Certification terms: P

549 study terms starting with P.

549 terms

/proc Filesystem (procfs)A virtual filesystem generated by the kernel that exposes process and system information as files under /proc.Intermediate
P-ValueThe probability, assuming the null hypothesis is true, of observing results at least as extreme as those in the sample.Intermediate
PACELC TheoremAn extension of CAP: if there is a Partition, choose Availability or Consistency; Else, choose Latency or Consistency.Advanced
PackerA HashiCorp tool that builds identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single HCL template.Intermediate
PacketThe Layer 3 PDU, consisting of an IP header plus a transport-layer payload.Foundational
Packet Capture (pcap)The recording of network packets for analysis, and the file format (pcap/pcapng) that stores them.Foundational
Packet Forwarding Engine (PFE)The Junos data plane component, usually ASIC based, that forwards transit traffic using the forwarding table and applies filters, policers and CoS.Foundational
Packet Internet Groper (ping)A command that tests IP reachability and round-trip time by sending ICMP Echo Requests and waiting for Echo Replies.Foundational
Packet LossThe percentage of packets that fail to reach their destination.Foundational
Packet Loss Concealment (PLC)Techniques a receiving codec uses to hide missing voice packets by replaying or interpolating audio.Intermediate
Packet SwitchingA method in which data is divided into packets that are forwarded independently and share network links with other traffic.Foundational
Packet Voice Digital Signal Processor Module (PVDM)A Cisco router module that supplies DSP resources for TDM voice, transcoding, conferencing and media termination.Intermediate
Packet-Filtering FirewallStateless firewall that allows or denies individual packets based on header information such as IP, port, and protocol.Foundational
Packetization DelayThe time a codec waits to collect enough audio samples to fill one voice packet, typically 20 ms.Intermediate
Page LayoutConfiguration controlling the arrangement of fields, sections, related lists and buttons on a record detail and edit page.Foundational
Page SplitAn operation in which a full index page is divided in two to make room for a new row, causing fragmentation and extra logging.Advanced
PagedAttentionA KV-cache memory technique, introduced by vLLM, that stores cache in fixed-size blocks like virtual memory pages.Advanced
Paginated ReportA pixel-perfect, printable report format (RDL) built in Power BI Report Builder, designed for multi-page tables such as invoices or statements.Intermediate
Paging FileDisk space used by the OS as virtual memory when physical RAM is full (pagefile.sys on Windows).Intermediate
Pair ProgrammingXP practice in which two developers work together at one workstation: a driver who writes code and a navigator who reviews.Foundational
Paired t-TestA t-test on the differences between paired measurements of the same subjects, such as before and after a treatment.Advanced
Pairwise Master Key (PMK)The top-level key in the RSN pairwise hierarchy, derived from the PSK, SAE, or 802.1X/EAP authentication.Intermediate
Pairwise Master Key Identifier (PMKID)A hash identifying a cached PMK, used in fast roaming and exploitable for clientless WPA2-PSK cracking.Advanced
Pairwise Transient Key (PTK)The per-session unicast key derived in the 4-way handshake, split into KCK, KEK, and TK.Advanced
Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera (PTZ)A camera that can be remotely moved horizontally (pan), vertically (tilt) and zoomed, often with stored presets.Foundational
Paper JamA printer error where paper becomes stuck in the paper path.Foundational
Parabolic Dish AntennaA highly directional dish-shaped antenna that focuses RF into a pencil beam.Intermediate
Parallel For EachScope processing collection elements concurrently and returning a collection of the results.Intermediate
Parallel SimulationAuditor processes real production data with auditor-controlled programs and compares results to production output.Advanced
Parallel TestA disaster recovery test in which recovery systems are brought up at the alternate site and run alongside production without interrupting it.Intermediate
Parameter TamperingModifying request parameters such as prices, quantities, IDs or hidden fields to change application behavior.Foundational
Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning (PEFT)Fine-tuning methods that update only a small set of added or selected parameters while freezing the base model.Intermediate
Parameterized QueryA query that uses placeholders for input values that are bound separately, so the input is never treated as SQL code.Intermediate
Parametric EstimatingTechnique using an algorithm or statistical relationship between historical data and variables to calculate estimates.Foundational
ParavirtualizationAn approach in which the guest OS uses hypervisor-aware drivers or interfaces instead of emulated hardware, improving performance.Intermediate
Pareto ChartA bar chart sorted in descending order of frequency with a cumulative percentage line, used to identify the vital few causes.Foundational
ParityRedundant data calculated, typically with XOR, from data blocks so a lost block can be reconstructed.Foundational
Parity MemoryMemory that stores one parity bit per byte to detect, but not correct, single-bit errors.Intermediate
Parkerian HexadDonn Parker's six-element security model: confidentiality, possession, integrity, authenticity, availability, and utility.Intermediate
Parkinson's LawThe observation that work expands to fill the time available for its completion.Intermediate
ParsingExtracting structured fields from raw log data so events can be searched and correlated.Intermediate
partedA GNU partition editor that manages MBR and GPT partition tables and can be scripted non-interactively.Intermediate
Partial Copy SandboxSandbox that copies all metadata plus a sample of production data defined by a sandbox template, with a five-day refresh interval.Foundational
Partial DependencyA dependency in which a non-key attribute depends on only part of a composite primary key.Intermediate
Partial MeshA topology in which some nodes have multiple connections but not every node connects to every other.Intermediate
Partial Sequence Number PDU (PSNP)An IS-IS PDU used to acknowledge received LSPs on point-to-point links or request missing LSPs on broadcast links.Advanced
Participatory BudgetingSAFe forum in which stakeholders collaboratively decide how to allocate the portfolio budget across value streams.Advanced
Partition (PT)A logical group of CUCM directory numbers and patterns that share reachability; callers reach it only if their CSS includes it.Foundational
Partition PruningSkipping partitions whose data cannot satisfy a query's filter, which reduces the data scanned.Intermediate
Partner Central TemplateExperience Cloud template for partner portals with lead distribution, deal registration and channel management.Intermediate
Partner Community LicenseExternal license for partners giving access to leads, opportunities, campaigns and role-based sharing.Intermediate
Partner Relationship Management (PRM)Practice and tooling for managing indirect sales partners, including onboarding, lead distribution and deal registration.Intermediate
Partner WSDLLoosely typed SOAP WSDL that works with any Salesforce org's data model.Advanced
Pass-the-Hash (PtH)Authenticating to a remote system using a captured NTLM password hash instead of the plaintext password.Advanced
Pass-the-Ticket (PtT)Using a stolen Kerberos ticket to authenticate to services without knowing the user's password.Advanced
Pass-Through Authentication (PTA)A hybrid sign-in method in which Microsoft Entra ID forwards password validation to lightweight on-premises agents that check against AD DS.Intermediate
Passive InterfaceAn interface on which a routing protocol advertises the connected network but does not send hellos or form adjacencies.Foundational
Passive Optical Network (PON)A point-to-multipoint fiber network that uses unpowered optical splitters to serve multiple customers from one provider port.Intermediate
Passive OT Network MonitoringMonitoring industrial networks by analyzing copies of traffic, without sending packets to fragile control devices.Intermediate
Passive ReconnaissanceGathering information about a target without directly interacting with its systems.Foundational
Passive ScanningDiscovering APs by listening for beacon frames on each channel.Intermediate
PasskeyFIDO2 discoverable credential that replaces passwords, either synced across devices or bound to one device.Intermediate
passwd CommandA Linux/macOS command that changes a user's password.Foundational
Password Authentication Protocol (PAP)Legacy PPP authentication protocol that sends usernames and passwords in cleartext.Foundational
Password Hash Synchronization (PHS)A hybrid sign-in method that syncs a hash of the on-premises password hash to Microsoft Entra ID so authentication happens in the cloud.Intermediate
Password HashingStoring passwords as salted, slow, one-way hashes rather than plaintext or reversible encryption.Intermediate
Password ManagerApplication that generates, stores, and autofills strong unique passwords in an encrypted vault.Foundational
Password PolicyRules governing password creation, storage, and use, now guided by NIST SP 800-63B.Foundational
Password SprayingTrying a few common passwords against many accounts to avoid lockout thresholds.Intermediate
Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2 (PBKDF2)Key derivation function that applies an HMAC many times with a salt to stretch a password.Intermediate
Passwordless AuthenticationAuthentication methods that remove passwords, using cryptographic keys, biometrics, or possession factors instead.Intermediate
Patch AntennaA flat semi-directional antenna that radiates forward in a hemispherical-to-cone pattern.Intermediate
Patch CableA short, flexible, factory-terminated cable that connects devices to jacks or patch panels to switches.Foundational
Patch ManagementThe process of acquiring, testing, deploying and verifying software updates to fix vulnerabilities and defects.Foundational
Patch PanelA panel of ports in a rack where permanent cabling terminates, allowing short patch cables to connect runs to switches.Foundational
PathVisual component showing the stages of a picklist with key fields and guidance for success at each step.Foundational
Path Computation Element (PCE)A controller or router that computes paths for headends, communicating via PCEP.Advanced
Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP)The TCP-based protocol (port 4189) between a PCE and path computation clients for path requests, updates and delegation.Advanced
Path MTU Discovery (PMTUD)A technique a host uses to find the smallest MTU along a path by sending packets with fragmentation disallowed and reacting to ICMP errors.Intermediate
Path Traversal PreventionDefenses that stop user input from accessing files outside an intended directory.Intermediate
PATH VariableThe environment variable listing directories the shell searches, in order, for executable commands.Foundational
Path-Vector Routing ProtocolA routing protocol class that advertises the full sequence of autonomous systems a route has traversed, used for loop prevention.Intermediate
PathpingA Windows command that combines traceroute and ping to show loss and latency at each hop over a period of time.Intermediate
Payback PeriodThe length of time required to recover the initial investment from net cash inflows.Foundational
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)Industry standard with 12 requirements for protecting payment account data, maintained by the PCI Security Standards Council.Foundational
PCI DSS Customized ApproachPCI DSS v4 option allowing entities to meet a requirement's stated objective with controls they design, validated by an assessor.Advanced
PCI Express (PCIe)A high-speed serial expansion bus connecting graphics cards, NVMe SSDs, and other cards to the motherboard.Foundational
PCI PassthroughAssigning an entire physical PCIe device, such as a GPU or NIC, directly to a single VM.Advanced
PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC)Global forum founded by major card brands that develops and maintains PCI security standards.Intermediate
PCIe LanesIndividual full-duplex serial links that make up a PCIe connection; more lanes provide more bandwidth.Intermediate
PDC EmulatorThe domain-wide FSMO role that is the authoritative time source, receives urgent password changes and processes account lockouts.Intermediate
PE-CE RoutingThe routing protocol between a provider PE (in a VRF) and a customer CE: static, eBGP, OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS or RIP.Advanced
Peer-to-PeerDirect communication between wireless client devices.Intermediate
Peer-to-Peer BlockingAn AP or controller setting that prevents wireless clients from communicating directly with each other.Intermediate
Peer-to-Peer Network (P2P)A network in which devices share resources directly with each other without a dedicated central server.Foundational
Penetration Test Planning and ScopingThe first phase of a penetration test, defining objectives, targets, constraints, rules of engagement and legal authorization.Foundational
Penetration Test ReportThe final deliverable of a pen test, documenting methodology, findings, risk ratings, evidence and remediation recommendations.Foundational
Penetration TestingAn authorized, simulated attack on systems to find and safely exploit vulnerabilities before real attackers do.Foundational
Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)A delivery model providing penetration testing through a platform that combines on-demand human testing, scanning and real-time findings.Intermediate
Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES)A penetration testing methodology defining seven phases from pre-engagement interactions to reporting.Intermediate
Penetration Testing PhasesThe typical sequence of a penetration test: planning and scoping, reconnaissance, scanning and enumeration, exploitation, post-exploitation, and reporting.Foundational
Penultimate Hop Popping (PHP)The MPLS behavior where the next-to-last router removes the top label so the egress router does only one lookup.Advanced
PepperA secret value added to passwords before hashing and stored separately from the password database.Intermediate
Per-Hop Behavior (PHB)The forwarding treatment a DiffServ router applies to packets based on their DSCP marking.Intermediate
Per-VLAN Spanning Tree Plus (PVST+)Cisco's STP variant that runs a separate 802.1D instance per VLAN, allowing per-VLAN root placement and load sharing.Foundational
Percent Complete RulesConventions for claiming earned value on work packages, such as 0/100, 50/50, and 20/80.Advanced
PercentileThe value below which a given percentage of observations fall; the 90th percentile exceeds 90% of the values.Foundational
Percentile LatencyA latency measure, such as p95 or p99, indicating the value below which a given percentage of requests fall.Intermediate
Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS)Property ensuring that compromise of long-term keys does not compromise past session keys.Intermediate
Perform Qualitative Risk AnalysisProcess of prioritizing individual project risks by assessing their probability of occurrence and impact.Foundational
Perform Quantitative Risk AnalysisProcess of numerically analyzing the combined effect of identified risks and other sources of uncertainty on overall project objectives.Advanced
Performance Analytics (PA)ServiceNow analytics capability that collects KPI scores over time for trend analysis and targets.Intermediate
Performance AnalyzerA Power BI Desktop pane that records how long each visual takes, broken into DAX query, visual display and other time.Intermediate
Performance DomainA group of related activities critical to the effective delivery of project outcomes, as defined in the PMBOK Guide.Intermediate
Performance Efficiency PillarWell-architected pillar focused on using computing resources efficiently to meet requirements as demand and technology evolve.Foundational
Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB)Integrated scope, schedule, and cost baselines used for comparison to manage, measure, and control project execution.Intermediate
Performance MonitorA Windows tool for real-time and logged collection of performance counters for CPU, memory, disk and network.Intermediate
Periodic Snapshot Fact TableA fact table that records the state of something at regular intervals, such as daily inventory or monthly account balances.Advanced
Permanent LinkThe fixed portion of a cabling run from the patch panel to the wall outlet, excluding patch cords.Intermediate
Permission InheritanceThe default behavior where files and subfolders receive permissions from their parent folder.Intermediate
Permission SetCollection of settings and permissions that extends users' access without changing their profile.Foundational
Permission Set GroupBundle of permission sets assigned as one unit to align with a job role.Intermediate
Permission Set License (PSL)License that entitles users to features beyond their user license, granted via permission sets.Intermediate
Permissions BoundaryAdvanced IAM feature setting the maximum permissions an identity-based policy can grant to a user or role.Advanced
Permissions-PolicyAn HTTP header that controls which browser features, such as camera, microphone or geolocation, a page and its embedded frames may use.Intermediate
PerplexityA language-model metric measuring how well a model predicts text; lower perplexity means better prediction.Intermediate
PersistenceTechniques attackers use to maintain access to a system across reboots, credential changes and other interruptions.Intermediate
Persistent DesktopA VDI desktop permanently assigned to one user that retains changes, applications and data between sessions.Foundational
Persistent Volume (PV)A cluster-scoped Kubernetes storage resource provisioned by an administrator or dynamically by a StorageClass.Intermediate
Persistent Volume Claim (PVC)A namespaced request for storage by a user that binds to a matching PersistentVolume.Intermediate
Person AccountAccount record type that represents an individual consumer by combining account and contact fields.Intermediate
PersonaA fictional, research-based archetype representing a user group's goals, behaviors, and pain points.Foundational
Personal DataAny information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person under GDPR.Foundational
Personal Data Breach NotificationGDPR requirement to notify the supervisory authority within 72 hours and affected individuals when risk is high.Foundational
Personal Identity Verification (PIV)US federal smart card standard (FIPS 201) for employee and contractor identity credentials.Intermediate
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Safety gear such as gloves, eye protection, and masks used to reduce injury risk.Foundational
