The following is a list of acronyms that appear on the CompTIA A+ 220-1001 & 220-1002 certification exams. Candidates are encouraged to review the complete list and attain a working knowledge of all listed acronyms as part of a comprehensive exam preparation program.
AC: Alternating Current
ACL: Access Control List
ACPI: Advanced Configuration Power Interface
ADF: Automatic Document Feeder
ADSL: Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
AES: Advanced Encryption Standard
AHCI: Advanced Host Controller Interface
AP: Access Point
APIPA: Automatic Private Internet Protocol Addressing
APM: Advanced Power Management
ARP: Address Resolution Protocol
ASR: Automated System Recovery
ATA: Advanced Technology Attachment
ATAPI: Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface
ATM: Asynchronous Transfer Mode
ATX: Advanced Technology Extended
AUP: Acceptable Use Policy
A/V: Audio Video
BD-R: Blu-ray Disc Recordable
BIOS: Basic Input/Output System
BD-RE: Blu-ray Disc Rewritable
BNC: Bayonet-Neill-Concelman
BSOD: Blue Screen of Death
BYOD: Bring Your Own Device
CAD: Computer-Aided Design
CAPTCHA: Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart
CD: Compact Disc
CD-ROM: Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory
CD-RW: Compact Disc-Rewritable
CDFS: Compact Disc File System
CERT: Computer Emergency Response Team
CFS: Central File System, Common File System, or Command File System
CGA: Computer Graphics and Applications
CIDR: Classless Inter-Domain Routing
CIFS: Common Internet File System
CMOS: Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
CNR: Communications and Networking Riser
COMx: Communication port (x = port number)
CPU: Central Processing Unit
CRT: Cathode-Ray Tube
DaaS: Data as a Service
DAC: Discretionary Access Control
DB-25: Serial Communications D-Shell Connector, 25 pins
DB-9: Serial Communications D-Shell Connector, 9 pins
DBaaS: Database as a Service
DC: Direct Current
DDoS: Distributed Denial of Service
DDR: Double Data Rate
DDR RAM: Double Data Rate Random Access Memory
DFS: Distributed File System
DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DIMM: Dual Inline Memory Module
DIN: Deutsche Industrie Norm
DLT: Digital Linear Tape
DLP: Digital Light Processing or Data Loss Prevention
DMA: Direct Memory Access
DMZ: Demilitarized Zone
DNS: Domain Name Service or Domain Name Server
DoS: Denial of Service
DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory
DRM: Digital Rights Management
DSL: Digital Subscriber Line
DVD: Digital Versatile Disc
DVD-RAM: Digital Versatile Disc-Random Access Memory
DVD-ROM: Digital Versatile Disc-Read Only Memory
DVD-R: Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable
DVD-RW: Digital Versatile Disc-Rewritable
DVI: Digital Visual Interface
DVI-D: Digital Visual Interface-Digital
ECC: Error Correcting Code
ECP: Extended Capabilities Port
EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
EFS: Encrypting File System
EIDE: Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics
EMI: Electromagnetic Interference
EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse
EPROM: Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
EPP: Enhanced Parallel Port
ERD: Emergency Repair Disk
eSATA: External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
ESD: Electrostatic Discharge
EULA: End User License Agreement
EVGA: Extended Video Graphics Adapter/Array
Ext2: Second Extended File System
exFAT: Extended File Allocation Table
FAT: File Allocation Table
FAT12: 12-bit File Allocation Table
FAT16: 16-bit File Allocation Table
FAT32: 32-bit File Allocation Table
FDD: Floppy Disk Drive
FPM: Fast Page Mode
FSB: Front-Side Bus
FTP: File Transfer Protocol
FQDN: Fully Qualified Domain Name
GDDR: Graphics Double Data Rate
GDI: Graphics Device Interface
GUI: Graphical User Interface
GUID: Globally Unique Identifier
GPS: Global Positioning System
GPT: GUID Partition Table
GPU: Graphics Processing Unit
GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications
HAL: Hardware Abstraction Layer
HAV: Hardware Assisted Virtualization
