Conventions Used in This Guide
The following conventional terms, symbols, abbreviations, and acronyms are used throughout this guide. In addition, see the Glossary later in this guide.
Conventional Terms
Add-on devices
Devices that are traditionally added to the base server system to increase functionality, such as audio, networking, graphics, and so on. Add-on devices fall into two categories: devices built onto the system board and devices on expansion cards added to the system through a system-board connector such as Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI).
Intel Architecture
Refers to computers based on 32‑bit microprocessors that use the Intel Architecture instruction set, such as Intel Pentium®, Intel Pentium with MMX™ technology, Pentium Pro, Pentium II, or compatible processors. MMX technology refers to Intel’s media-enhancement technology that includes new instructions added to the Intel Architecture instruction set.
RISC-based
Refers to computers based on reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architecture.
System devices
Also on-board devices. Refers to devices on the system board such as interrupt controllers, keyboard controller, real-time clock, direct memory access (DMA) page registers, DMA controllers, memory controllers, floppy disk controller (FDC), Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) ports, serial and parallel ports, PCI bridges, and so on. In today’s servers, these devices are typically integrated with the supporting chip set.
Windows NT or Windows NT Server
Refers to the Microsoft Windows NT Server version 5.0 operating system, including any add-on capabilities and any later versions of the operating system.
For a list of acronyms and definitions of technical terms, see the Glossary later in this guide.
Required vs. Recommended Features in This Guide
The system requirements defined in this publication provide guidelines for designing servers that deliver an enhanced user experience when implemented with Windows NT Server. These design requirements are not the basic system requirements for running the Windows NT Server operating system. In this guide, hardware features are described as Required, Recommended, or Optional as follows:
Required. These basic hardware features must be implemented in order for hardware to qualify as being in compliance with Hardware Design Guide Version 1.0 for Windows NT Server requirements.
Recommended. These features add functionality supported by the Windows NT operating system. Recommended features take advantage of the native capabilities of hardware device drivers included with the operating system, usually without imposing major cost increases.
Notice that for compliance testing, if a recommended feature is implemented, it must meet the requirements for that feature that are defined in this guide. Some recommended features might become requirements in the future.
Optional. These features are neither required nor recommended, but if the feature is implemented in a Hardware Design Guide Version 1.0 for Microsoft Windows NT Server system, it must meet the specified requirements. These features are not likely to become requirements in the future.
In this guide, the following terms are used in regard to the requirements:
Must: Required
Should: Recommended
Note: It is recognized that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) supply systems with specific feature requirements to corporations, where customers integrate the desired solution on site. For example, a customer might specify a minimum configuration without disk drives.
Systems designed for specific corporate customers are exempt from related minimum requirements defined in this guide. Such exemptions are noted in this document. However, for compliance testing of these requirements, the system must include at least the minimum required components.
References and Resources
The following represents some of the information resources, services, and tools available to help build hardware that is optimized to meet the requirements defined in this guide. This section also lists technical references for the specifications cited in this guide.
Information Resources
Common Information Model (CIM)
http://www.dmtf.org/work/cim.html
Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF)
http://www.dmtf.org
Intel developer information
http://developer.intel.com
Microsoft hardware developer information
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/
Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Professional membership
Phone: (800) 759-5474
Outside North America: (510) 275-0763
Fax: (510) 275-0762
http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/
Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL)
whqlinfo@microsoft.com
http://www.microsoft.com/hwtest/
Technical References
1997 Version of National ISDN Basic Rate Interface Terminal Equipment Generic Guidelines, Document Number SR‑3888
http://www.bellcore.com
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification, Version 1.0
http://www.teleport.com/~acpi/
Advanced RISC Computing Multiprocessor Standard Specification, Revision 1.0, May 4, 1992
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/specs/
ATA 2 [X3T9.2 948D], SFF 8070i, SFF 8090, and other specifications
Small Computer Interface (SCSI‑2) [X3T9.2‑375R]
Small Computer Interface (SCSI‑3) Parallel Interface (SPI) [X3T9.2/91‑10]
Global Engineering Documents
Fax: (303) 397-2740
Phone: (800) 854-7179 (U.S.)
(613) 237-4250 (Canada)
(303) 792-2181 (Outside North America)
ATM User-Network Interface Specification, Version 3.1
Prentice Hall, 1995; ISBN 0-13-393828-X
http://www.atmforum.com
Desktop Management Interface Specification, Version 2.0
DMI Compliance Guidelines, Version 1.0
http://www.dmtf.org/tech/specs.html
Device Class Power Management Specifications
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/onnow.htm
El Torito — Bootable CD‑ROM Format Specification, Version 1.0
Compaq, Intel, Phoenix BIOS Boot Specification, Version 1.01
http://www.ptltd.com/techs/specs.html
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) or Global System for Mobile (GSM) standards
Phone: +33-92 94 42 00
FAX: +33-93 65 47 16
E-mail: secretariat@etsi.fr
Fibre Channel Association
http://www.amdahl.com/ext/carp/fca/fca.html
I2O (Intelligent I/O) Architecture Specification, Version 1.5
http://www.intel.com/design/iio/i2osig.htm
http://www.i2osig.org (special interest group)
IBM Personal System/2 Common Interfaces, Part No. S84F-9809
IBM Personal System/2 Mouse Technical Reference, Part No. S68X-2229
International Business Machines Corporation
IBM Customer Publications Support: (800) 879-275
Or contact an IBM sales representative
IEEE 1394 Standards
Telephone: (800) 949-4333
Fax: (410) 259-5045
Released Standards: Global Engineering Documents
ITU Communications Standards
ITU Sales
Phone: (41) (22) 730-6141
Fax: (41) (22) 730-5194
E-mail: sales@itu.ch
Interoperability Specification for ICCs and Personal Computer Systems
http://www.smartcardsys.com
Media Status Notification, Version 1.03
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/specs/
Modem Developers Kit (MDK)
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/devdes/modemddk.htm
Multiprocessor Specification, Version 1.4
http://developer.intel.com
Multisession Compact Disc Specification
Enhanced Music CD Specification, Version 1.0
Philips Consumer Electronics B.V.
Coordination Office Optical – Magnetic Media Systems
Building SWA-109, PO Box 80002
5600 JB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Fax: (31) (40) 732113
Network PC System Design Guidelines, Version 1.0b
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/netpc.htm
NTMS Programmers Guide
http://www.highground.com/ntmsmain.htm
Open Host Controller Interface (OpenHCI) Specification, published by Compaq, Microsoft, and National Semiconductor
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/specs/
PCI Bus Power Management Interface Specification, Revision 1.0
PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.1 (PCI 2.1)
http://www.pcisig.com
Plug and Play specifications
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/specs/
QIC 157, Revision D
Quarter-Inch Cartridge (QIC) Drive Standards
ftp://fission.dt.wdc.com/pub/standards/QIC/QIC157
Unimodem Diagnostics Command Reference Specification
Unimodem ID Command Reference Specification
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/specs/
Universal HCI (UHCI) Specification, published by Intel
http://developer.intel.com/design/usb/
Universal Serial Bus, Version 1.0
Universal Serial Bus PC Legacy Compatibility Specification, Version 0.9
Universal Serial Bus (USB) device class specifications
http://www.usb.org
Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) information
http://wbem.freerange.com
http://www.microsoft.com/management/wbem/
Windows management instrumentation and Win32® Extensions schema
http://www.microsoft.com/management/wbem/
Win32 SDK and Windows NT 5.0 DDK, including Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) 5.0 documentation
Provided through MSDN Professional membership
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