Windows Glossary “Windows Dictionary” (M)

Make Changes
The Macintosh-style permission that gives users the right to make changes to a folder's contents; for example, modifying, renaming, moving, creating, and deleting files. When AppleTalk network integration translates access privileges into permissions, a user who has the Make Changes privilege is given Write and Delete permissions.

Management and Monitoring Tools
Software components that include utilities for network management and monitoring, along with services that support client dialing and the updating of client phone books. Also included is the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

Management Information Base (MIB)
A set of objects that represent various types of information about a device, used by Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to manage the device. Because different network management services are used for different types of devices and protocols, each service has its own set of objects.

management system
A network-enabled host running Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management software. This software requests information from SNMP agents. Management system is also called a management console.

mandatory user profile
A user profile that is not updated when the user logs off. It is downloaded to the user's desktop each time the user logs on, and is created by an administrator and assigned to one or more users to create consistent or job-specific user profiles. Only members of the Administrators group can change profiles.

map
To translate one value into another. In virtual memory systems, a computer might map a virtual address into a physical address.

master boot record (MBR)
The first sector on a hard disk, which starts the process of booting the computer. The MBR contains the partition table for the disk and a small amount of executable code called the master boot code.

master domain
A Windows NT 4.0 domain that is used for managing user and group accounts in a multidomain network.

Master File Table (MFT)
An NTFS system file on NTFS-formatted volumes that contains information about each file and folder on the volume. The MFT is the first file on an NTFS volume.

master server
An authoritative DNS server for a zone. Master servers can vary and are one of two types (either primary or secondary masters), depending on how the server obtains its zone data.

maximize
To enlarge a window to its largest size by clicking the Maximize button (at the right of the title bar), or by pressing ALT+SPACEBAR and then pressing X.

MD2
A hash algorithm that creates a 128-bit hash value and was developed by RSA Data Security, Inc.

MD4
A hash algorithm that creates a 128-bit hash value and was developed by RSA Data Security, Inc.

MD5
An industry-standard one-way, 128-bit hashing scheme, developed by RSA Data Security, Inc., and used by various Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) vendors for encrypted authentication. A hashing scheme is a method for transforming data (for example, a password) in such a way that the result is unique and cannot be changed back to its original form. The CHAP authentication protocol uses challenge-response with one-way MD5 hashing on the response. In this way, you can prove to the server that you know your password without actually sending the password over the network.

media
Any fixed or removable objects that store computer data. Examples include hard disks, floppy disks, tapes, and compact discs.

media pool
A logical collection of removable media that have the same management policies. Media pools are used by applications to control access to specific tapes or discs within libraries managed by Removable Storage. There are four media pools: unrecognized, import, free, and application-specific. Each media pool can only hold either media or other media pools.

media sensing
A feature that, when it detects a network cable connection failure, removes the bound protocols from the failed network adapter until the cable connection is reestablished. Without these bound protocols, the network interface connected through the failed network adapter is not available for cluster communication.

mediator
For Process Control, a process used to preserve information when a service stops or starts.

memory address
A portion of computer memory that can be allocated to a device or used by a program or the operating system. Devices are usually allocated a range of memory addresses.

Memory Usage
In Task Manager, the current working set of a process, in kilobytes. The current working set is the number of pages currently resident in memory. On the Task Manager Processes tab, the column heading is Mem Usage.

Memory Usage Delta
In Task Manager, the change in memory, in kilobytes, used since the last update.

message
For Message Queuing, a unit of information sent between computers running Message Queuing. The message can contain text or binary data as defined by the sending application. All messages, including status messages, are stored in queues on Message Queuing computers.

Message Authentication Code (MAC)
An algorithm that ensures the quality of a block of data.

Message Queuing
A message queuing and routing system for Windows that enables distributed applications running at different times to communicate across heterogeneous networks and with computers that may be offline. Message Queuing provides guaranteed message delivery, efficient routing, security, and priority-based messaging. Message Queuing was formerly known as MSMQ.

