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Faces component
One of a collection of user interface components (such as input fields) and data components (representing data such as records in a database) that can be dragged to a Faces JSP file and then bound to each other to build a dynamic Web project. See also JavaServer Faces.

Faces JSP file
A file that represents a page in a dynamic Web project and contains JavaServer Faces UI and data components. See also JavaServer Faces.

facsimile machine (fax machine)
A functional unit that converts images to signals for transmission over a telephone system or that converts received signals back to images.

factor
In RPG, an entry (for example, a field name, file name, literal, or data structure) that identifies the data to be used in an operation.

factory
In object-oriented programming, a class that is used to create instances of another class. A factory is used to isolate the creation of objects of a particular class into one place so that new functions can be provided without widespread code changes.

factory method
See class method. See also instance method.

fact table
(1) In DB2 OLAP Server, a table, or in many cases a set of tables, in DB2 that contains all data values for a relational cube.
(2) A relational table that contains facts, such as units sold or cost of goods, and foreign keys that link the fact table to each dimension table.

fade in
To gradually increase the volume of sounds, such as background music.

fade out
To gradually decrease the volume of sounds, such as background music.

failback
In high availability disaster recovery (HADR), the process of restarting the original primary system and returning it to its status of primary system after a failover has occurred. See also failover.

failed event
See unresolved flow.

failed flow
A flow that failed due to application or logic problems.

failed member state
In DB2 Universal Database for z/OS and OS/390, a state of a member of a data sharing group. When a member fails, the XCF permanently records the failed member state. This state usually means that the member's task, address space, or MVS system terminated before the state changed from active to quiesced. See also quiesced member state.

failover
(1) In Notes/Domino, a cluster's ability to redirect requests from one server to another. Failover occurs when a user tries to access a database on an unavailable server or one in heavy use, and the user instead connects to a replica of the database on another (available) server in the cluster. Failover is transparent to the user.
(2) A transparent operation that switches to a redundant or standby system when services fail.
(3) The change in status of the standby system to primary system because a failure occurred on the original primary system. See also High Availability Cluster Multiprocessing, failback.
(4) A cluster event where the primary database server or application server switches over to a backup system due to the failure of the primary server.
(5) An operation in which Microsoft Cluster Server detects a failure in an application on one computer in the cluster, and shuts down the disrupted application in an orderly manner, transfers its state data to the other computer, and re-initiates the application there.

fallback
(1) The process of returning to a previous release of DB2 Universal Database for z/OS and OS/390 after attempting or completing migration to a current release. See also High Availability Cluster Multiprocessing.
(2) The process by which a database server, after failure causes it to run on another computer, returns automatically to run on the original computer when it becomes available.

false global lock contention
In DB2 Universal Database for z/OS and OS/390, an indication of contention from the coupling facility when multiple lock names are hashed to the same indicator and when no real contention exists.

fanout
(1) A single output that becomes input to multiple branches.
(2) In communications, the process of creating copies of a distribution to be delivered locally or to be sent through the network.

FAP
See Formats and Protocols.

far-end code violation
In Performance Tools, an unintended line code violation detected by the network termination 1 (NT1), and counted by the terminal equipment (TE), for frames transmitted to the NT1 on the interface for the T reference point in the integrated services digital network (ISDN). The NT1 reports a violation to the TE through the maintenance channel S1.

fast communication manager (FCM)
A group of functions that provide internodal communication support.

fast packet switching
Communications protocols, such as frame relay and cell relay, that specify the processing of lower-layer data only for the transmission of data packets across a network.

fast path
A method of doing something more directly and quickly than the usual way. For example, pressing a function key is faster than typing a command.

fast response cache accelerator (FRCA)
A cache that resides in the kernel on AIX and Windows platforms that provides support for caching on multiple Web servers and on servers with multiple IP addresses.

fast select
In OSI, an X.25 optional user facility that can be encoded into a call request packet sent to an adjacent node. The fast select facility is included to provide conformance to ISO 8878.

fast service upgrade (FSU)
A service function of VSE/ESA for the installation of a refresh release without regenerating control information such as library control tables.

fast view
In Eclipse, a view that is opened and closed by clicking a button on the shortcut bar. Fast views are created by dropping views on the shortcut bar.

FAT
See file allocation table.

fault
In OSI, an event that triggers an unwanted transition in the condition of a resource.
fault message
An object that contains status information and details about a problem with a message.

fax
(1) The printed copy received from a facsimile machine.
(2) To transmit an image, using a telephone system and facsimile machines.
(3) The use of a telephone system for the electronic transmission and receipt of hard-copy images.

fax machine
See facsimile machine.

FBA disk device
See fixed-block architecture disk device.

FBO
See file backout table.

FC Bridge
See Fibre Channel Bridge.

FCC
See Federal Communications Commission.

FCFC
See first-character forms control.

FCM
See fast communication manager.

FCMU
See file compare and merge utility.

F-Coupler
See frequency coupler.

FCS
(1) See frame check sequence.
(2) See function control sequence.

FCT
(1) See forms control table.
(2) See file control table.

FD
See duplex.

FDM
See Feature Download Management.

FDML
See Flow Definition Markup Language.

FD:OCA
See Formatted Data Object Content Architecture.

FDT
See field definition table.

FDX
See duplex.

feature
(1) Part of a product that is either included with the product or can be ordered separately.
(2) The visual content information that is stored in the image search server. Also, the visual traits that image search applications use to determine matches. The four QBIC features are average color, histogram color, positional color, and texture.

feature attribute
An attribute that specifies how the information about products is to be displayed to customers. For example, features with numerical descriptions can be displayed to a customer in either ascending or descending order.

feature code
The number used to order features for system units and expansion units.

