# Glossary

#### Iterati Label

The Iterati physical authenticity label is an encrypted, non-cloneable, NFC based authenticity label which creators attach to their physical artworks as part of the certification process. Labels are tamper-evident and cannot be removed/reattached to another object after initial application.

#### Certificate of Authenticity

Iterati's Certificates of Authenticity are digital descriptors/profiles linked to every physical label that contain metadata about the label and its associated physical artwork. Certificates of Authenticity are stored using a decentralized data store called the [Ceramic Network](https://ceramic.network).

#### Collection Enrollment

Enrollment is the process of adding a new collection to the Iterati platform, either by importing an existing NFT smart contract or deploying a new custom NFT smart contract through Iterati.

#### Collection

A collection is a logical grouping of artworks. Traditionally, artworks that share a common aesthetic, theme or are meant to be displayed together are grouped into collections. On Iterati, artworks within the same collection are minted to the same smart contract and share a single storefront, which creators are able to customize with collection-level metadata.

#### Artwork

Adding an artwork to Iterati can be thought of as creating a digital profile for a physical artwork. This digital profile contains text and image based metadata that gets seen by collectors who tap its associated NFC label.

#### Certification

Certification describes the process of attaching an Iterati NFC label to a physical work and linking that NFC label to a digital profile on Iterati with a Certificate of Authenticity.

### Underlying Technologies

#### NFC

NFC or Near-Field-Communication is a short-range wireless communication protocol, typically requiring a distance of 4 cm or less to initiate a connection. NFC lets you share small payloads of data between an NFC tag and powered devices like modern smart phones.

#### AES-CMAC

AES-CMAC, based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), is a highly secure method for verifying the authenticity and integrity of information. It generates a unique code (or tag) for data, making it extremely difficult for unauthorized parties to alter or forge the data without detection. Iterati labels use AES-CMAC to ensure every NFC tap is authentic.

#### IPFS

The [Interplanetary File System](https://ipfs.tech/) (IPFS) is a decentralized file system for storing and discovering content over a peer-to-peer network of nodes.

#### Ceramic Network

The [Ceramic Network](https://ceramic.network/) is a decentralized data network built on top of IPFS enabling applications to upload, mutate, and index data stored on IPFS nodes.

#### Non-Fungible Token (NFT)

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique cryptographic assets on a blockchain with unique properties and metadata that distinguish them from each other.