Information Technology: key concepts and definitions - Term 2

Hardware

Hardware is a physical part of a computer that the user interacts with directly.

Modular design

Modular design means that a computer consists of separate components and peripherals instead of one unit.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the main circuit board found inside the computer case, which allows other components to connect to it.

Ports

Ports provide a connection point for input, output, and storage peripherals to connect the computer.

Secondary memory or storage

Storage is hardware that permanently stores data and instructions in the form of files and software.

Primary memory/ Memory/ Random Access Memory [RAM]

RAM is the electronic memory that temporarily holds data and instructions to be processed by the CPU.

Processor/ Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The CPU is responsible for all the processing that takes place in the computer. It will fetch, process, and return data and instructions to and from the RAM.

Green Computing

Green computing is the study, design, production, use, and disposal of computing devices to ensure the impact on the environment is as minimal as possible.

E-waste

Electronic waste is the electronic equipment that is of no use to the owner due to it being outdated or broken and is therefore discarded.

System software

System software is programs designed to manage the running of a computer's hardware and application software.

Operating system

The operating system is system software that provides an interface to the user and manages the hardware and software of the device it is installed on.

Utility software

Utility software is system software that allows users to manage, control, and maintain their computers.

Device driver

A device driver is system software that allows the operating system to communicate with and control hardware devices connected to the computer.

Plug-and-Play

Plug-and-Play is a technology that allows the operating system to identify a device that is plugged into the computer and automatically install the driver for the device.

Hot-swappable

Hot-swappable means a device can be connected and disconnected while the computer is on.

Network

A network is a group of computing devices connected through communication media to allow the devices to communicate and share resources.

Network Interface Controller (NIC)

The NIC is a hardware component that allows the computing device to connect to the network so that it can communicate with other devices in the network.

Range

The distance that a signal can be transmitted to send and receive data.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted in a network from one point to the other in a certain period of time.

Switch

The switch is a hardware device that connects computing devices to a central point in the network and directs the data to the correct destination so that communication can occur.

Router

A router is a hardware device that sends and receives data from one network to another to the correct destination, via the best route.

Server

Servers are computers, with high specifications, that provide network resources to the devices in the network.

Firewall

Hardware and/or software that regulates the incoming and outgoing network traffic by blocking unauthorized traffic based on a set of security rules.

Network Operating System (NOS)

System software installed on the server to manage and control other computing devices connected to the network.

Network Access Control (NAC)

Settings in the network operating system software that the network administrator uses to assign access rights and permissions for users.

Topology

Topology refers to the physical arrangement of the hardware in a network.

Network client

A network client is a computing device that only uses network resources and does not provide other computers with network resources.

Network peer

A network peer is a computing device that acts as both a client and a server by using and providing network resources at the same time.

E-communication

Electronic communication is the exchange of information between users using software on electronic devices over the internet.

Protocol

A protocol is a standard set of rules for encoding and decoding data to be transferred over a network.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

VoIP is a protocol that allows the transfer of voice data over a network such as the internet.

Netiquette

Netiquette is a good practice we should use while communicating on the internet.