Avago Technologies MegaRAID SATA 300-4XLP - Manual (Page 47)

MegaRAID SATA 300 Storage Adapters User’s Guide A-1
Version 1.4 Copyright © 2004–2006 by LSI Logic Corporation. All rights reserved.
Appendix A
Glossary of Terms
Array An array of disk drives combines the storage space on the disk drives
into a single segment of storage space. A hot spare drive does not
actively participate in an array.
BIOS Acronym for Basic Input/Output System. The BIOS is software that
provides basic read/write capability. It is usually stored as firmware. The
system BIOS on the computer motherboard boots and controls the
system. The BIOS on the storage adapter acts as an extension of the
system BIOS.
Configuration Refers to the way a computer is set up; the combined hardware
components (computer, monitor, keyboard, and peripheral devices) that
make up a computer system; or the software settings that allow the
hardware components to communicate with each other.
Device Driver A program that allows a microprocessor (through the operating system)
to direct the operation of a peripheral device, such as a disk drive.
Host The computer system in which a storage adapter is installed. The host
uses the storage adapter to transfer information to and from devices
attached to the storage adapter.
PCI, PCI-X Acronym for Peripheral Component Interconnect. I/O architectures
designed to increase data transfers without slowing down the central
processing unit (CPU), based on a high performance local bus
specification that allows connection of devices directly to computer
memory. The PCI Local Bus can be implemented on a 32-bit or 64-bit
bus and run at clocks speeds of 33 MHz to 66 MHz. At 32 bits and
33 MHz, the throughput rate is 133 Mbytes/s.
PCI Express Acronym for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. A high
performance local bus specification that allows the connection of devices
directly to computer memory. PCI Express is a two-way, serial connection
that transfers data on two pairs of point-to-point data lines. PCI Express