Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used for memory that exists on tapes or disks. Moreover, the term memory is usually used as a shorthand for physical memory, which refers to the actual chips capable of holding data. Some computers also use virtual memory, which expands physical memory onto a hard disk.
Every computer comes with a certain amount of physical memory, usually referred to as main memory or RAM. You can think of main memory as an array of boxes, each of which can hold a single byte of information. A computer that has 1 megabyte of memory, therefore, can hold about 1 million bytes (or characters) of information.
Listed here are some of the terminology used in conjunction to memory, and it's properties.
Megabit Amount of memory equal to 1,048,576 bits of information (Abbreviated Mb)
Megabyte Amount of memory equal to 1,048,576 bytes of information (Abbreviated MB)
Megahertz A measurement of clock cycles in millions of cycles per second
Memory Configuration The amount of memory in an IC and how it is accessed
Memory Controller The logic chip used to handle the I/O (input/output) of data going to and from memory See Chipset
Memory Cycle Time Minimum amount of time required for a memory to complete a cycle such as read, write, read/write, or read/modify/write
Memory Types Cache: static random access memory containing recently used information DRAM: dynamic random access memory SDRAM: single data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory DDR SDRAM: double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory Usually referred to as DDR SLDRAM: synchronous link dynamic random access memory RDRAM: Rambus dynamic random access memory RAM: random access memory ROM: read only memory (permanent memory that cannot be changed) SRAM: static random access memory
MHz See Megahertz
Micron(1) Also the company name of one of the largest memory producers in the world and the parent company of Crucial Technology
Micron(2) A unit of measure equivalent to one-millionth of a meter; synonymous with micrometer
MIPS Millions of instructions per second This measurement is generally used when describing the speed of computer systems
mm A micron (or micrometer) A unit of length equal to one millionth of a meter
Motherboard The main printed circuit board in a computer that carries the system buses It is equipped with sockets to which all processors, memory modules, plug-in cards, daughterboards, or peripheral devices are connected
ms A microsecond: One millionth of a second
MTBF Mean time between failures
MU Memory unit Usually a printed circuit board assembly populated with memory chips that stores a certain quantity of memory Intel term for one of the types of cards in a memory system card set
