A SAN (Storage Area Network) is a network specifically dedicated to the task of transporting data for storage and retrieval. SAN architectures are alternatives to storing data on disks directly attached to servers or on Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices that are connected through general purpose networks. In order to meet the storage system’s demands, …
Flash memory is a nonvolatile memory type that is constantly-powered. It has the capability to be reprogrammed or erased in various units of memory referred to as blocks. The technology is based on EEPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) that is written and erased at the byte level which operates at a much slower rate than …
A print spooler is a type of software that manages printing jobs that an electronic printer produces. Print spoolers are often used in industrial and commercial applications in order to place printing jobs in a specific priority level, depending on the time stamp of each job. They are usually used in situations that involve mass printing or …
DisplayPort is the new digital display interface standard. It has been recently approved (5/2006) by VESA and will be hitting the markets in 2008. For most computer users, the fairly big and bulky VGA port is familiar. While the VGA port has been extremely reliable and has delivered competent performance, the new standard – the …
Many people install security features on their computer in order to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the computer when they are away. For example, login identification, file encryption, and even biometric identification are all sufficient methods of keeping intruders out of someone’s personal information. However, some users may wish to go even further by locking …
A laptop’s fan speed can influence the computer’s consistency and reliability. A laptop’s fan can be slowed down or sped up based on specific circumstances such as the amount of times the laptop is used. Slowing down the fan’s speed can be useful for reserving processes if the computer is not used often. On the …
Lossy compression is a type of compression that removes unnecessary components of a file to reduce the file’s size. Lossy compression is often used in multimedia files, such as still images and audio files that hold a significant amount of redundant information. Lossy compression results in a reduction of quality of the file that is …
HRTF (Head Related Transfer Functions) refers to a technique used in audio recordings in order to produce binaural signals from a monaural source. While monaural signals refer to sounds that a signal source produces and both ears hear them at varying distances and frequencies, binaural signals refer to sounds that two separate sources produce and that each ear …
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is a device connected between the power source and a computer to ensure that electrical flow is not interrupted. UPS devices use batteries to keep the computer running for a period of time after a power failure. It is not to be confused with standby generators which do not provide …
An ISO file is an image that contains all the data files and file system metadata (i.e. boot code, structures, and attributes) of a CD/DVD. In order to mount an ISO image, a disk image emulator that will allow the content of a CD/DVD to be read from an ISO image via a virtual drive …