This helps account for the speed and performance boosts offered by the Pentium IIIs. Servers use RAM to store software code as the processor reads and executes the code. Obviously, the more memory the better for today s gigabyte-gobbling applications. Level 2 cache memory is stored on a separate memory chip. Error-correcting code is built into the memory systems of most servers so that data is checked for errors and automatically corrected if necessary.
SCSI drives are the most common types used in today s servers.
The most popular formats are UltraWide SCSI, running at 40 Mbps, and Ultra2LVD SCSI, running at 80 Mbps. There could be bays for 10 or more hard drives in a high-performance system. Some are hot-swappable cable drives and can be changed on the fly without shutting down the server. Most of the servers listed offer six or more hot-swap drive bays. Hot-swap SCSI drives usually come in 9G and 18G capacities, with 32G units now entering the market.