Anti-Virus
Network based Anti-Virus watches network activity for signatures of known threats or abnormal traffic, notifying personnel or stopping the communication to avoid spreading the threat.
Convergence
Convergence is the process of integrating all communications, data presentation, and data retrieval onto a common platform or network.
CTI
Computer Telephony Integration - The implementation of traditional voice or telephone function into a laptop or desktop. Typically this will greatly enhance the features available. Like using CLID to look up a callers information.
Firewalls
Firewalls protect internal or "Private" networks from the "Public" Internet. Applications such as Network Address Translation and Stateful Packet inspection are parts of quality Firewalls.
IDS/IDP
Intrusion Detection System / Intrusion Detection and Prevention - systems that monitor network activities and detect unauthorized activity. Systems can either stop or alert staff of such activity.
QoS
Quality of Service is a method of giving time sensitive network communications precedence over less critical or less time sensitive communications.
Redundancy
Redundancy describes a network topology that reduces the chance of any single link failure stopping critical network communication.
Standards Based
Standards Based is an attribute referring to adherence to documents defining the operation and compatibility of a technology or hardware. Such standards are controlled by RFC, IEEE, TIA/EIA, BICSI, and other boards or volunteer organizations.
SoftPhone
A SoftPhone is a general term to describe a computer software application that replaces a traditional telephone and often increases user functionality.
SoftSwitch
A traditional PBX or Phone System functionality built on software run on a platform similar to a Desktop Computer.
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol - The encoding of voice audio to data packets and transmitting it over the internet, then de-encoding back to audio for the hearer. This process performed in a bi-directional configuration forms a fully functional voice call rivaling a traditional telephone conversation.
VPN
A Virtual Private Network uses encryption to hide private network traffic as it crosses the public Internet thus creating a private WAN connection from less expensive Internet connections. A VPN can also connect mobile users to a private corporate network.