NT Glossary

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In general, The Microsoft Manual of Style does not cap spelled-out terms.

ACD: Automatic Call Distribution
ACE: access control entries
ACL: access control list
ACU: Automatic Client Upgrade
ADK: application development kit
ADO: ActiveX Data Object
ADS: Active Directory Server
AEC: architectural engineering and constructing
AES: Application Environment Specification
AFP: Advanced Function Printing
Apple File Protocol
AFPDS: Advanced Function Printing Data Stream
AFS: Andrew File System
AFTP: Advanced Program-to-Program Communications File Transfer Protocol
AI: artificial intelligence
AIX: Advanced Interactive Executive
ANSI: American National Standards Institute
API: application programming interface
APIC: Advanced Programming Interrupt Controller
APM: Advanced Power Management
APPC: Advanced Program-to-Program Communications
AppID: Application ID
applets: small applications
APPN: Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking
ARH: Application Request Handler
ARP: Address Resolution Protocol
ASC: ANSI Accredited Standards Committee
ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASO: Automatic Switch Over
ASP: Auxiliary Storage Pool
Active Server Pages
ASPI: Advanced SCSI Programming Interface
ATEC: Authorized Technical Education Center
ATL: Active Template Library
ATM: asynchronous transfer mode
ATP: AppleTalk transaction Protocol
Application Transaction Programs
AUI: Attachment Unit Interface
AUTODIN: Automated Digital Network; a military communications standard
A/V: audio/video
AVI: Audio Video Interleaved

BBS: bulletin board system
BDC: Backup Domain Controller
BID: board interface driver
BIFF: binary interchange file format
BIOS: Basic Input/Output System
B-ISDN: Broadband ISDN
BLOB: binary large object
BMS: Broadcast Message Services
BOOTP: boot protocol or bootstrap protocol
BSC: Binary Synchronous Communications
BSD: Berkeley Software Distribution
Business Systems Division
BSMS: billing and subscriber maintenance system

CAE: computer-aided engineering
Common Applications Environment
CAI: computer-aided instruction
CAM: computer-aided manufacturing
CASE: computer-aided software engineering
CAU: Controlled Access Unit
CBE: Certified Banyan Engineer
CBS: Certified Banyan Specialist
CBT: computer-based training
CCITT: Consultative Committee for International Telegraphy and Telephony
CDA: Compound Document Architecture
CDFS: CD-ROM File System
CD-R disc: CD-Recordable disc
CGF: color graphics adapter
CGI: Common Gateway Interface
CHAP: Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol
CI: Component Interface
CICS: Customer Information Control System
CID: Configuration Installation and Distribution
CIDL: Common Interface Definition Language
CIFS: Common Internet File System
CIM: computer-integrated manufacturing
CIR: committed information rate
CIS: computer information systems
Commercial Internet System
CISC: Complex Instruction Set Computer
CL: Control Language
CLNP: Connectionless Network Protocol
CMC: Continuous Media Controller
CMIP: Common Management Interface Protocol
CMOS: Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
CMS: continuous media server
COBOL: Common Business-Oriented Language
COM: component object model (OLE)
CONS: Connection-Oriented Network Service
CORBA: Common Object Request Broker Architecture
CPE: Customer Premises Equipment
CPF: Control Program Facility
cpi: characters per inch
CPI: Common Programming Interface
CPI-C: Common Programming Interface for Communications
CPS: Computer Profile Setup
CPU: central processing unit
CRC: cyclical redundancy check
CRL: Certificate Revocation List
CRT: cathode-ray tube
CSI: Called Subscriber Identification
CSMA/CD: Carrier Sensing Multiple Access with Collision
CSNW: Client Services for NetWare
CSP: Control Storage Processor
Cross System Product
CT: computer telephony
CTI: computer telephone integration
CUA: Common User Access