Personal RoomA permanent, user-specific Webex meeting space reachable by a fixed link, number and video address.Foundational
Personalization StringSimple merge syntax (%%FieldName%%) that inserts subscriber attribute values into content.Foundational
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)Information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, alone or combined with other information.Foundational
Pessimistic Concurrency ControlA strategy that locks data when it is read for update, preventing conflicts by making others wait.Advanced
PESTLE AnalysisFramework examining Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors affecting an initiative.Foundational
Pets vs CattleAn analogy contrasting uniquely cared-for servers (pets) with interchangeable, replaceable servers (cattle).Foundational
Phantom PowerDC voltage, typically +48 V, supplied by a mixer or preamp through balanced microphone cable to power condenser microphones.Foundational
Phantom ReadAn anomaly in which re-running a range query returns new or missing rows because another transaction inserted or deleted rows.Intermediate
PharmingRedirecting users from a legitimate website to a fraudulent one by manipulating DNS or host files.Intermediate
PhaseThe position of a point in a wave's cycle, measured in degrees, relative to another wave or reference.Intermediate
Phase A: Architecture VisionADM phase that sets scope, identifies stakeholders, creates the architecture vision and obtains approval to proceed.Foundational
Phase B: Business ArchitectureADM phase that develops baseline and target business architectures and identifies gaps.Foundational
Phase C: Information Systems ArchitecturesADM phase that develops data and application architectures, in either order or together.Foundational
Phase D: Technology ArchitectureADM phase that develops the target technology architecture to support application and data components.Foundational
Phase E: Opportunities and SolutionsADM phase that consolidates gaps, identifies work packages and defines transition architectures and the initial roadmap.Intermediate
Phase F: Migration PlanningADM phase that finalizes the Architecture Roadmap and detailed Implementation and Migration Plan by prioritizing work packages on cost, benefit and risk.Intermediate
Phase G: Implementation GovernanceADM phase providing architectural oversight of implementation through architecture contracts and compliance reviews.Intermediate
Phase GateA review at the end of a phase to decide whether to continue, modify, or end the project or program.Foundational
Phase H: Architecture Change ManagementADM phase that monitors technology and business changes and decides whether to start a new ADM cycle.Intermediate
Phase Shift Keying (PSK)Modulation that represents data by changing the carrier's phase.Intermediate
PhishingA social engineering attack using fraudulent messages, typically email, to steal credentials, deliver malware or induce payments.Foundational
Phishing SimulationAn authorized fake phishing campaign used to measure and improve user resistance to email-based attacks.Foundational
Phishing-Resistant MFAMFA methods that cannot be relayed or tricked into authenticating to a fake site, such as FIDO2 or PKI.Intermediate
Phone Security ProfileA CUCM profile that defines device security mode (non-secure, authenticated or encrypted), transport and CAPF settings for phones.Advanced
PhotonDatabricks' native vectorized query engine, written in C++, that accelerates Spark SQL and DataFrame workloads.Advanced
Physical ControlControl that restricts or monitors physical access to facilities and assets.Foundational
Physical Data ModelThe implementation-specific model with actual tables, columns, data types, indexes, partitions and constraints for a chosen DBMS.Intermediate
Physical Layer (L1)OSI Layer 1, which transmits raw bits as electrical, optical or radio signals over a medium.Foundational
Physical Layer Convergence Procedure (PLCP)The upper PHY sublayer that prepares MAC frames for transmission by adding a preamble and header.Advanced
Physical Penetration TestingTesting the effectiveness of physical security controls by attempting unauthorized entry to facilities.Intermediate
Physical SecurityProtecting facilities, hardware, and people from physical threats such as unauthorized entry, theft, and environmental hazards.Foundational
Physical TopologyThe actual layout of cables, devices and connections in a network.Foundational
Physical Volume (PV)In LVM, a disk or partition initialized with pvcreate so it can contribute storage to a volume group.Intermediate
PI ObjectivesSummaries of business and technical goals that a team or ART intends to achieve in the upcoming Planning Interval.Intermediate
PI PlanningCadence-based, face-to-face (or remote) event where all teams on an ART plan together for the next Planning Interval.Foundational
PicklistField type offering a predefined list of values, single-select or multi-select.Foundational
Pickup RollerA rubber roller that grabs the top sheet from the paper tray and feeds it into the printer.Foundational
Pie ChartA circular chart divided into slices showing each category's proportion of a whole.Foundational
PiggybackingEntering a secure area with the consent of an authorized person who lets the intruder in.Foundational
Pilot LightDR strategy keeping a minimal core of critical systems, such as replicated databases, running in the recovery region, scaled up during disaster.Intermediate
Pilot SubcarrierAn OFDM subcarrier carrying known reference data used for phase and frequency tracking.Advanced
PIM Dense Mode (PIM-DM)A push-model multicast protocol that floods traffic everywhere and prunes branches without receivers.Intermediate
PIM Designated RouterThe PIM router elected on a multiaccess segment (highest DR priority, then highest IP) to send joins and registers for local hosts.Advanced
PIM Sparse Mode (PIM-SM)A pull-model multicast protocol where routers explicitly join a shared tree rooted at a rendezvous point and may switch to a source tree.Intermediate
Pin Grid Array (PGA)A CPU package design where the pins are on the underside of the processor and fit holes in the socket.Foundational
pipThe standard package installer for Python, which installs packages from the Python Package Index (PyPI) or other indexes.Foundational
PipeThe shell | operator that sends one command's standard output to another command's standard input.Foundational
Pipeline as CodeDefining CI/CD pipelines in version-controlled files, usually YAML, stored alongside application code.Foundational
Pipeline ExpectationsData quality constraints in Lakeflow Declarative Pipelines (DLT) that warn, drop invalid rows or fail the update when records violate them.Advanced
Pipeline ParallelismSplitting a model's layers into sequential stages placed on different GPUs, with micro-batches flowing through.Advanced
PIVOT and UNPIVOTSQL operators that rotate data: PIVOT turns row values into columns, and UNPIVOT turns columns into rows.Intermediate
PivotingUsing a compromised system as a relay to reach other networks or hosts that are not directly accessible to the tester or attacker.Intermediate
Pixel PitchThe center-to-center distance between adjacent pixels on a direct-view LED display, measured in millimeters.Intermediate
PL/SQLOracle's procedural extension of SQL, used to write blocks, procedures, functions, packages and triggers.Intermediate
Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)Basic analog voice service delivered over a copper loop with loop-start signaling, dial tone and ringing voltage.Foundational
PlaintextReadable, unencrypted data that is input to an encryption algorithm or output from decryption.Foundational
Plan of ActionStep four of troubleshooting: plan the fix, consider impacts, and implement the solution or escalate.Foundational
Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)Document tracking weaknesses, planned remediation actions, resources, and target completion dates.Intermediate
Plan RegressionA performance drop caused by the optimizer switching a query to a worse execution plan.Advanced
Plan Risk ResponsesProcess of developing options, selecting strategies, and agreeing on actions to address overall and individual project risks.Foundational
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)Iterative four-step management cycle for continual improvement: plan, do, check, act.Foundational
Planned Value (PV)The authorized budget assigned to scheduled work.Foundational
Planning Interval (PI)In SAFe, a cadence-based timebox, typically 8-12 weeks, in which an ART delivers incremental value.Foundational
Planning PackageA WBS component below the control account with known work content but without detailed schedule activities.Advanced
Planning PokerConsensus-based estimation technique in which team members privately select cards and reveal them simultaneously.Foundational
Platform AnalyticsServiceNow's unified analytics experience combining reporting, Performance Analytics and dashboards in Next Experience.Intermediate
Platform as a Service (PaaS)Cloud service model where the provider manages infrastructure and runtime; the customer deploys and manages applications and data.Foundational
Platform CacheIn-memory cache layer for storing reusable data across transactions in org or session partitions.Advanced
Platform EngineeringThe discipline of building and running internal self-service platforms that give developers paved paths to build, deploy, and operate software.Intermediate
