Surge Protector Definition The surge protector is an important, yet often overlooked part of a computer setup. It allows multiple devices to plugged in to it at one time and protects each connected device from power surges. For example, a home office may have a computer, monitor, printer, cable modem, and powered speakers all plugged into one ..
Category : Hardware
UPS Definition Stands for “Uninterruptible Power Supply.” In the technology world, UPS is more than just a brown shipping company. It is also a type of power supply that uses battery backup to maintain power during unexpected power outages. A typical consumer UPS is a surge protector that contains a high-capacity rechargeable battery. Smaller UPS devices look ..
Power Supply Definition A power supply is a hardware component that supplies power to an electrical device. It receives power from an electrical outlet and converts the current from AC (alternating current) to DC (direct current), which is what the computer requires. It also regulates the voltage to an adequate amount, which allows the computer to run ..
Monitor Definition The term “monitor” is often used synonymously with “computer screen” or “display.” The monitor displays the computer’s user interface and open programs, allowing the user to interact with the computer, typically using the keyboard and mouse. Older computer monitors were built using cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which made them rather heavy and caused them to take ..
File Server Definition As the name implies, a file server is a server that provides access to files. It acts as a central file storage location that can be accessed by multiple systems. File servers are commonly found in enterprise settings, such as company networks, but they are also used in schools, small organizations, and even home networks. A ..
SCSI Definition Stands for “Small Computer System Interface,” and is pronounced “scuzzy.” SCSI is a computer interface used primarily for high-speed hard drives. This is because SCSI can support faster data transfer rates than the commonly used IDE storage interface. SCSI also supports daisy-chaining devices, which means several SCSI hard drives can be connected to single a SCSI ..
HDD Definition Stands for “Hard Disk Drive.” “HDD” is often used interchangeably with the terms “hard drive” and “hard disk.” However, the term “hard disk drive” is technically the most accurate, since “hard drive” is short for “hard disk drive” and the “hard disk” is actually contained within the hard disk drive. The HDD is ..
SSD Definition Stands for “Solid State Drive.” An SSD is a type of mass storage device similar to a hard disk drive (HDD). It supports reading and writing data and maintains stored data in a permanent state even without power. Internal SSDs connect to a computer like a hard drive, using standard IDE or SATA connections. While SSDs serve the same function as ..
Optical Media Definition Media, in the computer world, refers to various types of data storage. For example, hard drives, CDs, DVDs, and USB drives are all different types of media. Optical media refers to discs that are read by a laser. This includes CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and all the variations of the two formats — CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, Blu-ray, and many others. Optical ..
Flash Memory Definition Flash memory is a type of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). Whew, that’s a mouthful. The name comes from how the memory is designed — a section of memory cells can be erased in a single action or in a “flash.” A common use of flash memory is to store the ..
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