Interrupt Request (IRQ) and Direct Memory Access (DMA) (1.1.8)

An Interrupt Request (IRQ) in modern computers is a number from 0 to 31. It is a signal sent by a device through communication channels to get the attention of a processor whenever that device requires processing. In contrast, Direct Memory Access (DMA), a number from 0 to 8, is a system resource used by a device to bypass the processor whenever that device needs access to RAM. To view IRQ and DMA resource settings in Windows Server 2016, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Device Manager.
2. Expand the device's category.
3. Right-click the device and select Properties.

1. Click the Resources tab and check out the Resource settings section as shown in Figure 3.8:

Figure 3.8. Driver's Resource Settings