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An application programming interface (API) is a software interface that enables multiple applications and services to exchange data. The API can also be used to launch access requests from one application to another, so different services can be connected to each other.

A REST API is a set of architectural rules for implementing web services. This type of API is often used as it increases simplicity, scalability, performance and reliability.

If an enterprise operations are disrupted by disaster, the right business continuity strategy ensures there are processes in place for the company to continue operating effectively. Crucially, business continuity gives the organisation time and breathing space to address the source of interruption.

Quantum machine learning is a fusion of machine learning and quantum computing, which uses quantum computers to analyse complex data and solve problems at unprecedented speeds, opening up new perspectives in fields such as the pharmaceutical industry, finance, and technology.

The SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) is a methodology used to develop software applications. It enables developers to build and deploy high-quality software that meets customer expectations, whilst also being delivered on time and within budget.

Extensible Markup Language (XML) uses tags to tell how the text in a data file should be structured, stored and transported. Designed to be readable by both humans and machines, XML is a powerful, highly customisable tagging tool ideally suited for the data-driven era.

A web application is software that is accessed and run through a website via the user’s browser. Businesses use web apps to deliver a wide range of in-browser features to customers, so there’s zero need for software downloads and installations.

AI prompt engineering combines art and science, guiding language models to produce the best outcomes. It's akin to choosing words carefully to instruct a brilliant yet literal-minded friend. Prompt engineers apply their AI understanding and creativity to craft queries for generating text, translating languages, and more, ensuring informative and inventive responses.

Microservices architecture is a software design approach that structures applications as a collection of small, independent services. Each service focuses on a specific function, communicating through APIs. This approach offers increased flexibility, scalability, resilience, and faster development cycles compared to traditional monolithic architectures.

This comprehensive guide demystifies neural networks. Learn about their brain-inspired design, components like neurons and layers, and training methods involving forward and backpropagation. Explore diverse architectures and their applications in image recognition, language processing, forecasting, and more. Discover how to train these powerful tools and their impact across industries.

Data mining refers to the collection, analysis and comparison of data from different and often unconnected sources. The data extracted can be used for many purposes, like improving efficiency and predicting behaviour, for example.

Blockchain is a decentralised ledger system that creates a secure and immutable record of transactions. Data is stored on a distributed network of computers called nodes, which are linked together in a chain and secured using cryptography.

By combining blockchain tech and peer-to-peer networking, Web3 allows you to wrestle the ownership of your data out of the hands of big tech and put it back into your own. This drives up privacy and security rates massively, all while reestablishing much-needed trust and independence in the online space.

Machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence, has an enormous impact on our everyday lives and tasks, and its role is increasing as the enterprise network becomes more sophisticated. Machine learning is defined as the process of a computer solving problems using algorithms.

Apache Kafka is an open-source streaming platform that facilitates real-time data transfer between different systems and applications. Built to be highly scalable and distributed, this event-streaming platform allows businesses to process, store, and transmit data streams efficiently. Kafka is commonly used for real-time analytics, data integration, and event-driven architectures.

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) is a critical process in data integration, consolidating diverse data sources into a unified, high-quality dataset for analysis and decision-making. It's essential for modern business intelligence (BI) initiatives, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights, improve operational efficiency, and make informed strategic decisions.

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a machine learning technique where agents learn to make decisions by interacting with an environment, receiving rewards for positive actions. This trial-and-error approach allows RL agents to optimize their behaviour over time, leading to impressive achievements in robotics, game playing, healthcare, and finance.

Hybrid cloud is an infrastructure that combines the use of public, private and dedicated cloud servers. Solutions are connected to communicate and manage applications and workloads securely, and with optimal performance.

Edge computing is a network architecture where data is processed very close to where it is generated and often far away from the core of the network. Since the processing is performed at the edge, latency is reduced as a result. This is a commonly used method for real-time workload processing.

Quantum computing has the potential to change the game while revolutionising the computing landscape. While quantum computing can quickly solve complex problems that conventional computing cannot effectively handle, quantum computing is far from meeting expectations and many challenges remain.

A private cloud provides dedicated IT resources to a single user, delivering high levels of resource control, customisation, and increased security and compliance for an organisation’s data. It offers users the key benefits of the cloud, including scalability, elasticity and automation.

What is migration to the cloud and what are the benefits? Discover the 6 key strategies for a successful digital transformation with OVHcloud!

Anything as a Service (XaaS) enables enterprise to leverage a wide range of cloud computing tools and tech via a pay-as-you-go model, removing the need to install software or hardware or be responsible for its maintenance. This enables organisations to access next gen functionality almost overnight with zero friction.

Containerisation has revolutionised how applications are developed and managed, offering a more flexible, portable and efficient way of managing them across various environments and infrastructure.

