A computer component that enhances the processing
speed of a particular device, usually by taking over
some of the tasks originally assigned by that device.
For example, a video accelerator card will take over
some of the graphic functions originally assigned to
the microprocessor.
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. An
industry standard developed by Intel®, Microsoft®,
and Toshiba for computer power management. The
key element of the standard is that the OS controls
power management. In previous standards, most of
the power management tasks were run by the BIOS,
with limited intervention by the OS. In ACPI, the
BIOS communicates with hardware components in
the computer, but the OS controls power
management operations.
Accelerated graphics port. A high-speed graphics port
that produces fast communication between the
graphics controller and computer. It allows the video
controller to directly access the computer's main
memory and bypass the PCI bus. A video expansion
card installed in this port can run almost twice as fast
as that in a PCI slot. This also helps to reduce the
traffic on the PCI bus.
Advanced programmable interrupt controller.
Prioritizes and manages IRQs for the various devices
in a PC. Without an APIC, the microprocessor must
control IRQs.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
The basis of character sets used in many present-day
computers. ASCII can be used to convey some
control codes, the space character, numbers, most
basic punctuation, and unaccented lower- and upper-
case letters.
A system of numbers having 2 as its base and using 0
and 1 for its notation. Binary code is used by
computers because it works well with digital
electronics and logic.
Basic input/output system. Composed of software and
data stored on a ROM chip. The BIOS initializes
communication between the microprocessor and
devices such as the keyboard and video adapter. The
BIOS also controls system functions such as error
messages and beep codes. The BIOS can be updated,
or "flashed," which can correct errors, support new
hardware, and so on. System setup allows you to
configure certain options in the BIOS.
A shortened reference to binary digit. A bit is the
smallest unit of storage and represents a quantity that
can have only one of two possible values, such as true
or false, or 0 or 1.
British Thermal Unit. A measurement of thermal
energy that equals approximately 1055 joules (or
1055 watt-seconds), or the amount of thermal energy
necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of
pure liquid water by one degree F at the temperature
at which water has its greatest density (39 °F).
An electronic pathway that links computer
components such as the microprocessor, RAM,
expansion cards, and so on. The "width" of a bus
indicates the amount of data that can move along the
bus and is determined by the number of parallel
conductors in the bus. For example, a 32-bit bus has
32 conductors and can move 32 bits of data at once.
The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast a
bus can transfer information. For example, PCI bus
speeds are 33 or 66 MHz, and the AGP bus speed is
66 MHz. Intel Pentium® microprocessors have bus
speeds of 66 or 100 MHz. The microprocessor
operating speed is determined by a combination of
the bus speed and multiplier; for example, 100 MHz
bus speed x 4.5 multiplier = 450 MHz
microprocessor speed.
An area of high-speed RAM set aside to store
frequently accessed data. When data is accessed, a
copy is stored in cache memory. The next time the
microprocessor looks for information, it first checks
the cache. If the data is there, the microprocessor
retrieves it from the much-faster cache memory.
Drive caching and RAM caching significantly
improve the overall speed of the computer. See also
L1 Cache and L2 Cache.
Common Information Model. CIM allows remote
management application programs to access system
management information on a client computer
running any Microsoft Windows® OS that includes
the WBEM core components.
The speed, given in MHz, that indicates how fast
computer components operate that are connected to
the system bus. The speed is generated by a quartz
crystal on the system board that acts as a kind of
metronome. Components that are synchronized with
the clock speed can run faster or slower, but their
speed is determined by multiplying or dividing a
factor by the clock speed.
Certificate of Authenticity. The Microsoft Windows
COA is a 25-digit alpha-numeric code located on a
sticker on your computer. You need the COA to
complete the OS setup or reinstallation. Also referred
to as the Product Key or Product ID. For more
information, see http://support.dell.com.
A shortened reference to communications port. The
typical designation for a serial port connection to a
modem or other serial device. Most computers
support one or two serial ports designated as COM1
and COM2.
An I/O character that causes an action rather than
appears as part of the data. You can input most
control codes by simultaneously pressing the <Ctrl>
key and a letter or character on the keyboard. Some
control codes usually have their own assigned keys,
such as <Escape>, <Tab>, <Delete>,
<Backspace>, and <Enter>. Different OSs and
programs have their own conventions for what effect
certain control codes will have, such as interrupting
the current process or suspending output. Control
codes can also be used to affect an output device, such
as causing a printer to start a new line of text.
