Jargon abounds in the technical IT industry, with obscure-but-precise language sometimes getting in the way of conceptual understanding. The term endpoint fits the bill. While it may make sense to a seasoned IT professional, the rest of us may need a little help.

What exactly is an endpoint? Why does it matter?

According to Wikipedia, “endpoint” is a hardcore punk band from Louisville, Kentucky. A more common definition for endpoint in computer networking, architecture, and operations, however, is a mobile device such as a laptop, phone, or tablet.

Key Takeaways on Endpoints

  • An endpoint in IT terminology refers to any device connected to a network that communicates back and forth, including laptops, phones, and tablets.
  • Originally denoting network devices like modems and printers, the term has evolved to emphasize devices at the network’s periphery, especially in network security contexts.
  • The rise of workforce mobility has expanded endpoint use, necessitating robust IT security measures like VPNs and cloud endpoint backup technologies to protect data outside the corporate firewall.
  • Modern IT approaches advocate for continuous security across devices and networks, shifting from a focus on securing fixed machines to ensuring the safety of mobile endpoints.

The Origins of The Endpoint Meaning

The term has its origin in reference to computer networks.

The endpoint is a device or node that is connected to the LAN or WAN and accepts communications back and forth across the network. In a traditional sense, an endpoint can be a modem, hub, bridge, or switch.

It also could be data terminal equipment (such as a digital telephone handset, router, or printer) or a host computer (such as a workstation or a server).

Yet today endpoint is used most commonly in network security and end user mobility circles to mean any device outside the corporate firewall. That could be a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone on the “edge” (or periphery) of the network and which individuals connect to the central network.

How Endpoint Are Used in Today’s World

Endpoint use is increasing in the business world due to workforce mobility, by which I mean the rarity that you’re ever in your office, much less tethered to a desk.

Traditional network-focused protocols are designed for the PC-era and the desktop.

With over 30% of data outside the firewall on endpoint devices, IT needs to deal with security and communications in real time, across varying locations and bandwidths, with possibly insecure apps loaded on an ever-increasing number of devices, with consistent exposure to malware across Internet protocols.

The IT Department: Saving The Endpoint Challenges

IT teams solve the challenges of endpoints using a variety of technologies (such as virtual private networks, VPNs) that enable safe connection to the main, managed network.

Cloud endpoint backup technologies also enable real-time backup of the data on endpoints, minimizing the risk of data loss. They also give IT tools to manage corporate data on endpoints, such as the ability to remote wipe and create a trusted data store in the cloud.

Ironically, endpoints are fast becoming a more common way to compute and communicate than the local, fixed machines from which they were derived.

The notion of a safe and secure network and insecure endpoints is fast giving way to a more modern concept: that of computing across any device or network, with always-on security protecting companies and users across local and cloud-enabled storage.