Hardware Support

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a standard-based, external bus for the computer that brings the Plug and Play capability of hardware devices (such as keyboards, pointing devices, and hard drives) outside the computer, eliminating the need to install internal cards into dedicated computer slots and reconfigure the system. Using USB technology, you can configure hardware devices as soon as they are physically attached — without the need to restart or run a set up sequence. USB is supported by the Windows Driver Model (WDM) under Windows 2000 Professional.

USB has the following significant advantages over older I/O standards:

• All USB devices use the same type of I/O connector, eliminating the need for different cables and connectors.

• You can plug multiple USB devices into a single USB port.

• USB supports hot plugging , which means that you can install or remove a USB device while the computer is running, and the operating system automatically reconfigures itself accordingly.

There are many different types of USB devices that you can purchase. Table C.2 categorizes the types of USB devices that are available, and points you to additional information available in this Resource Kit.

Table C.2 USB Device Categories