Glossary

Short for 'virtual private network,' a VPN is a network that provides traveling workers or remote office locations access to an organization's central network via the internet. VPNs typically require remote user authentication, and data is often secured with encryption technologies to prevent disclosure of private information to unauthorized users.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the routing of voice calls over the Internet, or through any other IP-based network. Basically, this technology converts normal voice into a digital signal — much like a CD recording — and then wraps that digital signal with a set of IP header information, allowing it to travel across the Internet. The digital signal is reconverted back to a normal voice signal at its destination.

A VLAN is a group of devices on one or more LANs that are configured so that they can communicate as if they were attached to the same wire, when in fact they are located on a number of different LAN segments.

Visual Basic is programming language developed by Microsoft, in which developers can design programs and applications that use a graphical user interface (or GUI).

A vendor neutral certification is an IT credential that validates your knowledge and skills in concepts spanning numerous vendor-technologies. For example, CompTIA A+ proves you can troubleshoot and repair operating systems from multiple vendors including Microsoft, Apple, Novell and Linux.