Platform EventCustom event message (API suffix __e) published to the Salesforce event bus for event-driven integration.Intermediate
Platform Event-Triggered FlowAutolaunched flow that runs when a specified platform event message is received.Advanced
PlaybookA documented or automated set of steps for responding to a specific type of security incident or alert.Foundational
Playbook (ServiceNow)Process Automation Designer construct that guides agents through stages and activities in workspaces.Advanced
PLCP Protocol Data Unit (PPDU)The PHY-layer frame consisting of preamble, PHY header, and the PSDU (MAC frame).Advanced
Plenum-Rated Cable (CMP)Cable with a fire-resistant, low-smoke jacket required for installation in plenum spaces used for air circulation.Foundational
Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM)A modular Linux framework that lets applications authenticate users through configurable stacks of modules.Advanced
PluginComponent that activates additional ServiceNow features or applications on an instance.Foundational
PMK Caching802.11i fast reconnection where a client returning to a previously used AP reuses the cached PMK.Intermediate
PodThe smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes: one or more containers sharing network namespace, storage volumes, and a lifecycle.Foundational
Pod Disruption Budget (PDB)A Kubernetes policy limiting how many pods of an application can be voluntarily disrupted at once, such as during node drains.Advanced
Pod Security Standards (PSS)Three Kubernetes security profiles (Privileged, Baseline, Restricted) enforced per namespace by the built-in Pod Security Admission controller.Advanced
PodmanA daemonless, open-source container engine from Red Hat with a Docker-compatible CLI that supports rootless containers and pods.Intermediate
PoE InjectorA midspan device that adds PoE power to an Ethernet cable when the switch does not provide PoE.Foundational
PoE Plus (PoE+)IEEE 802.3at, which delivers up to 30 W per port at the switch (25.5 W at the device) over two pairs.Foundational
PoE Plus Plus (PoE++)IEEE 802.3bt, delivering up to 60 W (Type 3) or 90 W (Type 4) at the source using all four pairs.Intermediate
Point of Total Assumption (PTA)In a fixed price incentive fee contract, the cost point above which the seller bears all cost overruns.Advanced
Point-in-Time Recovery (PITR)Restoring a database to its exact state at a specific moment, for example just before an accidental delete.Intermediate
Point-to-Multipoint Bridge (PtMP)A hub bridge with an omnidirectional or sector antenna connecting several remote sites.Intermediate
Point-to-Point Bridge (PtP)A wireless link connecting two networks, typically between buildings, using directional antennas.Intermediate
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)A Layer 2 protocol for direct links that provides framing, authentication (PAP or CHAP) and network-layer negotiation.Intermediate
Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE)A protocol that encapsulates PPP frames in Ethernet, used by many DSL and some fiber ISPs to authenticate subscribers.Intermediate
Point-to-Point SubnetA subnet sized for exactly two devices, traditionally a /30 and now often a /31 in IPv4 or /127 in IPv6.Intermediate
Point-to-Point TopologyA direct link between exactly two endpoints.Foundational
Pointer Authentication (PAC)An ARM architecture feature that signs pointers such as return addresses with a cryptographic code and verifies them before use.Advanced
Pointer Record (PTR)A DNS record that maps an IP address to a host name, used for reverse lookups.Foundational
Poison ReverseA rule where a router advertises a route back toward its source with an infinite metric, overriding split horizon.Intermediate
Poisoned Pipeline Execution (PPE)A CI/CD risk in which an attacker who can modify pipeline configuration or build scripts gets malicious commands executed by the build system.Advanced
Poisson DistributionThe distribution of the count of events in a fixed interval of time or space, when events occur independently at a constant average rate λ.Intermediate
Poka-YokeLean technique of mistake-proofing a process so errors are prevented or immediately detected.Intermediate
Polar PatternThe directional sensitivity of a microphone or loudspeaker, such as omnidirectional, cardioid, supercardioid or figure-8.Foundational
PolarizationThe orientation of an antenna's electric field: vertical, horizontal, or circular.Intermediate
PolicingA QoS action that enforces a rate limit by dropping or remarking traffic that exceeds it, without buffering.Foundational
PolicyIn reinforcement learning, the strategy that maps states to actions.Intermediate
Policy and Compliance ManagementIRM application managing internal policies, control objectives, controls and compliance status.Intermediate
Policy as CodeExpressing security, compliance, and operational policies in code that is versioned and automatically evaluated.Intermediate
Policy Decision Point (PDP)Zero trust component that evaluates access requests against policy and decides whether to grant them.Advanced
Policy Enforcement Point (PEP)Zero trust component that enables, monitors, and terminates connections between subjects and resources as directed by the PDP.Advanced
Policy ProfileThe Catalyst 9800 object defining client policy such as VLAN, ACLs, QoS, AAA override, and switching mode.Intermediate
Policy TagA Catalyst 9800 object that maps WLAN profiles to policy profiles and is assigned to APs.Advanced
Policy-Based Routing (PBR)Forwarding packets based on criteria other than destination, such as source address or application, using a route map.Intermediate
Polymorphic MalwareMalware that changes its code appearance with each infection, often through encryption, to evade signature detection.Intermediate
PopulationEntire set of items from which an audit sample is drawn.Intermediate
Population and SampleThe population is the entire group of interest; a sample is the subset actually observed and measured.Foundational
Port Address Translation (PAT)NAT that maps many inside addresses to one (or a few) public addresses by tracking unique source port numbers; also called NAT overload.Foundational
Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP)Cisco-proprietary EtherChannel negotiation protocol with modes desirable and auto.Foundational
Port ForwardingA NAT rule that maps a public IP and port to an internal host and port so outside clients can reach an internal service.Foundational
Port GroupA template on a vSphere virtual switch that defines VLAN, security, teaming and traffic-shaping settings for connected VM NICs.Foundational
Port Mirroring (SPAN)A switch feature that copies traffic from one or more ports or VLANs to a monitoring port for analysis.Intermediate
Port NumberA 16-bit number (0-65535) that identifies a specific application or service on a host at Layer 4.Foundational
Port PublishingMapping a host port to a container port so external clients can reach a containerized service.Foundational
Port ScannerA tool that probes a host for open TCP and UDP ports to identify running services.Intermediate
Port SecuritySwitch feature that limits which or how many MAC addresses can use a port.Foundational
Port-Channel InterfaceThe logical interface representing an EtherChannel bundle on Cisco devices, where Layer 2 or Layer 3 settings are applied.Foundational
PortFastA Cisco feature that moves an access port directly to forwarding, skipping listening and learning.Foundational
PortfolioA collection of projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives.Foundational
Portfolio KanbanSAFe system for visualizing and managing the flow of epics from ideation through analysis and implementation.Advanced
Portfolio ManagementCentralized management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives.Intermediate
Positional EncodingInformation added to token embeddings so a transformer knows the order of tokens.Advanced
POSIX Access Control List (ACL)Extended Linux permissions that grant specific users or groups access to a file beyond the single owner, group and others classes.Advanced
Possession FactorAuthentication factor based on something the user has, such as a security key, smartphone, or smart card.Foundational
POST Beep CodesAudible patterns from the motherboard that indicate which hardware failed during POST.Foundational
Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3)An email retrieval protocol that downloads messages from a server to a client, using TCP 110 (or 995 with TLS).Foundational
Post-Engagement CleanupRemoving all tools, accounts, shells, files and configuration changes introduced during testing.Foundational
Post-ExploitationThe pentest phase after initial compromise that assesses what an attacker could achieve, such as privilege escalation, lateral movement and data access.Intermediate
Post-Implementation Review (PIR)Review after a system or project goes live to assess whether objectives and benefits were achieved.Intermediate
Post-Incident ActivityThe final incident response phase covering lessons learned, reporting, evidence retention and process improvement.Foundational
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)Classical cryptographic algorithms designed to resist attacks by both classical and quantum computers.Intermediate
PostmanA popular API platform for building, sending, testing, and documenting HTTP requests, with collections, environments, and scripting.Foundational
