Monday, February 11, 2002		Bits & Bytes

Single-system image: Abbreviated SSI. A form of distributed computing in which by using a common interface multiple networks, distributed databases or servers appear to the user as one system. In other words, the operating system environment is shared by all nodes in the system.

Scratch disk: Space dedicated on a hard drive for temporary storage of data. Scratch disks are commonly used in graphic design programs, such as Adobe Photoshop. Scratch disk space is only for temporary storage and cannot be used for permanently backing up files. Scratch disks can be set to erase all data at regular intervals so that the disk space is left free for future use. The management of scratch disk space is typically dynamic, occurring when needed.