Cloud Glossary: Letter O

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O

OAuth

An open standard for access delegation that allows users to grant third-party applications access to their resources without sharing passwords.

Object Storage

A storage architecture that manages data as objects, typically accessed via REST APIs and ideal for unstructured data.

Observability

The ability to understand the internal state of a system based on its external outputs, including logs, metrics, and traces.

OLAP (Online Analytical Processing)

A category of database processing that enables multidimensional analysis of business data for decision support.

OLTP (Online Transaction Processing)

A category of database processing that manages transaction-oriented applications with high-volume, short-duration transactions.

On-Demand

Computing resources that are available immediately when requested and billed only for actual usage time.

On-Premises

Computing infrastructure that is located within an organization's physical facilities rather than in the cloud.

OpenAPI

A specification for describing REST APIs that provides a standard way to document API endpoints, parameters, and responses.

OpenID Connect

An authentication layer built on top of OAuth 2.0 that allows clients to verify user identity and obtain basic profile information.

Optimization

The process of improving system performance, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness through configuration changes and resource tuning.

Orchestration

The automated coordination and management of complex workflows, applications, and infrastructure components.

Origin

The original source server where content is stored before being distributed through content delivery networks.

OS Image

A pre-configured template containing an operating system and software that can be used to create new virtual machine instances.

Outbound Traffic

Network data that flows from internal systems to external networks or the internet, often subject to monitoring and filtering.

Overflow

A condition where data exceeds the allocated storage space or processing capacity, potentially causing errors or performance issues.

Overlay Network

A virtual network built on top of an existing network infrastructure to provide additional functionality or isolation.

OAuth 2.0

The current version of the OAuth authorization framework that enables secure API access delegation.

Object Lifecycle

Automated rules that manage object storage by transitioning objects between storage classes or deleting them based on age.

Object Metadata

Additional information associated with stored objects, including creation date, content type, and custom attributes.

Object Versioning

Maintaining multiple versions of the same object to enable recovery and change tracking over time.

OIDC (OpenID Connect)

An identity layer on top of OAuth 2.0 that provides authentication and user identity information.

On-Demand Instance

Cloud computing resources that are available immediately when requested and billed on an hourly basis.

Open Source

Software with source code that is freely available for modification and redistribution under specific licenses.

Operation

A single action or task performed by a system, application, or user, often tracked for monitoring and billing purposes.

Operational Excellence

A principle focused on running and monitoring systems to deliver business value and continuously improve processes.

Operator

A software extension that uses custom resources to manage applications and their components in Kubernetes environments.

Orchestrator

A system that coordinates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications across clusters.

Origin Server

The original web server where content is hosted before being cached and distributed by content delivery networks.

Outage

A period when systems or services are unavailable or not functioning properly, impacting users and operations.

Overflow Handling

Mechanisms to manage situations where demand exceeds capacity, such as queuing, throttling, or load shedding.

Overprovisioning

Allocating more resources than currently needed to handle unexpected load increases or ensure performance headroom.

Object Lock

A feature that prevents objects from being deleted or overwritten for a specified retention period.

Observability Platform

Integrated tools and services that provide comprehensive visibility into system behavior through metrics, logs, and traces.

OCI (Open Container Initiative)

Standards that define container formats and runtime specifications to ensure container portability across platforms.

Offline Processing

Data processing that occurs separately from real-time operations, typically in batch mode during off-peak hours.

OLAP Cube

A multidimensional data structure that enables fast analysis of data from multiple perspectives and hierarchies.

OnPrem

Shortened term for on-premises infrastructure that is physically located within an organization's facilities.

Open Standards

Publicly available specifications that enable interoperability between different systems and vendors.

Operating Model

The framework that defines how an organization operates, including processes, roles, and technology governance.

Optimization Algorithm

Mathematical methods used to improve system performance, resource allocation, or cost efficiency automatically.

Orchestration Engine

Software that coordinates and manages the execution of complex workflows and automated processes.

Origin Shield

An additional caching layer between content delivery networks and origin servers to reduce origin load.

Orphaned Resource

Cloud resources that are no longer needed or associated with running applications but continue to incur costs.

Out-of-Band Management

System administration that occurs through dedicated management networks separate from production data networks.

Output

Data or results produced by a system, application, or process that can be consumed by other systems or users.

Overallocation

Assigning more virtual resources than physically available, relying on the assumption that not all resources will be used simultaneously.

Override

Temporarily changing default settings or configurations for specific use cases or emergency situations.

Ownership

The assignment of responsibility for cloud resources, including management, costs, and compliance obligations.