DACL: discretionary access control list
DAE: data access engine
DAL: Data Access Language
DAO: Data Access Object
DASD: direct access storage device
DASS: direct access secondary storage
DAT: digital audio tape
DB-2: Database 2
DBA: database administrator
DBCC: Database Consistency Checker
DBCS: double-byte character set
DBMS: database management system
DBO: Database Owner
DBOO: Database Object Owner
DCA: Document Content Architecture
DCCM: Dual Channel Control Module
DCE: data circuit-terminating equipment
distributed computing environment
DCOM: Distributed Component Object Model
DDE: dynamic data exchange
DDK: Device Driver Kit
DDL: Data Definition Language
DDM: Distributed Data Management
Disk Data Management
DDS: Data Description Specifications
DES: Data Encryption Standard
DFD: data-flow diagram
DFS: Distributed File System
DFU: Data File Utility
DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DIB: device-independent bitmap
DID: Direct Inward Dialing
DIF: data interchange format
DIMM: Dual Inline Memory Module
DIP: dual in-line package
DLC: Data Link Control
DLL: dynamic link library
DLSw: Data Link Switching
DMA: direct memory access
DME: Distributed Management Environment
DMI: Desktop Management Interface
DML: Data Manipulation Language
DMO: Distributed Management Objects
DMReg: Desktop Management Registry
DMS: Defense Messaging Service
DMTF: Desktop Management Task Force
DNA: Digital Networking Architecture
DNC: Distributed Network Computing
DNR: Domain Name Resolver
DNS: Domain Name System
DOS: Disk Operating System
DPC: deferred procedure call
dpi: dots per inch
DRAM: dynamic RAM
DRDA: Distributed Relational Database Architecture
DRI: Declarative Referential Integrity
DS: Directory Service
DSAP: Destination Service Access Point
DSM: Dynamic Screen Manager
DSOM: Distributed SOM
DSMN: Directory Service Manager for NetWare
DSP: digital signal processor
DSPT: Display Station Passthrough
DSTN: Double SuperTwisted Nematic
DSU/CSU: Digital Service Unit/Channel Service Unit
DS Web: Directory Service Web Browser
DTC: distributed transaction coordinator
DTE: data terminal equipment
DTMF: dual-tone multifrequency
DUN: Dial-Up Networking
DVD: Digital Video Disc
DXF: Drawing Interchange Format

ECC: Error-Correcting Code
electronic credit card
ECNE: Enterprise Certified Network Engineer
ECP: Enhance Capabilities Port
EDAC: error detecting and correcting code
EDI: electronic data interchange
EDO: Enhanced Data Output
EEC: European Economic Community
EEMS: Enhanced Expanded Memory Specification
EGA: extended graphics adapter
EGP: External Gateway
EHLLAPI: Emulator High-Level Language API
EIDE: enhanced IDE
EIS: executive information system
EISA: Extended Industry Standard Architecture
ELCA: Eight-Line Communications Adapter
EMA: Enterprise Management Architecture
EMM: expanded memory manager
EMS: Expanded Memory Specification
Enterprise Management Station
EPC: external program call
EPP: Enhanced Parallel Port
EPS: Encapsulated PostScript
EPSF: Encapsulated PostScript format
ER: entity relationship
ERAP: Error Recovery Analysis Procedure
ERD: entity relationship diagram
ESF: External Source Format
ESQL: Embedded SQL
EULA: End User License Agreement

FAT: File Allocation Table
FDDI: Fiber Distributed Data Interface
FIF: Fractal Image Format
FIMS: Forms Interface Management System
FIPS: Federal Information Processing Standard
FPNW: File and Print Services for NetWare
FPP: full packaged product
FSIOP: File Server I/O Processor
FTP: File Transfer Protocol
FTS: Financial Transaction Services

GAL: Global Address List
GB: gigabyte
GDDM: Graphical Data Display Manager
GDF: graphics data files
GDI: graphics device interface
GKS: Graphics Kernel System
GID: group ID
GIF: Graphics Interchange Format
GO: Graphical Operations
GOSIP: Government OSI Profile
GPI: graphics programming interface
GSNW: Gateway Services for NetWare
GUI: graphical user interface
GUID: globally unique identifier

HANFS: high-availability network file system
HBA: host bus adapter
HCL: Hardware Compatibility List
HDA: head disk assembly
HDLC: High-Level Data Link Control
HDTV: High-Definition Television
HFS: Hierarchical Filing System
HLL: high-level language
HLLAPI: high-level language API
HMA: high memory area
HMC: Horizontal Microcode
HMI: Host Machine Interface
HPFS: High-Performance File System
HROT: host running object table
HSM: Hierarchical Storage Management
HTML: Hypertext Markup Language
HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTX: HTML Extension files

