RAM disk
Refers to RAM that has been configured to simulate a disk drive. You can access files on a RAM disk as you would access files on a real disk. RAM disks, however, are approximately a thousand times faster than hard disk drives. They are particularly useful, therefore, for applications that require frequent disk accesses.
Because they are made of normal RAM, RAM disks lose their contents once the computer is turned off. To use a RAM disk, therefore, you need to copy files from a real hard disk at the beginning of the session and then copy the files back to the hard disk before you turn the computer off. Note that if there is a power failure, you will lose whatever data is on the RAM disk. (Some RAM disks come with a battery backup to make them more stable.)
A RAM disk is also called a virtual disk or a RAM drive.
Read Also:
- RAM latency
A delay in transmitting data between a computer’s RAM and its processor. Since RAM is not necessarily fast compared to the computer’s processor, RAM latency can occur, causing a delay between the time a computer’s hardware recognizes the need for a RAM access (initiates a request for data) and the time the data or instruction […]
- RAMbo drive
A DVD-RAM drive that can read and write CD-R and CD-RW media.
- RARP
Short for Reverse Address Resolution Protocol, a TCP/IP protocol that permits a physical address, such as an Ethernet address, to be translated into an IP address. Hosts such as diskless workstations often only know their hardware interface addresses, or MAC address, when booted but not their IP addresses. They must discover their IP addresses from […]
- RAT
Short for Remote Access Trojan, a Trojan horse that provides the intruder, or hacker, with a backdoor into the infected system. This backdoor allows the hacker to snoop your system, use your infected system to launch a zombie (attacks on other systems), or even run malicious code.
- RBAC
Short for Role-Based Access Control, a system of controlling which users have access to resources based on the role of the user. Access rights are grouped by role name, and access to resources is restricted to users who have been authorized to assume the associated role. For example, if a RBAC system were used in […]