Part of a computer, typically a separate circuit board
or chip, that allows the computer to use certain kinds
of devices. Types of controllers include hard-drive,
network, keyboard, interrupt, and graphics
controllers.
Cost of ownership. Business asset data that helps an
organization collect and track information about its
assets. COO data is contained in a file on a computer,
defining the fiscal aspects of the computer, such as
ownership status, warranty information, lease
configuration, acquisition information, and so on.
The computer is a technology investment, and COO
business asset data provides organizations with
information they can use to target the reduction of
maintenance and support costs, as well as to assist
system integrators track the cost of computers they
provide for their customers.
Continuity Rambus in-line memory module (RIMM).
Module that provides electrical continuity through
the Rambus channel when the channel is not fully
populated. All Rambus slots in a system must be filled
with either a RIMM or a CRIMM.
Digital audio tape. A type of magnetic tape originally
designed for audio format, now also used in
computers to back up data. DAT cassettes are about
the physical size of audio cassettes and can store
numerous GB of data.
The segmentation of logically sequential data, such
as a single file, so that segments can be written to
multiple devices, usually hard drives, in a round-robin
manner. This method is useful if the microprocessor
is capable of transferring data faster than a single drive
can supply or accept it. While data is being
transferred from the first drive, the second drive can
locate the next segment.
Data communication equipment. In computer data
transmission, DCE is the RS-232 interface that a
modem or other serial device uses to exchange data
with the computer. See also DTE.
Any piece of equipment that is not part of the
essential computer (such as the microprocessor,
RAM, and data buses) but is connected to or installed
in the computer. Some devices are installed inside
the main part of the computer, such as the hard drive,
CD drive, and network adapter. Other devices are
outside the computer, such as the printer, but are
attached by a cable or wireless connection.
Deutsche Industrie Normenausschuss. A German
standards organization and member of ISO.
DIN is also a form of connector on your computer
that is round, has 5 pins, and is typically used to
connect AT keyboard cable connectors. See also
Mini-DIN.
Direct memory access. An electronic pathway or direct
channel on which a device can bypass the
microprocessor and transfer data directly to RAM. A
DMA channel is often one of the resources assigned
when configuring an expansion card or EIDE drive.
DMA is a recent alternative to PIO.
Desktop Management Interface. A standard of WfM
that provides a method to determine various
management attributes of a computer through the
use of a standard software interface.
Distributed Management Task Force. An industry
organization leading the development, adoption, and
unification of management standards and initiatives
for desktop, enterprise, and Internet environments.
Working with key technology vendors and affiliated
standards groups, the DMTF is enabling a more
integrated and efficient approach to management.
Dynamic random-access memory (RAM). Referred to
as "dynamic" because it must be regularly refreshed,
unlike SRAM, which retains a value as long as power
is supplied. See also RDRAM and SDRAM.
Direct Rambus dynamic random-access memory
(RDRAM). Provides a 16-bit bus, rather than the 8-
bit DRAM bus. At a speed of 800 MHz, the peak data
transfer rate is 1.6 billion Bps. DRDRAM uses
pipelining to accelerate processing, allowing up to
eight operations to be performed simultaneously.
Data terminal equipment. In computer data
transmission, DTE is the RS-232 interface that a
computer uses to exchange data with a modem or
other serial device. See also DCE.
Digital versatile disc. An optical form of storage
media, typically used for movies. DVD has improved
capacity and bandwidth compared with the CD.
Most DVD drives support CD media as well.
Error checking and correction. A type of RAM that
checks data that is being read or transmitted for errors
and, when necessary, corrects the errors. See also
EDO.
Extended Capabilities Port. A parallel port design that
provides improved bidirectional data transmission.
Like EPP, it uses DMA to transfer data and often
improves performance. Devices such as printers that
connect to the computer's parallel port are designed
to take advantage of the ECP standard.
Extended-data out. A type of RAM that improves the
time to read from memory on faster microprocessors
such as the Intel Pentium. For faster computers,
different types of DRAM are considered. See also
ECC.
Enhanced integrated device electronics. An improved
version of the IDE interface for hard drives and CD
drives. EIDE uses Logical Block Addressing, which
allows for hard-drive storage capacities greater than
528 MB. It makes use of DMA channels and can
address up to four drives. Also called fast ATA.
Enhanced Parallel Port. A parallel port design that
provides improved bidirectional data transmission.
Like ECP, it uses DMA to transfer data and often
improves performance. Many devices that connect to
the computer's parallel port are designed to take
advantage of the EPP standard.
Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP)/Extended Capabilities
Port (ECP). A parallel port design that provides
improved bidirectional data transmission, using
DMA. EPP is for nonprinter devices. ECP is for
printers and scanners.
An electronic circuit board that installs in an
expansion slot on the computer's system board,
expanding the capabilities of the computer.
Examples of expansion cards include, video, modem,
and sound cards.
A numeric code located on a sticker on your Dell™
computer. This code is a mathematical conversion of
the computer's Service Tag Number into a purely
numeric format allowing for easy entry into Dell's
automated call-routing system. Enter the Express
Service Code, using a touch-tone telephone, when
contacting Dell for assistance. For more information,
see http://support.dell.com.
Federal Communications Commission. A U.S. agency
responsible for enforcing communications-related
regulations on how much radiation computers and
other electronic equipment can emit.
File Transfer Protocol. A standard Internet protocol
to exchange files between computers on the Internet.
Like http, which transfers HTML pages and related
files, FTP is a protocol that uses the Internet's TCP/IP
protocols.
Graphical user interface. Software that interacts with
the user by means of menus, windows, and icons.
Most applications that operate on the Microsoft
Windows OS are GUIs.
A computer component that provides an interface
with an individual hard drive. With the introduction
of IDE, the controller was produced as a chip
integrated into the hard-drive housing, whereas it was
previously a dedicated expansion card. See also
Controller.
A piece of heat-conductive metal that can be
attached to the top of a chip, such as the
microprocessor, to draw heat away and allow the chip
to operate at a cooler temperature.
Indicates that a device can be connected to or
disconnected from a computer while the computer is
running. After the hot-swappable device is connected
to the computer, the OS can immediately recognize
and use the device.
Hypertext Markup Language. A set of codes inserted
into an Internet web page intended for display on an
Internet browser. The codes tell the browser how to
display the contents of the web page.
Hertz. A measurement of frequency that equals 1
cycle per second. Computers and electronic devices
are often measured in kilohertz (kHz), megahertz
(MHz), gigahertz (GHz), or terahertz (THz).
Input/output. An operation or device that enters
and/or extracts data from the computer. For example,
a keyboard is an input device, and a printer is an
output device.
Industry Canada. The Canadian regulatory body
responsible for regulating emissions from electronic
equipment, much as the FCC does in the United
States. IC polices the Canadian marketplace to
ensure that equipment manufactured in or imported
into Canada meet the proper emissions limits.
Integrated circuit. A microelectronic semiconductor
component consisting of many interconnected
transistors and other devices. Also called a chip.
Examples include the microprocessor, hard-drive
controller, and RAM chips.
Integrated Device Electronics. An ATA specification
for drive interface. This is a common interface used
primarily for hard drives and CD drives. This
interface is commonly integrated directly into the
computer's system board, and it allows up to four
drives to communicate simultaneously with the
computer. See also EIDE.
Each computer on the Internet has at least one IP
address that uniquely identifies it from all other
computers on the Internet. When you send or receive
data on the Internet, it contains both the sender's and
receiver's addresses. See also TCP/IP.
Internetwork packet eXchange. A networking protocol
from Novell® that interconnects networks that use
Novell's NetWare® clients and servers. See also SPX
and IPX/SPX.
Interrupt request. An electronic pathway assigned to
a specific device so that the device can communicate
with the microprocessor. Each device connection
must be assigned an IRQ. For example, the first serial
port in your computer is typically assigned to IRQ4.
Although two devices can share the same IRQ
assignment, you cannot operate both devices
simultaneously.
Industry-Standard Architecture. A standard for
IBM-compatible PCs that extends the bus
architecture to 16 bits. It also allows for bus
mastering, although only the first 16 MB of RAM are
available for direct access. ISA is sometimes referred
to as AT bus architecture.
International Organization for Standardization. A
voluntary organization founded in 1946, comprised
of the national standards organizations of many
countries. ISO determines international standards in
many areas, including computers and
communications. ANSI is the American member of
ISO.
Level 2. A larger, slower secondary cache used with
the L1 cache. In older microprocessors, the L2 cache
was usually external to the processor, contained on
chip(s) or an expansion card. On more recent
processors the L2 cache is typically integrated into
the processor.
Logical block addressing. A defining feature of EIDE
that allows a computer to address a hard drive larger
than 528 MB, up to 8.4 GB in data storage capacity.
A logical block address is a 28-bit value that maps to
a specific cylinder-head-sector address on the drive.
Low insertion force. A type of socket or connector that
allows a computer chip to be installed or removed
with minimal stress applied to either the chip or its
socket. See ZIF.