Cloud native lets business construct, deploy and maintain applications in the cloud within a flexible architecture. Crucially, these apps allow enterprise to leverage the many advantages offered by cloud-based services including the flexibility, scalability and resilience needed to remain competitive in tough market conditions.

Container management (Conte refers to a set of practices that govern and maintain containerization software.

Cloud computing is a technology that provides access to a network of remote servers collectively called “the Cloud”. This means you can access and store your data, run programs, and use a variety of services from anywhere in the world, making your digital tasks more flexible and convenient.

Grid computing is a powerful distributed computing model, connecting multiple computers to process large-scale tasks. It's integral to fields like science and finance, solving grand challenges through parallel processing. This technology is characterized by its use of diverse computers that are geographically dispersed, and co-ordinated through sophisticated middleware.

The main benefits of cloud computing for businesses are on-demand access to a wide range of IT services, provider-managed infrastructure maintenance, and the ability to develop private or hybrid clouds to suit their security and flexibility needs.

Cloud containers are lightweight, executable packages encapsulating everything needed to run software, including code, runtime, and system tools. Cloud containers offer a portable solution that ensures consistency across diverse environments from personal devices to public clouds. Through OS virtualization, containers isolate applications, providing each with dedicated resources.

A virtual machine (VM) is a computing resource that uses software rather than a physical computer to run programs and deploy applications, providing increased flexibility and efficiency in managing computing resources.

Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration platform that facilitates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerised applications in distributed environments. It automates deployment, resource management, and high availability tasks, providing a robust infrastructure for modern applications.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a modern approach to managing computing infrastructure using code. It automates setup, configuration, and management, enabling faster, more reliable deployments. IaC increases speed and efficiency, enhances consistency and reliability, and promotes scalability and flexibility.

Cloud SDN (Software-Defined Networking) is a technology that manages network services through software, enhancing flexibility and scalability in cloud environments. It centralises control, optimises resource allocation, and simplifies network configuration and management, making it ideal for dynamic, virtualised cloud computing scenarios.

Automation is a term for technological applications in which the human role is reduced. Automation enables users to make simple, repetitive tasks automatic, and also automate processes that increase a company’s efficiency.

Computer vision is a field of AI that enables machines to interpret visual information like humans. It has diverse applications, from medical imaging and self-driving cars to manufacturing and augmented reality. Learning resources like OpenCV, TensorFlow, and online courses can help you get started.

A relational database is a structure using SQL that provides access to data points, and in which information is linked through tables.

A cloud database is a database management system (DBMS) hosted on a cloud computing platform, be it a public, private, or hybrid cloud. Cloud databases share similar design and functionality with the on-premises databases traditionally found in an organization's data centre.

The primary distinction between on-premise and cloud databases lies in the deployment and management approach, but to end users and applications, cloud databases are indistinguishable from on-premises databases.

MongoDB is a source-available, cross-platform NoSQL database with optional schemas. It excels in storing large data sets, supporting various programming languages and features like ad hoc queries, indexing, and replication. Ideal for big data, web applications, and real-time analytics, MongoDB offers scalability, high performance, and a developer-friendly environment.

Any organisation typically holds a huge amount of data that must be effectively managed whether you’re saving, storing, retrieving or updating it. By introducing a data server, you get access to the back-end infrastructure and client-facing services you need to manage all your data efficiently via a single centralised ‘hub’.

Learn about the unique characteristics of NoSQL databases, why they are so critical to information management today, and why they represent such an important development.

SQL is a powerful language designed for interacting with relational databases. Essential for both data analysis and supporting backend systems, it allows users to perform a range of tasks from basic data management to complex queries. With its wide adoption and ongoing evolution, SQL remains a fundamental skill in data-driven fields.

A non-relational database stores data in a flexible, unstructured way, unlike relational databases. It is suitable for non-homogeneous and scalable data, such as semi-structured or unstructured data, offering superior flexibility for data storage and retrieval.

A Database Management System (DBMS) is software that manages data within a database, offering features like data storage, retrieval, and manipulation. It bridges users with the database, ensuring data integrity, security, and accessibility, and handles vast data sets systematically.

Data is perhaps the greatest single asset a business owns. It’s why processing data is so crucial to the continuing success and growth of any organisation.

From creation and storage to sharing and deletion, data lifecycle management (DLM) offers a framework for managing data effectively through out its life. Dedicated products automate each stage required by a DLM framework, helping business keep data secure, accurate and available 365 days a year.

SQL databases are relational and use SQL to manage data. NoSQL databases are non-relational and store data in flexible schemas. SQL is ideal for complex queries, while NoSQL offers more scalability for big data applications.

At the heart of quantum computing lies the qubit, a marvel capable of existing in a superposed state of 0 and 1. This unique characteristic empowers quantum computers to simultaneously explore vast computational possibilities, from cryptography to material science.