IAC: InterApplication Communication
IAP: Intranet Application Platform
IBN: interactive broadband network
ICA: Intelligent Console Architecture
ICF: Interactive Communications Feature
Intersystem Communications Function
ICP: Internet Control Protocol
ICR: intelligent character recognition
ICS: Internet Connection Server
Internet Chat Server
IDA: Intelligent Drive Array
IDAPI: Integrated Database API
IDC: Internet Database Connector
IDDU: Interactive Data Definition Utility
IDE: integrated development environment
IDRC: Improved Data Recording Capability
IE: Internet Explorer
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IETF: Internet Engineering Task Force
IFS: integrated file system
IHV: independent hardware vendor
IIA: Information Interchange Architecture
IIS: Internet Information Server
ILE: Integrated Language Environment
ILS: Internet Locator Service
IMS: Internet Mail Server
I/O: input/output
IOCTRL: I/O control
IOP: I/O Processor
IOS: integrated office system
IP: Internet Protocol
IPC: interprocess communications
IPDS: Intelligent Printer Data Stream
IPL: Initial Program Load
IPS: Internet Personalization System
IPX: Internet Packet eXchange
IR: Industry Remarketer
IRL: Insert Row Locking
IRC: Internet Relay Chat
IRP: intermediate representation of a program
IRQ: Interrupt ReQuest (a hardware interrupt)
IS: information systems (or services)
ISA: Industry Standard Architecture
ISAKMP: Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol
ISAM: indexed sequential access method
ISAPI: Internet Server API
ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network
ISF: Internet Security Framework
ISM: Internet Service Manager
ISO: International Standards Organization
ISP: Internet Service Provider
ISS: Intelligent Storage Subsystem
ISV: independent software vendor
IT: Information Technology
ITV: interactive TV
IV: interactive video
IVR: interactive voice response
IXF: Integration eXchange Format

JES: Job Entry Subsystem
JIT: just-in-time
JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group
JVM: Java Virtual Machine

KB: kilobytes
Kbps: kilobits per second
KBps: KB per second
KBS: knowledge-based system
KCOM: kernel component object model
KE: knowledge engineer

LAN: local area network
LANE: LAN Emulation
LAU: lobe access unit
LBA: Logical Block Addressing
LCD: liquid crystal display
LDA: local data area
LDAP: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
LDTR: local descriptor table register
LED: light-emitting diode
LEN: low-entry networking (node)
LLC: Logical Link Control
LPD: Line Print Daemon
LPR: Line Print Remote
LRPC: lightweight remote procedure call
LSAPI: License Service API
LSP: LAN Support Program
LU: logical unit

MAG Technologies
MAN: metropolitan area network
MAPI: Messaging API
MASM: Macro Assembler
MAU: multistation access unit
MBone: Multicast Backbone
Mbps: Mbits per second
MBps: MB per second
MBR: Master Boot Record
MCA: Micro Channel Architecture
MCP: Microsoft Certified Professional
MCAD: mechanical CAD
MCGA: multiple-color graphics adapter
MCI: media control interface
MCSD: Microsoft Certified Systems Developer
MCSE: Microsoft Certified System Engineer
MDA: Mail Delivery Agent
monochrome display adapter
MDI: multiple-document interface
MES: Microsoft Exchange Server
MEU: memory expansion unit
MFLOPS: million floating point operations per second
MFT: Master File Table
MHS: Message Handling System
MI: Machine Interface
MIB: Management Information Base
MICR: Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
MIDI: musical instrument digital interface
MIDL: Microsoft Interface Definition Language
MIF: Management Information Format
MIME: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions
MIPS: million instructions per second
MIR: Managing Industry Remarketer
MIS: management information systems or services
MITV: Microsoft Interactive TV
MLCA: Multiline Communications Adapter
MLP: multilink procedure
MLPS: MultiLanguage Publishing Software
MMC: Microsoft Management Console
MMM: Multimedia Movie File Format
MMOSA: Microsoft multimedia operating system architecture
MMS: Message Management System
Microsoft Media Server
MMU: memory management module
MNLS: MultiNational Language Supplement
MO: magneto-optic
MOC: Microsoft Official Curriculum
MO:DCA: Mixed Object: Document Content Architecture
MOLI: Microsoft Online Institute
MP: multiprocessor
MPP: Massively Parallel Processor
MPPP: Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol
MPR: Multi-Protocol Routing
MPTN: Multiprotocol Transport Network
MQI: Message Queue Interface
MR: Message Router
MRJE: Multileaving Remote Job Entry
MRP: materials requirements planning
MRT: multiple requester terminal
MRU: most recently used
MSB: most significant bit (subnet masking)
MSDLC: Microsoft Data Link Control
MSDN: Microsoft Developer Network
MSL: Management Specification Language
MSN: The Microsoft Network
MSO: multiple service operator
MSP: Main Storage Processor
MSPI: Messaging Service Provider Interface
MTA: Mail Transfer Agent
MTBF: mean time between failure
MTS: Mail Transfer System
MTTR: mean time to repair
MTX: Modular Transactional System
MUA: Mail User Agent
MUMPS: Massachusetts General Hospital Utility MultiProgramming System
MVNS: Multivendor Network Support
MVP: Most Valuable Professional
MVS: Multiple Virtual Storage

