B Glossary Of Network Terminology - HP D6030A - NetServer - E50 Installation Manual

B Glossary of Network Terminology

BPS An acronym for Bits Per Second. The term BPS is used on a network as a
measurement of speed or data throughput.
client A computer workstation connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) that has
access to resources located on another (usually more capable) computer called a server,
HP NetServer, or file server. A client can request some service to be performed by
another networked device.
CPU An acronym for Central Processing Unit (CPU). A complex set of electrical
circuits that executes stored program instructions. The CPU is the brain of the
computer.
device database This database stores a list of devices discovered the last time the
server was operational. The device database is used to detect changes to the server. For
example, if a hard drive is no longer operational after a power outage, it will be
discovered when the list of current devices is compared to the list stored in the device
database.
device driver A software utility which, when installed on a system, supports a
particular hardware component, such as a printer, disk drive, or interface card.
DMA An acronym for Direct Memory Access. The DMA channel is a transaction
policy in which data is transferred directly between a peripheral device and the
computer's main memory without CPU intervention.
driver Software or firmware between hardware devices (such as video boards,
printers, and keyboards) and the software application.
file server A computer equipped with relatively large amounts of mass storage which
provides file handling services to a network. A file server may impose various levels of
control as it regulates access to common data files and applications available to the
network.
host adapter There are numerous kinds of adapters--usually integrated into the
computer's main circuit board--that permit the computer to communicate with a
peripheral device (such as a modem, printer, or CD-ROM drive) for which the
computer itself doesn't have the proper connections.
HP AutoPilot Client A workstation on a LAN designated to receive information
about operating conditions at networked HP NetServer E Series.
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