Line print terminal. The typical designation for a
parallel port connection to a printer or other parallel
device. Most computers support one or two parallel
ports designated as LPT1 and LPT2.
Low voltage differential. A form of SCSI interface that
will be formalized in the SCSI-3 specification. LVD
uses less power than the present differential drive, is
less expensive, and supports the higher speeds of
Ultra-2 SCSI drives. LVD requires 3.3 VDC instead
of 5 VDC, the previous standard.
Megabyte. A measurement of data storage that equals
1,048,576 bytes. 1 MB equals 1024 KB. When
referring to hard drive storage, the term is often
rounded to mean 1 million bytes.
Addresses assigned to physical memory locations by
the computer at start-up. These addresses allow
devices and software applications to identify
information that the microprocessor can access. This
process is referred to as Memory Mapping.
The process by which the computer assigns memory
addresses to physical memory locations at start-up.
Devices and software applications can then identify
information that the microprocessor can access.
Management Information Format. A syntax for
describing information for manageable hardware and
software components that can be installed on a
computer. See also COO, WBEM, and WfM.
A shortened reference to modulator/demodulator.
Modems convert analog data into digital data and
vice-versa so that computers can communicate over
telephone lines.
Mean time between failures. A measurement of
estimated equipment reliability. The higher the
MTBF, the longer the equipment should last. For
example, if the MTBF is 10,000 hours, the equipment
should run, on the average, at least 10,000 hours
before failing.
An expansion card that connects a computer to other
computers on a network. The network adapter works
with the network OS to transfer information over the
network. See NIC.
Non-volatile random-access memory (RAM). Memory
that does not lose its contents when you turn off your
computer. NVRAM is used for maintaining the
system configuration information such as date, time,
and other user-settable system setup options.
Usually refers to components that are physically
located on a circuit board. For example, the system
boards of many present-day computers have
integrated video, sound, and/or network controllers.
Operating system. The program that, after being
loaded initially into the computer at start-up,
manages all the other application programs in a
computer. The application programs use the OS by
making requests for services through an API. Often
the OS also allows direct interaction by the user.
An I/O port on your computer that transfers data
eight bits at a time. It uses a 25-pin, female
subminiature-D connector, typically to connect a
printer. Also referred to as an LPT port.
Private branch exchange. A telephone system owned
and operated by a private organization rather than the
telephone company. This telephone system switches
calls between users in the organization on internal
lines while allowing users to share a certain number
of external phone lines. The main purpose of a PBX
is to save the cost of requiring a separate telephone
line for each user.
Peripheral Component Interconnect. A standard for
expansion cards developed by Intel Corporation. PCI
is a local bus that supports 32- and 64-bit data paths,
providing a high-speed data path between the
microprocessor and devices such as video, drives,
network, and so on. PCI devices are PnP-compliant.
Platform event trap. A platform event is an alarm or
specified condition that originates directly from a
computer's BIOS or hardware components such as
the microprocessor or a chip. The event occurs
independently of the OS or system management
software and hardware. The platform event trap is a
format used for communicating a platform event in
an SNMP environment.
Pin grid array. A type of socket for a computer chip.
The PGA socket has all its pins lined up in even rows,
as opposed to the SPGA socket, which has its rows
staggered.
A method of processing in which a task is performed
in stages: the output of one stage is input to the next
stage.This method speeds up processing by allowing
several parts of multiple tasks to be run
simultaneously.
Programmed input/output. A method of moving data
between devices in a computer in which all data
passes through the microprocessor. The most recent
ATA/IDE standard specifies higher data transfer
rates, mode 3 at 11.1 MBps and mode 4 at 16.6 MBps.
A recent alternative to PIO is DMA.
Often referred to as Plug-n-Play or PnP. A technology
that can automatically configure devices at start-up
to use or share certain IRQs. For this to work properly
the computer's BIOS and OS must both support PnP,
and all devices being configured must also be PnP-
compliant. PCI devices are PnP-compliant.
Power-on self-test. Diagnostic programs, loaded
automatically by the BIOS during start-up, that
perform basic tests on the major computer
components, such as RAM, the hard drives, the
keyboard, video, and so on. If there are no problems
during the POST, the computer continues the start-
up and loads the OS.
Pre-boot eXecution Environment. A standard of WfM
that allows networked computers that do not have an
OS to be configured and started remotely. PXE
benefits include:
The client computer does not necessarily need its
own OS or even a hard drive.
The client computer can be remotely shut down and
restarted.