Feature Download Management (FDM)
An ADSI protocol that enables a number of alternative key and screen overlays to be stored in an ADSI telephone and to be selected by predetermined events at the telephone.

feature-unique Licensed Internal Code (FULIC)
The Licensed Internal Code shipped with the processor feature that provides support for that feature. FULIC is a complex instruction set computer (CISC)-only function.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The standard body in the United States that is responsible for communications.

federated attribute
An Information Integrator for Content metadata category that is mapped to native attributes in one or more content servers. For example, the federated attribute, policy number, can be mapped to an attribute, policy num, in Content Manager and to an attribute, policy ID, in Content Manager ImagePlus for OS/390.

federated collection
A grouping of objects that results from a federated search. See also federated search.

federated database
In a federated system, the database that is within the federated server. Users and applications interface with the federated database. To these clients, the data sources appear as a single collective database in DB2.

federated datastore
Virtual representation of any number of specific content servers, such as Content Manager.

federated entity
An Information Integrator for Content metadata object that is comprised of federated attributes and optionally associated with one or more federated text indexes.

federated savepoint
An API at the data source that is used by a federated server to preserve the atomicity of SQL statements. A federated server uses data source savepoint APIs to bracket a series of INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements executed at the data sources side on behalf of a single DB2 Universal Database INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement.

federated search
(1) A query issued from Information Integrator for Content that simultaneously searches for data in one or more content servers, which can be heterogeneous. See also federated collection.
(2) A search capability that enables searches across multiple search services and returns a consolidated list of search results.

federated server
The DB2 server in a federated system. Any number of DB2 instances can be configured to function as federated servers. You can use existing DB2 instances as your federated server, or you can create new ones specifically for the federated system.

federated system
A special type of distributed database management system(DBMS). A federated system llows you to query and manipulate data located on other servers. The data can be in database managers such as Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and Microsoft SQL Server, or it can be in lists or stores such as a spreadsheet, Web site, or data mart. A federated system consists of a DB2 instance that will operate as a server, a database that will serve as the federated database, one or more data sources, and clients (users and applications) who will access the database and data sources. See also heterogeneous replication.

federated text index
An Information Integrator for Content metadata object that is mapped to one or more native text indexes in one or more content servers.

federation
The process of combining naming systems so that the aggregate system can process composite names that span the naming systems.

feedback schema
A schema within the Personalization database that accepts data from logging beans.

fenced
Pertaining to a type, or characteristic, of a procedure, user-defined function, or federated wrapper that is defined to run in a separate process from the database manager. When this type of object is run (using the fenced clause), the database manager is protected from modifications by the object. See also not fenced.

FEPI
See front-end programming interface.

fetch
(1) An SQL action that positions a cursor on the next row of its result table and assigns the values of that row to host variables.
(2) To retrieve data from a database.

fetch orientation
The specification of the desired placement of the cursor as part of a FETCH statement (for example BEFORE, AFTER, NEXT, PRIOR, CURRENT, FIRST, LAST, ABSOLUTE, and RELATIVE). See also scrollability.

fetch overflow
In RPG, a routine that allows the user to change the basic RPG overflow logic to prevent printing over the perforation and to allow the user to use as much of the page as possible.

fetch sensitivity
The specification that a FETCH statement has visibility to all changes made by this cursor, as well as changes made by other cursors, or other application processes. Fetch sensitivity results in always fetching the rows from the base table of the SELECT statement of the cursor.

FFDC
See first-failure data capture.

FFST
See First Failure Support Technology.

FFST file
See First Failure Support Technology file.

FFT
See final-form text.

Fiber Distributed Data Interface
An American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for a 100-Mbps LAN using fiber optic cables.

fiber optic
Describing a transmission medium composed of a glass fiber light path surrounded by a cladding material that confines the signal to the light path.

fiber optic network
A network based on the technology and standards that define data transmission using cables of glass or plastic fibers carrying light. The advantages of a fiber optic network are higher transmission speeds, greater carrying capacity, lower error rates, and lighter, more compact cables that are less susceptible to electromagnetic interference.

fiber optics
The technology of guiding optical power (or light) through thin, transparent strands (or fibers) that are made of glass, fused silica, or plastic.

Fibre Channel Bridge (FC Bridge)
In Fibre Channel technology, a device that translates from one bus protocol to another bus protocol. The Fibre Channel Bridge translates between the Fibre Channel Protocol and the SCSI-2 bus protocol.

fibre-channel connection (FICON)
A fibre-channel communication protocol designed for IBM mainframe computers and peripherals.

FIC
See first-in-chain.

FICON
See fibre-channel connection.

FID
See format identification field.

fidelity
In AFP support, the degree of exactness required when processing the input data stream for printing a file. Different levels of fidelity can be specified, which determine how errors are handled (such as substituting fonts when a font named in the data stream cannot be found).

FID field
See format identification field.

field
(1) In MERVA, a portion of a message used to enter or display a particular type of data in a predefined format. A field is located by its position in a message and by its tag. A field is made up of one or more data areas.
(2) On a data or storage medium, a specified area used to enter or display a particular class of data.
(3) The building block of which objects are composed. A field is characterized by a field name, a data type (integer, Boolean, character string, or enumerated value), and a set of flags that describe how the field is treated by Tivoli NetView. A field can contain data only when it is associated with an object.
(4) The smallest identifiable part of a record.
(5) On a Notes form, a named area containing a single type of information. The field's data type determines its contents -- text, rich text (including styled text, graphics, and multimedia), numbers, or time-date.
(6) In a record, a specified area used for a particular category of data. For example, a record about an employee might be subdivided into fields containing the employee's name, address, and salary.
(7) In Java programming, a data member of a class.

field data format
In BMS, a format that allows you to use application program commands to address predefined fields in a display by name, without knowing their positions. The same fields must appear in all versions of a display, but can be arranged differently in different versions.

field definition
In IDDU, information that describes the characteristics of data in a field, such as its name, length, and data type. A field definition resides in a data dictionary.

field definition macro (DFHMDF)
In BMS, a macro that defines a field within a map defined by the previous DFHMDI macro. The DFHMDF macro specifies initial attributes to be given to fields within a map. See also map definition.

