Cloud Glossary: Letter H

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H

Hadoop

An open-source framework for distributed storage and processing of big data using clusters of commodity hardware.

HAProxy

A free, open-source load balancer and proxy server for TCP and HTTP-based applications with high availability features.

Hardware Security Module (HSM)

A dedicated cryptographic device that generates, stores, and manages digital keys and performs cryptographic operations.

Hash

A function that converts input data into a fixed-size string of characters, commonly used for data integrity and security.

Health Check

Automated monitoring to verify that systems, services, or applications are operating correctly and responding appropriately.

Heartbeat

A periodic signal sent between systems to indicate operational status and detect failures or disconnections.

Heat Map

A data visualization technique that uses colors to represent values or intensity across a two-dimensional area.

Helm

A package manager for Kubernetes that simplifies the deployment and management of applications on Kubernetes clusters.

High Availability (HA)

System design that ensures a service remains operational for a high percentage of time, minimizing downtime.

High Performance Computing (HPC)

The use of powerful processors, networks, and parallel computing techniques to solve complex computational problems.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

US legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.

Horizontal Scaling

Increasing system capacity by adding more servers or instances rather than upgrading existing hardware.

Host

A computer or server that provides services, resources, or runs virtual machines in a computing environment.

Hosting

Providing server space, resources, and services to make websites, applications, or data accessible over the internet.

Hot Backup

A backup performed while the system is running and available to users, ensuring continuous operation.

Hot Standby

A backup system that is actively running and ready to immediately take over if the primary system fails.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

The foundation protocol for data communication on the World Wide Web, defining how messages are formatted and transmitted.

HTTPS (HTTP Secure)

An extension of HTTP that uses encryption (SSL/TLS) to provide secure communication over a computer network.

Hub

A central connection point in a network architecture that connects multiple devices or network segments.

Hybrid Cloud

A computing environment that combines on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services, providing greater flexibility.

Hyperconverged Infrastructure

An IT framework that combines storage, computing, and networking into a single system to reduce complexity.

Hypervisor

Software that creates and manages virtual machines by abstracting the underlying physical hardware resources.

Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS)

A distributed file system designed to store large datasets reliably across clusters of commodity hardware.

Hardening

The process of securing a system by reducing its surface of vulnerability through configuration changes and security measures.

Header

Metadata information at the beginning of a data packet, file, or message that contains control and routing information.

Heap

A region of memory used for dynamic memory allocation where objects are stored during program execution.

Heterogeneous

Systems or environments that consist of different types of hardware, software, or platforms working together.

Hibernation

A power-saving state where system contents are saved to storage and the system is powered down.

Hidden Node

A network topology problem where two nodes cannot directly communicate but both can communicate with a third node.

Hierarchical Storage

A storage system that automatically moves data between different storage tiers based on access patterns and policies.

High Throughput

The ability to process large amounts of data or transactions per unit of time efficiently.

Homogeneous

Systems or environments consisting of similar or identical components, hardware, or software platforms.

Hop

A single step in the path that data takes as it travels from source to destination across a network.

Hot Data

Frequently accessed data that requires high-performance storage and quick retrieval times.

Hot Failover

A failover mechanism where the backup system is immediately available without any delay or manual intervention.

Hot Swap

The ability to replace hardware components while the system is running without interrupting operations.

HPC Cluster

A group of interconnected computers optimized for high-performance computing workloads and parallel processing.

HTTP Cache

A mechanism that stores copies of HTTP responses to reduce server load and improve response times for subsequent requests.

HTTP Proxy

An intermediary server that forwards HTTP requests from clients to servers and returns responses back to clients.

HTTPS Certificate

A digital certificate that enables HTTPS encryption and authenticates the identity of a website or service.

Hub and Spoke

A network topology where traffic flows through a central hub that connects to multiple spoke networks.

Human Error

Mistakes made by users or administrators that can lead to system failures, data loss, or security breaches.

Hybrid Architecture

A system design that combines different computing environments, such as cloud and on-premises infrastructure.

Hybrid Deployment

A deployment strategy that distributes applications across both cloud and on-premises environments.

Hybrid Integration

Connecting and synchronizing data and processes between cloud-based and on-premises systems.

Hybrid Network

A network infrastructure that spans both cloud and on-premises environments with secure connectivity.

Hyperscale

Massive scale computing infrastructure designed to handle enormous workloads and data volumes efficiently.

Hyperthread

Intel's simultaneous multithreading technology that allows a single processor core to execute multiple threads concurrently.

Hypervisor Type 1

A bare-metal hypervisor that runs directly on the physical hardware without an underlying operating system.

Hypervisor Type 2

A hosted hypervisor that runs on top of an existing operating system as an application or service.