What Does Provisioning (Computer Networking) Mean?
Provisioning is the enterprise-wide configuration, deployment and management of multiple types of IT system resources. An organization’s IT or HR department oversees the provisioning process, which is applied to monitor user and customer access rights and privacy while ensuring enterprise resource security.
Provisioning is the fourth step in the Operations, Administration, Maintenance and Provisioning (OAMP) management framework.
Techopedia Explains Provisioning (Computer Networking)
Provisioning provides equipment, software or services to customers, users, employees or IT personnel and has contexts in computing, computer networking and telecommunications. In the context of computer networking, provisioning is divided into the following subsets:
- Internet access provisioning: Includes multiple client system configuration steps that vary according to connection technology and involve modem configuration, driver installation, wireless local area network (LAN) setup, Internet browser configuration, email system configuration and additional user-requested software installation.
- Server provisioning: Prepares a server for network operation via the installation and connection of data, software and systems.
- Storage Area Network (SAN) provisioning: Optimizes performance by efficiently appropriating storage to all users.