Message Queuing server
For Message Queuing (also known as MSMQ), a computer that can provide message queuing, routing, and directory services to client computers. Message Queuing servers can be used to:
• Provide message routing and session concentration for independent clients.
• Provide message routing between sites over routing links.
• Create queues and store messages for dependent clients.
• Access information in Active Directory (if installed on a Windows domain controller).

Messenger service
A service that sends and receives messages sent by administrators or by the Alerter service.

metadata
Data about data. For example, the title, subject, author, and size of a file constitute the file's metadata.

metric
A number used to indicate the cost of a route in the IP routing table that enables the selection of the best route among possible multiple routes to the same destination.

Microcom Networking Protocol Five (MNP5)
A data-compression standard that allows modems to increase throughput by compressing data before transmission. Data can be compressed with a ratio of up to 2:1. MNP5 sometimes expands data that has already been compressed, resulting in poorer performance in those cases. If you have an MNP5 modem, do not turn on modem compression and software compression at the same time. To turn on MNP5 compression, you must also turn on MNP4 error control.

Microcom Networking Protocol Four (MNP4)
An industry-standard communication protocol that allows modems to automatically retransmit corrupted data, assuring that only error-free data passes through the modem. MNP2 and MNP3 standards are included in MNP4.

Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC)
A transaction manager that coordinates transactions that span multiple resource managers, such as Message Queuing and Microsoft SQL Server. MS DTC is automatically installed when Message Queuing is installed.

Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
A framework for hosting administrative tools, called consoles. A console may contain tools, folders or other containers, World Wide Web pages, and other administrative items. These items are displayed in the left pane of the console, called a console tree. A console has one or more windows that can provide views of the console tree.

The main MMC window provides commands and tools for authoring consoles. The authoring features of MMC and the console tree itself may be hidden when a console is in User Mode.

Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption (MPPE)
A 128-bit key or 40-bit key encryption algorithm using RSA RC4. MPPE provides for packet confidentiality between the remote access client and the remote access or tunnel server and is useful where IP security (IPSec) is not available. MPPE 40-bit keys are used to satisfy current North American export restrictions. MPPE is compatible with Network Address Translation.

Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition
A required partition on every GUID partition table (GPT) disk. System components can allocate portions of the MSR partition into new partitions for their own use. For example, when you convert a basic GPT disk to dynamic, the system allocates a portion of the MSR partition to be used as the Logical Disk Manager (LDM) metadata partition. The MSR partition varies in size based on the size of the GPT disk. For disks smaller than 16 GB, the MSR partition is 32 MB. For disks larger than 16 GB, the MSR partition is 128 MB. The MSR partition is not visible in Disk Management, and you cannot store data on the MSR partition or delete it.

MIDI setup
The setup that specifies the type of MIDI device you are using, the channel and patch settings needed to play MIDI files, and the port your device is using.

minimize
To reduce a window to a button on the taskbar by clicking the Minimize button (at the right of the title bar), or by pressing ALT+SPACEBAR and then pressing N.

minimum TTL
A default Time to Live (TTL) value set in seconds for use with all resource records in a zone. This value is set in the start of authority (SOA) resource record for each zone. By default, the DNS server includes this value in query answers to inform recipients how long it can store and use resource records provided in the query answer before they must expire the stored records data. When TTL values are set for individual resource records, those values will override the minimum TTL.

mirror
One of the two volumes that make up a mirrored volume. Each mirror of a mirrored volume resides on a different disk. If one mirror becomes unavailable (due to a disk failure, for example), Windows can use the remaining mirror to gain access to the volume's data.

mirror set
A fault-tolerant partition created with Windows NT 4.0 or earlier that duplicates data on two physical disks. You can only repair, resynchronize, break, or delete mirror sets in Windows 2000. To create new volumes that are mirrored, use mirrored volumes on dynamic disks.

mirrored volume
A fault-tolerant volume that duplicates data on two physical disks. A mirrored volume provides data redundancy by using two identical volumes, which are called mirrors, to duplicate the information contained on the volume. A mirror is always located on a different disk. If one of the physical disks fails, the data on the failed disk becomes unavailable, but the system continues to operate in the mirror on the remaining disk. You can create mirrored volumes only on dynamic disks.

