Cloud Glossary: Letter S

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S

SaaS (Software as a Service)

A cloud computing model where software applications are delivered over the internet on a subscription basis.

SAN (Storage Area Network)

A dedicated network that provides access to consolidated block-level data storage for multiple servers.

Scaling

The ability to increase or decrease computing resources to match changing demand and maintain performance.

SDK (Software Development Kit)

A collection of tools, libraries, and documentation that developers use to create applications for specific platforms.

Security Group

A virtual firewall that controls inbound and outbound traffic for cloud resources at the instance level.

Serverless

A cloud computing model where the cloud provider manages infrastructure, automatically scaling resources as needed.

Service Mesh

A dedicated infrastructure layer that facilitates service-to-service communications in microservice architectures.

Shard

A horizontal partition of data in a database, distributed across multiple servers to improve performance and scalability.

Snapshot

A point-in-time copy of data, disk volumes, or system state that can be used for backup and recovery.

SQL (Structured Query Language)

A programming language designed for managing and querying data stored in relational database management systems.

SSH (Secure Shell)

A cryptographic network protocol for secure communication and remote command execution over unsecured networks.

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)

A security protocol that establishes encrypted links between web servers and browsers for secure data transmission.

Subnet

A logical subdivision of an IP network that enables better organization, security, and management of network resources.

Synchronization

The coordination of operations or data across multiple systems to ensure consistency and proper ordering.

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)

An XML-based standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between identity providers and service providers.

SAN Certificate

A digital certificate that can secure multiple domain names using Subject Alternative Name extensions.

Sandbox

An isolated testing environment that allows safe experimentation without affecting production systems.

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)

A computer bus interface for connecting storage devices like hard drives and SSDs to motherboards.

Scalability

The ability of a system to handle increased load by adding resources to accommodate growth.

Schema

The structure of a database, including tables, fields, relationships, and constraints that define data organization.

Scope

The boundaries and extent of access, permissions, or functionality within a system or application.

Script

A sequence of commands or instructions written in a scripting language to automate tasks or processes.

Secret

Sensitive information like passwords, API keys, or certificates that must be securely stored and managed.

Security

The protection of digital information, systems, and networks from threats, unauthorized access, and data breaches.

Serialization

The process of converting data structures or objects into a format that can be stored or transmitted.

Server

A computer or program that provides functionality or resources to other computers or programs over a network.

Service

A software component that provides specific functionality and can be consumed by other applications or systems.

Session

A temporary interaction between a user and a system, maintaining state and context during the connection.

Shared Responsibility Model

A cloud security framework that defines the division of security responsibilities between cloud providers and customers.

Sharding

A database architecture pattern that horizontally partitions data across multiple database instances.

Shell

A command-line interface that provides access to an operating system's services and allows script execution.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

A contract that defines the expected level of service between a provider and customer, including uptime guarantees.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

A communication protocol for electronic mail transmission between servers over the internet.

SNS (Simple Notification Service)

A messaging service that enables applications to send notifications to multiple subscribers through various protocols.

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

A messaging protocol for exchanging structured information in web services using XML format.

Source Control

A system for tracking and managing changes to code and other files over time, enabling collaboration.

Spot Instance

Spare cloud capacity offered at significantly reduced prices that can be reclaimed with short notice.

SQS (Simple Queue Service)

A message queuing service that enables decoupling and scaling of distributed software systems and microservices.

SSD (Solid State Drive)

A storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies to store data persistently with no moving parts.

Staging Environment

A production-like environment used for testing applications before deployment to the live production system.

Static Content

Web content that doesn't change based on user interactions or dynamic data, such as images and CSS files.

Storage

The retention of digital data in various forms, from temporary memory to permanent disk storage systems.

Stream Processing

Real-time processing of continuous data streams as they arrive, enabling immediate analysis and response.

Subnet Mask

A 32-bit number that masks an IP address and divides it into network and host portions for routing purposes.

Synchronous

Operations that block execution until completion, requiring the caller to wait for results before proceeding.

System Administrator

A professional responsible for maintaining, operating, and ensuring the reliable operation of computer systems.

SAAS Integration

Connecting different Software as a Service applications to enable data sharing and workflow automation.

Scalable Architecture

System design that can efficiently handle increased load by adding resources horizontally or vertically.

Schema Migration

The process of modifying database structure while preserving existing data during system updates.

Secure Boot

A security standard that ensures only trusted software loads during the computer startup process.

Security Audit

A systematic evaluation of security measures, policies, and procedures to identify vulnerabilities and compliance issues.

Self-Healing

Automated systems that detect and recover from failures without manual intervention to maintain service availability.

Serverless Computing

A cloud execution model where applications run in stateless compute containers managed by cloud providers.

Service Discovery

The automatic detection and location of services in distributed systems, enabling dynamic communication.

Service Level Indicator (SLI)

A quantitative measure of service performance, such as latency, availability, or error rate.

Service Level Objective (SLO)

A target value or range for service level indicators that defines acceptable performance levels.

Session Management

The process of securely managing user sessions, including authentication, state maintenance, and termination.

Shadow IT

Information technology systems deployed by departments without explicit approval from central IT organizations.

Shared Storage

Storage resources that can be accessed by multiple systems or users simultaneously with appropriate access controls.

Single Point of Failure (SPOF)

A component whose failure would cause an entire system to stop working, requiring redundancy for reliability.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

An authentication service that allows users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials.

SMTP Relay

A service that forwards email messages from one mail server to another for delivery to recipients.

Software Deployment

The process of installing, configuring, and making software applications available for use in target environments.

Source Code

Human-readable instructions written in programming languages that are compiled or interpreted to create applications.

Split Testing

A method of comparing two versions of an application or webpage to determine which performs better.

SSL Certificate

A digital certificate that authenticates website identity and enables encrypted HTTPS connections.

SSL Termination

The process of decrypting SSL/TLS traffic at a load balancer or proxy before forwarding to backend servers.

Stack

A collection of cloud resources that are managed together as a single unit, often defined by infrastructure code.

Stateful

Applications or services that retain information about previous interactions and maintain session data.

Stateless

Applications or services that don't retain information between requests, treating each request independently.

Storage Class

Different tiers of storage with varying performance, availability, and cost characteristics for different use cases.

Subnet

A logical subdivision of an IP network that enables organization, security, and efficient use of IP address space.

Subscription

A billing and management model where customers pay recurring fees for access to cloud services and resources.

Swarm

A cluster of Docker nodes that work together to provide container orchestration and management capabilities.

System Monitoring

Continuous observation of system performance, health, and behavior to detect issues and ensure optimal operation.