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Glossary 197
DHCP
Acronym for dynamic host configuration protocol.
A method of configuring a network in which
IP addresses are issued by a server, rather than statically
assigned to each system.
DIMM
Acronym for dual in-line memory module. A small
circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to
the system board.
DIN
Acronym for
Deutsche Industrie Norm
which is the
standards-setting organization for Germany.
A DIN connector is a connector that conforms to one
of the many standards defined by DIN. DIN connectors
are used widely in personal computers. For example,
the keyboard connector for PCs is a DIN connector.
DIP
Acronym for dual in-line package. A circuit board, such
as a system board or expansion card, may contain DIP
switches for configuring the circuit board. DIP switches
are always toggle switches, with an ON position and an
OFF position.
directory
Directories help keep related files organized on a disk
in a hierarchical, “inverted tree” structure. Each disk
has a “root” directory; for example, a
C:\>
prompt
normally indicates that you are at the root directory of
hard drive C. Additional directories that branch off of
the root directory are called
subdirectories
.
Subdirectories may contain additional directories
branching off of them.
display adapter
See video adapter.
DMA
Abbreviation for direct memory access. A DMA
channel allows certain types of data transfer between
RAM and a device to bypass the microprocessor.
DMI
Abbreviation for Desktop Management Interface.
DMI enables the management of your computer
system's software and hardware. DMI collects
information about the system's components, such as
the operating system, memory, peripherals, expansion
cards, and asset tag. Information about the system's
components is displayed as a MIF file.
DMTF
Abbreviation for Distributed Management Task Force,
a consortium of companies representing hardware and
software providers, of which Dell is a member.
dpi
Abbreviation for dots per inch.
DPMS
Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling.
A standard developed by the Video Electronics
Standards Association (VESA
®
) that defines the
hardware signals sent by a video controller to activate
power management states in a monitor. A monitor is
said to be DPMS-compliant when it is designed to
enter a power management state after receiving the
appropriate signal from a computer's video controller.
DRAC
Refers to a remote management capability. See
RAC
.
DRAM
Acronym for dynamic random-access memory. A
computer's RAM is usually made up entirely of DRAM
chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical
charge indefinitely, your computer continually
refreshes each DRAM chip in the computer.
drive-type number
Your computer can recognize a number of specific hard
drives. Each is assigned a drive-type number that is
stored in NVRAM. The hard drive(s) specified in your
computer's System Setup program must match the
actual drive(s) installed in the computer. The System
Setup program also allows you to specify physical
parameters (logical cylinders, logical heads, cylinder
number, and logical sectors per pack) for drives not
included in the table of drive types stored in NVRAM.