MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-270): Installing ...

Glossary G-15
Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) A standard developed by the ANSI for
high-speed, fiber-optic local area networks. FDDI provides specifications for transmission
rates of 100 Mbps on networks based on the Token Ring standard.
file allocation table (FAT) A table maintained by some operating systems, including
Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP Professional, to keep track of the
status of various segments of disk space used for file storage.
Files And Settings Transfer Wizard One of two methods used by administrators to
transfer user configuration settings and files from systems running Windows 95 or
later to a clean Windows XP installation.
File Signature Verification utility (Sigverif.exe) A utility that is used to scan a
Windows XP system for unsigned files, providing a simple method to identify
unsigned drivers.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) A process that provides file transfers between local and
remote computers. FTP supports several commands that allow bidirectional transfer
of binary and ASCII files between computers. The FTP client is installed with the
TCP/IP connectivity utilities. See also ASCII (American Standard Code for Information
Interchange), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
firewall A security system, usually a combination of hardware and software,
intended to protect a network against external threats coming from another network,
including the Internet. Firewalls prevent an organization’s networked computers
from communicating directly with computers that are external to the
network, and vice versa. Instead, all incoming and outgoing communication is
routed through a proxy server outside the organization’s network. Firewalls also
audit network activity, recording the volume of traffic and information about
unauthorized attempts to gain access. See also proxy server.
firmware Software routines stored in read-only memory (ROM). Unlike random access
memory (RAM), ROM stays intact even in the absence of electrical power. Startup
routines and low-level input/output (I/O) instructions are stored in firmware.
fixed storage device A storage device that is not removable, such as a hard drive.
forest A grouping or hierarchical arrangement of one or more domain trees that form
a disjointed namespace.
formatting Preparing a hard disk to accept data by creating a file system (such as
NTFS or FAT) on that disk.
fragmentation The scattering of the parts of a file over different parts of the disk
rather than having all parts of the file located in contiguous space. When a hard
disk contains numerous fragmented files and folders, the computer takes longer to
gain access to files and folders because it requires several additional reads to collect
the various pieces. Creating new files and folders also takes longer because
the available free space on the hard disk is scattered.