General Glossary

Ansible

Ansible is an automation mechanism for various IT tasks, such as preparing and configuring cloud infrastructure. Ansible is an open-source tool that interacts with multiple software modules through various means, including SSH connections, PowerShell scripts, and various APIs.

API

API (Application Programming Interface) serves as a software intermediary enabling two applications to communicate and exchange data.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a form of intelligence exhibited by machines or computers. In computer science, the field of AI is defined as the study of so-called “intelligent agents”. These are devices that perceive their surroundings and take actions that maximize their chances of achieving a specific goal. In everyday usage, the Artificial Intelligence term refers to the capability of a machine to mimic cognitive functions, such as learning and problem-solving, which are typically associated with human reasoning.

Aspect ratio

The Aspect ratio of an image is defined as the proportional relationship between its width and height. It is commonly expressed as two numbers separated by a colon, as in width:height. For standard television screens and computer monitors, the typical aspect ratio is 4:3. This means the width is 4 units while the height is 3 units. For high-definition television (HDTV), the aspect ratio is 16:9.

Autofocus, AF

Autofocus (AF) is a camera function that allows a camera lens to automatically focus on a selected part of a subject in the camera field of view.

Back-end

The back-end is a so-called “software engine” to which the user doesn’t have direct access. This mechanism receives requests from the user interface and performs certain operations, including loading and storing data in a database, etc.

Bare-metal

Bare-metal is a case, where the software is installed on physical devices (hard disks). It is a non-virtualized solution.

Bitmap

The Bitmap (a raste graphics) is a data file that represents a rectangular grid of pixels that defines the location and color of each pixel (or bit) on the screen. GIF and JPEG formats are examples of file types that contain raster images.

Bitrate

Bitrate is the number of bits (amount of data) that is transmitted or processed per unit of time. Bitrate is commonly used to measure the effective rate of data transfer through a channel, meaning to define a minimum channel size that can pass this stream without delays.

CCTV

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), also known as a Video Surveillance System, is a specialized closed-circuit television system that does not publicly broadcast its video feed. Instead, it restricts the transmission of its video stream to a specific receivers.These receiversmay include both employees of an organization and a combination of software and hardware systems (both analog and digital) that are designed for the long-term storage and processing of video data.

CI/CD

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) is the foundation of modern DevOps culture. CI ensures that new code is transferred to a centralized code repository multiple times a day to further undergo automatic module tests and speed up the build of new software. If the tests are successfully passed, CD ensures that the new version of the application is automatically sent to intermediate and production environments without service downtime. The CI/CD workflow ensures that all errors will be found and fixed at an early stage, and the product will be constantly available.

Codec

A codec (encoder/decoder) is an algorithm that implements compression/decompression of multimedia data that can be done with or without loss of quality. Most codecs, such as H264, H265, use reference frames (I-frames) and differential (P-frames) to achieve the maximum compression ratio.

Computer Vision

Computer Vision is a discipline in science that aims to equip a computer (or machine) with vision capabilities that are comparable to, or exceed, those of humans. The systems designed for computer vision are capable of extracting, analyzing, and interpreting valuable information from an individual image or a series of images.

Deep Learning

Deep Learning refers to the application of multi-layered artificial neural networks for solving learning tasks. It has already integrated into advanced systems across various domains. Specifically, it finds its use in fields like computer vision and automatic speech recognition.

DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a protocol that allows network administrators to automate the assignment of IP addresses to network devices, as well as centrally manage this process. DHCP uses the principle of “leasing” or a certain time during which the IP address will be valid for the computer. This time can vary, depending on how long the user needs a network connection at a certain point.

Digital Video Recording

Digital Video Recording (DVR) is a feature engineered to record archives for subsequent storage and playback.

DNS

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a service engineered to identify and convert internet domain names into IP addresses. A domain name serves as a meaningful and easy-to-remember identifier for an internet address.

Docker

Docker is a platform that is open-source and designed for the creation, deployment, and execution of application containers. It serves as the cornerstone of contemporary cloud computing by enabling optimal utilization of cloud resources and offering a universal layer building cloud infrastructure.

