LaCie manual Glossary, LaCie SAFE Hard Drive, User Manual, page

LaCie SAFE Hard Drive	Glossary
User Manual	page 43

Glossary

Backup – (1) The act of creating at least one addi- tional copy of data onto a different (and safe) stor- age device from where it can be retrieved at a later time if needed. (2) A copy of a file, directory, or volume on a separate storage device from the origi- nal, for the purposes of retrieval in case the original is erased, damaged, or destroyed.

Bit – The smallest measure of computerized data, either a 1 or a 0. Eight

bits equal one byte, or one character.

Biometry – Technology that uses biological data to verify a person's identity.

Block – A very small section of the storage media comprised of one or more sectors. A block is the smallest amount of space allocated on a drive for data storage. By default, a sector of data consists of 512 bytes.

Buffer – RAM cache that is faster than the data that is being delivered. Buffers are used so data may be stored and delivered to the receiving item as it is needed.

Bus – Electronic links that enable data to flow be- tween the processor, RAM and extension cables (peripherals).

Byte – A sequence of adjacent binary digits, or bits, considered as a unit, 8 bits in length. There are 8 bits in 1 byte. See also MB (Megabyte) or GB (Gi- gabyte).

Cache, -ing– This is an area of electronic storage (usually RAM) set aside to store frequently used data from electro-mechanical storage (hard drives, floppy disks, CD/DVD-ROM, tape cartridges, etc.) Therefore, storing frequently used data in RAM can enhance your system’s overall response to disk-intensive operations significantly.

Configuration – When talking about a PC, config- uration is understood to be the sum of the internal and external components of the system, including memory, disk drives, the keyboard, the video sub- system and other peripherals, such as the mouse, modem or printer. The configuration also implies software: the operating system and various device managers (drivers), as well as hardware settings and options set by the user via configuration files.

Cross-platform– Term that refers to a device that is able to be operated by both Mac and Windows operating systems.

Data Stream – The flow of data that accomplishes a task, usually related to moving data from storage to computer RAM or between storage devices.

Driver (peripheral manager) – A software com- ponent that enables the computer system to com- municate with a peripheral. Most peripherals will not operate correctly – if at all – if the appropriate drivers are not installed on the system.

File System – Links the physical map of a disc to its logical structure. Thanks to the file system, users and computers can easily display path, directories and files recorded onto the disc.