Enterprise server terminology can be confusing. Here are 50 essential terms explained in plain language.
A-H
- BBU — Battery Backup Unit. Protects RAID cache during power loss.
- BMC — Baseboard Management Controller. Remote management chip (iDRAC, iLO, XCC).
- BOSS — Boot Optimized Storage Subsystem. Dell M.2 boot card.
- DAC — Direct Attach Copper. Short-distance SFP+ cable, no transceivers needed.
- DDR — Double Data Rate. Server memory standard (DDR4, DDR5).
- DIMM — Dual Inline Memory Module. Physical RAM stick.
- ECC — Error-Correcting Code. Memory that detects and corrects bit errors.
- EOSL — End of Support Life. When OEM stops providing hardware support.
- HBA — Host Bus Adapter. Connects server to SAS drives or FC SAN.
I-R
- iDRAC — Dell’s BMC for remote management.
- iLO — HPE’s BMC for remote management.
- LRDIMM — Load-Reduced DIMM. Highest capacity per slot (128GB+).
- NIC — Network Interface Card. Ethernet adapter.
- NVMe — Non-Volatile Memory Express. Fastest storage protocol via PCIe.
- PERC — PowerEdge RAID Controller. Dell’s RAID card family.
- PSU — Power Supply Unit.
- RDIMM — Registered DIMM. Standard server memory type.
S-Z
- SAS — Serial Attached SCSI. Enterprise drive interface.
- SFF — Small Form Factor. 2.5-inch drive bay.
- LFF — Large Form Factor. 3.5-inch drive bay.
- SFP+ — Small Form-factor Pluggable Plus. 10G transceiver module.
- TPM — Trusted Platform Module (security chip) OR Third-Party Maintenance (support).
- XCC — Lenovo’s BMC for remote management.