Docker Swarm

Docker Swarm is an orchestration tool for containers, created by Docker. It’s an integral part of Docker, designed for clustering and scheduling containers, with the capacity to operate thousands of containers at the same time.

Dockerfile

A Dockerfile is a textual script that outlines the steps for constructing a Docker container, that includes all the necessary commands. Dockerfiles facilitate the streamlined configuration and administration of container setup and operation.

ElasticSearch

Elasticsearch is a RESTful, distributed search and data analysis engine built on Apache Lucene. It forms the core of the Elastic Stack and enables the storage and processing of data from a variety of cloud monitoring and logging tools.

Environment

A software environment encompasses all the server resources, including the operating system, libraries, APIs, tools, and platforms, etc., that are necessary to operate software throughout various phases of its life cycle, such as development, testing, staging, and production.

Executable File

Executable File (Analytics Executable) operates as an independent module that runs neural network and analytical algorithms. It is a scaling unit within the video survailance platform. It serves as a scaling component within the video surveillance platform. This executable file accepts tasks from the video analytics platform, processes them, and then dispatches the results to the platform and other entities that consume this data.

Firewall

A firewall acts as a protective shield between networks, for instance, a local network and the worldwide Internet. It ensures that only authorized users can transition from one network to another.

Frame

A frame is a separate complete image. In the 2:1 interlaced scanning format of RS-170 and CCIR standards, a frame is composed of two separate fields with 262.5 or 312.5 lines, alternating at a frequency of 60 or 50 Hz, which allows to form a full frame at a frequency of 30 or 25 Hz. In video cameras with progressive scan function, each frame is scanned line by line and does not alternate.

Frame rate per second

Frame rate per second (FPS) refers to the frequency at which consecutive images, or frames, are displayed on a screen. This rapid succession of frames creates the illusion of a moving picture.

GOV length

GOV length is the length of a GOV group that defines the numver of images (VOP) in the GOV group sturcture.

GOV structure

The GOV structure delineates the components of a video stream in the MPEG-4 format. These components encompass intra-coded pictures (I-VOP) or predictive-coded pictures (P-VOP), along with their internal sequencing.

Grafana

Grafana is an open-source observability platform used to interact with system data retrieved from IT monotring for visualizing and analyzing metrics, logs, traces, and applications across different data sources. It is a web application with dashboards, charts, tables, and alerts.

Group of Pictures

A Group of Pictures (GOP) refers to a series of images that are arranged in a specific order within a coded video stream. The purpose of grouping these frames is to facilitate interframe compression, which is crucial for efficient video streaming over a network. Without this grouping and compression, video streaming would be extremely time-consuming and would generate substantial network traffic.

H.264

H.264, also known as MPEG-4 Part 10, is a video compression standard that provides higher video resolution than Motion JPEG or MPEG-4 at the same bit rate and bandwidth, or higher video quality at a lower transfer speed.

H.265

H.264, also referred to as MPEG-4 Part 10, is a superior video compression standard. It offers a higher video resolution than both Motion JPEG and MPEG-4 when operating at the same bit rate and bandwidth. Alternatively, it can deliver superior video quality at a lower data transfer speed.

HLS

HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is a protocol specifically designed for the efficient streaming of media content. It operates over HTTP. HLS breaks down the stream into smaller, manageable chunks that are then downloaded in sequence via HTTP.

HTTPS

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is a protocol used for securely transmitting hypertext over the Internet. It is employed by both web servers and browsers to encrypt user page requests and decrypt server page responses. The exchange of encrypted data is facilitated through an HTTPS certificate, which is issued by a certification authority and ensures the server’s authenticity.

Hybrid Cloud

The Hybrid Cloud is a solution that merges a minimum of one private and one public cloud. These are linked by technology that facilitates the portability of data and applications. This setup empowers businesses to effortlessly expand their on-site infrastructure to a public cloud to manage any excess load.

