Glossary – Cloud Computing from A to Z
Cloud knowledge from A to Z
Key terms from the worlds of cloud computing, hosting and IT security – explained in simple terms and with reference to the centron Cloud.
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All terms from A to Z
Short definitions and in-depth entries in a single list. Search for a term or narrow it down to a subject area.
A
- API (Application Programming Interface)
- A programming interface through which applications communicate with services. The centron API automatically manages VMs, clusters and storage – ideal for CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code.
- Authentication
- Generally, authentication is the verification of an asserted property of an entity.Full entry: Authentication
- AutoScaling
- Automatic adjustment of resources to the current load. In centron Managed Kubernetes, autoscaling can be enabled per node pool: nodes are added when needed and removed again when the load decreases.Managed Kubernetes at centron
B
- Backbone
- A backbone is the central connection element of a network: a high-bandwidth segment that links separate networks and carries their combined traffic over long distances.Full entry: Backbone
- Backup
- Backing up data or systems for recovery following errors, failures or attacks. At centron, this is automated using cBacks – from hourly to daily, with no basic fee.cBacks – backup from centron
- Block storage
- Storage organised into blocks, like a hard disk – at centron, this takes the form of volumes with NVMe performance, regardless of the VM’s lifecycle.Volumes Block Storage at centron
- Browser
- A browser (also known as a web browser) is software that enables interaction with and the display of content from the web.Full entry: Browser
- BSI C5
- The Federal Office for Information Security’s Cloud Computing Compliance Criteria Catalogue – the German benchmark for cloud security. centron holds an unrestricted C5:2020 Type 1 attestation for ccloud³ / Managed Cloud.Trust Centre: BSI C5, ISO 27001 & GDPR
C
- C3A
- C3A stands for “Criteria enabling Cloud Computing Autonomy” and refers to a criteria framework developed by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).Full entry: C3A
- C5 attestation
- A C5 attestation is independent proof of a cloud service's information security, based on the Cloud Computing Compliance Criteria Catalogue of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).Full entry: C5 attestation
- CI/CD (Continuous Integration / Continuous Deployment)
- Automated processes that continuously test and deploy code. Kubernetes and the centron API integrate seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines.CI/CD in the centron cloud
- Cloud
- A cloud solution provides data and applications not on local hardware but on remote servers reachable over a network.Full entry: Cloud
- Cloud Computing
- Cloud computing is a model for the on-demand use of IT resources via a network, typically the internet.Full entry: Cloud Computing
- Cloud Firewall
- A rule-based network filter that controls traffic before it reaches the server. Centrally manageable via centron, from €7.58 per month.Full entry: Cloud Firewall
- Cloud governance
- Cloud governance refers to a structured framework of policies, processes, and controls designed to ensure the secure, compliant, and efficient use of cloud resources.Full entry: Cloud governance
- Cloud GPU
- Cloud GPUs are graphics processors provided through the cloud to accelerate compute-intensive workloads such as AI training, machine learning, rendering or high performance computing (HPC).Full entry: Cloud GPU
- Cloud-based AI
- Cloud-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the use of AI technologies through the infrastructure of cloud providers.Full entry: Cloud-based AI
- Colocation
- Operating your own server hardware in a provider’s data centre – with a professional power supply, air conditioning and connectivity. At centron’s site in Hallstadt near Bamberg.Full entry: Colocation
- Container
- A lightweight, portable unit that encapsulates an application and its dependencies (e.g. using Docker). Containers are typically orchestrated using Kubernetes.Docker hosting at centron
- CPaaS
- CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) is a specialised form of PaaS that delivers communication features such as messaging, telephony or video through the cloud.Full entry: CPaaS
D
- Data centre
- A data centre is the umbrella term for central IT areas inside or outside a company.Full entry: Data centre
- Data recovery
- Data recovery is the process of detecting and restoring data that has been lost, damaged or transferred incorrectly.Full entry: Data recovery
- Database
- A database system manages information electronically, structuring large amounts of data so that they can be retrieved reliably and without errors.Full entry: Database
- Dedicated Server
- A dedicated server is a physical server assigned to a single customer – CPU, memory, storage and bandwidth are not shared with anyone else.Full entry: Dedicated Server
- Domain
- A domain is the readable address of a site on the internet and part of the Domain Name System (DNS).Full entry: Domain
- Domain Name System (DNS)
- DNS (Domain Name System) is the network service that translates domain names into IP addresses and back.Full entry: Domain Name System (DNS)
E
- Extranet
- An extranet is a protected network area that an organisation opens deliberately to selected external partners – suppliers, customers or service providers.Full entry: Extranet
F
- Failover
- Automatic switchover to a backup system in the event of a failure of the primary system. With cProtect, failover is achieved in seconds – to the most recent clean replication point.Full entry: Failover
- Framework
- A framework – sometimes referred to as a software framework or development framework – is a software platform that defines the fundamental structure and architecture of an application.Full entry: Framework
- FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
- FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a network protocol for transferring files between computers, in either active or passive mode.Full entry: FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
G
- GDPR
- The EU General Data Protection Regulation. centron processes data exclusively in Germany – compliance with the GDPR is therefore a fundamental principle, not an optional extra.Trust Centre: data protection and certifications
- Green IT
- The term Green IT describes all efforts to protect the environment and resources with the use of information and communication technology.Full entry: Green IT
H
- Hard disk
- A hard disk is a computer's permanent data storage: unlike main memory, it keeps its contents even without power.Full entry: Hard disk
- High Availability
- An architectural principle that ensures the system can withstand the failure of individual components without any service disruption – for example, through redundant nodes, load balancing and replication in managed clusters.High availability & disaster recovery at centron
- HTTP
- HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. This is a protocol used in networks to transfer data from one computer to another.Full entry: HTTP
- HTTPS
- HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the encrypted variant of HTTP: TLS/SSL keeps data exchanged between browser and server private and protected.Full entry: HTTPS
- Hybrid Cloud
- A hybrid cloud is a cloud deployment model that combines private cloud (or on-premises infrastructure) and public cloud within a unified, structured environment.Full entry: Hybrid Cloud
- Hypervisor
- Software that divides physical hardware into several virtual machines – the technical basis of virtualisation and cloud computing.Full entry on virtualisation
I
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
- A cloud model in which infrastructure such as computing power, storage and networking is procured as a service – e.g. ccloud³ VMs, volumes and VPCs.Full entry: IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
- IMAP
- IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a network protocol that keeps emails on the server so they can be managed and read from several devices.Full entry: IMAP
- Internet Protocol (IP)
- The Internet Protocol (IP) is the network protocol by which computers on a network are uniquely addressed.Full entry: Internet Protocol (IP)
- Intranet
- A non-public computer network that is only accessible to a limited group of users is called an intranet.Full entry: Intranet
- Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
- An Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) monitors network traffic, detects attack patterns and blocks suspicious access automatically.Full entry: Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
- ISO 14001
- ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems: how organisations identify, assess, manage and continuously improve their environmental impact.Full entry: ISO 14001
- ISO 27001
- International standard for information security management. centron operates certified to ISO 27001 on the basis of IT-Grundschutz high-security data centres in Germany.Full entry: ISO 27001
- ISO 9001
- ISO 9001 certification is an internationally recognized proof that an organization has implemented an effective quality management system.Full entry: ISO 9001
- IT outsourcing
- Outsourcing refers to the practice of transferring business tasks – particularly those relating to IT – to external service providers.Full entry: IT outsourcing
J
- Java
- Java is an object-oriented, platform-independent programming language: Java programs run wherever a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is available.Full entry: Java
K
- KaaS (Kubernetes as a Service)
- KaaS stands for Kubernetes as a Service: a managed offering that greatly simplifies provisioning, running and maintaining Kubernetes clusters.Full entry: KaaS (Kubernetes as a Service)
- Kubernetes
- Kubernetes is an open-source platform that manages the operation of containerised applications.Full entry: Kubernetes
L
- Latency
- Latency refers to the delay between sending a request and receiving a response.Full entry: Latency
- Linux
- Linux is a free, open source operating system built on the Linux kernel and usually combined with software from the GNU project.Full entry: Linux
- LLM (Large Language Model)
- An LLM (large language model) is an AI model trained with billions of parameters to understand, process and generate language.Full entry: LLM (Large Language Model)
- Load balancer
- Distributes incoming traffic across multiple servers – ensuring even load distribution and high availability. A key component of Kubernetes and cluster set-ups at centron.Managed Clusters at centron
M
- Managed Hosting
- A hosting model in which the provider takes care of set-up, updates, monitoring and backups – at centron, this ranges from Managed Server to Premium Full Managing.Managed Servers at centron
N
- Network
- A network is a group of interconnected computers that share an internet connection, exchange data quickly and use hardware and software jointly.Full entry: Network
- NoSQL
- NoSQL – short for “Not only SQL” – refers to databases that do not store data in relational tables but as key-value pairs, documents, column families or graphs.Full entry: NoSQL
- NVMe
- Interface standard for particularly fast SSDs. The standard used by centron for VM storage, volumes and dedicated servers.Volumes Block Storage with NVMe
O
- Object Storage
- Storage architecture that stores data as objects in buckets – virtually unlimited scalability. With centron, S3-compatible with free data transfer.S3 Object Storage at centron
- Operating system
- An operating system, commonly referred to as an OS, is the central system software that manages a computer’s hardware resources and provides a structured environment for applications to run.Full entry: Operating system
- Outtasking
