This refers to the various devices and parts that make up a Server or Computer as well as devices that perform specific functionality outside of a Server or Computer.
- Hard Disk Drive
Refers to the area of a computer that where data is stored.
- Microprocessor
A silicon chip that contains a CPU. In the world of personal computers, the terms microprocessor and CPU are used interchangeably. At the heart of all personal computers and most workstations sits a microprocessor.
- Random Access Memory (RAM)
A type of computer memory that can be accessed randomly; that is, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching the preceding bytes. RAM is the most common type of memory found in computers and other devices, such as printers.
- Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)
An assembly of disk drives that employ two or more drives in combination for fault tolerance and performance. RAID disk drives are used frequently on servers but aren't generally necessary for personal computers. RAID is generally configured as mirrored or striped. Mirrored RAID (Level 1) provides a fail-over drive. Striped RAID (Levels 0, 3, and 5) write data across multiple disk drives so that a single disk failure can be recovered from the data on the remaining drives. There are three (3) types of RAID systems: failure-resistant disk systems (that protect against data loss due to disk failure), failure-tolerant disk systems (that protect against loss of data access due to failure of any single component), and disaster-tolerant disk systems (that consist of two or more independent zones, either of which provides access to stored data).