field definition table (FDT)
The field definition table describes the characteristics of a field; for example, its length and number of its data areas, and whether it is mandatory. If the characteristics of a field change depending on its use in a particular message, the definition of the field in the FDT can be overridden by the MCB specifications.

field description
Information that describes the characteristics of data in a field.

field-formatted
Pertaining to a request or response that is encoded into fields, each having a specified format such as binary codes, bit-significant flags, and symbolic names. See also character-coded.

field group
One or several fields that are defined as being a group. Because a field can occur more than once in a message, field groups are used to distinguish them. A name can be assigned to the field group during message definition.

field group number
In the TOF, a number is assigned to each field group in a message in ascending order from 1 to 255. A particular field group can be accessed using its field group number.

field indicator
In RPG, an indicator that shows whether a given field in an input record is plus, minus, zero, or blank.

field-level access checking
The RACF facility by which a security administrator can control access to fields or segments in a RACF profile.

field-level sensitivity
The ability of an application program to access data at the field level.

field-level specification
In DDS, a specification coded on the same line as a field name or on lines immediately following a field name.

field line
In RLU, a temporary record in a report prototype that indicates the field boundaries in an associated report line.

field map
The Discovery Server configuration form that enables administrators to specify which profile source fields should populate user profiles, and which data repository fields should populate the K-map, and how the K-map should display their metadata.

field outline
The output record to be printed outlines, with boxes, the fields of data within the record.

field procedure
A user-written exit routine that is designed to receive a single value and transform (encode or decode) it in any way that the user can specify.

field record relation indicator
In RPG, an indicator that associates fields in an input record with a particular record type. The field record relation indicator is normally used when the record type is one of several in an OR relationship.

field reference file
A physical file that contains no data, only descriptions of fields.

field registration file (FRF)
A file that is used to define fields for use in the object database.

field selection
(1) In the GDDM function, the selection of fields from a database file for use as data values.
(2) In Business Graphics Utility, the selection of fields from a database file for use as data values and data labels.
(3) A function that uses the state of the option indicators to display or print data when a record format is written.

field tag
A character string used by MERVA to identify a field in a network buffer. For example, for SWIFT field 30, the field tag is :30:.

FIFO
See first-in-first-out.

figurative constant
(1) In RPG, an implied literal that is specified in the calculation specifications without a length definition because the implied length and decimal positions are the same as those of the receiver field.
(2) In COBOL, a reserved word that represents a numeric or character value or a string of repeated values. The word can be used instead of a literal to represent the value.

file
(1) A collection of related data that is stored and retrieved by an assigned name. A file can include information that starts a program (program-file object), contains text or graphics (data-file object), or processes a series of commands (batch file).
(2) A generic term for the object type that refers to a database file, a device file, or a save file. The system-recognized identifier for the object type is *FILE.
(3) A named set of records stored or processed as a unit.

file access token
See read token.

file allocation table (FAT)
A table that is used to allocate space on a disk for a file and to locate the file.

file attribute conflict condition
In COBOL, an unsuccessful attempt to run an input-output operation on a file whose file attributes, as specified for that file in the program, do not match the fixed attributes for that file.

file backout table (FBO)
In the restart data set, a summary table that contains an entry for each file for which at least one logged or journaled record was written to the restart data set. It also contains flags for any VSAM files that have suffered backout failures that are still outstanding. Data in this table is available to user-written exit programs.

file-based content
Content that is written and stored in a specific file format. For example, content can be written and stored in the formats of .html, .txt., .jpeg, .img, .jsp., or .css.

file chaining
In Query, a function that allows a query application to use data from two database files. The query application views the two chained files as if they were one file and refers to the first file as the primary record format and the second file as the secondary record format.

file clause
In COBOL, a clause that appears as part of any of the following Data Division entries: file description entry (FD entry) and sort-merge file description entry (SD entry).

file compare and merge utility (FCMU)
A function of the Application Development ToolSet licensed program that is used to compare physical file members and merge updates to file members.

file connector
In COBOL, a storage area that contains information about a file and is used as the connection between a file-name and a physical file, and between a file-name and its associated record area.

file control
(1) COBOL, the name and header of an Environment Division paragraph in which the data files for a source program are named and assigned to specific input/output devices.
(2) The CICS facility for managing basic operations against a file (ADD, READ, DELETE, REWRITE, and BROWSE).

file control entry
In COBOL, a SELECT clause and all its subordinate clauses that declare the relevant physical attributes of a file.

file control program
The CICS program that controls all CICS file operations. Because the CICS file control program processes only VSAM and BDAM data sets, any sequential data sets must be defined as extrapartition destinations by using the CEDA DEFINE TDQUEUE command.

file control table (FCT)
A CICS table containing the characteristics of the files accessed by file control.

file definition
(1) In RPG, file description and input specifications that describe the records and fields in a file.
(2) In IDDU, information that describes the contents and characteristics of a file. A file definition resides in a data dictionary.

file description
The description of a file and its contents.

file description entry
In COBOL, an entry in the FILE SECTION of the Data Division that contains information about the identification, the physical organization, and the record name of a file.

file description file
In iSeries Access, a personal computer file that describes a personal computer data file. The description includes the name, data type, field length, and format of the data file. This information is used by the iSeries Access transfer function to transfer data to the iSeries server.

file description specification
In RPG, a specification on which the programmer identifies and describes all files used in a program.

file descriptor
A small positive integer that the system uses instead of the file name to identify an open file.

file exception/error subroutine
In RPG, a user-written program that may be called following file exceptions or program errors.

file identifier
A 3-character identifier used for files being joined in Query for a query. The identifiers are used during a query definition to uniquely identify each file.

file information data structure (INFDS)
In RPG, a data structure that can be defined for each file to make file exception/error information available to the program. A file information data structure must be unique for each file.

file key
In RPG, all the key fields defined for a file.