Since PXE is an industry standard, new computers
can easily be added to the network.
Redundant Array of Independent Disks. A system of
two or more drives working together for performance
and fault tolerance. RAID drives are typically used on
servers and high-end PCs.
There are a number of different RAID levels. The
three most common are 0, 3, and 5:
Level 0: Provides data striping but no redundancy.
This improves performance but does not provide
fault tolerance.
Level 3: Same as Level 0, but also reserves one
dedicated drive for error correction data, providing
good performance and some level of fault tolerance.
Level 5: Provides data striping at the byte level and
also stripe error correction information. This results
in excellent performance and good fault tolerance.
Random-access memory. The primary temporary
storage area for program instructions and data. RAM
is stored in chips on small circuit boards called
SIMMs, DIMMs, or RIMMs, that attach to the
system board. RAM, unlike ROM, is volatile, which
means that, when you turn off your computer, any
information stored in RAM is lost.
Rambus is a memory technology that is designed to
work with existing system board standards as an
alternative to DRAM. See also RIMM, RDRAM, and
DRDRAM.
Rambus dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). A
memory subsystem that can optimally transfer up to
1.6 billion bytes of data per second. The subsystem
consists of RAM, the RAM controller, and the bus
connecting RAM to the microprocessor and other
devices in the computer. See also DRDRAM.
A standard of WfM that provides the ability either to
remotely wake a computer from a low-power sleep
state or to remotely start a computer that is turned
off but connected to a power source. Remote Wake
Up, typically used to conserve power in large network
organizations and to remotely perform
maintenance/configuration operations, must be
supported by an ACPI-compatible computer.
Additionally, to start by a network connection, the
network adapter must support WOL. To start by a
telephone connection, the modem must support
WOR.
Rambus in-line memory module. A slim circuit board
containing RDRAMchips. RIMMs are plugged into
sockets on the computer's system board to add
memory to the computer. They typically must be
installed in matched pairs, meaning two sockets
forming a pair must contain RIMMs of identical
capacity, number of RDRAM chips, and speed. See
also SIMM and DIMM.
A form of connector resembling a standard telephone
jack that is typically used to connect Ethernet and
Token Ringnetwork adapters and cables. Unlike a
telephone jack, an RJ45 connector has eight wires
instead of two, four, or six.
Read-only memory. Memory that stores data and
programs that cannot be deleted or written to by the
computer. ROM, unlike RAM, retains its contents
even after you turn off your computer. Some
programs essential to the operation of your computer
reside in ROM.
Small computer system interface. A high-speed
interface that can be used to connect devices to a
computer, such as hard drives, CD drives, printers,
and scanners. The SCSI can connect up to seven
devices using a single controller. Each device is
accessed by an individual ID number on the SCSI
controller's bus. See also LVD.
Synchronous dynamic random-access memory
(DRAM). A type of DRAM used on DIMMs. SDRAM
is synchronized with the system clock speed,
operating at the same speed as the system bus.
An I/O port on your computer that transfers data
sequentially, one bit at a time. It uses either a 9-pin
or a 25-pin, male subminiature-D connector, typically
to connect a device such as a modem or mouse. Also
referred to as a COM port. See also DCE and DTE.
A five to seven-digit alpha-numeric code located on
a sticker on your Dell computer. This code is
programmed into your computer's system setup by
Dell during the manufacturing process. Dell
customer support applications use the Service Tag to
display all of the configuration and support history
information for your specific computer. See also
Express Service Code. For more information, see
http://support.dell.com.
Single in-line memory module. A slim circuit board
containing RAM chips. SIMMs can be plugged into
sockets on the computer's system board to add
memory to the computer. Depending on the
computer, SIMMs may need to be installed in
multiples of two or four. See also DIMM and RIMM.
Self-Monitoring And Reporting Tool. A standard for
developing hard drives and software systems that
automatically monitors a hard drive's health and
reports potential problems. Ideally, this should allow
you to take proactive actions to prevent impending
hard-drive failures.
Staggered pin grid array. A type of socket for a
computer chip. The SPGA socket has all its pins in
staggered rows, as opposed to the PGA socket, which
has its pins lined up in even rows.
Static random-access memory (RAM). Referred to as
"static" because it retains a value as long as power is
supplied, unlike DRAM, which must be refreshed
regularly.
A term used to indicate a manufacturing "version
number" or "revision level" of an Intel
microprocessor. The initial version of a new processor
is the A0 step. As revisions are made for functional
fixes or manufacturing improvements, the stepping
is increased. Intel recommends using identical
steppings of processors in dual-processor systems.
