Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 Upgrade and Installation Manual

This glossary defines key terms in the context of an OpenVMS Alpha computing environment.

boot, bootstrap: The process of loading system software into a processor's main memory. This guide uses the term boot to refer to this process.

boot server: An Alpha computer that is part of a local area OpenVMS Cluster. The boot server is a combination of a MOP server and a disk server for the satellite system disk. See also satellite node.

CI only OpenVMS Cluster: A computer system consisting of a number of Alpha computers. It uses only the computer interconnect, or CI, to communicate with other Alpha computers in the cluster. These computers share a single file system.

CI: A type of I/O subsystem. It links computers to each other and to HSx devices (for example, an HSC or HSD).

device name: The name used to identify a device on the system. A device name indicates the device code, controller designation, and unit number.

disk server: A computer that is part of a local area OpenVMS Cluster. This computer provides an access path to CI, DSSI, and locally connected disks for other computers that do not have a direct connection.

HSx device: A self-contained, intelligent, mass storage subsystem (for example, an HSC or HSD) that lets computers in an OpenVMS Cluster environment share disks.

HSx drive: Any disk or tape drive connected to an HSx device (for example, an HSC or HSD). A system disk on an HSx drive can be shared by several computers in an OpenVMS Cluster environment.

InfoServer: A general-purpose disk storage server that allows you to use the operating system CD-ROM to install the operating system on remote client systems connected to the same local area network (LAN).

local area OpenVMS Cluster: A configuration consisting of one or more computers that act as a MOP server and disk server, and a number of low-end computers that act as satellite nodes. The local area network (LAN) connects all of the computers. These computers share a single file system.

local drive: A drive, such as an RRD42 CD-ROM drive, that is connected directly to an Alpha computer. If you have a standalone Alpha computer, it is likely that all drives connected to the system are local drives.

media: Any packaging agent capable of storing computer software (for example, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy diskettes, disk packs, and tape cartridges).

mixed interconnect OpenVMS Cluster: A computer system consisting of a number of computers. It uses CI, Ethernet, and DSSI adapters to communicate with other computers in the cluster.

MOP server: A computer system running DECnet software that downline loads OpenVMS Cluster satellites using the DECnet maintenance operations protocol.

OpenVMS Cluster environment: A computer system consisting of a number of Alpha and VAX computers. There are four types of OpenVMS Cluster environments: CI only, DSSI only, local area, and mixed-interconnect.

satellite node: A computer that is part of a local area OpenVMS Cluster. A satellite node is downline loaded from a MOP server and then boots remotely from the system disk served by a disk server in the local area OpenVMS Cluster. See also boot server, disk server, MOP server.

scratch disk: A blank disk or a disk with files you no longer need.

source drive: The drive that holds the distribution kit during an upgrade or installation, or the drive from which you restore files to a target disk.

standalone system: A computer system with only one Alpha computer.

system disk: The disk that contains or will contain the OpenVMS Alpha operating system.

target drive: The drive that holds the system disk during an upgrade or installation, or the drive you designate when backing up the system disk.

UETP (User Environment Test Package): A software package that tests all the standard peripheral devices on your system, various commands and operating system functions, the system's multiuser capability, DECnet software, and the OpenVMS Cluster environment.

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