What does 'I/O address' refer to in computing?

'I/O address' refers to an identifier for input/output devices in computing. Each device connected to a computer system, such as keyboards, mice, printers, and storage devices, is assigned a specific address that the operating system uses to communicate with it. This address helps the computer identify and manage the various I/O devices, allowing for effective data transfer and command execution between the processor and peripherals.

In this context, it is crucial to understand that input/output addressing plays a vital role in how devices are recognized and accessed by the system, enabling appropriate data handling for software applications. This is distinct from other options, such as lossless data compression, which relates to data storage efficiency but does not involve device identification. Similarly, system memory refers to where data is temporally held for processing, and a protocol for data encryption pertains to data security, neither of which concerns the specific addressing of input/output devices.