Installation guide

G-1
Glossary
Installation Guide
Glossary
A
AC: Alternating Current generated by the power
supply. See DC.
ACPI: Advanced Configuration and Power
Interface. An industry specification for the efficient
handling of power consumption in desktop and
mobile computers. ACPI specifies how a
computer’s BIOS, operating system, and peripheral
devices communicate with each other about power
usage.
Address: A label, name or number that identifies a
location in a computer memory.
AMI: American Megatrends Incorporated.
ANSI: American National Standards Institute.
API: Application Program Interface. The specific
method prescribed by a computer operating
system or by an application program by which a
programmer writing an application program can
make requests of the operating system or another
application.
Archive: (Archive file). A file that is a copy of a
history file. When a history file is archived, all
messages are removed from the history file.
ASCII: American National Standard Code for
Information Interchange. A standard number
assigned to each of the alphanumeric characters
and keyboard control code keys to enable the
transfer of information between different types of
computers and peripherals.
B
Backup: A copy of data for safe–keeping. The
data is copied form computer memory or disk to a
floppy disk, magnetic tape or other media.
Backup battery: The battery in a computer that
maintains real–time clock and configuration data
when power is removed.
Baud rate: The speed at which data is transmitted
during serial communication.
BIOS: Basic Input / Output System. A program
stored in flash EPROM or ROM that controls the
system startup process.
BIST: Built–In Self–Test. See POST.
Bit: Derived from BInary digiT. A bit is the smallest
unit of information a computer handles.
BSP: Board Support Package. Part of the PMB
embedded software, in charge of PMB hardware
initialization and providing hardware related
functions to the VxWorks operating system and to
the Maestro application.
BSP: BootStrap Processor. A master processor
elected among the processors of a QBB to drive
QBB initialization.
BTU: British Thermal Unit.
C
Cache Memory: A very fast, limited portion of
RAM set aside for temporary storage of data for
direct access by the microprocessor.
CD-ROM: Compact DisK Read-Only Memory.
High-capacity read-only memory in the form of an
optically readable compact disk.
Cell: The smallest set of hardware components
allocated to a single OS. A cell is functionally
defined by:
– the number of available processors
– memory capacity
– I/O channel capacity.
CellBlock: A group of interconnected cells within a
single domain. See Central Subsystem.
Central Subsystem: A group of interconnected
cells gathered within a single domain. See
CellBlock.
Chip: Synonym for integrated circuit. See IC.