Dell Command Line Interface manual Dhcp, Dimm, Din, Dip, Dma, Dmi, Dmtf, Dpms, Drac, Dram

DHCP

Acronym for dynamic host configuration protocol. A method of configuring a network in which

IP addresses are issued by a server, rather than statically assigned to each system.

DIMM

Acronym for dual in-line memory module. A small circuit board containing DRAM chips that connects to the system board.

DIN

Acronym for Deutsche Industrie Norm which is the standards-setting organization for Germany.

A DIN connector is a connector that conforms to one of the many standards defined by DIN. DIN connectors are used widely in personal computers. For example, the keyboard connector for PCs is a DIN connector.

DIP

Acronym for dual in-line package. A circuit board, such as a system board or expansion card, may contain DIP switches for configuring the circuit board. DIP switches are always toggle switches, with an ON position and an OFF position.

directory

Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a hierarchical, “inverted tree” structure. Each disk has a “root” directory; for example, a C:\> prompt normally indicates that you are at the root directory of hard drive C. Additional directories that branch off of the root directory are called subdirectories. Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off of them.

display adapter

See video adapter.

DMA

Abbreviation for direct memory access. A DMA channel allows certain types of data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the microprocessor.

DMI

Abbreviation for Desktop Management Interface. DMI enables the management of your computer system's software and hardware. DMI collects information about the system's components, such as the operating system, memory, peripherals, expansion cards, and asset tag. Information about the system's components is displayed as a MIF file.

DMTF

Abbreviation for Distributed Management Task Force, a consortium of companies representing hardware and software providers, of which Dell is a member.

dpi

Abbreviation for dots per inch.

DPMS

Abbreviation for Display Power Management Signaling. A standard developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) that defines the hardware signals sent by a video controller to activate power management states in a monitor. A monitor is said to be DPMS-compliant when it is designed to enter a power management state after receiving the appropriate signal from a computer's video controller.

DRAC

Refers to a remote management capability. See RAC.

DRAM

Acronym for dynamic random-access memory. A computer's RAM is usually made up entirely of DRAM chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical charge indefinitely, your computer continually refreshes each DRAM chip in the computer.

drive-type number

Your computer can recognize a number of specific hard drives. Each is assigned a drive-type number that is stored in NVRAM. The hard drive(s) specified in your computer's System Setup program must match the actual drive(s) installed in the computer. The System Setup program also allows you to specify physical parameters (logical cylinders, logical heads, cylinder number, and logical sectors per pack) for drives not included in the table of drive types stored in NVRAM.

Glossary

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