postMessage Origin ValidationChecking the origin of messages received through the browser's window.postMessage API before acting on them.Advanced
PostScript (PS)Adobe's device-independent page description language used for high-fidelity graphics printing.Intermediate
Potential Acoustic Gain (PAG)A calculation of how much gain a sound reinforcement system can provide before feedback, compared with needed acoustic gain.Advanced
Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)Software that is not clearly malicious but is unwanted, often installed through bundling, such as toolbars or adware.Foundational
Power BI AppA packaged, read-only bundle of reports and dashboards from a workspace, distributed to a broad audience.Intermediate
Power BI DashboardA single-page canvas in the Power BI Service made of tiles pinned from one or more reports, used for at-a-glance monitoring.Foundational
Power BI DesktopMicrosoft's free Windows application for connecting to data, transforming it with Power Query, modeling it with DAX and designing reports.Foundational
Power BI ServiceThe cloud SaaS component of Power BI (app.powerbi.com) for publishing, sharing, refreshing and collaborating on semantic models, reports, dashboards and apps.Foundational
Power Distribution Unit (PDU)A device that distributes electrical power to equipment in a rack, ranging from basic power strips to metered and switched intelligent units.Foundational
Power Factor Correction (PFC)PSU circuitry that aligns current with voltage to improve power usage and enable wide input range.Advanced
Power OptionsWindows settings for power plans, sleep, hibernation, lid actions, and button behavior.Foundational
Power over Ethernet (PoE)Delivering DC power and data together over twisted-pair Ethernet cabling, standardized in IEEE 802.3af, 802.3at and 802.3bt.Foundational
Power QueryMicrosoft's data connection and transformation engine, used in Power BI, Excel, Dataflows and Fabric, with a GUI that records steps as M code.Foundational
Power Save Mode802.11 mechanisms allowing clients to sleep while the AP buffers their traffic.Intermediate
Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE)The device that supplies PoE power, such as a PoE switch (endpoint PSE) or a midspan injector.Intermediate
Power Supply TesterA device that checks a PSU's output voltages on each connector without a motherboard.Foundational
Power Supply Unit (PSU)The component that converts AC wall power to regulated DC voltages for computer components.Foundational
Power TypesSources of influence a project manager can use: formal (legitimate), reward, coercive (penalty), expert, and referent.Intermediate
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)A data center efficiency metric equal to total facility power divided by IT equipment power; 1.0 is ideal.Foundational
Power-On Self-Test (POST)Firmware diagnostics run at startup that check the CPU, memory, video, and other core hardware.Foundational
Power/Interest GridA stakeholder mapping tool that classifies stakeholders by level of authority (power) and concern (interest).Foundational
Powered Device (PD)A device that receives operating power over Ethernet cabling, such as an IP phone, camera or access point.Intermediate
PowerShellMicrosoft's cross-platform, object-based command shell and scripting language for automating Windows Server and cloud administration.Foundational
PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)A Microsoft declarative configuration management platform for defining and enforcing the configuration of Windows and cross-platform systems.Advanced
PowerShell Execution PolicyA PowerShell safety setting that controls whether scripts can run and whether they must be signed.Intermediate
PowerShell RemotingRunning PowerShell commands on remote computers over WinRM (WS-Management) or SSH.Intermediate
PowerShell Script Block LoggingA Windows feature that records the content of PowerShell script blocks as they execute, including deobfuscated code.Intermediate
Pre-Attentive AttributesVisual properties such as color, size, position, length and orientation that the brain processes almost instantly, before conscious attention.Intermediate
Pre-Shared Key (PSK)Secret shared in advance between parties and used for authentication or key derivation.Foundational
PreambleTraining fields at the start of a PPDU that let receivers detect, synchronize to, and estimate a signal.Advanced
Preamble PuncturingTransmitting a wide channel while skipping (puncturing) a busy or unavailable 20 MHz subchannel.Advanced
Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)A standard that lets a computer boot from the network, using DHCP to find a boot server and TFTP to download a boot image.Intermediate
Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM)Technique for constructing a schedule model in which activities are represented by nodes and linked by logical relationships.Intermediate
PrecisionOf all positive predictions, the fraction that are actually positive: TP / (TP + FP).Foundational
Precision RoutingA UCCE routing method that matches calls to agents based on combinations of weighted attributes rather than fixed skill groups.Advanced
Precision Time Protocol (PTP)IEEE 1588, a protocol providing sub-microsecond clock synchronization using hardware timestamping.Advanced
Precision vs. AccuracyPrecision is consistency of repeated measurements; accuracy is closeness of a measurement to the true value.Intermediate
PrecursorA sign that an incident may occur in the future.Intermediate
Predictive AnalyticsAnalytics that answers 'what is likely to happen?' using statistical models and machine learning on historical data.Foundational
Predictive ApproachA development approach in which scope, schedule, and cost are determined in detail early in the life cycle.Foundational
Predictive IntelligenceServiceNow machine learning framework for classification, similarity, clustering and regression on platform data.Advanced
Predictive Site SurveyA software-modeled WLAN design built from floor plans, wall attenuation values, and AP models.Intermediate
Preferred Roaming List (PRL)A carrier database on CDMA devices that told phones which towers to use while roaming.Intermediate
Preferred Scanning Channel (PSC)One of fifteen 6 GHz 20-MHz channels (every fourth channel) that clients scan to discover APs.Intermediate
PrefetchWindows files that record application execution details to speed up program loading, valuable as evidence of execution.Advanced
Prefill and DecodeThe two phases of LLM inference: processing the whole prompt in parallel (prefill), then generating tokens sequentially (decode).Advanced
Prefix Delegation (DHCPv6-PD)A DHCPv6 mechanism through which an ISP assigns a whole prefix, such as a /56, to a customer router for distribution to its LANs.Advanced
Prefix LengthThe number of leading network bits in an address, written after a slash, as in /24 or /64.Foundational
Prefix ListA Cisco filter that matches routes by prefix and prefix length range, preferred over ACLs for route filtering.Intermediate
Prefix SIDA global segment associated with an IGP prefix that steers traffic along the ECMP-aware shortest path to that prefix.Advanced
Preliminary PhaseADM phase that prepares the organization for architecture work by defining the architecture capability, framework tailoring and principles.Foundational
PreparationThe incident response phase in which an organization establishes capabilities, tools, plans and training before incidents occur.Foundational
Prescriptive AnalyticsAnalytics that answers 'what should we do?' by recommending actions using optimization, simulation and decision models.Intermediate
PresenceReal-time availability information about users, such as available, away, in a meeting or on a call.Foundational
Present ValueThe current worth of a future sum discounted at a given rate: PV = FV / (1 + r)^n.Intermediate
Presentation Layer (L6)OSI Layer 6, which translates, formats, compresses and encrypts data so the receiving application can read it.Foundational
PretextingCreating a fabricated scenario or identity to persuade a target to disclose information or take an action.Foundational
PretrainingThe initial, compute-intensive training of a model on vast unlabeled data to learn general representations.Intermediate
Pretty Good Privacy (PGP)Encryption program and standard (OpenPGP) for signing and encrypting email and files using a hybrid cryptosystem.Foundational
Preventive ActionAn intentional activity that ensures the future performance of project work is aligned with the plan.Foundational
Preventive ControlControl designed to stop an undesired event from occurring.Foundational
Preventive GuardrailGovernance control that blocks noncompliant actions before they happen, typically implemented with policies.Intermediate
Previous VersionsA Windows feature that restores earlier copies of files or folders from shadow copies or File History.Foundational
Primary Account Number (PAN)The unique payment card number identifying the issuer and cardholder account.Foundational
Primary ChannelThe 20 MHz channel within a wider bonded channel on which beacons and control frames are sent.Advanced
Primary Key (PK)A column or set of columns whose values uniquely identify each row in a table; it cannot contain NULLs.Foundational
Primary Rate InterfaceAn ISDN digital trunk with 23 B channels plus one D channel on a T1, or 30 B channels plus one D channel on an E1.Foundational
PRINCE2Process-based project management method (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) owned by PeopleCert (AXELOS).Foundational
