Glossary of Common Terms

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AccessAnywhere: AccessAnywhere provides a secure connection (VPN) to the BCIT network. This enables staff to access network resources remotely. This is not available to students.
Accessibility: Accessibility in a technology context usually refers to practices and standards meant to ensure that all users, regardless of ability or disability, can access information and use systems necessary to accomplish whatever tasks they need to accomplish using that technology.
Adobe Creative Campus: BCIT is an Adobe Creative Campus. BCIT students can access the full suite of tools in Adobe Creative Cloud at no cost. BCIT Faculty and Staff can access Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Express at no cost and can also opt for a paid subscription for Adobe Creative Cloud.
Application: Application software is a subclass of computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly to a task that the user wishes to perform. The Microsoft Office suite contains examples of such software, which provides word processing, spreadsheet, small database, and presentation capabilities to diverse departments. The services associated with such applications are those of choosing, configuring, upgrading, protecting and troubleshooting.
Apporto: Apporto is a service that allows you to access a full virtual desktop experience as well as individual applications from any computer.

AppsAnywhere: AppsAnywhere is BCIT’s software delivery platform for academic software. Through AppsAnywhere, students are able to access the software needed to do coursework on their personal computers from anywhere, anytime.

BCIT ID: Your BCIT ID is the 9-digit identification number, usually starting with “A0”, that appears on your BCIT ID card.
BCIT ID card printing: This is the pay printing facility for lab printing which uses the BCIT myBCIT card for payment.
Break / fix: The status of an originally working system after an error or problem (break) has occurred and a resolution (fix) has been applied to it as a remedy.
BYOD: “Bring Your Own Device” describes the shift to staff and students preferring to use their own devices (like laptops, smart phones, and tablets) rather than devices provided by BCIT to do BCIT tasks.

Core service(s): These are the main services for which ITS is funded to provide support for BCIT’s main business processes.
Client: In computing, a system that accesses remote services on another computer.
Cognos: Cognos is BCIT’s institute reporting tool, used to generate a wide variety of reports and analytics of BCIT data.
Content Management System (CMS): A CMS is used to manage the content on a website or sites. BCIT uses WordPress to manage most of its public web properties.
Core: Central to the purpose of a department and therefore funded by its core budget.
Cyber security: The protection of digital information, as well as the integrity of the infrastructure housing and transmitting digital information. More specifically, cyber security includes the body of technologies, processes, practices and response and mitigation measures designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access so as to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability.

eduroam: An encrypted wireless network that accepts credentials from BCIT and other institutions that have implemented eduroam. You can connect to eduroam both at BCIT and at other institutions as well.
Enterprise: A business, or an organization such as BCIT. As used in a department name, “enterprise applications” are the software programs used for many administrative purposes at BCIT.
Ethernet: Is a computer networking technology for local area networks (LANS) that requires wiring for connectivity. In order to connect to an ethernet network, a computer must be equipped with an ethernet network card.

Firewall: A firewall is a set of related programs, located at a network gateway server, that protects the resources of a private network from users from other networks.
First-level support: Basic troubleshooting and resolution for common problems; it is provided by analysts in various ITS groups along with those at the Service Desk. See second-level support.

Hardware: The machines, wiring, and other physical components of a computer or other electronic system.
Help Desk: The Service Desk is the central point of contact for the BCIT community to contact IT Services for assistance. The Service Desk workers track all contacts, provides initial assessment and possible resolution or provides dispatch to other ITS groups.

iceBar: iceBar is a tool used by BCIT’s Contact Center agents to manage communications efficiently. It allows agents to log in and out of queues to take calls. iceBar is synchronized with Microsoft Teams at BCIT. This integration streamlines communication workflows, allowing agents to manage calls, chats, and other interactions seamlessly within the Microsoft Teams platform.

Image: An image is a template or a copy of how an operating system and software are configured on a particular type of computer, customized for our environment.

Intranet: The BCIT Intranet is a fully-featured SharePoint site designed to improve communication, collaboration, and access to information across departments. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 tools, making it easier to find resources, stay updated, and engage with colleagues.

Learning Hub: The Learning Hub is the platform that BCIT uses to deliver its online distance education courses.
Learning Management System (LMS): A Learning Management System is software for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of online education courses. BCIT’s LMS is The Learning Hub.
Lectern: A tall stand with a sloping top (also referred to as a podium) from which a speaker can read from while lecturing. These lecterns are located in all Lecture Theatres.
Loop: The Loop was BCIT’s previous intranet for staff and faculty. It has been replaced by the new BCIT Intranet in SharePoint.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Multi-factor authentication means using more than one “factor” to verify a user’s identity at a login point. BCIT uses Microsoft Authenticator for student MFA and Duo for employee MFA.
myBCIT: myBCIT is BCIT’s portal to important information and communication for BCIT students, faculty, and staff. myBCIT provides access to online self service and is the primary communication platform for BCIT students.
myVPN: myVPN provides a secure connection (VPN) to BCIT networks and services for BCIT students and employees when not on campus.

