DOMAIN 2: Infrastructure

CPU

The "brain" of the computer; executes instructions

RAM

Volatile memory used for active tasks; cleared on shutdown

ROM

Non-volatile memory that stores firmware/instructions that don't change

Motherboard

Main circuit board connecting all internal components

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

Converts electricity to power the internal components

GPU

Handles video and graphics rendering

HDD

Mechanical hard drive with spinning platters; slower, cheaper per GB

SSD

Flash-based storage with no moving parts; faster, pricier per GB

Volatile storage

Storage that loses data when the power is turned off, e.g. RAM

Non-volatile storage

Storage that retains data without power, e.g. SSD, HDD, ROM

USB

The most common connector for peripherals like keyboards and mice

HDMI

Connector for combined video and audio output

Bluetooth

Short-range wireless connection, e.g. mouse or headphones

NFC

Very short-range wireless technology used for tap-to-pay

IP address

A unique numerical identifier for a device on a network

IPv4

IP address format like 192.168.1.1

IPv6

Newer, longer IP address format allowing far more unique addresses

Router

Connects networks together and directs traffic between them

Switch

Connects multiple devices within the same local network

Modem

Converts signal between an ISP and a home network

LAN

Network confined to a small area, like a home or office

WAN

Network spanning a large geographic area; the internet is the largest example

Wi-Fi

Wireless networking standard

Bandwidth

Maximum data transfer capacity of a connection

Latency

The delay between sending and receiving data

SaaS

Software as a Service; software delivered over the internet, e.g. Gmail

PaaS

Platform as a Service; lets developers build apps without managing infrastructure

IaaS

Infrastructure as a Service; rented virtual hardware over the internet

Public cloud

Shared cloud infrastructure available to anyone, e.g. AWS or Azure

Hybrid cloud

A combination of public and private cloud infrastructure