Shielded twisted pair. A common type of copper
wiring used for Ethernet networks. STP wiring is
constructed just like UTP, having two insulated
copper wires wound around each other to form a
"twisted pair." However, for some business locations,
twisted pairs are also enclosed in a shield that
functions as a ground.
A utility that allows you to configure user-selectable
options in the BIOS such as date and time, or system
password, as well as to set the current configuration
information, including the amount of memory or
type of hard drive installed.
Telephony Applications Programming Interface (API).
Enables Microsoft Windows program applications to
operate with a wide variety of telephony devices,
including voice, data, fax, video, and so on.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet
Protocol (IP). The basic communication protocol of
the Internet. It can also be used in a private network.
TCP/IP is a two-layer system. The higher layer, TCP,
manages the assembling of a file into smaller packets
that are transmitted by one computer over the
Internet and received by the TCP layer on another
computer. The receiving computer's TCP layer
reassembles the packets into the original message.
The lower layer, IP, addresses each packet so that it
gets to the right destination. See IP and IP Address.
Terminate-and-stay-resident. A program application
that is loaded, stays in RAM after it is terminated, and
can be reactivated by pressing a designated "hotkey"
or a combination of keys. Examples of TSRs are
calculators and calendars. OSs like Windows have the
ability to constantly switch back and forth between
applications and thereby do not require TSRs.
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. U.S. Federal law
mandates that all equipment used in a place of
business be certified as safe by a nationally recognized
test laboratory. In addition, many local electrical and
building codes and ordinances require that products
be certified by a nationally recognized test laboratory.
Because UL is one of the most widely recognized test
laboratories in the United States, many customers of
large manufacturers make UL approval a mandatory
requirement.
Uninterruptible power supply. A device that allows
your computer to keep running for a limited amount
of time after the primary power source is lost.
Typically, a UPS can also provide protection against
power surges.
Uniform Resource Locator. A standard way of
specifying the location of an object, such as an HTML
document, on the Internet. Examples of URLs
include the following:
http://www.dell.com
http://support.dell.com
ftp.dell.com
mailto:info@dell.com
The part before the first colon specifies the access
scheme or protocol. Commonly implemented
schemes include FTP and http. The part after the
colon is interpreted according to the access scheme
and can introduce an IP address, indicate a path or
file on a server, or locate a particular position within
a specified document.
Universal Serial Bus. An interface for devices such as
keyboards, joysticks, scanners, speakers, or printers,
that provides a maximum transfer speed of
12 Mb/second. Devices plug directly into a four-pin
connector on your computer or into a multiport hub
that connects to your computer. USB is hot-
swappable, and up to 127 devices can be connected
in daisy-chain manner.
Unshielded twisted pair. A common type of copper
wiring used for telephone systems and Ethernet
networks. To reduce electromagnetic induction
between pairs of wires, sometimes called "crosstalk,"
two insulated copper wires are wound around each
other to form a "twisted pair." See also STP.
Volt. A measurement of electric potential and
electromotive force. If one volt is applied to a
resistance of one ohm, a current of one ampere will
flow across the resistance.
Voltage regulator module. A component installed on
the system board that senses the voltage
requirements for a microprocessor and ensures that
the correct voltage is maintained.
Web-Based Enterprise Management. A set of systems
management and Internet standard technologies
developed to unify the management of computing
environments. The core set of WBEM standards,
developed by DMTF, include a data model, the CIM
standard, a coding specification, and an http
transport mechanism.
Wired for management. A specification developed by
Intel to improve the manageability of desktop,
mobile, and server computers. WfM defines software,
hardware, and other capabilities that enhance
computer network operations and reduce support
costs by allowing remote management application
programs to access client computers over a network.
WfM technology is used in a client computer, in such
components as circuitry, power supply, network
adapter, and so on. Remote management application
programs can use WfM technology to access a client
computer and gather information about it, monitor
its status, or change its operational state. WfM
standards include DMI, PXE, and Remote Wake Up.
WfM is also compatible with current and emerging
industry specifications, such as ACPI, CIM,
SMBIOS, SNMP, and WBEM.
Wake-on LAN. Technology that allows a computer on
a network to be remotely turned on or awakened from
sleep mode. WOL is a facet of WfM technology. See
also WOR, PME, and Remote Wake Up.
Zero insertion force. A type of socket or connector that
allows a computer chip to be installed or removed
with no stress applied to either the chip or its socket.
See LIF.