NAD: network applications database
NAL: NetWare Application Launcher
NAPLPS: North American Presentation Level Protocol Syntax
NAS: Network Applications Support
NBNS: NetBIOS Name Server
NC: network computer
NCB: network control block
NCGA: National Computer Graphics Association
NCP: NetWare Core Protocol
NCSA: National Center for Supercomputing Applications
NCSC: National Computer Security Center
NDIS: network driver interface specification
NDK: network development kit
NDIS: Network Driver Interface Specification
NDS: Novell Directory Services
NEP: never-ending program
NetBEUI: NetBIOS Extended User Interface
NetBIOS: Network Basic I/O System
NetLS: Network License Service
NFS: Network File System
NIC: network interface card
NIK: network intergration kit
NIS: Network Information Service
NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology
NLM: NetWare loadable module
NLS: national language support
NLV: National Language Version
NMI: nonmaskable interrupt
NNTP: Network News Transfer Protocol
NOS: network operating system
NPT: nonprogrammable terminal
NPWS: nonprogrammable workstations
NSAPI: Netscape API
ntldr: NT Loader
NTFS: New Technology (NT) File System
NTP: Network Time Protocol
NTSC: National TV Standards Committee
NVRAM: nonvolatile RAM

OAK: Object Application Kernel
OCL: Operation Control Language
OCP: online classroom provider
OCR: optical character recognition
OCX: OLE custom control
ODA: office document architecture
ODBC: Open Database Connectivity
ODF: Object Distribution Facility
ODI: Open Data-link Interface
ODL: Object Description Language (OLE Automation)
ODP: open data path
OEM: original equipment manufacturer
OFS: Object File System
OIS: office information system
OLAP: online analytical processing
OLE: Object Linking and Embedding
OLTP: OnLine Transaction Processing
ONC: Open Network Computing
OO: object oriented
OODBMS: object-oriented database management system
OOFS: object-oriented file system
OOM: out of memory
OOP: object-oriented programming
OPM: Original Program Model
OQL: Object Query Language
ORB: Object Request Broker
ORPC: object remote procedure call
OS: operating system
OSF: Open Software Foundation
OSI: Open Systems Interconnect
OSPF: Open Shortest Path First

PAP: Password Authentication Protocol
PAR: Product Assistant Request
PASR: Public Authorization Service Request
PAW: Polycenter AssetWORKS
PBX: Public Branch eXchange
PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCL: Printer Control Language
PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
PCT: Private Communications Technology
PDA: Personal Digital Assistant
PDC: Primary Domain Controller
PDF: Portable Data Format
Program Definition Files
PDM: Programming Development Manager
Perfmon: Performance Monitor
PERT: program evaluation and review technique
PFF: printer file format
PFX: personal information exchange
PGP: pretty good privacy
PIF: Program Information File
PIN: personal identification number
ping: packet internet groper
PKCS: Public Key Cryptography Standards
PLM: Protocol Line Module
PnP: Plug and Play
POP: Post Office Protocol
Point of Presence
Programmer and Operator Productivity Aid
POSIX: Portable Operating Systems Interface for UNIX
PPP: Point-to-Point Protocol
PPTP: Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
PROM: programmable read-only memory
PRPQ: Program Request for Price Quotation (software)
PSP: Preventive Service Planning (bucket)
PSS: Product Support Services
PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network
PSU: power supply unit
PTF: program temporary fix
PU: physical unit
PVC: permanent virtual circuit
PWS: programmable workstation
PWS: Peer Web Services

QMF: Query Management Facility

RAID: Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive (or Independent) Disks
RAMP-C: Requirements Approach for Measuring Performance in
RARP: Reverse Address Resolution Protocol
RAS: Remote Access Service
RBA: resource-base approach
RDBMS: relational database management system
RDO: Remote Data Objects
RF: radio frequency
RFC: Request for Comments
RFT: revisable form text
RID: Relative Identifier
RIFF: resource interchange format
RIP: Routing Information Protocol
RIPL: remote initiation program load
RISC: Reduced Instruction Set Computing
RLU: Report Layout Utility
RPC: remote procedure call
RPG: Report Program Generator
RPQ: Request for Price Quotation (hardware)
RR: Resource Record (DNS)
RRN: relative record number
RSA: Rivest-Shamir-Adleman
RTF: Rich Text Format
RTP: Real Time Protocol
RWS: Remote Windows Socket