PRINCE2 PracticesThe seven aspects of project management that must be addressed continually: business case, organizing, plans, quality, risk, issues, and progress.Foundational
PRINCE2 PrinciplesThe seven universal PRINCE2 principles, from continued business justification to tailoring, that must all be applied in a PRINCE2 project.Foundational
PRINCE2 ProcessesThe seven PRINCE2 processes, from Starting up a Project through Closing a Project, that describe who does what across the life cycle.Foundational
Principal Component Analysis (PCA)A linear technique that projects data onto orthogonal directions of maximum variance to reduce dimensionality.Intermediate
Principle of Least FunctionalityConfiguring systems to provide only essential capabilities and disabling unneeded ports, protocols, and services.Intermediate
Print ServerA system that manages shared printers, queues, and drivers for network clients.Intermediate
Print SpoolerThe OS service that queues print jobs and sends them to printers.Foundational
Printer CalibrationAdjusting a printer's color or alignment settings so output matches expectations.Foundational
Printer Control Language (PCL)HP's page description language widely supported by laser printers.Intermediate
Printer DriverSoftware that translates application print data into a language the printer understands.Foundational
Printer SharingMaking a locally connected or network printer available to other users on the network.Foundational
PrintheadThe inkjet component with microscopic nozzles that deposit ink onto paper.Foundational
Priority Intelligence Requirement (PIR)A high-priority question that stakeholders need intelligence to answer, guiding collection and analysis.Advanced
Priority MatrixA table that derives ticket priority from impact and urgency.Foundational
Priority Queue Provisioning RuleThe Cisco design guideline that strict-priority (LLQ) traffic should not exceed about 33 percent of link capacity.Advanced
Privacy by Design (PbD)Approach that embeds privacy into the design and operation of systems, processes, and business practices from the outset.Foundational
Privacy ExtensionsIPv6 features that generate random, temporary interface IDs so a host's address does not reveal a stable hardware identifier.Advanced
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)Analysis of how personal information is handled to ensure compliance and identify and mitigate privacy risks.Intermediate
Privacy NoticeExternal statement informing individuals how an organization collects, uses, shares, and protects their personal information.Foundational
Privacy ProgramOrganizational structure, policies, processes, and resources that manage privacy compliance and risk.Intermediate
Privacy-Enhanced Mail Format (PEM)Base64-encoded certificate or key format wrapped in -----BEGIN----- and -----END----- lines.Foundational
Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs)Technologies that minimize personal data use and maximize data security while enabling processing.Advanced
Private AS NumberASN ranges 64512-65534 (2-byte) and 4200000000-4294967294 (4-byte) reserved for private use and not routed on the Internet.Intermediate
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)A privately owned telephone switch that connects internal extensions and shares a pool of outside lines to the PSTN.Foundational
Private Cellular NetworkAn enterprise-owned LTE or 5G network using dedicated or shared spectrum, its own core, and enterprise SIMs.Intermediate
Private CloudDeployment model where cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization, on or off premises.Foundational
Private DomainAuthenticated custom sending domain for Marketing Cloud emails.Intermediate
Private Google AccessSubnet setting letting VMs without external IP addresses reach Google APIs and services using internal routing.Intermediate
Private IP AddressIPv4 addresses reserved by RFC 1918 for internal use: 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12 and 192.168.0.0/16.Foundational
Private KeyThe secret half of an asymmetric key pair, used to decrypt data or create digital signatures.Foundational
Private Service Connect (PSC)Google Cloud feature that provides private endpoints with internal IPs for Google APIs and for services published across VPCs and organizations.Advanced
Private SpaceIsolated CloudHub 2.0 network environment with its own ingress, private network, VPN or transit gateway connectivity and TLS contexts.Advanced
Private VLAN (PVLAN)A feature that subdivides a primary VLAN into isolated and community secondary VLANs that share one subnet.Advanced
Privilege CreepGradual accumulation of access rights beyond what a user's current role requires.Foundational
Privilege EscalationGaining higher-level permissions than originally granted, such as moving from a standard user to administrator or root.Intermediate
Privileged Access Management (PAM)Controls and tools that secure, monitor, and limit use of administrative and other privileged accounts.Intermediate
Privileged Access Workstation (PAW)Hardened, dedicated device used only for administrative tasks to protect privileged credentials.Advanced
Privileged ContainerA container run with all host capabilities and device access, effectively removing isolation from the host.Intermediate
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)Microsoft Entra ID feature providing just-in-time, time-bound, and approval-based activation of privileged roles.Intermediate
Privity of ContractLegal principle that only the parties to a contract have rights and obligations under it.Advanced
Probability and Impact MatrixA grid that maps the probability of each risk against its impact on objectives to prioritize risks.Foundational
Probability DistributionA function describing the likelihood of each possible value of a random variable.Foundational
Probe and SensorLegacy Discovery mechanism where probes collect data from devices and sensors process the results into CI updates.Advanced
Probe RequestA management frame sent by a client to discover nearby APs, either for a specific SSID or any SSID.Foundational
Probe ResponseA unicast management frame from an AP answering a probe request with BSS information.Foundational
Problem ManagementITSM process to identify and manage root causes of incidents and reduce their recurrence.Foundational
ProcedureDetailed, step-by-step mandatory instructions for performing a specific task in compliance with policy and standards.Foundational
Process APIAPI layer that orchestrates and combines data across System APIs to implement business processes.Foundational
Process BuilderRetired declarative automation tool for criteria-based record actions, replaced by Flow.Foundational
Process CapabilityThe ability of a stable process to produce output within specification limits, measured by indices such as Cp and Cpk.Advanced
Process Creation LoggingRecording every new process with its command line, parent and user to support detection and investigation.Intermediate
Process for Attack Simulation and Threat Analysis (PASTA)A seven-stage, risk-centric threat modeling methodology that aligns technical threats with business objectives.Intermediate
Process GroupA logical grouping of project management processes: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.Foundational
Process ID (PID)A unique number the Linux kernel assigns to each running process.Foundational
Process InjectionAn ATT&CK technique (T1055) in which malware executes code within the address space of another process.Advanced
Process ModelingTechnique using standardized graphical models to show how work is carried out.Foundational
Process SwitchingThe slowest Cisco forwarding method, where the CPU performs a full routing lookup for every packet.Intermediate
Processing ControlsApplication controls ensuring data is processed completely and accurately.Intermediate
Procure-to-Pay (P2P)End-to-end process from requisitioning goods or services through purchase orders, receipt, invoice and supplier payment.Foundational
Procurement AuditStructured review of the procurement process from planning through closure to identify successes and failures.Advanced
Procurement Statement of Work (SOW)A description of the procurement item in sufficient detail to allow prospective sellers to determine if they can provide it.Foundational
Product ActivationVerifying that an operating system or software is properly licensed.Foundational
Product AnalysisTechnique for asking questions about a product to translate high-level descriptions into tangible deliverables.Intermediate
Product and Price BookObjects representing items sold and lists of their prices; every product needs a standard price before custom price books.Foundational
Product BacklogAn emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product; the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team.Foundational
Product Backlog RefinementThe ongoing act of breaking down and adding detail, such as description, order, and size, to Product Backlog items.Foundational
Product Breakdown Structure (PBS)PRINCE2 hierarchy of all products to be produced during a plan.Intermediate
Product DescriptionPRINCE2 management product describing a product's purpose, composition, derivation, quality criteria, and quality method.Intermediate
Product DiscoveryActivities that determine what to build by validating that solutions are valuable, usable, feasible, and viable before full delivery.Intermediate
Product Flow Diagram (PFD)PRINCE2 diagram showing the sequence of production and interdependencies of products in a PBS.Advanced