modem (modulator/demodulator)
A device that allows computer information to be transmitted and received over a telephone line. The transmitting modem translates digital computer data into analog signals that can be carried over a phone line. The receiving modem translates the analog signals back to digital form.

modem compression
A technique used to reduce the number of characters transmitted without losing data content. The transmitting modem compresses the data and the receiving computer or modem decompresses the data back to its original state.

modulation standards
Protocols that determine how modems convert digital data into analog signals that can be transmitted over telephone lines.
Initially, Bell created modulation standards used in the United States, and the CCITT created international recommendations. The ITU-T (formerly called the CCITT) now makes recommendations generally adopted by modem manufacturers both internationally and in the United States. The ITU-T V series recommendations (such as V.34 and V.90) define data communication over the telephone network. The suffixes -bis and -ter (for example, V.32bis) indicate later versions.

mount
To place a removable tape or disc into a drive.

mounted drive
A drive attached to an empty folder on an NTFS volume. Mounted drives function the same as any other drive, but are assigned a label or name instead of a drive letter. The mounted drive's name is resolved to a full file system path instead of just a drive letter. Members of the Administrators group can use Disk Management to create mounted drives or reassign drive letters.

MouseKeys
A keyboard feature that enables you to use the numeric keypad to move the mouse pointer and to click, double-click, and drag.

MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System)
An operating system used on all personal computers and compatibles. As with other operating systems, such as OS/2, it translates user keyboard input into operations the computer can perform. MS-DOS can be easily accessed by using the command prompt, while MS-DOS-based programs can be accessed through the use of shortcuts on the desktop.

MS-DOS-based program
A program that is designed to run with MS-DOS and therefore may not be able to take full advantage of all Windows features.


multicast
Network traffic destined for a set of hosts that belong to a multicast group.

Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (MADCAP)
An extension to the DHCP protocol standard used to support dynamic assignment and configuration of IP multicast addresses on TCP/IP-based networks.

multicast address resolution service (MARS)
A service for resolving multicast IP addresses to the ATM addresses of the clients that have joined that multicast group. The MARS can work in conjunction with the MCS and clients to distribute multicast data through point-to-multipoint connections.

multicast scope
A range of multicast group IP addresses in the Class D address range that are available to be leased or assigned to multicast DHCP clients by DHCP.

multicast server (MCS)
A service that manages zero or more multicast groups and distributes multicast data sent to it by clients of those multicast groups through point-to-multipoint connections.

multicasting
The process of sending a message simultaneously to more than one destination on a network.

multihomed computer
A computer that has multiple network adapters or that has been configured with multiple IP addresses for a single network adapter.

multilink dialing
The combination of two or more physical communications links' bandwidth into a single logical link to increase your remote access bandwidth and throughput by using remote access Multilink. Based on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard RFC 1990, Multilink combines analog modem paths, ISDN B-channels, and mixed analog and digital communications links on both your client and server computers. This increases your Internet and intranet access speed and decreases the amount of time you are connected to a remote computer.

multimaster replication
A replication model in which any domain controller accepts and replicates directory changes to any other domain controller. This differs from other replication models in which one computer stores the single modifiable copy of the directory and other computers store backup copies.

multiple boot
A computer configuration that runs two or more operating systems.

Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
A serial interface standard that allows for the connection of music synthesizers, musical instruments, and computers. The MIDI standard is based partly on hardware and partly on a description of the way in which music and sound are encoded and communicated between MIDI devices. The information transmitted between MIDI devices is in a form called a MIDI message, which encodes aspects of sound, such as pitch and volume, as 8-bit bytes of digital information.

MIDI devices can be used for creating, recording, and playing back music. Using MIDI, computers, synthesizers, and sequencers can communicate with each other, either keeping time or actually controlling the music created by other connected equipment.

My Documents
A folder that provides you with a convenient place to store documents, graphics, or other files you want to access quickly. When you save a file in a program such as WordPad or Paint, the file is automatically saved in My Documents, unless you choose a different folder.