup” is derived from the way it is run all attendees must remain standing to keep it short and the team engaged.

Story:

A story is a particular business need assigned to the software development team. Stories must be broken down into small enough components that they may be delivered in a single development iteration.

Timebox:

A timebox is a defined period of time during which a task must be accomplished. Timeboxes are commonly used in agile software development to manage software development risk. Development teams are repeatedly tasked with producing a releasable improvement to software, timeboxed to a specific number of weeks.

Velocity:

Velocity is the budget of story units available for planning the next iteration of a development project. Velocity is based on measurements taken during previous iteration cycles. Velocity is calculated by adding the original estimates of the stories that were successfully
delivered in an iteration.

Wiki:

A wiki is a server program that allows users to collaborate in forming the
content of a Web site. With a wiki, any user can edit the site content, including other users’ contributions, using a regular Web browser.