LSI 25083 Computer Hardware User Manual


 
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controllers User’s Guide A-1
Copyright © 2009 by LSI Corporation. All rights reserved.
Appendix A
Glossary of Terms
and Abbreviations
BIOS Acronym for Basic Input/Output System. Software that provides basic
read/write capability. Usually kept as firmware (ROM-based). The system
BIOS on the motherboard of a computer boots and controls the system.
The BIOS on your host 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.
domain
validation
A software procedure in which a host queries a device to determine its
ability to communicate at the negotiated data rate.
drive group A group of physical drives that combines the storage space on the drives
into a single segment of storage space. A hot spare drive does not
actively participate in a drive group.
EEPROM Acronym for Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory.
It is a memory chip that typically stores configuration information, as it
provides stable storage for long periods without electricity and can be
reprogrammed. Refer to NVRAM.
external SAS
device
A SAS device installed outside the computer cabinet. These devices are
connected using specific types of shielded cables.
Fusion-MPT
architecture
An acronym for Fusion-Message Passing Technology architecture.
Fusion-MPT consists of several main elements: Fusion-MPT firmware,
the Fibre Channel and SCSI hardware, and the operating system level
drivers that support these architectures. Fusion-MPT architecture offers
a single binary, operating system driver that supports both Fibre Channel
and SCSI devices.