Plain-English Glossary (No Jargon)
This page explains common terms you’ll see in cloud storage, file transfer, hosting, and VPN/security. It’s designed for creators working with large files—fast to skim, easy to understand.
How to use this glossary
- Use search if you’re in a hurry.
- Use category filters to reduce noise.
- Examples show how the term affects real creator workflows.
Need a recommendation? Use the Storage Advisor. Need client delivery? Browse File Transfer Tools.
Terms (A–Z)
Search + filter above will narrow the list instantly.
A
Common starting terms you’ll see in storage and web tools.
Access Control
Rules that decide who can view, download, edit, or share files (or site admin tools).
Approval / Review
A workflow where a client can comment, request changes, and approve a final version—without messy email threads.
Archive Storage
Cheaper storage for files you rarely access. Often slower to retrieve (and sometimes costs extra to pull data back out).
Auto-Scaling
Hosting that can add resources automatically when traffic spikes (so your site doesn’t crash when a post goes viral).
B
Backup, bandwidth, and billing basics.
Backup
A second (or third) copy of your files stored separately so you can recover from mistakes, device failure, or accidental deletion.
Bandwidth
How much data you can send/receive per second. Higher bandwidth usually means faster uploads/downloads (if everything else is also solid).
Billing Cycle
How often you’re charged—monthly or annually. Annual can be cheaper, but it’s a bigger upfront cost.
Block-Level Sync
When only the changed parts of a file are uploaded—not the entire file again. This can save huge time on large projects.
C
Caching, CDN, compliance, and collaboration.
Caching
Saving a “ready-to-serve” version of your site so pages load faster (instead of rebuilding everything each visit).
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of servers around the world that deliver your site images and files from a location close to the visitor.
Client Delivery Link
A shareable link for a client to download deliverables (often with expiry, password, or download tracking).
Client-Side Encryption
Encryption happens on your device before upload. The provider stores encrypted data and typically can’t read your files.
CMS (Content Management System)
Software that helps you edit a website without coding. WordPress is a common example.
Compliance
Following rules or standards (legal or industry) for data handling. Relevant if you store client data or sensitive files.
D
Downloads, DNS, and data protection basics.
Download Tracking
Seeing whether a client downloaded your files (and sometimes how many times).
DNS
The system that connects your domain name (yourwebsite.com) to your website host.
Data Breach
When data is exposed or stolen (often due to hacking, misconfigurations, or leaked credentials).
Data Egress Fees
Charges for downloading data out of a service. Some “cheap storage” becomes expensive when you retrieve lots of data.
E
Encryption and expiry—creator-critical.
Encryption
Scrambling data so it’s unreadable without the key. Good encryption helps protect files if data is intercepted or stolen.
Expiry (Link Expiration)
A setting that makes a download link stop working after a certain date/time.
External Drive Sync
Keeping an external drive folder synced to the cloud. Useful for large libraries, but requires careful setup.
F
File locks, formats, and faster delivery tools.
File Versioning
Keeping older versions of a file so you can roll back if something breaks or gets overwritten.
File Lock / File Conflict
When two people edit the same file at the same time, services may create “conflicted copies.” File locking prevents this.
File Transfer vs Cloud Storage
File transfer is for sending a delivery (often one-time). Cloud storage is for ongoing syncing and keeping files long-term.
G
General terms you’ll see everywhere.
GPU / Hardware Acceleration
Some workloads use special hardware (GPU) for speed. Not usually a “hosting for portfolios” concern, but seen in technical plans.
Geolocation
Determining a user’s approximate location from their IP. VPNs can change the “apparent” location by routing through another region.
H
Hosting essentials and hidden gotchas.
Hosting
A service that stores your website files and serves them to visitors. Your domain points to it via DNS.
HTTP / HTTPS
HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP (it encrypts data between the visitor and your site). Most sites should use HTTPS.
I
Identity, IP, and integrations.
IP Address
A numeric address assigned to your device on the internet. A VPN can route your traffic through another IP.
Integration
When one tool connects to another (e.g., your storage integrates with editing tools or your website integrates with forms/email).
J
A few rarer terms.
JavaScript
A language used to add interactive behavior to websites (like the quiz and filters on this site).
K
Keys and knowledge basics.
Key (Encryption Key)
The “secret” used to encrypt/decrypt data. If you lose the key in some systems, you may lose access permanently.