file level specification
In DDS, a specification coded on the lines before the first record format name.

file list
A list of files contained in a library.

file maintenance
The process of adding, changing, or deleting records in a file to keep them current.

file mode creation mask
A pattern of characters that is used to control the keeping, deleting, or testing of portions of another pattern of characters.

file name
The name used by a program to identify a file.

file name extension
(1) An optional 3-letter code that may be used as the second part of a PC file name, and is separated from the file name by a period (.). Extensions have meanings to programs, and may be used to identify the type of the file.
(2) An addition to a file name that identifies the file type (for example, text file or program file).

file operation code
In RPG, an operation code (for example, CHAIN) that lets the user control the input/output operations to a file.

file organization
In COBOL, the permanent file arrangement established at the time that a file is created.

file override
An attribute specified at run time that changes the attributes specified in the file description or in the program.

file-owning region (FOR)
See data-owning region. See also terminal-owning region, application-owning region.

file package block
See software package block. In Tivoli Software Distribution, Version 3, a static file containing (a) the file package definition, (b) the file package attributes, (c) the source files and directories, and (d) the configuration programs of the file package.

file pointer
In the hierarchical file system, the representation of the position or offset in the file where the next read or write operation occurs.

file position indicator
In COBOL, a conceptual entity that (a) contains the value of the current key within the key of reference for an indexed file, the record number of the current record for a sequential file, or the relative record number of the current record for a relative file; or (b) indicates that no next logical record exists, that the number of significant digits in the relative record number is larger than the size of the relative key data item, that an optional input file is not present, that the at end condition already exists, or that no valid next record has been established.

file reference function
A function of the system that lets the user track file use on the system.

file reference variable
A host variable that is used to indicate that data resides in a file on the client rather than in a client memory buffer.

file request thread element (FRTE)
An element used by CICS file control to link related requests together as a file thread; to record the existence of READ SET storage to be released at syncpoint and the existence of any other outstanding work that must be completed at syncpoint; to register a task as a user of a file to prevent the file being closed while still in use.

File Section
In COBOL, the section of the Data Division that contains file description entries and sort-merge file description entries together with their associated record descriptions.

file separator
The pages produced at the beginning of each output file and used to separate the file from the other files being sent to an output device.

file server I/O processor
An input/output processor (IOP) that serves files.

File Services
See OSI File Services.

file serving
A function that supports the serving of static files by Web applications.

file share
A unique name assigned to an iSeries integrated file system directory that lets remote users and applications access the directory.

files library
The library to search for database files for a System/36 environment job.

file space
A logical storage space on a client that can contain a group of files. For clients on Windows systems, a file space is a logical partition that is identified by a volume label. For clients on AIX or UNIX systems, a file space consists of any subset of directories and subdirectories that stem from a virtual mount point.

file space ID (FSID)
A unique numeric identifier that the server assigns to a file space when it is stored in server storage.

file system
(1) In the hierarchical file system, the underlying system support that manages I/O operations to files and controls the format of information on the storage media. A file system allows applications to create and manage files on storage devices and to perform I/O operations to those files.
(2) A collection of files and certain attributes associated with those files.
(3) The collection of files and file management structures on a physical or logical mass storage device, such as a diskette or minidisk.

file system manager
The component that manages the multimedia file system.

File System Migrator (FSM)
The virtual file system whose space usage is controlled by the Tivoli Space Manager. DB2 Data Links Manager supports the use of this file system in the AIX operating environment.

file system spider
The Discovery service that processes Windows-compatible directories by traversing the directory tree recursively and forwarding content that matches a query to the K-Map.

file transfer, access, and management (FTAM)
The OSI standard for transferring files between nodes.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
In TCP/IP, an application protocol used for transferring files to and from host computers.

file transfer support (FTS)
A function of the operating system that moves file members from one iSeries server to another or from an iSeries server to a System/36 by using asynchronous, APPC, or BSCEL communications support.

file translation
In RPG, a function that can change any of the 256 EBCDIC characters into another EBCDIC character.

file update operation
Any action that is involved when a file is changed, especially in the case where the file is referenced in a DATALINK type column and is under the control of a DB2 Data Links Manager. See also linked file.

filler line
In RLU, a record in a report prototype that represents spacing between record formats and is used in the data description specifications (DDS) for the report.

fillet
A curve that is tangent to the end points of two connected lines.

fill pattern
In Business Graphics Utility, the shading used inside a bar and pie slice on a chart and below the lines of a chart.

filter
(1) A mechanism that is used to query libraries, objects, and members on an iSeries server, and organize them for viewing in the Remote System Explorer. See also filter pool, filter string.
(2) An ESQL expression that is applied to the content of a message in a Filter node to determine how the message is processed.
(3) An ESQL expression that is applied to the content of a publication message to determine if the message matches certain criteria.
(4) A device or program that separates data, signals, or material in accordance with specified criteria.
(5) In System Manager, a function that assigns alerts or problems into groups and specifies the actions to take for each group. A filter consists of selection entries and action entries.
(6) Criteria with which Internet Protocol (IP) packets are compared and either allowed to continue to their destinations or blocked. Filters contain such criteria as destination address, source address, and transport protocol.

filter factor
In DB2 Universal Database for z/OS and OS/390, a number between zero and one that estimates the proportion of rows in a table for which a predicate is true. Those rows are said to qualify by that predicate. Filter factors affect the choice of access paths by estimating the number of rows qualified by a set of predicates.

filtering
(1) The selective function of allowing some Internet Protocol (IP) packets to continue to their destination or, at the same time, blocking others.
(2) A technique used to limit the amount of information displayed in a view based on criteria specified by a user. For example, requirements can be filtered by specifying criteria for any or all of their attributes. A user might apply a filter to display only requirements that have a high priority. See also sorting.

filter interface
A statement that is used to associate a set of filter rules with a particular physical interface.

filter pool
A group of filters. See also filter, filter pool reference.

filter pool reference
A mechanism that displays a filter pool from one connection in any other connection, so that when a user makes a change to the original filter pool, the change is reflected in the filter pool reference. See also filter pool.

filter rule
A rule that selects particular Internet Protocol (IP) traffic and requests an action for that traffic. Possible actions are to discard the packet, to allow the packet without security, and to take the appropriate IP security action.

filter string
The information used by a filter to perform a search. See also filter.

