ITSpedia - Your IT Encyclopedia / April 2026

We’ve prepared three more articles for our ITSpedia this April. Do you know what all these terms mean? Brush up on your knowledge or learn them with us. As always, you can find the complete list of entries below as a downloadable PDF.

Latest entries in the collection

Digital twin

Digital twin – a digital model of a physical object, device, process, or entire environment that continuously reflects its state and behavior based on data from sensors, applications, and other systems. It is used for simulations, predictions, operational optimization, maintenance planning, or testing changes without interfering with the real-world environment.

Our tip: A digital twin isn’t just a pretty 3D visualization. Its true value only emerges when the model is linked to real-world data, has a clear operational use case, and can support decision-making—not just make a good impression during a presentation.

Edge AI

Deploying AI models directly on devices or computing nodes close to the data source, rather than processing everything in a central cloud. The benefits include lower latency, reduced reliance on connectivity, better data protection, and the ability to respond in real time in sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, energy, and IoT.

Our tip: Edge AI makes sense in situations where every millisecond counts or where you don’t want to send sensitive data to the cloud. Before deploying it, however, consider not only the model but also the device lifecycle, remote management, updates, and the security of the inference layer.

SBOM

Software Bill of Materials – a formal list of components, libraries, and dependencies that make up a software product. An SBOM increases transparency in the software supply chain and helps quickly determine whether a product is affected by a known vulnerability or a risky component. NIST describes it as a formal record of components and their relationships in the software development process; CISA likens it to a software “ingredients list.”

Our tip: An SBOM isn’t an end in itself. It’s only valuable if you can regularly update the data, map it to vulnerabilities, and use it in procurement, operations, and security audits. Otherwise, it’s just another PDF gathering dust in a drawer.