Product GoalThe future state of the product that serves as a target for the Scrum Team to plan against.Foundational
Product Owner (PO)The Scrum accountability for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the Scrum Team's work.Foundational
Product RoadmapA high-level, time-based view of how a product is expected to evolve toward its vision.Foundational
Product ScopeThe features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result.Foundational
Product VisionA concise statement describing the long-term purpose and desired future the product aims to create.Foundational
Professional CommunicationCustomer service behavior expected of IT support staff, including punctuality, respect, and clear language.Foundational
Professional SkepticismAttitude of a questioning mind and critical assessment of audit evidence.Intermediate
ProfileRequired user setting defining baseline permissions such as object access, field-level security, app access and login settings.Foundational
PROFINETAn industrial Ethernet standard from PROFIBUS & PROFINET International, widely used with Siemens automation for real-time device communication.Advanced
ProgramA group of related projects, subsidiary programs, and activities managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available individually.Foundational
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)Estimating and scheduling technique using weighted average durations (O + 4M + P) / 6.Intermediate
Program ManagementApplication of knowledge, skills, and principles to a program to achieve its objectives and benefits.Intermediate
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)A ruggedized industrial computer that reads inputs from sensors and controls outputs to machinery according to a stored program.Foundational
Progressive DeliveryAn evolution of continuous delivery that releases changes gradually with automated analysis, using canaries, feature flags, and traffic shaping.Advanced
Progressive ElaborationThe iterative process of increasing the level of detail in a plan as more information and more accurate estimates become available.Foundational
Progressive ScanA video format that draws every line of each frame in sequence, denoted by p, as in 1080p.Foundational
Prohibited AI PracticesAI uses banned under Article 5 of the EU AI Act as an unacceptable risk, applicable since 2 February 2025.Intermediate
ProjectA temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.Foundational
Project AssurancePRINCE2 function independent of the Project Manager that monitors project performance on behalf of Project Board members.Intermediate
Project BoardPRINCE2 group accountable for the project's success, consisting of the Executive, Senior User(s), and Senior Supplier(s).Foundational
Project BriefPRINCE2 statement describing the purpose, cost, time, performance requirements, and constraints for a project, created in Starting up a Project.Intermediate
Project BudgetThe total funds authorized for the project, consisting of the cost baseline plus management reserves.Intermediate
Project BufferIn critical chain scheduling, a buffer placed at the end of the critical chain to protect the target finish date.Advanced
Project CharterA document issued by the sponsor that formally authorizes the project and gives the project manager authority to apply resources.Foundational
Project Cost ManagementProcesses involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, financing, managing, and controlling costs to complete the project within budget.Foundational
Project DocumentsRecords used to manage the project that are not part of the project management plan.Intermediate
Project FloatThe amount of time a project can be delayed without delaying an externally imposed end date.Intermediate
Project Funding RequirementsTotal and periodic funding needs derived from the cost baseline, often in incremental, non-continuous amounts.Advanced
Project Initiation Documentation (PID)PRINCE2 set of documents bringing together key information needed to start the project on a sound basis.Foundational
Project Integration ManagementProcesses and activities that identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate project management activities.Foundational
Project Kickoff MeetingA meeting at the start of planning or execution that communicates objectives, gains commitment, and explains stakeholder roles.Foundational
Project Life CycleThe series of phases a project passes through from its start to its completion.Foundational
Project Management Office (PMO)An organizational structure that standardizes project governance and facilitates sharing of resources, methods, tools, and techniques.Foundational
Project Management PlanThe document that describes how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled, and closed.Foundational
Project Management PrinciplesFundamental norms that guide behavior of project practitioners, as listed in the PMBOK Guide.Intermediate
Project Manager (PM)The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team responsible for achieving project objectives.Foundational
Project MandatePRINCE2 trigger from the commissioning organization that initiates the Starting up a Project process.Intermediate
Project MilestoneA significant point or event in a project, program, or portfolio with zero duration.Foundational
Project Portfolio Management (PPM)SPM capability for planning and executing projects and grouping them into programs and portfolios.Intermediate
Project Procurement ManagementProcesses necessary to purchase or acquire products, services, or results from outside the project team.Foundational
Project Product DescriptionPRINCE2 description of the project's main output, including customer quality expectations and acceptance criteria.Intermediate
Project Quality ManagementProcesses for incorporating quality policy into planning, managing, and controlling project and product quality requirements.Foundational
Project Schedule ManagementProcesses required to manage the timely completion of the project.Foundational
Project Schedule Network DiagramGraphical representation of the logical relationships among project schedule activities.Foundational
Project ScopeThe work performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions.Foundational
Project Scope ManagementProcesses that ensure the project includes all the work required, and only the work required, to complete successfully.Foundational
Project SponsorThe person or group that provides resources and support for the project and is accountable for enabling success.Foundational
Project Stakeholder ManagementProcesses to identify, analyze, engage, and monitor people or organizations that can affect or be affected by the project.Foundational
Projection Screen GainA measure of how much light a screen reflects toward the on-axis viewer compared with a matte-white reference of 1.0.Intermediate
ProjectorA display device that projects images onto a surface, rated by brightness in lumens.Foundational
Projector BrightnessThe light output of a projector, specified in ANSI lumens, which determines image visibility in ambient light.Foundational
PrometheusAn open-source CNCF graduated monitoring system and time-series database that scrapes metrics over HTTP and supports alerting with PromQL.Intermediate
Prometheus ExporterA process that exposes metrics from a third-party system in Prometheus format on an HTTP endpoint.Intermediate
PromptThe input text (and optionally images or files) given to a generative model to direct its output.Foundational
Prompt BuilderTool for creating, testing and activating reusable prompt templates grounded in Salesforce data.Intermediate
Prompt CachingReusing the processed state of a repeated prompt prefix across requests to cut latency and cost.Intermediate
Prompt ChainingBreaking a complex task into a sequence of prompts where each output feeds the next.Intermediate
Prompt EngineeringDesigning and refining model inputs to reliably elicit accurate, useful and safe outputs.Foundational
Prompt InjectionAn attack in which crafted input causes an LLM to ignore its instructions or perform unintended actions.Foundational
Prompt ListA predetermined list of risk categories used to prompt identification of individual and overall project risks.Intermediate
Prompt TemplateA reusable prompt with placeholders that are filled with variables at runtime.Foundational
Prompt TuningA PEFT method that learns continuous 'soft prompt' embeddings prepended to inputs while the model stays frozen.Advanced
PromQLThe Prometheus Query Language used to select, aggregate, and compute on time-series metrics.Advanced
Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE)OAuth extension (RFC 7636) that binds an authorization code to the client that requested it.Advanced
Proof of Concept (PoC)A demonstration that a vulnerability is real and exploitable, used to validate findings and prioritize remediation.Foundational
Property GraphA graph model in which nodes and relationships both carry labels and key-value properties.Advanced
Property PlaceholderSyntax ${key} that resolves configuration values from YAML or properties files, system properties or Runtime Manager.Intermediate
Proposal and AgreementThe RSTP handshake on point-to-point links that lets a designated port move to forwarding immediately.Advanced
props.confA Splunk configuration file that defines parsing and search-time behavior for sourcetypes, sources or hosts.Advanced
ProspectAccount Engagement record representing a person who has provided an email address.Foundational
Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP)EAP method that creates a TLS tunnel using only a server certificate, then authenticates the user inside it.Intermediate
Protected Health Information (PHI)Individually identifiable health information held or transmitted by a covered entity or business associate.Foundational
Protected Management Frames (PMF)IEEE 802.11w feature that authenticates and protects Wi-Fi management frames such as deauthentication.Advanced
Protected Users GroupAn AD security group whose members get hardened credential protections such as no NTLM, no DES or RC4 Kerberos, and no credential caching.Advanced
Protection MechanismMethods such as RTS/CTS and CTS-to-self that make legacy stations defer during newer PHY transmissions.Intermediate
Protocol AnalyzerA tool that captures and decodes network traffic so it can be examined protocol by protocol.Foundational
Protocol Buffers (Protobuf)Google's language-neutral binary serialization format defined by .proto schemas.Advanced
Protocol Data Unit (PDU)The name for the unit of data at a given layer, such as bits, frame, packet, segment or data.Foundational
Protocol FuzzingFuzzing network protocol implementations by sending malformed or out-of-sequence messages.Advanced
Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM)The family of multicast routing protocols that build distribution trees using the existing unicast routing table for RPF checks.Intermediate
PrototypeAn early working model of a product used to obtain feedback before building the real thing.Foundational
Prototype PollutionA JavaScript vulnerability in which attacker input modifies Object.prototype, affecting all objects in the application.Advanced
Provider Edge Router (PE)A service provider router that connects to customer edge devices and holds customer VRFs in MPLS VPNs.Intermediate
Provider RouterA service provider core router that only switches labeled packets and has no customer-facing interfaces or VPN routes.Intermediate
Provisioned ConcurrencyAWS Lambda feature that keeps a set number of execution environments initialized to respond with consistent low latency.Advanced
Provisioned IOPS (PIOPS)Storage performance option where a specific number of I/O operations per second is purchased and guaranteed for a volume.Intermediate
Provisioned ThroughputReserved model inference capacity purchased for consistent performance, rather than paying per token on demand.Intermediate
Proximity CardContactless access card read by radio frequency when held near a reader, commonly used for badge entry.Foundational
Proximity EffectThe increase in low-frequency response that occurs when a directional microphone is very close to the sound source.Intermediate
Proximity PairingA method in which a client app detects a nearby video device through ultrasound and pairs with it for sharing and control.Intermediate
Proxy ARPA router feature that answers ARP requests on behalf of hosts on other networks, letting hosts without a proper gateway still communicate.Advanced
Proxy ServerA server that acts as an intermediary for requests between clients and other servers.Foundational
PruningRemoving less important weights, neurons or layers from a model to make it smaller and faster.Advanced
psA Linux command that reports a snapshot of current processes with details such as PID, user, CPU and memory usage.Foundational
PS-PollA control frame sent by a power-saving client to retrieve one buffered frame from the AP.Advanced
PseudonodeA virtual node representing a broadcast segment in a link-state topology, created by the IS-IS DIS or OSPF DR.Advanced
PseudonymizationProcessing personal data so it cannot be attributed to an individual without separately kept additional information.Intermediate
Pseudowire (PW)An emulated point-to-point Layer 2 circuit across an MPLS or IP network, carrying Ethernet, Frame Relay or ATM frames.Advanced
PSTN Usage RecordA Teams Direct Routing label that links online voice routing policies to voice routes.Advanced
Psychological AcceptabilityDesign principle that security mechanisms should be easy to use so people do not bypass them.Intermediate
Psychological SafetyA shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking such as speaking up, admitting mistakes, or asking questions.Intermediate
Pub/SubGoogle Cloud's global, asynchronous messaging service that decouples senders and receivers with topics and subscriptions.Foundational
Pub/Sub APIgRPC and HTTP/2 based API for publishing and subscribing to platform events and change events, using Avro-encoded payloads.Advanced
Public CloudDeployment model where infrastructure is owned by a provider and shared among the general public on a pay-per-use basis.Foundational
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)Nonprofit created by SOX to oversee audits of US public companies and set auditing standards.Advanced
Public GroupNamed collection of users, roles, roles and subordinates, or other groups used for sharing and other features.Foundational
Public IP AddressA globally unique, Internet-routable IP address assigned by an ISP or registry.Foundational
Public KeyThe shareable half of an asymmetric key pair, used to encrypt data for the owner or verify the owner's signatures.Foundational
Public Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS)Set of standards originally published by RSA Laboratories for public key cryptography formats and operations.Advanced
Public Key Cryptography Standards #12 (PKCS #12)Password-protected archive format (.pfx/.p12) that bundles a certificate, its chain, and the private key.Intermediate
Public Key Cryptography Standards #7 (PKCS #7)Format (.p7b/.p7c) for signed or enveloped data, often used to bundle certificate chains without private keys.Intermediate
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)Framework of CAs, policies, and technology for issuing, managing, and revoking digital certificates.Foundational
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)The worldwide circuit-switched telephone network operated by carriers, reached from enterprise systems through gateways or SIP trunks.Foundational
Publication ListList used to manage subscription status for a specific communication type, such as a newsletter, when sending to data extensions.Intermediate
Pull Request (PR)A request to merge changes from one branch into another, providing a place for code review, discussion, and automated checks.Foundational
Pull SystemA system in which work is pulled into a stage only when capacity is available, rather than pushed.Foundational
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)The method of digitizing analog audio by sampling, quantizing and encoding the signal as binary values.Foundational
PulumiAn infrastructure as code platform that defines cloud resources using general-purpose languages like Python, TypeScript, Go, and C#.Intermediate
Punchdown BlockA terminal block where individual wires are terminated by pressing them into insulation-displacement slots.Foundational
Punchdown ToolA hand tool that seats wires into IDC terminals and trims the excess conductor.Foundational
PuppetAn agent-based configuration management tool using a declarative DSL in manifests and modules, with agents pulling catalogs from a server.Foundational
Purdue ModelThe Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture, a layered model that segments industrial networks from physical processes up to enterprise IT.Foundational
Purple TeamA collaborative approach in which red and blue teams work together to improve detections in real time.Intermediate
Purpose LimitationPrinciple that personal data be collected for specified, explicit, legitimate purposes and not further processed incompatibly.Intermediate
Push Notification AuthenticationMFA method where a sign-in prompt is sent to a registered mobile app for the user to approve.Foundational
Push vs Pull Configuration ModelWhether a central server pushes configuration to nodes or nodes periodically pull configuration from a server.Intermediate
PushgatewayA Prometheus component that lets short-lived or batch jobs push metrics so Prometheus can scrape them later.Advanced
PushTopicLegacy streaming event defined by a SOQL query that notifies subscribers when matching records change.Intermediate
pwd CommandA Linux/macOS command that prints the current working directory.Foundational
pyATSCisco's Python test automation framework, with the Genie library for parsing, learning, and comparing network device state.Intermediate
Pyramid of PainA model by David Bianco ranking indicator types by how much pain denying them causes the adversary.Intermediate
pytestA popular Python testing framework that discovers test_*.py files and uses plain assert statements with rich failure reporting.Intermediate
PythonA high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language widely used for automation, scripting, data processing, and network programmability.Foundational
Python DictionaryA mutable Python mapping of unique, hashable keys to values, the natural representation of JSON objects.Foundational
Python FunctionA reusable block of Python code defined with def that takes parameters and optionally returns a value.Foundational
Python Requests LibraryThe de facto Python HTTP client library for calling REST APIs.Foundational
PyTorchAn open-source deep learning framework, originally from Meta and now governed by the PyTorch Foundation, known for dynamic computation graphs.Foundational

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