Glossary - Acomdata HD500FPMM User Manual

Glossary

Bit - The smallest unit of digital data. In binary code, a bit is represented logically as a
either a 1 or a 0.
Buffer – RAM cache that temporarily stores data so it can be delivered to a device
as it is needed. Hard drives use RAM cache for faster transfers. Data that is read from
cache memory can be accessed much more quickly than data that is read directly
from the disk.
Bus – An electronic link that can transmit data between digital devices, such as com-
puters and computer peripherals.
Byte – A unit of digital data, usually made up of eight bits.
Capacity – The amount of data that can be stored on a storage device. Hard drive
capacity is typically measured in Gigabytes.
Daisy chain – A hardware configuration in which peripheral devices are connected
to each other in series rather than each device being connected directly to the host
computer.
Device driver – Software that enables a computer to communicate with peripheral
devices, such as hard drives and CD drives. Each type of device requires a driver.
FAT32 – A type of file system that organizes files on a disk. FAT32 is standard for
Windows 98SE and Me, and is supported under Windows 2000 and XP. A single file is
limited in size to 4 GB.
Format – Sets up a file system for storing and retrieving files on a disk. Referred to as
initialization on Mac.
Gigabyte – 1,024 megabytes (binary); 1,000 megabytes (decimal), or approximately
one billion bytes.
Hard Drive – An electromechanical device used for information storage and retrieval,
incorporating one or more rotating disks (platters) on which data is recorded, stored,
and read magnetically.
- 92 -
Hardware – Physical components of a computer system.
Hot-Pluggable – The ability to connect and disconnect external devices while the
computer is running.
Hub – A device which links peripherals together onto the same data bus.
Interface – Junction between two items of hardware or software for the exchange of
data.
Mb (Megabit) – One million bits.
Mbps (Megabits per second) – A data transmission speed of one million bits per sec-
ond. Data transmissions are measured in bits (kilobits, megabits etc) per second.
MB (Megabyte) – 1,048,576 bytes (binary); 1,000,000 bytes (decimal).
NTFS – The primary file system for Windows 2000 and XP operating systems that
organizes files on your computer. Supports large capacity hard drives up to 2 TB.
Operating System (OS) – Software that controls the assignment and use of hardware
and software resources.
Partition – A way to logically divide a hard drive. An operating system treats each
partition as if it were a separate drive.
Peripheral – A generic term for hard drives, printers, scanners and other discrete
devices that add functionality to a computer.
Port – A connection which enables compatible devices to send and receive data. A
port can be either hardware-based or software based.
Software – A set of instructions that enable a computer to perform pre-programmed
functions in the order specified by the user.
Startup Disk – The disk from which a computer loads its operating system at startup.
Volume – A fixed amount of storage on a hard drive. The term volume is often used
as a synonym for the drive itself, but it is possible for a single drive to contain more
than one volume or for a volume to span more than one drive.
- 93 -