HCL: Hardware Compatibility List
HDCP: High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection
HDD: Hard Disk Drive
HDMI: High Definition Media Interface
HIPS: Host Intrusion Prevention System
HPFS: High Performance File System
HTML: Hypertext Markup Language
HTPC: Home Theater PC
HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTTPS: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
I/O: Input/Output
IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service
ICMP: Internet Control Message Protocol
ICR: Intelligent Character Recognition
IDE: Integrated Drive Electronics
IDS: Intrusion Detection System
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IIS: Internet Information Services
IMAP: Internet Mail Access Protocol
IMEI: International Mobile Equipment Identity
IMSI: International Mobile Subscriber Identity
IP: Internet Protocol
IPConfig: Internet Protocol Configuration
IPP: Internet Printing Protocol
IPS: Intrusion Prevention System
IPSec: Internet Protocol Security
IR: Infrared
IrDA: Infrared Data Association
IRP: Incident Response Plan
IRQ: Interrupt Request
ISA: Industry Standard Architecture
ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network
ISO: International Organization for Standardization
ISP: Internet Service Provider
JBOD: Just a Bunch of Disks
KB: Knowledge Base
KVM: Kernel-based Virtual Machine
KVM: Keyboard-Video-Mouse
LAN: Local Area Network
LBA: Logical Block Addressing
LC: Lucent Connector
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
LDAP: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
LED: Light Emitting Diode
LPD/LPR: Line Printer Daemon/Line Printer Remote
LPT: Line Printer Terminal
LVD: Low Voltage Differential
MAC: Media Access Control/Mandatory Access Control
MAN: Metropolitan Area Network
MAPI: Messaging Application Programming Interface
mATX: Micro Advanced Technology Extended
MAU: Media Access Unit/Media Attachment Unit
MBR: Master Boot Record
MBSA: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
MDM: Mobile Device Management
MFA: Multifactor Authentication
MFD: Multifunction Device
MFP: Multifunction Product
MicroDIMM: Micro Dual Inline Memory Module
MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIME: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension
MIMO: Multiple Input Multiple Output
MMC: Microsoft Management Console
MP3: Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 3 Audio
MP4: Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 4
MPEG: Moving Picture Experts Group
MSConfig: Microsoft Configuration
MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet
MT-RJ: Mechanical Transfer Registered Jack
MUI: Multilingual User Interface
NaaS: Network as a Service
NAC: Network Access Control
NAS: Network-Attached Storage
NAT: Network Address Translation
NetBIOS: Networked Basic Input/Output System
NetBEUI: Networked Basic Input/Output System Extended User Interface
NFC: Near Field Communication
NFS: Network File System
NIC: Network Interface Card
NiCd: Nickel Cadmium
NiMH: Nickel Metal Hydride
NLX: New Low-profile Extended
NNTP: Network News Transfer Protocol
NTFS: New Technology File System
NTLDR: New Technology Loader
NTP: Network Time Protocol
NTSC: National Transmission Standards Committee
NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory Express
OCR: Optical Character Recognition
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer
OLED: Organic Light Emitting Diode
OS: Operating System
PaaS: Platform as a Service
PAL: Phase Alternating Line
PAN: Personal Area Network
PAT: Port Address Translation
PC: Personal Computer
PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect
PCI: Payment Card Industry
PCIe: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express
PCIX: Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended
PCL: Printer Command Language
PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
PE: Preinstallation Environment
PGA: Pin Grid Array
PAG2: Pin Grid Array 2
PGP: Pretty Good Protection
PII: Personally Identifiable Information
PIN: Personal Identification Number
