Home > Resources > Glossary > D
litigation support
Glossary of Terms

Glossary Navigation

Select the first letter of the word you are looking for:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

— D —

DAT – An acronym for Digital Audio Tape, which some backup systems utilize as a storage medium.

Data – A representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by humans or by automatic means. Any representations such as characters or analog quantities to which meaning is, or might be, assigned.

Data Analysis – Provides access to tools allowing users to perform sophisticated data analysis of both native data content and meta-data. Features include:
  1. Basic keyword and Boolean search functionality
  2. Natural language and search query support
  3. Fuzzy logic and thesaurus-based search
  4. Advanced data mining capabilities, such as artificial intelligence, neural-network, and thematic data mapping search

Data Extraction – The process of removing files and meta-data from backup tapes.

Data Integrity – Refers to the validity of data. Data integrity can be comprised in a number of ways, including:

  • Human errors when data is entered
  • Errors that occur when data is transmitted from one computer to another
  • Software bugs or viruses
  • Hardware malfunctions, such as disk crashes
  • Natural disasters, such as fires and floods

There are many ways to minimize these threats to data, including:

  • Backing up data on a regular basis
  • Controlling access to data via security mechanisms
  • Designing user interfaces that prevent the input of invalid data
  • Using error detection and correction software when transmitting data

Data Mapping – Going beyond basic search capabilities, data mapping is also called keyless searching. It finds or suggests associations between files within a large body of data, which may not be apparent using other techniques.

Data Streams – Microsoft introduced a data storage concept called data streams in Windows NT version 3.51. These data streams allow multiple forms of data to be associated with a file, including any number of graphic files, databases, programs, spreadsheets, word processing documents, or other data types associated with a given file to alter some of the rules concerning computer security issues and computer forensics investigations.

De-duplication – The process of providing one instance of an item when there was once two or more identical copies. This process usually involves landing all files into a database and then searching for duplicate files. Basic de-duplication is perrformed on a select and limited basis, such as for file names and types, and is usually based on the value of the entire electronic document.

Deleted Data – Data that at one time existed on a computer system as live data but that has been deleted, however, such deleted data inhabits storage media in some form until it is overwritten or "wiped" with a software program specifically designed to remove deleted data. Once the storage media has been wiped, directory entries, pointers, or other metadata often remain.

Deleted file – A file once containing live data that has been deleted, however the deleted file remains intact until it has been overwritten with a new file.

Deletion – A procedure in which information is removed from files and other storage structures on computers and made inaccessible without the use of specific data recovery tools designed to recover deleted data.

Desktop – A user's desktop computer.

Digital – Information stored as a string of numbers, most often ones and zeros.

Disaster Recovery Tape – A form of transferable media device used to store data that is not currently being used by the organization in order to create additional space will still allowing for information to be restored should a disaster occur.

Disk (Disc) – Refers to both floppy disks and hard disks, which are both a form of magnetic storage medium used to digitally store data.

Disk Mirroring – When files are stored on a computer system's hard disk, a "mirror" copy is made on an additional hard disk or a separate part of the same disk to safeguard information in the case of a disaster.

Distributed Data – Data that resides on portable media and non-local devices such as laptop computers, home computers, CD-ROMs, floppy disks, zip drives, wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants, web pages, Internet repositories such as e-mail hosted by Internet service providers or portals, and the like that belongs to the organization and not the user.

Document – An electronic document refers to a collection of data that makes up an electronic file. Emails, attachments, databases, word documents, spreadsheets, and graphic files are all examples of electronic documents.

Document Retention – Preserving hard copy documents, electronic documents, email messages, databases, etc. that are created, sent, received, and stored.

Document Retention Policy – A predetermined, well known, and utilized plan that determines that manner in which hard copy documents, electronic documents, email messages, databases, etc., are reviewed, maintained, and destroyed.

 

About Us  |  Services  |  Resources  |  Headlines  |  Partners

Contact Us  |  Site Map  |  Legal Notices