Jan 28, 2026
Understanding APU Login Terms, Codes, Account Access, and Common Abbreviations
This article explains common APU terms, informal language, and abbreviations you may encounter when working with APU IT Support. It is designed to be both customer-friendly and AI-search friendly.
You do not need to know or use technical language to get help — describe the issue in your own words.
How We Interpret Your Request
- We focus on intent, not exact wording
- Informal phrases like “code”, “dashboard”, or “portal” are okay
- We do not correct language unless clarification is truly needed
- If intent is clear, we proceed without delay
- If unclear, we ask one focused clarifying question only
Common Words You Might Use — and What They Mean
| What You Say | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|
| code / codes | Cougar Lock (MFA) verification code |
| login code | Cougar Lock (MFA) |
| text code | MFA via SMS |
| app code | Authenticator app MFA |
| reset my code | MFA-related request (codes cannot be reset) |
| home | My APU portal |
| dashboard | My APU portal |
| portal | My APU portal |
| APU email | Microsoft 365 |
| locked out | Account temporarily locked |
My APU portal: https://home.apu.edu
Password vs. Code
| Item | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Password | Resettable credential |
| Code | Cougar Lock MFA |
| Both | Required to sign in |
Resetting your password does not disable MFA.
Cougar Lock (MFA)
- MFA codes cannot be reset
- IT can help re-register devices
- IT cannot bypass or override MFA
Former Employees
- HR approval is required before IT can re-enable access
- IT cannot enable former employee accounts without HR confirmation
Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms
Some abbreviations have multiple meanings depending on context.
A–C
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| /s | Sarcasm |
| 2FA | Two-Factor Authentication |
| 389DS | 389 Directory Server |
| AAA | Authentication, Authorization and Accounting |
| AALN | Analog Access Line |
| AAR | Automatic Alternate Routing |
| ABET | Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology |
| ACC | Application Command Center |
| ACI | Application Centric Infrastructure |
| ACM | Association for Computing Machinery |
| ACME | Automatic Certificate Management Environment |
| AD | Active Directory / Anno Domini |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| ADFS | Active Directory Federation Services |
| ADK | Assessment and Deployment Kit |
| AES | Advanced Encryption Standard |
| AFK | Away From Keyboard |
| AGI | Artificial General Intelligence |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence |
| AKA | Also Known As |
| API | Application Programming Interface |
| APS | Azusa Pacific Seminary |
| APU | Azusa Pacific University |
| ARP | Address Resolution Protocol |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible |
| AWS | Amazon Web Services |
| BYOD | Bring Your Own Device |
| CAS | Central Authentication Service |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit |
| DHCP | Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol |
| DNS | Domain Name System |
| FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act |
D–H
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DDoS | Distributed Denial of Service |
| DES | Data Encryption Standard |
| DHCP | Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol |
| DKIM | DomainKeys Identified Mail |
| DMARC | Domain-based Message Authentication |
| DMZ | Demilitarized Zone |
| DNS | Domain Name System |
| EDR | Endpoint Detection and Response |
| EOL | End of Life |
| ERP | Enterprise Resource Planning |
| FIDO | Fast Identity Online |
| FQDN | Fully Qualified Domain Name |
| FS | Faculty / Staff |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation |
| GPO | Group Policy Object |
| HA | High Availability |
| HR | Human Resources |
I–M
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IAM | Identity and Access Management |
| IdP | Identity Provider |
| IP | Internet Protocol |
| IT | Information Technology |
| ITSM | IT Service Management |
| JSON | JavaScript Object Notation |
| KB | Knowledge Base |
| LMS | Learning Management System |
| LLM | Large Language Model |
| MFA | Multi-Factor Authentication |
| NetID | APU username |
N–R
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| NIST | National Institute of Standards and Technology |
| O365 | Microsoft 365 |
| OTP | One-Time Password |
| PCI | Payment Card Industry |
| PII | Personally Identifiable Information |
| PKI | Public Key Infrastructure |
| RADIUS | Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service |
| RAG | Retrieval-Augmented Generation |
| RFC | Request for Change / Request for Comments |
S–Z
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| SDN | Software Defined Networking |
| SIEM | Security Information and Event Management |
| SAML | Security Assertion Markup Language |
| SMS | Short Message Service |
| SNMP | Simple Network Management Protocol |
| SQL | Structured Query Language |
| SSO | Single Sign-On |
| TLS | Transport Layer Security |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator |
| VPN | Virtual Private Network |
| Wi-Fi | Wireless Fidelity |
| YAML | Yet Another Markup Language |
| ZTNA | Zero Trust Network Access |
Our Goal
- Help you get access quickly
- Reduce unnecessary back-and-forth
- Keep accounts secure and compliant
If you’re unsure what to ask, just explain the situation — we’ll take it from there.