Office 365: Office 365 is a suite of Microsoft software which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. These are fully-functioning versions that work on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. Access is provided to all current BCIT students, faculty, and staff.
OneDrive: OneDrive is BCIT’s cloud-based file storage and sharing solution for all BCIT faculty, staff, and students.
Outlook: The default email client for faculty and staff on BCIT issued computers which is supported by Microsoft Exchange Online.

Second-level support: Support provided when first-level support has not succeeded in resolving a complex problem. The analysts providing second-level support have experience with problems for the system in question. Occasionally, extremely complex problems need to be escalated to third-level support.
Server(s): The computers that control shared access to directories, files, applications and resources (e.g. printers) on a network.
Service catalogue: A catalogue of the core services offered by IT Services. This is the default service level agreement (SLA) for BCIT.
Service level agreement (SLA): An agreement between the IT Services Department and its customers, defining the level of service provided and the responsibilities of the customer. At BCIT, this is a special service agreement for a group or department requiring support which differs from that listed in the service catalogue.
SharePoint: SharePoint is a cloud-based Microsoft platform available to BCIT faculty and staff to help them to collaborate and manage documents and information, including via the BCIT Intranet.
ShareSpace: ShareSpace is the old name for BCIT’s SharePoint sites which were hosted on prem. ShareSpace sites have been migrated to SharePoint online.

Single Sign-on (SSO): At BCIT, Single Sign-on allows users to login to a computer with their usual BCIT credentials, and then use all related systems without having to login multiple times.

Teams: Microsoft Teams (“Teams”) is a collaboration tool available to BCIT faculty and staff which includes featuring enterprise chat, voice, video calls, meeting facilitation and recordings, and Teams channels for collaboration on tasks and projects.
Third-level support: Advanced support for problems and issues not resolvable by first- or second- level support. The analysts providing third-level support are experienced and in some cases be required to work with vendors or other service providers to successfully resolve the problem.
Troubleshooting: The process of working through a series of defined steps to isolate the cause of a particular problem.
Twitter: Online social messaging platform. BCIT uses several different twitter accounts to communicate about important issues at BCIT (in addition to other channels). You can even follow BCIT IT Services on Twitter.

Unified Communications: Unified communications refers to communication systems that integrate with one another to provide a more seamless experience when shifting between phone, email, video conferencing, etc.
User Chair: May be one or several representative faculty members from each educational unit who holds responsibility for decisions affecting computer labs for their particular area.
User Committee: Is made up of all User Chair members who can make decisions affecting all computer labs at BCIT.

Virtual Application: A virtual application is an application or program that is hosted on a server and not directly installed on a computer. At BCIT we use Workspace to host virtual applications that are available to be used by students and employees. The virtual applications are running from BCIT servers located in one of our data centres.
Virtual Desktop: A virtual desktop is an entire operating system that is hosted on a server and not directly installed on a computer. At BCIT we use Workspace to host virtual desktops that are available to be used by students and employees. The virtual desktops are running from BCIT servers located in one of our data centres.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): VPN is an acronym for ‘Virtual Private Network’. A VPN is a means of extending a private network (such as BCIT’s on campus network) across a public network (the internet, using various internet service providers) to the user’s local private network (such as a network at home, coffee shop, or anywhere with free wifi). Using a VPN allows for authentication and better security of computers accessing resources on the private network. myVPN is BCIT’s recommended VPN solution.
Viruses: Small programs that can cause a variety of problems ranging from minor annoyances to full-blown system crashes.

Wireless or WiFi: Wireless networking allows you to connect to a local area network (LAN) without plugging into a network drop. Wireless networking relies on low-powered radio waves to transmit data rather than physical wires. In order to connect to a wireless network, a computer must be equipped with a wireless network card.
WordPress: WordPress is the primary Content Management Systems in use at BCIT, for both the public website and some Commons sites.
Workaround: A temporary procedure that accomplishes what a malfunctioning feature or system should do while the problem is being fixed (an example is using another printer while the one you normally use is being repaired.).
Workspace: Workspace was a previously available service that allowed users to access virtual desktops. As of fall 2024, it has been replaced by Apporto.

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