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Glossary
A
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
main board 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.
bus A collection of wires in a cable
or copper traces on a circuit board
used to transmit data, status, and
control signals. EISA, PCI, and
SCSI are examples of buses.
bus mastering A
high-performance way to transfer
data. The host adapter controls
the transfer of data directly to and
from system memory without
bothering the computer’s
microprocessor. This is the fastest
way for multi-tasking operating
systems to transfer data.
byte A unit of information
consisting of eight bits.
chain A topology in which every
device is connected to two others,
except for two-end devices that
are connected to only one other.
CISPR (Committee,
International and Special, for
Protection in Radio) An
international committee on radio
frequency interference.
configuration Refers to the way
a computer is set up; the combined
hardware components (computer,
monitor, key board, and
peripheral devices) that make up
a computer system; or the
software settings that allow the
hardware components to
communicate with each other.
CPU (central processing unit)
The “brain” of the computer that
performs the actual computations.
The term Micro Processor Unit
(MPU) is also used.
DMA (direct memory access) A
method of moving data from a
storage device directly to RAM,
without using the CPU’s
resources.
DMA bus master A feature that
allows a peripheral to control the