COMPUTER SCIENCE OCR

What is memory?

Part of the computer that stores data

What/who would use a client-server network?

An organisation with many computers- such as a school

What is memory?

Part of the computer that stores data

What/who would use a client-server network?

An organisation with many computers- such as a school

Peer to peer network

A network where all the computers have an equal status- all stored files can be accessed by all peers

On a client-server network, what is a client?

A computer a which relies on other computers (servers) to provide and manage data

What is a client-server network?

A form of computer networking where the data or web application is hosted on a server & accessed by client computers

The two types of network

-client-server

-peer2peer

What is volatile memory?

memory used to store computer program data WHILE its being executed

Power off = data lost

Disadvantages of using networks

• cost- additional equipment needed for computers to communicate

• Malware easily spread

• Management requires technical staff

What is a WAN?

spread over a wide geographical area such as multiple sites, a country or even the world. It connects LANs together

What is the bandwidth of business wifi?

Up to 6 gigabits per second

Is ROM volatile or non-volatile?

Non-volatile

What is the bandwidth of home wifi?

Up to 600 megabits per second

Whats the bandwidth of fibre-optic cables?

100 gigabits per second

Whats the bandwidth of twisted copper wire?

Up to 10 gigabits per sec

What are the two types of primary memory?

RAM and ROM

What is latency?

How long it takes for a message to go from one computer to another across a network.

What is bandwidth?

The amount of data which can be transferred over a period of time

Why can primary storage be read and written to quickly?

Because it is built into the computer (which gives the computer fast access)

Is RAM volatile or non-volatile?

Volatile

BIOS (definition)

Basic Input Output System- the basic firmware needed to start computers- it is embedded in the computers ROM chip

Advantages of using networks

• hardware sharing- such as printers

• Easy communication

• Roaming access- login and access files anywhere on the network

What is a stand alone?

A computer not connected to a network

What is a LAN?

A network that covers a small geographic area such as a building or site- the hardware is owned by the organisation

What factors can affect the performance of a network?

• bandwidth

• Latency

What is a network?

A group of interconnected computers/devices

How large is primary memory (typically)?

Limited- 8GB

Non-volatile (definition)

A form of memory which stores data, even when not powered

Examples of solid state secondary storage devices

• SSDs

• USB sticks

What is the function of RAM?

To store instructions that are currently in use, it is used to hold the operating system and any open documents and programs

Examples of optical secondary storage devices

CD, DVD, Blu-ray

Examples of magnetic secondary storage devices

Hard Disk Drives

What is the operating system?

The software that managed the software and hardware resources in a computer system

What gives RAM the name ‘random access’?

Data can be accessed and stored from any location in the memory

Types of secondary storage

Optical, Solid State, Magnetic

What is secondary storage?

non-volatile, long-term storage, it is used to keep programs and data indefinitely

What is cache?

Temporary high speed memory used to store webpages

How does using virtual memory slow down the computer processing performance?

Secondary storage devices have slower access times than RAM as they are not built in

What is swapping? (Virtual memory)

The process of moving data between RAM and secondary storage when using virtual memory

What is virtual memory?

Using secondary storage as additional primary memory.

It is used when the amount of data needed to run in RAM is greater than its capacity

What is RAM?

Volatile primary memory, when the computer is turned off, data stored in RAM is lost

What does BIOS do?

Checks the hardware is running correctly and runs a bootup program that loads the computers operating system from the hard drive to the RAM

ROM (definition)

Non-volatile primary memory which can only be read which makes it ideal for storing BIOS