
Technical white paper
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Appendix A: Glossary
Table A1
. Glossary
TERM
DEFINITION
Ballast
A metal block that can be mounted in the sides of the rack to provide additional weight and protection against
tipping.
Chassis
Rack-mountable configuration of a server or a storage component.
Dedicated circuit branch
A dedicated electrical circuit between a source and distribution point.
Dynamic loading capacity
A dynamic environment is one where the rack is shipped on a shock pallet with equipment installed or rolling racks
with equipment installed to new locations within the data center.
Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
The EIA comprises individual organizations that together have agreed on certain data transmission standards such
as EIA/TIA-232 (formerly known as RS-232).
Electromagnetic interference (EMI)
EMI also called radio-frequency interference or RFI when in radio frequency is disturbance that affects an electrical
circuit due to either electromagnetic induction or electromagnetic radiation emitted from an external source.
Electrostatic discharge (ESD)
ESD occurs when differently-charged objects are brought close together or when the dielectric between them breaks
down, often creating a visible spark.
End of Life (EOL)
A term used for signifying discontinuation of products.
Fixed stabilizer
An anti-tip stabilizer providing stability and support when equipment is installed, removed, or accessed within the
rack. It is recommended that you should use a stabilizer option kit with a standalone rack.
Keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switch
A switch that allows a single keyboard, video display monitor, and mouse to be switched to any of a number of
computers.
PDU
PDU Power distribution unit
PNP (Plug-and-Play)
A standard that gives computer users the ability to plug a device into a computer and have the computer recognize
that the device is connected.
Static loading capacity
Static loading capacity is one where the rack is positioned into place and the leveling feet are extended prior to
equipment being installed.
U (Rack Unit)
A standard unit of measure for designating the height in computer enclosures and rack cabinets. One U equals
44.5mm (1.75 in). Measurements typically go from the bottom of the rack to top. For example, a 4U chassis is
177.8mm (7 in) high. A 42U rack cabinet has 1866.9mm (73.5 in) of usable mounting space.
UPS
A device that allows a computer to continue running for at least a short time after the primary power source is lost.