Term
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Definition
| A pathway in a computer used to transmit information. This pathway is used to send CPU instructions and other data being transferred within the computer. |
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Term
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Definition
| A process that reduces the reliance on the CPU for input/output activities on a computer's bus. Interface cards that have bus mastering can take control of the bus for faster data flow. |
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Definition
| Rate at which the CPU sends bursts of data through a computer's busses. |
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Definition
| Speed at which data moves through the disk controller along the data channel to a disk drive. |
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Definition
| Amount of time it takes for a disk drive to read or write data by moving a red/write head to the location of the data. |
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Term
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Definition
| A falult-tolerance method similar to disk mirroring in that it prevents data loss by duplicating data from a main disk to a backup disk; but disks duplexing places the backup disk on a different controller or adapter than is used by the main disk. |
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Term
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Definition
| A falut-tolerance method that prevents data loss by duplicating data from a main disk to a backup disk. Some operating systems also refer to this as disk shadowing. |
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Term
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Definition
| Software that enables a computer to communicate with devices like network interface cards, printers, monitors, and hard disk drives. Each driver has a specific purpose such as to handle network communications. |
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Term
| Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI) |
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Definition
| An early device interface for computer peripherals and hard disk drives. |
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Term
| Error Checking and Correcting Memory (ECC) |
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Definition
| Memory that can correct some types of memory problems without causing computer operations to hault. |
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Term
| Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) |
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Definition
| A computer bus design incorporates 32-bit communications within a computer. It is an industry standard used by several computer manufacturers. |
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Term
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Definition
| A high-speed method for connecting computer peripherals, such as disk drives, to servers and other host computers through copper and fiber-optic cable. Current implementations of Fibre Channel in Windows 2000 servers provide data transfer rates up to 1 Gbps. |
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Term
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Definition
| Software that is stored on a chip in a device, such as in a ROM chip, and that is used to control basic functions of the device such as communication with a disk drive. |
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Term
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Definition
| The capacity to send and receive signals at the same time. |
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Term
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Definition
| The ability to send or receive signals, but not simultaneously. |
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Term
| Hardware Compataibility List (HLC) |
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Definition
| A list of computer hardware tested by Microsoft and determined to be compatible with Windows 2000 Server. |
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Term
| Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) |
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Definition
| An older expansion bus design dating back to the 1980s, supporting 8-but and 16-bit cards and with a data transfer rate of 8MBps. |
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Term
| Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) |
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Definition
| An inexpensive hard disk interface that is used on Intel-based computers from the 80286 to Pentium computers. |
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Term
| Intelligent Input/Output (I2O) |
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Definition
| A computer communications archecture that removes some of the I/O processing activities from the main processor to I2O devices use one general device driver for all I2O-compliant devices. |
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Term
| Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) |
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Definition
| A bus architecture that is used in older IBM Intel-based computers. It provides 32-bit communications within the computer. |
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Term
| Network Interface Card (NIC) |
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Definition
| An adapter board designed to connect a workstation, server, or other network equiptment to a network medium. |
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Term
| Peripheral Computer Interface (PCI) |
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Definition
| A computer bus design that supports 32-bit and 64-bit bus communication for high-speed operations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Ability of added computer hardware, such as an adapter or modem, to identify itself to the computer operating system for installation. |
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Term
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Definition
| A special data storage area used only by the sytem processor and located on either the processor chip or a chip separate from the processor. |
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Term
| Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) |
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Definition
| A computer that has a CPU that requires fewer instructions for common operations. The processor works faster because the commands to the CPU are reduced. |
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Term
| Redundant Array of INexpensive (or Independent) Disks (RAID) |
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Definition
| A set of standards designed to extend the life of hard disk drives and to prevent data loss from a hard disk failure. |
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Term
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Definition
| Linking two or more servers to operate as one and to equally share resources that include disk, CD-ROM, and tape resources. |
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Term
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Definition
| Linking two or more servers to operate as one, but with each owning particular disk, CR-ROM, and tape reousrces. |
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Term
| Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) |
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Definition
| A 32-bit or 64-bit computer adapter that transports data between one or more attached devices such as hard disks, and the computer. There are several types of SCSI adapters, including SCSI, SCSI-2, SCSI-3, wide SCSI, narrow SCSI, wide Ultra SCSI, and Ultra2 SCSI. All are used to provide high-speed data transfer to reduce bottlenecks within the computer. |
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Term
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Definition
| A data storage method that breaks up data files accross all volumes of a disk set to minimize wear on a single volume. |
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Term
| Symmetric Multiprocessor (SMP) |
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Definition
| A type of computer with two or more CPUs that share the processing load. |
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Term
| Universal Serial Bus (USB) |
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Definition
| A bus standard that enables you to attach all types of devices-keyboards, cameras, pointing devices, telephones, and tape drives, for example- to one bus port on a compuer. Up to 127 devices can be attached to one port, and it is not necessary to power off the computer when you attach a device. USB was developed to replace the traditional serial and parallel bus technologies on computers. |
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