SAA: Systems Application Architecture
SACL: System Access Control List
SAM: Security Accounts Manager
SAP: Source Access Point
SCCM: Single Channel Control Module
SCM: Service Control Manager
SCS: SNA Character String
SCSI: small computer system interface
SD: Security Descriptor
SDA: Screen Design Aid
SDI: single document interface (CAD)
SDK: software development kit
SDLC: Synchronous Data Link Control
software development life cycle
SEM: SQL Enterprise Manager
SET: Secure Electronic Transmission
SEU: Source Entry Utility
SHTTP: Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol
SHV: standard, high volume
SGML: Standard Generalized Markup Language
SID: Security Identifier
SIMM: single inline memory module
SIPC: Simply Interactive PC
SLCA: Single-Line Communications Adapter
SLIP: Serial Line Internet Protocol
SMB: Server Message Block
SMDS: Switched Multimegabit Data Service
SMF: System Measurement Facility
SMI: Systems Management Interface
S/MIME: Secure MIME
SMP: symmetric multiprocessing
SMS: Systems Management Server
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SMU: System Management Utility
SMX: Server Macro Expansion
SNA: Systems Network Architecture
SNADS: SNA Distribution Services
SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol
SNMP MIB: Simple Network Management Protocol Management Information Base
SNUF: System Network Upline Facility
SOA: System Object Access
SOHO: small office/home office
SOM: System Object Model
SONET: Synchronous Optical Network
SPE: System Policy Editor
SPECmarks: Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation marks
SPID: Service Profile Identifier
SPX: Sequenced Packet eXchange
SQL: Structured Query Language
SRT: single requester terminal
SSAP: Source Service Access Point
SSF: solid state file
SSI: server-side includes
SSL: Secure Sockets Layer
SSP: System Support Program
SSPI: Security Support Provider Interface
STP: shielded twisted pair
SVGA: super VGA

TAPI: Telephony API
TCO: Total Cost of Ownership
TCP: Transmission Control Protocol
TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
TDLC: Twinaxial Data Link Control
TEMPDB: TEMP Database
TFT: Thin Film Transistor
TFTP: Trivial File Transfer Protocol
TIFF: Tagged Image File Format
TIP: Transaction Internet Protocol
TLD: top-level domain
TPM: transaction processing monitor
TRN: Token-Ring Network
TSR: terminate-and-stay-resident
TTL: Time to Live
TUI: telephone user interface
TWA: Task Work Area

UDP: User Datagram Protocol
UI: user interface
ULS: User Location Server
UMB: upper memory block
UNC: universal naming convention
UPS: uninterruptible power supply
URL: universal resource locator
USB: Universal Serial Bus
UTP: unshielded twisted pair
UUCP: UNIX-to-UNIX Copy

VAR: Value Added Reseller
VAX: Virtual Address eXtension
VB: Visual Basic
VBScript: Visual Basic Script
VBX: Visual Basic custom control
VC: virtual circuit
VC++: Visual C++
VDM: Virtual DOS Machine
VESA: Video Electronics Standards Association
VG: voice grade
VGA: video graphics adapter
VIM: Vendor Independent Messaging
VJ++: Visual J++
VLIC: Vertical Licensed Internal Code
VLAN: Virtual LAN
VLM: virtual loadable module
very large memory
VM: Virtual Machine
VMC: Vertical Microcode
VMS: Virtual Memory System
VPN: Virtual Private Network
VRAM: video RAM
VRML: Virtual Reality Modeling Language
VS: Visual Studio
VTOC: volume table of contents
VxD: virtual device driver

WAN: wide area network
WBEM: Web-Based Enterprise Management
WDM: Windows Driver Model
WFW: Windows for Workgroups
WIN: Wireless Information Network
Win95: Windows 95
Windows CE: Windows Consumer Electronics
WinHEC: Windows Hardware Engineering Conference
WINS: Windows Internet Name Service
WMF: Windows Metafile Format
WMI: Windows Management Infrastructure
WORM: write once, read many
WOSA: Windows Open Services Architecture
WPOS: workplace operating system
WSE: Work Station Emulation
WSF: Work Station Function
WWW: World Wide Web

XPG: X/Open Portability Guide

ZAW: Zero Administration for Windows
ZIF: Zero-Insertion Force