L
Latency, logging, and link controls.
Latency
Delay before data starts moving. Even with fast bandwidth, high latency can feel “sluggish.”
Link Password
A password required to download from a link. Good when sending client work or sensitive files.
Logs
Records of activity (logins, downloads, changes). Useful for troubleshooting and security review.
M
Managed services and multi-device work.
Managed Hosting
A hosting setup where the provider handles more maintenance (updates, security hardening, caching, backups).
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA / 2FA)
An extra login step beyond a password (code app, text, or hardware key). This is one of the best safety upgrades.
N
Networking basics for speed and safety.
No-Logs Policy
A claim that a VPN doesn’t keep records of your activity. It’s a trust factor—read details carefully, but don’t obsess.
Network Throttling
When your ISP or network limits speed for certain types of traffic or at certain times.
O
Ownership and organization.
Offline Access
Keeping selected files available on a device even when you’re offline, then syncing changes later.
Object Storage
A storage type used by developers and large systems. It’s powerful and scalable but usually less “friendly” for creators day-to-day.
P
Permissions, plans, and practical settings.
Permissions
Controls for what someone can do: view, comment, edit, upload, download, or reshare.
Per-User Pricing
Pricing that increases based on number of users/seats. Good for teams, but can surprise you if your team grows quickly.
Preview
Viewing a file (image/video/audio) in the browser before downloading. Helpful for client selection and approvals.
Password Manager
A tool that stores strong passwords securely so you don’t reuse passwords across accounts.
Q
Quality-of-life terms.
Quota
Your storage limit. If you exceed it, uploads stop or you must upgrade.
R
Recovery and reliability terms.
Recovery (File Restore)
Getting back deleted files or older versions. Services differ on how long they keep recoverable versions.
Rollback
Restoring a previous version of your site (files/database) after a bad update.
Rate Limiting
Limiting how many requests a user can make in a short time, which helps reduce abuse and brute-force login attempts.
S
The biggest category: sync, sharing, speed, and security basics.
Sync
Keeping files consistent across devices by uploading changes and downloading updates automatically.
Selective Sync
Choosing which folders download to a device. Everything can still exist in the cloud, but only some folders live locally.
Smart Sync / Online-Only Files
Files appear on your computer but don’t take full space until you open/download them.
Share Link
A link that lets others access a file or folder. Good services offer controls like expiry, password, and permissions.
SSL Certificate
A certificate that enables HTTPS (secure browsing). Most hosts include this now.
Staging Site
A private copy of your site where you can test changes before pushing them live.
Secure Link
A link protected by settings like password, expiry, limited downloads, or allowed emails/domains.
T
Terms that relate to speed, trust, and teams.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
See MFA/2FA. It’s one of the best upgrades for account safety, especially for email and cloud storage.
Tiered Plans
Plans with increasing features or limits (storage size, team seats, security controls).
Threat Model
Fancy term for “what are you protecting against?” For creators, it’s usually account takeover and accidental loss—not spy-movie hacking.
U
Uptime and usability.
Uptime
How often a service is available and working. Higher uptime means your site (or downloads) are accessible more consistently.
Upload Resume
The ability to continue an upload after a network interruption instead of starting from zero.
V
VPN and version-related terms.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A service that routes your internet connection through a secure tunnel. It’s most useful on public Wi-Fi and when traveling.
Version History
A timeline of older versions of files. Similar to versioning, but often shown as a “history” view.
W
Website and workflow essentials.
WordPress
A popular website system that makes it easier to publish pages and blog posts without coding. Hosts often specialize in it.
Web Hosting vs Website Builder
Hosting is where your site “lives.” A website builder is the tool you use to design and edit it. Some products bundle both.
X
Less common but occasionally seen.
XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)
A type of website vulnerability where attackers inject scripts into pages. Most creators just need good hosting, updates, and sensible plugins.
Y
Rare term bucket.
Yearly Billing
Paying annually instead of monthly. Often cheaper overall, but higher upfront cost.
Z
Privacy-focused terms.
Zero-Knowledge Encryption
A privacy approach where the provider doesn’t have the keys to decrypt your files—so they can’t read them (in theory and design).
Want even more terms?
If you tell me the top 3 confusing phrases you’ve seen on provider pricing pages (copy/paste them), I’ll add them here in the same plain-English style.