FIN
SWIFT's store-and-forward message-processing service defining message standards and protocols. See also SWIFTNet FIN.

final-form text (FFT)
A data stream defined by document content architecture that is used to exchange resolved documents (which can be printed directly by most printers or displayed) between systems. See also revisable-form text.

Final-Form Text Document Content Architecture
The architecture that specifies the structure of the data stream used for the interchange of text documents formatted for presentation. A Final-Form Text:Document Content Architecture document consists of text and formatting information that controls the presentation of the text.

final state
A special kind of state signifying that the enclosing composite state or the entire state machine is completed.

final warning
In OSI Communications Subsystem, a subsystem threshold that indicates that not enough system storage is available to maintain existing connections. When the final warning threshold is reached, the subsystem ends existing connections and does not allow new connections to be made. See also first warning.

finance communications
The data communications support that allows OS/400 programs to communicate with programs on finance controllers, using the SNA LU session type 0 protocol.

finance device
A device, such as the 4700 Finance Communications System devices and the 3694 Document Processor, that performs functions specifically related to the finance industry. The 3180, 3270, and 5250 work stations are not finance devices.

finance I/O manager (FIOM)
A set of routines that can be used by an application program to do I/O operations on a finance device that is configured as a non-intersystem communications function (non-ICF) device.

finance support
A part of the system support that uses an iSeries server as a host system to which finance devices can be attached.

FIN-Copy
The MERVA component used for SWIFT FIN-Copy support.

find
See discover. To look for a particular item.

finder method
In enterprise beans, a method defined in the home interface and invoked by a client to locate an entity bean. (Sun)

fine-grained authorization role
An authorization role that indicates the authority to perform narrowly defined administrative tasks.

finger
In the Internet suite of protocols, a program that displays information about the current users of a local or remote system. The finger usually displays the user's full name, last login time, idle time, terminal line, and terminal location (where applicable).

fingerprint
See digest code.

finishing margin
In printing, the distance from the edge of a paper to the line where staples are placed for edge stitching.

finite state grammar (fsg)
In WebSphere Voice Server, the extension of a file that contains grammar specifications in compiled, binary form. It is generated from a .bnf file and is called a .fsg file.

finite state machine
The theoretical base describing the rules of a service request's state and the conditions to state transitions.

FIOM
See finance I/O manager.

fire
In object-oriented programming, to cause a state transition.

fire status
A Boolean flag indicating whether or not an event has occurred (fired). The fire status of an event can be either FIRED (true) or NOTFIRED (false).

firewall
A network configuration, usually both hardware and software, that prevents unauthorized traffic into and out of a secure network.

first-character forms control (FCFC)
A method that specifies the format of printed output. The first character of each record determines the format.

first-failure data capture ( FFDC FFDC FFDC)
(1) A problem diagnosis aid that identifies errors, gathers and logs information about these errors, and returns control to the affected run-time software.
(2) A facility that provides the ability to capture the data relevant to a CICS exception condition as soon as possible after the condition has been detected.
(3) The OS/400 implementation of the FFST architecture providing problem recognition, selective dump of diagnostic data, symptom string generation, and problem log entry.

First Failure Support Technology (FFST)
An IBM architecture that defines a single approach to error detection through defensive programming techniques. These techniques provide proactive (passive until required) problem recognition and a description of diagnostic output required to debug a software problem.

First Failure Support Technology file (FFST file)
A file containing information for use in detecting and diagnosing software problems. In WebSphere MQ, FFST files have a file type of FDC.

first-in-chain (FIC)
A request unit (RU) whose request header (RH) begin chain indicator is on and whose RH end chain indicator is off.

first-in-first-out (FIFO)
A queuing technique in which the next item to be retrieved is the item that has been in the queue for the longest time. See also last-in first-out.

first-level folder
A folder name that is not preceded by another folder name. A first-level folder is the first folder name in a folder path. For example, if folder A is a first-level folder, folder path A/B indicates that folder B is within folder A, and that folder A is within the root folder.

first-page indicator
In RPG, an indicator, coded as 1P, that specifies which lines (such as headings) should be printed on the first page only.

first speaker
In SNA, the logical unit (LU) half-session defined when the session is started as the half-session able to begin a bracket without requesting permission from the other LU half-session to do so, and the half-session winning permission if both half-sessions attempt to begin a bracket simultaneously. See also bidder.

first-speaker session
See contention-winner session. See also bidder session.

first warning
In OSI Communications Subsystem, a subsystem threshold that indicates that not enough system storage is available to establish new connections. When the first warning threshold is reached, the subsystem maintains existing connections but does not allow new connections to be made. See also final warning.

fix
Software maintenance package such as an interim fix, test fix, or program temporary fix that solves a customer problem.

fixed-block architecture disk device (FBA disk device)
A disk device that stores data in blocks of fixed size. These blocks are addressed by block number relative to the beginning of the file. See also extended count-key-data device.

fixed currency symbol
A currency symbol that appears in the far left position of an edited field. See also floating currency symbol.

fixed data
In AFP Utilities, an element in the record layout and page layout that has a constant value. See also variable data.

fixed file attribute
In COBOL, information about a file that is established when a file is created and that cannot subsequently be changed during the existence of the file. Attributes include the organization of the file (sequential, relative, or indexed), the prime record key, the alternate record keys, the minimum and maximum record size, the record type (fixed or variable), the collating sequence of the keys for indexed files, the minimum and maximum physical record size, the padding character, and the record delimiter.