InfluxDB

InfluxDB is an open-source database for processing time-series events that is developed in Go. It is commonly utilized for tasks such as monitoring infrastructure, storing data with high availability, and conducting real-time analytics.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure is the comprehensive set of hardware, software, and procedures that are essential for initiating applications, along with the gathering, administration, and preservation of data.

IP

IP (Internet Protocol) is a technique used for sending data across a network. Transferred data is segmented into distince independent packages. On the Internet, each computer (or node) possesses a minimum of one address that distinguishes it from other computers, and each data package contains the sender and recipient addresses.

IP address

An IP address is a unique identifier within an IP network, assigned to each computer and device connected to it. This address facilitates the location of connected devices and enables data exchange between them.

IP camera

An IP camera, often referred to as a network camera or internet camera, is a device that integrates the functionalities of a computer and a camera into a single unit.

Jenkins

Jenkins is an open-source Java server that facilitates the automation of software delivery. Working in Jenkins involves processes such as code compilation, running modular tests, generating code quality metrics, deploying new versions of applications in a production environment, and more.

Jenkins is a Java-based open-source server that facilitates the automation of software delivery. The workflow in Jenkins encompasses activities like compiling code, running modular tests, generating code quality metrics, deploying updated versions of applications in a production environment, and other tasks.

Kubernetes

Kubernetes is an open-source container management platform from Google. Kubernetes and Docker are the foundation for running modern workloads in the cloud.

MAC address

A MAC address (Media Access Control address) is a unique identifier that corresponds to a specific network equipment component, more specifically, its interface in a network environment. For example, a computer's network card has its own MAC address.

Machine Learninng

Machine Learning (ML), a branch of artificial intelligence, is centered around the development of algorithms that can learn and improve on their own, without the need for human instructions.

Mediaserver

Mediaserver is server software developed for capturing RTSP streams from video cameras and other devices, creating and storing archives, and delivering multimedia content to clients.

Microservices Architechure

Microservices Architecture is a software development methodology that structures an application as a collection of loosely coupled, independently deployable services. Each microservice is responsible for a distinct function and can be updated or modified independently without affecting the overall system. This interconnected system enhances scalability and allows for continuous integration and deployment.

Motion JPEG

Motion JPEG is a technology for compressing and unpacking network video material. It provides low latency and stable image quality regardless of its dynamics and complexity. The level of compression dictates the quality of the image, which subsequently influences the size of the file and the rate of transmission.

MP4

The MP4, also known as MPEG-4, is not a codec but a media container format. It’s used to bundle together various elements like digital video and audio streams, subtitles, posters, and metadata. This format was established by the group of experts at MPEG.

MPEG

The Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) is a team of professionals in the field of film technology. They develop standards for digital video and audio compression. This group operates as a subdivision of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Multicast

Multicast is a method that enhances the efficiency of bandwidth utilization by delivering a single data stream to multiple users at the same time. See also Unicast.

Multimedia data compression

Multimedia data compression involves the transformation of a media stream frame by a multimedia codec. This process results in a reduction in the size of the source data, while maintaining the ability to reverse the transformation and obtain a frame that is identical or nearly identical to the original.

Neural Network

A neural network is a mathematical model, which can be realized through software or hardware, designed based on the structure and operation of biological neural networks found in living beings. The implementation of neural networks typically involves a system of interconnected basic processors (artificial neurons) executing elementary operations. Neural networks find practical applications in various fields such as prognostic tasks, pattern recognition, control tasks, and more.

Nexus

Nexus, developed by Sonatype, is a release management platform that consolidates input signals from various open-source modules. Its purpose is to streamline the software delivery lifecycle, ensuring it is quick, secure, and efficient.

Nginx

Nginx is an open-source HTTP server software that is compatible with Unix systems. It has a wide range of uses, from HTTP caching to setting up a reverse proxy server.

Orchestration

Orchestration refers to the process of automating IT operations, specifically focusing on tasks such as container management and infrastructure configuration, within the framework of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), virtualization, and the provisioning of environments.

Pixel

Its is the smallest unit of a digital image or display. It’s a tiny dot that, when combined with many others, forms an image. Each pixel holds color and brightness information, contributing to the overall picture.