PHI: Personal Health Information
PKI: Public Key Infrastructure
PnP: Plug and Play
PoE: Power over Ethernet
POP3: Post Office Protocol 3
PoS: Point of Sale
POST: Power-On Self Test
POST: Plain Old Telephone Service
PPM: Pages Per Minute
PPP: Point-to-Point Protocol
PPTP: Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol
PRI: Primary Rate Interface
PROM: Programmable Read-Only Memory
PS/2: Personal System/2 Connector
PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network
PSU: Power Supply Unit
PVA: Patterned Virtual Alignment
PVC: Permanent Virtual Circuit
PXE: Preboot Execution Environment
QoS: Quality of Service
RADIUS: Remote Authentication Dial-In User Server
RAID: Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks
RAM: Random Access Memory
RAS: Remote Access Service
RDP: Remote Desktop Protocol
RF: Radio Frequency
RFI: Radio Frequency Interference
RFID: Radio Frequency Identification
RGB: Red Green Blue
RIP: Routing Information Protocol
RIS: Remote Installation Service
RISC: Reduced Instruction Set Computer
RJ-11: Registered Jack Function 11
RJ-45: Registered Jack Function 45
RMA: Returned Materials Authorization
ROM: Read-Only Memory
RPO: Recovery Point Objective
RTC: Real-Time Clock
RT: Recovery Time Objective
SaaS: Software as a Service
SAN: Storage Area Network
SAS: Serial Attached SCSI
SATA: Serial Advanced Technology Attachment
SC: Subscription Channel
SCP: Secure Copy Protection
SCSI: Small Computer System Interface
SCSI ID: Small Computer System Interface Identifier
SD Card: Secure Digital Card
SEC: Single Edge Connector
SFC: System File Checker
SFF: Small Form Factor
SFTP: Secure File Transfer Protocol
SIM: Subscriber Identity Module
SIMM: Single Inline Memory Module
SLI: Scalable Link Interface or System Level Integration or Scanline Interleave Mode
S.M.A.R.T.: Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology
SMB: Server Message Block
SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol
SoDIMM: Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module
SOHO: Small Office/Home Office
SP: Service Pack
SPDIF: Sony-Philips Digital Interface Format
SPGA: Staggered Pin Grid Array
SRAM: Static Random Access Memory
SSD: Solid State Drive
SSH: Secure Shell
SSID: Service Set Identifier
SSL: Secure Sockets Layer
SSO: Single Sign-On
ST: Straight Tip
STP: Shielded Twisted Pair
SXGA: Super Extended Graphics Array
TACACS: Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System
TCP: Transmission Control Protocol
TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
TDR: Time Domain Reflectometer
TFTP: Trivial File Transfer Protocol
TKIP: Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
TLS: Transport Layer Security
TN: Twisted Nematic
TPM: Trusted Platform Module
UAC: User Account Control
UDF: User Defined Functions or Universal Disk Format or Universal Data Format
UDP: User Datagram Protocol
UEFI: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
UNC: Universal Naming Convention
UPnP: Universal Plug and Play
USP: Uninterruptible Power Supply
URL: Uniform Resource Locator
USB: Universal Serial Bus
USMT: User State Migration Tool
UTM: Unified Threat Management
UTP: Unshielded Twisted Pair
UXGA: Ultra Extended Graphics Array
VA: Vertical Alignment
VDC: Volts DC
VDI: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
VESA: Video Electronics Standards Association
VFAT: Virtual File Allocation Table
VGA: Video Graphics Array
VLAN: Virtual LAN
VM: Virtual Machine
VNC: Virtual Network Computer
VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol
VPN: Virtual Private Network
VRAM: Video Random Access Memory
WAN: Wide Area Network
WAP: Wireless Access Protocol/Wireless Access Point
WEP: Wired Equivalent Privacy
WIFI: Wireless Fidelity
WINS: Windows Internet Name Service
WLAN: Wireless Local Area Network
WMN: Wireless Mesh Network
WPA: Wireless Protected Access
WPA2: WiFi Protected Access 2
WPS: WiFi Protected Setup
WUXGA: Wide Ultra Extended Graphics Array
WWAN: Wireless Wide Area Network
XGA: Extended Graphics Array
ZIF: Zero-Insertion-Force
ZIP: Zigzag Inline Package