fixed-form
Pertaining to the entering of data according to certain rules of format. See also free-form.

fixed length
A specified length for a record or field that cannot be changed. See also variable length.

fixed-length
(1) Pertaining to a characteristic of a file in which all of the records are the same length. See also variable-length.
(2) Pertaining to a characteristic of a field on a display that is of a defined length. See also variable-length.

fixed-length string
A character or graphic string whose length is specified and cannot be changed. See also varying-length string.

fixed pacing
See fixed session-level pacing.

fixed-point constant
A numeric constant shown as an optional sign followed by one or more digits and a decimal point.

fixed-point format
(1) The external representation of a decimal value, that shows an optional sign followed by one or more digits, a decimal point, and zero or more digits.
(2) The internal storage format that represents a fixed-point value that can be stored either in zoned or packed decimal format.

fixed-point notation
A REXX number that is written without exponentiation.

fixed property
Fixed properties can be retrieved and used in the evaluation of classifier rules. They can also be used to select content.

fixed session-level pacing (fixed pacing)
A form of session-level pacing in which the data transfer rate is controlled using fixed pacing-window sizes, which are initialized at session-activation time. See also adaptive session-level pacing.

fixed wireless data
Wireless service to a fixed location through antennas larger than those in mobile or portable setups. The fastest data throughputs--up to T-1 speed--are available over fixed wireless networks.

fix pack
A cumulative collection of fixes that does not contain new functions. A fix pack can contain fixes that have not been shipped previously. Full regression testing is performed on fix packs. See also program temporary fix, interim fix, refresh pack.

flag
(1) The bit sequence 01111110 used to mark a frame in SDLC.
(2) Information about the extended attribute that is stored with the extended attribute.
(3) To mark an information item for selection for further processing.

flagger
A precompiler option that identifies SQL statements in applications that do not conform to selected validation criteria (for example, the ISO/ANSI SQL92 entry-level standard).

flash BIOS
BIOS that can be updated through a program on a flash diskette so that the BIOS chip does not need to be replaced. See also BIOS flash diskette, boot block jumper.

flat browse
A browse of the descendant activities of a specified process, on which each descendant activity can be returned exactly once.

flat business object
A business object that contains only simple attributes and does not contain any child business objects. See also hierarchical business object.

flatten
To display multiple iterations of data in a single window.

flight recorder
An object that stores trace information used to record a history of what has happened in the system's programs. The flight recorder contains only information that helps to identify the flow of the system's programs and status information.

float
In Sametime, to separate the video windows from the Meeting Room. When you float the video windows, you can view Sametime video while viewing another program.

floating bar chart
A chart that shows bars detached from either line. See also composite bar chart, multiple bar chart.

floating bar graph
In Performance Tools, a graph that shows bars detached from either line. See also composite bar graph.

floating currency symbol
A currency symbol that appears immediately to the left of the far left position in an edited field. See also fixed currency symbol.

floating point
A method of encoding real numbers within the limits of finite precision available on computers.

floating-point constant
(1) A numeric constant shown as an optional sign, followed by the letter D or E, followed by a 1- to 3-digit integer constant. For example, 3E-02, which is 3 times 10 to the -2 power or 0.03.
(2) A number shown as an optional sign followed by one or more digits and a decimal point, which may be at the end.

floating-point format
In binary floating-point representation, the storage format that represents a binary floating-point value.

floating-point notation
A REXX number that is written using exponentiation.

flow
(1) A single transmission of data passing over a link during a conversation.
(2) The process of data moving through InterChange Server. A flow is usually initiated by a call or by an event.
(3) The representation of interdependencies between activities in a structured format. In Business Integration Modeler, the flow always moves forward in time.
(4) The passing of a message from one process to another. For example, Distributed Relational Database Architecture (DRDA) flows are those that consist only of messages described by the DRDA protocol as part of the DRDA protocols.

flow control
In OSI, procedures that control the amount of data than can be sent from one node to another. Flow control is used to prevent a node from sending data to another node faster than the receiver can handle it.

flow debugger
A facility to debug message flows that is provided in the Flow Debug perspective in the workbench.

Flow Definition Markup Language (FDML)
An IBM format used to describe business processes in WebSphere Application Server. FDML is an XML language which is based on the flow related aspects of Web Services Flow Language (WSFL).

flow state
A transition in an activity diagram that represents the passing of an object from the output of actions in one state to the input of actions in another state.

flush
To transfer computer data from a temporary storage area to the computer's permanent memory.

flush left
Text aligned at the left margin. See also flush right.

flush right
Text aligned at the right margin. See also flush left.

FM
See frequency modulation.

FME
See function management end.

FMH
See function management header.

FMH-5
With APPC, the FMH-5 is sent with the begin bracket (BB), which denotes the beginning of a conversation. It contains the information needed to initiate the back-end transaction. See also begin bracket, conditional end bracket.

FM header
See function management header.

focal point
An APPN network node that is the destination of alerts. A focal point allows a customer to centrally manage a network.

focus
In VisualAge RPG, the state of a component, as indicated by the cursor, that indicates where a user's interaction with the keyboard will appear.

fold
To continue data on the next line.

folder
A container used to organize objects.

folderless document
A document in the document library that is not in any folder.

folder manager
The Content Manager model for managing data as online documents and folders. You can use the folder manager APIs as the primary interface between your applications and the Content Manager content servers.

folder pane
The Notes workspace area that shows the folders and views available in the opened database.

folder path
A folder name, followed by one or more additional folder names, where each preceding folder is found. For example, path A/B indicates that folder B is within folder A, and that folder A is in the root folder.

font
(1) A particular type style (for example, Bodoni or Times Roman) that contains definitions of character sets, marker sets, and pattern sets.
(2) A family or assortment of characters of a given size and style, for example, 9-point Bodoni modern. A font has a unique name and may have a registry number.

font character set
Part of an AFP font that contains the raster patterns, identifiers, and descriptions of characters.

font ID
A number that identifies the character style and size for certain printers.

font palette
In VisualAge RPG, a window from which the user can select the font to be applied to a selected control.

font resource
A resource object that is required to print AFPDS documents on a printer. The three types of font resources are coded fonts, character sets, and code pages. The system-recognized identifier for the object type is *FNTRSC.

footer
Text that is formatted to be in the bottom margin of printed pages in a document. For example, the header could be a page number, the date, an outline heading, or the document ID. See also header.

footing area
In COBOL, the position of the page body adjacent to the bottom margin.

footprint
The amount of computer storage that is occupied by a computer program. For example, if a program occupies a large amount of storage, it has a large footprint.

