Always On

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What Does Always On Mean?

Always on in a technology context refers to systems that are continuously available, plugged in, or connected to power sources and networks. Always on may also refer to systems that are continually operational – that do not take breaks, but continue to hum along through all hours of the day and night. It most often refers to an internet connection that is always accessible.

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Techopedia Explains Always On

As computing became more sophisticated, always-on systems have started to replace older on-demand systems that functioned on different types of resources. For example, some of the best examples of modern always-on systems are cable modems and DSL connections. That is a contrast to yesterday's dial-up connections that were only "on" when they were connected through a particular method using the public switched telephone network.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.