MySQL is a popular open-source relational database management system that uses SQL (Structured Query Language) for managing, manipulating, and retrieving data. Known for its speed, reliability, and ease of use, MySQL supports various applications, from web development to big data projects, making it a versatile choice for developers and businesses.

A web hosting plan allows individuals or companies to store web data and publish websites online. More often than not, it’s a flexible service, offered by a hosting provider that offers a range of hosting options to companies of all sizes.

A bot is a software application that can be programmed to conduct many different tasks. They are fast and automated and are ideal for carrying out jobs that are repetitive, meaning bots are quicker at busywork than a human whose skills could be deployed elsewhere.

A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) enables organisations to ‘label’ website addresses with a country-specific two-character identifier code such as, for example, .ca for Canada or .asia for Asia. This helps search engine rankings within specific locales while promoting a positive brand image to the locale’s citizens.

Standing for generic top-level domain, a gTLD is the last segment of a URL address after the full stop. Using popular extensions such as .com, gTLD can be deployed to promote general types of websites, services or products – and, unlike ccTLDs, are not associated with any specific country or locale.

With more and more websites coming online every year, cybersquatting has become a growing problem on the internet. This involves using or registering a domain name similar or identical to that of a well-known company.

A web server is a computer system combined with software used for the storing and serving of website files. Every time a user goes to a website, their client – a browser – requests the web page’s contents from the web server. In turn, the web site server delivers this to the user’s client.

In a computer network, localhost refers to the computer you are using to send a loopback request. This request is data from your computer acting as a virtual server, which is sent back to itself without ever passing through a physical network.

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) creates an encrypted link between a browser and a web server so any data moving between the two is kept private. The SSL protocol is actually the predecessor to the current protocol, TLS (Transport Layer Security), but SSL remains better known and its name remains in use today.

Also referred to as a web address, a uniform resource locator (URL) is made up of different elements – such as a domain name – that instructs the web browser where and how it can access the desired resource that the user wants to view or retrieve.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a simple markup coding language used to layout content on a webpage. You use HTML programming language to tell web browsers how to display text, headings, images and other multimedia in the layout you want your users to see it in.

DNS attacks exploit the Domain Name System, crucial for internet functionality. Attackers manipulate DNS for unauthorised access, causing network disruptions, financial loss, and reputational damage. In cloud hosting, DNS security is a shared responsibility, crucial for protecting against data theft and malware

Within a business context, blog is website or page that is regularly updated with fresh posts that inform, educate, entertain and attract leads and customers, all while promoting the company’s online presence, thought leadership and brand.

Dedicated servers are physical computers located in a datacentre, with all servers’ resources allocated exclusively to a single client. Dedicated servers are powerful, highly flexible and used as the foundation for many complex IT projects.

Bare metal servers are physical services based on a server and allocated to an individual customer. Each server is a physical device without a hypervisor preinstalled, and all of its resources are dedicated to the single client.

Discover DevOps: a synergy of development and operations boosting efficiency and speed in software delivery processes.

IT infrastructure refers to the combined group of technology elements including hardware, software, networks, facilities, and all the necessary components that support the management, processing, and storage of information.

High Performance Computing (HPC) harnesses supercomputers and clusters for complex, high-speed computations. Essential in scientific, engineering, and business domains, HPC performs quadrillions of calculations per second, vastly outpacing standard computers. HPC enables rapid processing of vast data sets and simulations, supporting advancements in fields including healthcare, aviation, and manufacturing.

Server monitoring is the process of systematically tracking, measuring and observing the operations and processes on a server. The primary goal of server monitoring is to collect data that can be used to assess the health and condition of the server, ensuring that it operates at optimal performance levels and ensuring applications such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) run flawlessly.

Server virtualization technology enables the creation of multiple virtual servers from a single physical server. It helps organizations to cut costs, drive efficiency, and scale easily.

A private cloud provides dedicated IT resources to a single user, delivering high levels of resource control, customisation, and increased security and compliance for an organisation’s data. It offers users the key benefits of the cloud, including scalability, elasticity and automation.

Data security encompasses all of the best practices in terms of protection that must be put in place to guarantee the confidentiality, sovereignty and integrity of the data stored on an IT infrastructure.

Cybersecurity is the application of processes and technologies to protect computer systems, networks and data from cyberattacks, unauthorised access and leaks. It helps maintain data availability, integrity and confidentiality.

A private network is secured and isolated from the public internet, allowing only authorised devices and apps to connect and exchange data with one another. Private networks are often used by business to create local area networks, which offer secure access to network resources within a defined geographic location.

Disaster recovery is an organisation’s strategy for protecting its data and ensuring business as usual after a disruptive event. Learn more here.

Serverless computing is transforming how applications are built and deployed by abstracting infrastructure management. Developers write code while cloud providers handle scaling, provisioning, and security. This approach enables faster development, cost efficiency, and increased focus on innovation.