LSI U80ALVD - Manual (Page 67)

LSIU80ALVD PCI to Ultra2 SCSI Host Adapter B-1
Appendix B
Glossary of Terms and
Abbreviations
Active
Termination The electrical connection required at each end of the SCSI bus,
composed of active voltage regulation and a set of termination resistors.
Ultra and Ultra2 SCSI require active termination.
Address A specific location in memory, designated either numerically or by a
symbolic name.
Asynchronous
Data Transfer One of the ways data is transferred over the SCSI bus. It is slower than
synchronous data transfer.
BIOS Basic Input/Output System. Software that provides basic read/write
capability. Usually kept as firmware (ROM based). The system BIOS on
the mainboard of a computer is used to boot and control the system. The
SCSI BIOS on the host adapter acts as an extension of the system BIOS.
Bit A binary digit. The smallest unit of information a computer uses. The
value of a bit (0 or 1) represents a two-way choice, such as on or off,
true or false, and so on.
Bus A collection of unbroken signal lines across which information is
transmitted from one part of a computer system to another. Connections
to the bus are made using taps on the lines.
Bus Mastering A high-performance way to transfer data. The host adapter controls the
transfer of data directly to and from system memory without interrupting
the computer’s microprocessor. This is the fastest way for multitasking
operating systems to transfer data.
Byte A unit of information consisting of eight bits.
CISPR A special international committee on radio interference (Committee,
International and Special, for Protection in Radio).
Configuration Refers to the way a computer is set up; the combined hardware
components (computer, monitor, keyboard, and peripheral devices) that