Compatibility Guide

Glossary 153
DKS
Abbreviation for dynamic kernel support.
DMA
Abbreviation for direct memory access. A DMA channel allows certain types of
data transfer between RAM and a device to bypass the microprocessor.
DMTF
Abbreviation for Distributed Management Task Force, a consortium of
companies representing hardware and software providers.
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 system's
video controller.
DRAC
Acronym for Dell™ Remote Access Controller.
DRAM
Acronym for dynamic random-access memory. A system's RAM is usually made
up entirely of DRAM chips. Because DRAM chips cannot store an electrical charge
indefinitely, your system continually refreshes each DRAM chip in the system.
DRMK
Acronym for Dell Real Mode Kernel.
drive-type number
Your system 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
system's System Setup program must match the actual drive(s) installed in the
system. 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.