Appendix

Glossary

data the bus, phone line, or other electrical path, can carry. Greater bandwidth, then, also results in greater speed.

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) program resides in the ROM chip, and provides the basic instructions for controlling your computer’s hardware. Both the operating system and application software use BIOS routines to ensure compatibility.

A buffer is a portion of RAM which is used to temporarily store data, usually from an application, though it is also used when printing, and in most key- board drivers. The CPU can manipulate data in a buffer before copying it, all at once, to a disk drive. While this improves system performance--reading to or writing from a disk drive a single time is much faster than doing so repeatedly-- there is the possibility of losing your data should the system crash. Informa- tion stored in a buffer is temporarily stored, not permanently saved.

A bus is a data pathway. The term is used especially to refer to the connection between the processor and system memory, and between the processor and PCI or ISA local buses.

Bus mastering allows peripheral devices and IDEs to access the system memory without going through the CPU (similar to DMA channels).

A cache is a temporary storage area for data that will be needed often by an application. Using a cache lowers data access times, since the needed informa- tion is stored in the SRAM instead of in the slower DRAM. Note that the cache is also much smaller than your regular memory: a typical cache size is 512KB, while you may have as much as 1GB of regular memory.

Cache size refers to the physical size of the cache onboard. This should not be confused with the cacheable area, which is the total amount of memory which can be scanned by the system in search of data to put into the cache. A typical setup would be a cache size of 512KB, and a cacheable area of 512MB. In this case, up to 512MB of the main memory onboard is capable of being cached. However, only 512KB of this memory will be in the cache at any given moment. Any main memory above 512MB could never be cached.

Closed and open jumpers Jumpers and jumper pins are active when they are On or Closed, and inactive when they are Off or Open.

CMOS Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductors are chips that hold the basic start-up information for the BIOS.

http://www.tyan.com

S1854 specifications

The Tyan Computer S1854 is a powerful motherboard designed specifically for demanding server and workstation applications. As a part of Tyan's extensive lineup, the S1854 stands out for its balance of performance, reliability, and expandability, making it an attractive option for businesses and professionals requiring robust computational capabilities.

One of the key features of the S1854 is its support for dual Intel Xeon processors. This design allows users to harness the power of up to 16 cores, which is essential for high-performance tasks such as virtualization, scientific simulations, and large data processing. The motherboard supports Intel's latest Xeon E5-2600 series CPUs, providing cutting-edge performance along with advanced features like Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading.

The Tyan S1854 is built on the Intel C602 chipset, further enhancing its capabilities. The chipset offers reliable data transfers, increased memory bandwidth, and improved power management features. With support for up to 512 GB of ECC DDR3 memory across eight DIMM slots, the motherboard ensures data integrity and stability, which are critical for mission-critical applications.

Another important characteristic is the array of expansion options provided by the S1854. The motherboard includes multiple PCI Express slots, allowing for the installation of high-speed network cards, storage controllers, and GPU accelerators. This flexibility is essential for businesses that require customized configurations to meet their specific workload demands.

In terms of storage, the S1854 features an impressive variety of connectivity options, including six SATA III ports for standard hard drives and SSDs, as well as support for RAID configurations. This capability ensures data redundancy and improved performance, which are vital for server environments.

The S1854 is also designed with energy efficiency in mind. Tyan employs advanced thermal management technologies, including strategically placed heatsinks and fan headers, to ensure optimal cooling in even the most demanding conditions. This design reduces overall power consumption, leading to cost savings in operational budgets.

Overall, the Tyan Computer S1854 delivers a blend of performance, scalability, and reliability. Its support for dual Xeon processors, high-capacity ECC memory, extensive expansion capabilities, and energy-efficient design make it an ideal choice for businesses and professionals seeking a robust foundation for their computing needs. Whether in data centers or high-performance workstations, the S1854 is engineered to excel.