Glossary of terms, Computer component definitions, Passive backplane computers – Rockwell Automation 6000 Industrial Computers Technical Reference Guide User Manual
Page 2: Active motherboard computers
RAC6000 Industrial Computers
Technical Reference Guide
This document contains a collection of general computer technology information. It also
contains detailed technical information for the RAC6000 industrial computer products.
Here is an overview of the document:
•
Glossary of Terms – some independent websites of computer glossaries.
•
Computer Component Definitions – overview of key computer components and
application to RAC6000 products.
•
Reliability Information – product MTBF overview and data.
•
RAC6000 Product Support – overview of RAC6000 computer support strategy.
•
Computer Technical Data Sheets – detailed technical specifications for RAC6000
Processor Cards and Active Motherboards.
•
RAC6000 Chemical Resistance – comprehensive tables for 6180, 6181, and 6185
products.
Glossary of Terms
The following websites contain detailed glossaries for computer terms and acronyms.
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Computer Component Definitions
The following sections provide an overview for various computer terms and components,
as well as their application to RAC6000 computer products.
Passive Backplane Computers
A computer platform consisting of a multi-slot backplane and a separate plug-in CPU
card. Several years ago when computers were less reliable and changing rapidly, passive
backplane computers were popular because it is easy to replace the CPU card for repairs
or upgrades. Today passive backplane computers are popular because they can offer lots
of add-in card slots, or can be designed to fit small enclosures. Passive backplane
computers are primarily used in industrial and telecommunications applications, so their
technology usually lags commercial PCs by at least 6 months. The 6155 and 6181
computers are passive back-plane designs.
Active Motherboard Computers
A computer platform with the processor, memory, I/O ports, and add-in card slots
integrated onto a single circuit board. Almost all commercial PCs today contain active
motherboards, because they are the most cost-effective design. Today’s trends are
toward higher integration on the motherboard, such as embedded video and network
interfaces. The most popular motherboard size is the ATX standard. The ATX standard