- Outtasking refers to the targeted delegation of individual business tasks to external service providers.Full entry: Outtasking
P
- PaaS
- PaaS (Platform as a Service) is a cloud model that provides a ready-made platform with runtime, databases and tools for developing and running applications.Full entry: PaaS
- POP3
- POP3 (Post Office Protocol Version 3) is a standard network protocol used to retrieve emails from a mail server to a local computer.Full entry: POP3
- Private Cloud
- A private cloud is a cloud computing deployment model in which computing power, storage, network and services are dedicated exclusively to a single organisation.Full entry: Private Cloud
- Proof of Concept (PoC)
- A Proof of Concept (PoC) is a targeted study or small-scale implementation that demonstrates whether an idea or technical approach is technically and economically viable.Full entry: Proof of Concept (PoC)
- Provider
- A provider is a service company that enables or supports access to and operation of the Internet.Full entry: Provider
- Public Cloud
- The public cloud is a deployment model of cloud computing in which IT resources such as computing power, storage, or applications are provided to a wide range of users over the public internet.Full entry: Public Cloud
Q
- Query
- A query refers to a request sent to a database to retrieve specific data. Queries can be executed manually by users or automatically by applications.Full entry: Query
R
- RAID
- The abbreviation RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disc, i.e. redundant arrangement of independent hard disks.Full entry: RAID
- Redundancy
- In technical terms, redundancy refers to the intentional duplication of identical or comparable system components.Full entry: Redundancy
- RPO (Recovery Point Objective)
- Maximum tolerable data loss in the event of a disaster, measured as a period of time. cProtect achieves an RPO of no more than 15 minutes through 15-minute replication.cProtect – replication and failover
- RTO (Recovery Time Objective)
- The maximum permissible time until a service is restored. Failover within seconds using cProtect reduces the RTO to a minimum.cProtect – replication and failover
S
- SaaS
- SaaS stands for ‘Software-as-a-Service’ and is a concept whereby users access software directly from the internet.Full entry: SaaS
- Server
- A server is both the software that answers a client's requests and the hardware it runs on. Servers store data and make applications available.Full entry: Server
- Server cluster
- A cluster is a group of servers linked over a network – via switches and load balancers – so that they act as one efficient unit.Full entry: Server cluster
- SLA (Service Level Agreement)
- Contractual commitments to performance parameters such as availability – e.g. 99.8 per cent monthly availability in the High Availability Pool or 99.9 per cent network uptime for colocation.
- Snapshot
- A snapshot of the exact state of a VM or volume – created in seconds, ideal as a rollback point prior to updates.Full entry: Snapshot
- Software stack
- In IT, a stack refers to a hierarchical structure in which several functional components are logically layered on top of one another.Full entry: Software stack
- Spam
- Spam is unsolicited bulk messaging – mostly emails carrying advertising, phishing attempts or malware.Full entry: Spam
- SSL/TLS
- Encryption protocols for secure connections (HTTPS). Centron offers certificates at the DV, OV and EV levels with automated management.Full entry: SSL/TLS
T
- TCP/IP
- TCP/IP is the protocol family that internet communication is built on – named after its two core protocols, the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP).Full entry: TCP/IP
U
- UPS
- An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) bridges power failures and keeps critical systems running until mains power returns or a generator takes over.Full entry: UPS
- Uptime
- The proportion of time during which a service is available – usually expressed as a percentage per year and guaranteed by SLAs.
- UX design
- UX Design (User Experience Design) focuses on shaping the overall experience users have when interacting with digital products, services, or interfaces.Full entry: UX design
V
- Virtual machine (VM)
- Software-defined computer running on shared physical hardware – deployed in seconds as a ccloud³ VM at centron, from €4.04 per month.Full entry: Virtual machine (VM)
- Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
- Isolated private network within the cloud: servers communicate via internal IP addresses, isolated from the public internet.Virtual Private Cloud at centron
- Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- A VPN is a logically self-contained network run inside another, usually public, network; its members work as if they were on the same local network.Full entry: Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- Virtualization
- Virtualization refers to the creation of virtual – i.e., non-physical – resources on a computer system.Full entry: Virtualization
- VMware Migration
- VMware migration means moving virtual machines (VMs), workloads or entire infrastructures within VMware environments or into the cloud.Full entry: VMware Migration
W
- Web hosting services
- Web hosting is the service of running websites, mailboxes, databases and applications on a provider's servers.Full entry: Web hosting services
- Web server
- A web server is a server connected to the Internet. Remote computers can access the data on the server via the web, call it up, change it or upload new files.Full entry: Web server
X
- XML
- XML – Extensible Markup Language – is a text format that structures data using tags. Each element consists of an opening and a closing tag with content in between; attributes add further detail.Full entry: XML
Z
- Zero-Downtime Deployment
- Deploying new software versions without disrupting service – for example, through rolling updates in Kubernetes.Managed Kubernetes at centron
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