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Glossary: Dell™ Resolution Assistant 3.1 User's Guide
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The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms
used in Dell user documents.
AC
Alternating current
APC
American Power Conversion
backup
A copy of a program or data file. As a precaution, you should back up
your computer's hard-disk drive on a regular basis. Before making a change to the
configuration of your computer, you should back up important start-up files, such as win.ini
and system.ini for the Microsoft� Windows� 9x operating system.
BBS
Bulletin board service
BIOS
Basic input/output system. Your computer's BIOS contains programs stored
on a read-only memory (ROM) chip. The BIOS controls the following:
- Communications between the microprocessor and peripheral devices, such as the keyboard
and the video adapter
- Miscellaneous functions, such as system messages
The BIOS is a layer of software that isolates the operating system and application
programs from the system's hardware. By using the BIOS, the compatibility of these
programs is enhanced.
block
A typical unit of disk storage consisting of a small number of sectors. This term usually
refers to the fundamental unit of storage provided by an operating system. See also block
size.
block size
The size of a block. See also block.
bus
A bus forms an information pathway between the components of a computer. Your computer
contains an expansion bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with controllers
for all the various peripheral devices connected to the computer. Your computer also
contains an address bus and a data bus for communications between the microprocessor and
RAM.
byte
Eight bits of information, the basic data unit used by your computer.
cache
To facilitate faster data retrieval, a storage area for keeping a copy of data or
instructions. For example, your computer's BIOS may cache ROM code in faster RAM. Or, a
disk-cache utility may reserve RAM in which to store frequently accessed information from
your computer's disk drives; when a program makes a request to a disk drive for data that
is in the cache, the disk-cache utility can retrieve the data from RAM faster than from
the disk drive.
CBT
Computer-based training
CD-ROM
Compact disc read-only memory. CD-ROM drives use optical technology to
read data from CDs. CDs are read-only storage devices; you cannot write new data to a CD
with standard CD-ROM drives.
CI/O
Comprehensive input/output
controller
A chip or expansion card that controls the transfer of data between the
microprocessor and a peripheral, such as a disk drive or the keyboard.
CPU
Central processing unit
device driver
A device driver allows the operating system or a program to interface
correctly with a peripheral, such as a printer or network card. Some device drivers (such
as network drivers) must be loaded from initialization files or as memory-resident
programs. Others (such as video drivers) must load when you start the program for which
they were designed.
DHCP
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
diagnostics
See diskette-based diagnostics.
directory
Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a
hierarchical, "inverted tree" structure. Each disk has a "root"
directory; additional directories that branch off of the root directory are called
subdirectories. Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off of them.
diskette-based diagnostics
A comprehensive set of diagnostic tests for your Dell computer. To use
the diskette-based diagnostics, you must boot your computer from the Dell Diagnostics
Diskette. See your Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Guide, Installation and
Troubleshooting Guide, or Service Guide for a complete discussion about how to
use the diskette-based diagnostics.
DNS
Domain Name System
ECC
Error checking and correction
FAT
File allocation table
FTP
File transport protocol
GB
Gigabyte, which equals 1024 MB or 1,073,741,824 bytes.
GUI
Graphical user interface.
host adapter
A host adapter implements communication between the computer's bus and
the controller for a peripheral. (Hard-disk drive controller subsystems include integrated
host adapter circuitry.) To add a SCSI expansion bus to your system, you must install the
appropriate host adapter.
IIS
Internet Information Service
I/O
Input/output. The keyboard and a printer, for example, are I/O devices.
In general, I/O activity can be differentiated from computational activity. For example,
when a program sends a document to the printer, it is engaging in I/O activity; when the
program sorts a list of terms, it is engaging in computational activity.
IP
Internet Protocol
IPX
Internetwork Package eXchange.
ISA
Industry-Standard Architecture
ISM
Internet Service Manager
LAN
Local area network. A LAN system is usually confined to the same building
or a few nearby buildings, with all equipment linked by wiring dedicated specifically to
the LAN.
LED
Light-emitting diode. An electronic device that lights up when a current
is passed through it.
MAP
A diagnostic program written in javascript that you or a support technician can run on
your computer.
MB
Megabyte(s). A megabyte equals 1024 kilobytes or
1,048,576 bytes; however, when referring to hard-disk drive storage, the term is
often rounded to mean 1,000,000 bytes.
MHz
Megahertz
Motive Server
The system to which your system connects when you go online using Resolution Assistant.
The Motive Server resides at your support provider (usually Dell).
NIC
Network interface controller
NTFS
NT File System option in the Windows NT operating system.
PAP
Password Authentication Protocol
parameter
A value or option that you specify to a program. A parameter is sometimes
called a switch or an argument.
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect
peripheral device
An internal or external device—such as a printer, a disk drive,
or a keyboard—connected to a computer.
POST
Power-on self-test. Before the operating system loads when you turn on
your computer, the POST tests various system components such as RAM, the disk drives, and
the keyboard.
PPP
Point-to-point protocol
PSPB
Power-supply paralleling board
RAM
Random-access memory
Resolution Assistant
The Dell Resolution Assistant is the primary component of Dell's Internet-based support
initiative to deliver direct Internet-enabled support/services. The Dell Resolution
Assistant is a robust problem management and diagnosis/repair, Internet-based technical
support application designed to reduce system downtime and provide improved service and
support. The Resolution Assistant offers a manageability framework that addresses all
areas of the support chain, including remote hardware diagnosis, proactive alerting,
configuration reporting, and remote fix capabilities for Dell PowerEdge servers.
ROM
Read-only memory
rpm
Revolutions per minute
SCSI
Small computer system interface. An I/O bus interface with faster data
transmission rates than standard ports. You can connect up to seven devices (15 for some
newer SCSI types) to one SCSI interface.
sector
The fundamental unit of data access for a hard-disk drive. For
PC-compatible systems, a sector is usually 512 bytes. See also block and block
size.
SMART
Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. A technology that allows hard-disk
drives to report errors and failures to the system BIOS, which then displays an error
message on the screen. To take advantage of this technology, the computer must have a
SMART-compliant hard-disk drive and the proper support in the system BIOS.
SMB
System management bus
SMM
Server monitor module. An ISA expansion card that provides a modem
interface for out-of-band monitoring and control of a server.
SMP
Symmetric Multiprocessing
SMS
Systems Management Server
SNMP
Simple Network Management Protocol
SQL
Structured Query Language
SVGA
Super video graphics array
syntax
The rules that dictate how you must type a command or instruction so that
the computer can understand it.
system memory
System memory is a synonym for RAM.
system.ini file
When you start Windows, it consults the system.ini file to determine a
variety of options for the Windows operating system. Among other things, the system.ini
file records which video, mouse, and keyboard drivers are installed for Windows.
Running the Control Panel or Windows Setup program may change options
in the system.ini file. On other occasions, you may need to change or add options
to the system.ini file manually with a text editor, such as Notepad.
TAPI
Telephony Application Program Interface
TCP/IP
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
TIRCP
Transport Independent Remote Procedure Call
UDA
User-defined attribute
UDP
User Datagram Protocol
UPS
Uninterruptible power supply. A battery-powered unit that automatically
supplies power to your computer in the event of an electrical failure.
utility
A program used to manage system resources—memory, disk drives,
or printers, for example.
WINS
Windows Internetworking Name Server
WWW
World Wide Web
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