PoE

Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) is a technology that delivers power to a network device via the same cable used for network connection. This becomes particularly beneficial when deploying applications like remote and IP surveillance in locations where supplying power to the device is challenging or costly.

Prometheus

Prometheus is an open-source cloud monitoring solution with a powerful query language, time-series database, measurement data model, and intelligent alerting capabilities.

Protocol

A protocol refers to a collection of defined rules that govern the process of data transfer between two entities. Protocols find their application at various stages of data transmission and can be categorized into hardware and software protocols.

Resolution

The resolution of an image is a parameter that determines how detailed a digital image is. The higher the resolution, the greater the level of detail displayed. Resolution is characterized by the ratio of the number of pixels horizontally (width) to the number of pixels vertically (height). For example, a resolution might be 320 x 240.

RTP

The Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) is an application-level network protocol used for the transmission of real-time traffic.

RTSP

The Real-time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) is a real-time streaming protocol. It is a command application protocol designed for use in systems that work with multimedia data. It is a subset of the HTTP protocol.

S3

S3 (Amazon Simple Storage Service) is a cloud computing service for storing any data objects necessary for the stable operation of applications.

SDK

A Software Development Kit (SDK) is a set of software libraries and interfaces that allow developers to create applications for a specific software package, hardware platform, operating system, or other platforms. The SDK leverages the advantages and functionality of each platform. It includes code examples and technical documentation, which significantly reduce the integration time between systems.

SDP

The Session Description Protocol (SDP) is a protocol used at the network application layer. Its purpose is to define a session for the transmission of multimedia streaming data. This includes various applications such as traditional telephony (POTS) and Voice over IP (VoIP), SIP, internet radio, and other multimedia applications.

Snapshot

A snapshot is a command that creates a static copy of the contents of your EC2 instance for backup and recovery purposes.

Sockets

Sockets are the methods of data exchange between client and server programs over a network. A socket is a so-called an “endpoint of connection”. Sockets are created and used with a set of software requests or “socket function calls”, sometimes referred to as a socket application programming interface (API).

SaaS

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a cloud computing model where users can access application software that is maintained and provided by the service provider. The model operates on a self-service basis.

SSL/TLS

SSL/TLS (Secure Socket Layer/Transport Layer Security) are cryptographic protocols that provide secure data exchange over a network. These protocols are typically used in sequence, with SSL followed by TLS. Usually, the SSL protocol is used in conjunction with HTTP, resulting in the HTTPS protocol.

Staging enironment

A staging environment (Stage) is managed replica of your production environment. It provides a platform to trial new software versions and identify potential issues prior to their deployment in the production environment.

TCP

The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a protocol that works together with the IP protocol to transmit data packages between computers on a network. While the IP protocol provides direct delivery of packets, TCP tracks the path of individual packets that that form a data block (like a file of a requested web page) and assembles them into a file after after they’ve been delivered to the destination. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol, which means it’s in charge of creating and keeping a connection between two endpoints until the applications communicating have successfully exchanged data.

UDP

The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a method of data transfer that has certain restrictions on the data transmitted over a network using the IP protocol. UDP serves as an alternative to the TCP protocol. The advantage of UDP is that it doesn’t necessitate the delivery of all data, allowing for the omission of some packets when the network is overloaded.

Unicast

Unicast is a method of data exchange between a single sender and a single receiver on a network. A new connection is established for each new user.

Video camera

A video camera, also known as an IP camera, is a network device engineered to transform visual and auditory inputs into a digital stream of video and audio data. This device has the capability to distribute multiple streams varying in quality and image resolution. Each stream can encompass video, audio, metadata, among other channels.

Virtual Machine

A virtual machine (VM) is a program or operating system, operating on a virtualization technology. This method minimizes the dependency on physical hardware, decreases expenses, and facilitates testing of various software configurations.

VOP

A Video Object Plane (VOP) is a single frame of an MPEG-4 video stream. There are several types of VOPs:

P-VOP encodes the difference between images as long as it is feasible. Otherwise, it encodes the entire image, which can also be a completely different image.
I-VOP is a full image frame.