FOR
See file-owning region.

force-all
In Application Development ToolSet, a specification that tests whether the control field in the input record contains a particular entry. If it does not, the control field character is replaced before the record is sorted.

forced Licensed Internal Code completion
A function of the system that allows the user to force a deadlocked system to complete interrupted machine instructions by turning the Power switch on the control panel to the Delayed Off position.

forced shutdown
A type of shutdown of the CICS adapter where the adapter immediately disconnects from WebSphere MQ for z/OS, regardless of the state of any currently active tasks. See also quiesced shutdown.

force time
The time when all items on a distribution queue are sent regardless of how many items are on the queue.

foreground
In multiprogramming, the environment in which high-priority programs are run. See also background.

foreground partition
A space in virtual storage in which programs are executed under control of the system. By default, a foreground partition has a higher processing priority than the background partition.

foreign domain
A Domino domain and an external mail system such as SMTP or cc:Mail. It specifies which outbound addresses are Internet addresses and where the Notes Mail Router sends those messages. See also domain.

Foreign Exchange Subscriber
A signaling protocol that links a user's location to a remote exchange that would not normally be serving that user, to provide, for instance, calls to outside the local area at the local rate.

foreign key
(1) A field or set of fields in a dependent file of a constraint relationship. Each foreign key value must either match a parent key value in the related parent file or be null.
(2) A column or set of columns that refers to a parent key. In a relational database, a key in one table that references the primary key in another table.
(3) In a federated system, a key in one nickname that references the primary key in another nickname and that the optimizer uses to improve query performance. This key is not validated when operations such as insert and update are performed.
(4) In a relational database, a key in one table that references the primary key in another table.

foreign key attribute
A simple attribute whose value uniquely identifies a child business object. Typically, this attribute identifies the child business object to its parent by containing the child's primary key value. See also child business object, reference-valued business object.

foreign server
In a federated system, another term for data source that is used most often in the context of the SQL/MED standard. See also data source.

foreign update
An update that was applied to a target table and replicated to the local table.

fork
(1) To create and start a child process. Forking is similar to creating an address space and attaching. It creates a copy of the parent process, including open file descriptors.
(2) A construct used to model a single flow of control that divides into two or more separate but simultaneous flows: modeled using a Unified Modeling Language (UML) synchronization.
(3) A process element that makes copies of its input and forwards them by several processing paths in parallel.
(4) A function that creates a new process (child process), which is almost an exact copy of the calling process (parent process). The working storage of the parent process is copied to the child process, and the same program continues running in both the parent process and the child process from the point of the fork function.

form
(1) In query management, an object that describes how to format the data for printing or displaying a report.
(2) A physical sheet of paper or other medium on which data is printed.
(3) A display screen, printed document, or file with defined spaces for information to be inserted.
(4) A partially-filled message containing data that can be copied for a new message of the same message type.
(5) A Notes database element that controls how you edit, display, and print documents. A form can contain fields, static text, graphics, and special objects. A Notes database can have any number of forms.

format
(1) The definition of the internal structure of a message, in terms of the fields and the order of those fields. A format can be self-defining, in which case the message is interpreted dynamically when it is read.
(2) The arrangement or layout of data in a data medium.
(3) In message queuing, a term used to identify the nature of application data in a message.
(4) The shape, size, printing requirements, and general makeup of a printed document or presentation display.
(5) To prepare a diskette for use by a computer, by creating an addressing scheme for data storage.
(6) To arrange information on a page, in a file, or on a display screen.

format identification field ( FID FID field)
In SNA, a field in each transmission header (TH) that indicates the format of the TH; that is, the presence or absence of certain fields. TH formats differ in accordance with the types of nodes between which they pass.

format independence
The ability to send data to a device without having to be concerned with the format in which the data is displayed. The same data may appear in different formats on different devices.

format line
In SEU, the abbreviated names of the source line fields that are displayed directly above the source line. The format line is displayed when the F (format) line command is run.

Formats and Protocols (FAP)
In message queuing, a definition of how queue managers communicate with each other, and of how clients communicate with server queue managers.

format selector
A user-defined program (either a CL or a high-level language program) that determines where a record should be placed in the database when an application program does not pass a record format name for a record being added to a logical file.

formatted data interface
In FEPI, a collective name for the keystroke and screen-image interfaces.

Formatted Data Object Content Architecture (FD:OCA)
A defined collection of constructs used to interchange formatted data.

formatted diskette
A diskette on which the control information for a particular computer system has been written but which may or may not contain any data.

formatted document
A document arranged in paragraphs and pages usually for viewing or printing.

formatted system service
A portion of VTAM that provides certain system services as a result of receiving a field-formatted command, such as an Initiate or Terminate command. See also unformatted system service.

formatted text
The footnote reference number and the associated text within the footnote that is resolved at the bottom of the page.

form-based initiation
In Lotus Workflow, a method of starting a job by creating and saving a document in the application database. An agent in the document form creates a binder and sends it to the first activity of the job. In form-based and mail-based initiation, the first user action -- creating a document -- isn't an "activity" within a Lotus Workflow process.

form-based login
An authentication process where a user ID and a password are retrieved using an HTML form, and sent to the server over the HTTP or HTTPS protocol.

