Definition: SMS

(1) (Short Message Service) SMS is the text messaging service on mobile phones. Due to the billions of cellphones in use, SMS, or "texting" is the most ubiquitous messaging system on the planet. Text messages are limited to 160 characters in length and are sent to regular cellphone numbers. For commercial purposes, texting can be used to retrieve information as well as links to download an app (see short code).

Like instant messaging, SMS transmits the sender's message to the recipient immediately. It also stores and forwards messages later if a recipient's phone was turned off. SMS pricing differs by carrier. It is very often included in the subscriber's plan, or there may be a charge per message.

Traveling over a control channel separate from the voice channel, SMS was introduced in the GSM system in Europe and migrated worldwide to all cellphone carriers (see GSM). Whereas SMS is text only, MMS supports multimedia (see MMS). See text messaging vs. instant messaging.

Regular Cellphone Keypads

Texting can be done on standard cellphones by pressing keys multiple times quickly. For example, press 8-4-4-3-3 for the word "t-h-e." See cellphone keyboard.

(2) (Systems Management Server) Systems management software from Microsoft that was introduced in 1994 for Windows NT Server. SMS required a Microsoft SQL Server database and was used to distribute software, monitor and analyze network usage and perform various network administration tasks. In 2007, SMS was superseded by System Center Configuration Manager (see SCCM). See SMS Installer.

(3) (Storage Management System) Software used to routinely back up and archive files. See HSM.

(4) (System-Managed Storage) Enhanced data management software for MVS mainframes from IBM. Introduced in 1988, it provides functions such as automatically allocating data, which prevents most out-of-space errors when disk volumes become full. See DFSMS.

(5) (Storage Management Services) Software from Novell that allowed data to be stored and retrieved on NetWare servers independent of the file system the data were maintained in (DOS, OS/2, Mac, etc.). SMS was used to back up data from heterogeneous clients on the network, and various third-party backup products were SMS compliant. See SIDF.