form bean
In Struts, an instance of an ActionForm class subclass that stores HTML or JSP form data from a submitted client request or that stores input data from a link that a user clicked.

form definition
An AFP resource object that defines the characteristics of the form or printed media, including: overlays to be used, duplex printing, text suppression, the position of composed-text data on the form, and the number and modifications of a page.

form feed
An ASCII printer control, 0C, that causes the printer to eject the current page. All jobs printing on a page printer should end with a form feed, which forces the last page to print.

form-field editing
Numeric, character, or date and time editing that can be specified for a form-field instruction.

formGroup
In EGL, a collection of form parts. A formGroup part is generated as an output separate from an EGL program.

form logout
A mechanism to log out without having to close all Web browser sessions.

forms control table (FCT)
An object that contains the special processing requirements for output data streams received from a host system by a remote job entry (RJE) session. The system-recognized identifier for the object type is *FCT.

forms flash
In AFP support on the 3800 Printing Subsystem, a means of printing an overlay using a negative plate projected on a form.

form type
A 10-character identifier, assigned by the user, that identifies each type of form used for printed output.

formula
An expression that has program-like attributes; for example, a formula can be used to assign values to variables and use a limited control logic. You can write formulas that return a value to a field, determine selection criteria for a view, create specific fields in a form, determine the documents a replica receives, help users fill out a document, increase database performance, and create buttons or hotspots.

forum
For purposes of Who Is Here in Sametime, a type of place; a database of files. In Lotus Notes, this forum is the whole database. On the Web, the forum may be a whole subdirectory of a Web site. See also Who Is Here.

forward
In Struts, an object that is returned by an action and that has two fields: a name and a path (typically the URL of a JSP). The path indicates where a request is to be sent. A forward can be local (pertaining to a specific action) or global (available to any action).

forwardable credentials
A mechanism-specific security credential that is issued to access a resource, which is used to obtain another credential for access to a different resource.

forwardable tickets
Forwardable tickets allow a server to pass on the credentials of the requester to another service. For this to happen, the initial TGT must have been requested with the forwardable option and the server is allowed to delegate credentials.

forwarder
A name server whose main purpose is to handle all off-site queries for name servers at a given site.

forwarding server
A read-only server that replicates all changes sent to it. This contrasts to a peer/master server in in that it is read only and it can have no peers.

forward log recovery
The third phase of restart processing during which DB2 Universal Database for z/OS and OS/390 processes the log in a forward direction to apply all REDO log records.

forward-mapping domain
A domain database file that maps host names to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

forward-only cursor
See nonscrollable cursor. See also scrollable cursor.

forward recovery
(1) The process of restoring a backup copy and bringing it up to date by reapplying changes made to the file since the backup was taken. To facilitate forward recovery, CICS records after-images of file and database changes on the system log.
(2) The process of reconstructing a file from a particular point by restoring a saved version of the file and then applying changes to that file in the same order they were originally made.

foundation baseline
A property of a stream. Foundation baselines specify the versions and activities that appear in a view. As part of a rebase operation, foundation baselines of the target stream are replaced with the set of recommended baselines from the source stream.

four-way breakout cable
The cable used to connect the Digital Trunk Quad Adapter with up to four digital trunk processors.

fps
See frames per second.

FQDN
See fully qualified domain name.

FRACHECK request
With RACF, the issuing of the FRACHECK macro or the RACROUTE macro with REQUEST=FASTAUTH specified. The primary function of a FRACHECK request is to check a user's authorization to a RACF-protected resource or function. A FRACHECK request uses only in-storage profiles for faster performance. See also authorization checking, RACHECK request, RACROUTE.

fragment
(1) The smallest unit of file system disk space allocation. A fragment can be 512, 1024, 2048, or 4096 bytes in size. The fragment size is defined when a file system is created.
(2) An Internet Protocol (IP) datagram that contains only a portion of the user data from a larger IP

fragmentation
(1) The separation of the index into pieces as a result of inserts and deletions in the index.
(2) The process of breaking down an Internet Protocol (IP) datagram into smaller parts to match the capabilities of the physical medium over which it will be transmitted. See also defragmentation.
(3) An operating system's process of writing different parts of a file to discontiguous sectors on a computer storage medium when contiguous space that is large enough to contain the entire file is not available. When data is thus fragmented, the time that it takes to access the data may increase because the operating system must search different tracks for information that should be in one location.

frame
(1) The block of information transmitted between two or more stations in the data link layer of a network. It includes delimiters, control characters, information, and checking characters.
(2) A group of data bits, surrounded by a beginning sequence and an ending sequence or other control information.
(3) In hypertext markup language (HTML) coding, a subset of the Web browser window.

frame check sequence (FCS)
In communications, a field in a frame used to determine if the frame was received without an error., Extra characters added to a frame for error checking.

frame reject (FRMR)
In communications, a data link command or response used to reject a received frame. A frame reject is generally used to indicate that the received protocol data unit is not valid or not supported.

frame relay
A protocol for routing frames through the network based on the address field (data link connection identifier) in the frame and for managing the route or virtual connection.

frame-relay switch
A frame-relay node that provides both the frame-relay frame handler function and the local management interface (LMI) function.

frameset
An HTML file that defines the layout of a Web page that is composed of other, separate HTML files.

frames per second (fps)
The number of frames displayed per second.

frame switching
The function performed by frame-relay nodes to route frames through a network.

framework
(1) A set of classes that embodies an abstract design for solutions to a family of related problems.
(2) A set of object classes that provide a collection of related functions for a user or piece of software.
(3) A micro-architecture that provides an extensible template for applications within a specific domain.
(4) A set of class libraries encompassing the following: Functions (or set of functions) of a particular domain arranged in an inheritance hierarchy. An encoded model for use of the framework that defines the relationships between the classes in the framework and the rules that govern their use. Frameworks call the code; the user does not call the frameworks.

Framework
In WebSphere MQ, a co