ICT Fundamentals - Introduction to Networks

A set of QUESTION-AND-ANSWER flashcards covering key topics from the ICT Fundamentals notes, including networks, media types, wireless technologies, applications, and emerging tech.

What is a computer network?

A collection of two or more computers linked together to share resources (printers, folders), exchange files, and interact, either physically or wirelessly; the internet is the network of networks.

What is the purpose of a computer network besides basic connectivity?

To share connections, hardware (printers, scanners, input devices), data via shared storage, and software by running applications on remote computers.

How is data transmitted in a network and what are the small parts called?

Data is transmitted through a medium in small parts called packets.

What are the core components of a data communication system model?

Sender, Transmission Medium, Set of Rules (Protocols), Receiver, and Message.

What is a message in data communication?

The core data to be communicated, which can be in text, image, audio, etc.

What is the transmission medium?

The path that carries the message from sender to receiver; can be guided (wired) or unguided (wireless).

What are protocols?

The set of rules that govern communication between devices.

What is an IP address?

A unique identity assigned to a device on a network.

What does PAN stand for and what does it describe?

Personal Area Network; connects devices within a very short range (centimeters to meters), e.g., Bluetooth between headphones and a phone.

What does LAN stand for and what is it?

Local Area Network; a network confined to a small geographic area like a building or campus.

What does MAN stand for and what is its scope?

Metropolitan Area Network; connects computers within a large city or across districts, larger than a LAN.

What does WAN stand for and what is its scope?

Wide Area Network; covers large distances, often used to connect multiple LANs; the Internet is a WAN.

What is a private network?

A network with limited access where only selected devices can access it, controlled by security configurations in routers and access points.

What is a VPN and how is it used?

Virtual Private Network; a private network that uses public telecommunication infrastructure to connect sites securely and privately over the Internet.

What is a server in a network?

A computer responsible for managing network resources (hardware, storage, files) and serving them to clients.

What is a client in a network?

A computer that consumes or benefits from the services provided by a server.

What is the difference between guided and unguided media?

Guided media are wired paths (cables); unguided media are wireless (radio waves, microwaves, etc.).

What are the two main types of copper cable used in networks?

Twisted Pair: Unshielded (UTP) and Shielded (STP) twisted pair cables.

What is coaxial cable and its use?

A cable with an inner conductor, insulating layer, and shielding; used for RF signals, cable TV, and internet connections.

What are fiber optic cables and their major advantage?

Cables with glass fibers that transmit data as light; offer high speed and long-distance transmission with low interference.

What does Wi‑Fi refer to and how does it work at a high level?

Wireless Fidelity; uses radio waves and requires an access point and wireless adapters; a router connects wireless devices to the internet.

What is LiFi and how is it different from Wi‑Fi?

Light Fidelity; uses visible light to transmit data with LEDs; faster and more secure but requires light sources and line of sight.

What is Bluetooth and what is its typical use?

A short-range wireless technology using longer wavelength than visible light to connect devices over short distances.

What is infrared (IR) communication and its typical use?

Wavelengths longer than visible light; used for short-range device-to-device communication and is not visible to the eye.

What is cellular wireless communication?

A network technology that serves areas divided into cells with transceivers (cell sites) and often uses satellites to connect mobile devices.

What is satellite communication?

Use of satellites to relay data for voice, video, internet, etc.; an antenna at the ground station sends/receives signals to/from a satellite.

What are expert systems?

Computer programs that mimic expert human behavior and decision-making using a knowledge base; used in fields like mineral prospecting, car diagnostics, and medicine.

Give an example of an application of expert systems in industry.

Mineral prospecting: systems analyze geological data to identify likely locations for minerals, oil, or gas.

How are expert systems used in automotive engineering?

They contain car-specific knowledge and run tests to guide engineers to root causes of faults and suggest fixes.

How do computer games relate to AI and expert systems?

They simulate human actions using a knowledge base and strategies to determine computer moves.

How are ATM machines improved using AI?

AI predicts maintenance needs by analyzing breakdown history and enhances security, including facial recognition.

What is the role of medical expert systems?

Assist doctors in diagnosing by matching symptoms to potential causes and suggesting actions.

What are biometrics in ICT security?

Measurements of physiological features (fingerprint, iris, facial features) used for authentication and access control.

What is MICR and where is it used?

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition; reads checks via magnetic ink; contains bank code, account, and check numbers.

What is OMR and what does it do?

Optical Mark Recognition; captures marks on documents (surveys/tests) using special scanners.

What is OCR and its purpose?

Optical Character Recognition; converts scanned text from documents/images into machine-readable text.

What is RFID and its common uses?

Radio Frequency Identification; uses radio waves to identify and track tagged objects for inventory, asset tracking, and access control.

What does GPS provide and where is it used?

Global Positioning System; satellite-based positioning, velocity, and time; used in cars, phones, wearables.

What is CAT in translation tech?

Computer-Assisted Translation tools that use translation memories to speed up human translation.

What are 3G, 4G, and 5G?

3G: third generation mobile data; 4G: faster data and web page loading; 5G: very high speeds (up to ~20 Gbps) with ultra-low latency and massive device connectivity.

What is cloud computing and its key benefits?

Delivery of computing resources over the internet; benefits include agility and cost savings by reducing on-premises hardware/software.

Which companies are leaders in cloud computing services?

Amazon, Google, and IBM (among others) are market leaders in cloud services.

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

Interconnected physical objects and devices with sensors and processing power that exchange data over networks.

What are embedded systems?

Microprocessor-based computer systems designed to perform specific functions within larger systems (e.g., GPS, HVAC, automotive controls).

What is edge computing?

Computing and data storage done close to the data source to reduce latency and bandwidth use.

What are the four types of data analytics?

Descriptive (what happened), Diagnostic (why it happened), Predictive (what will happen), Prescriptive (what actions to take).

What is big data?

Large, complex data sets that are hard to manage and analyze; mined for information and used in ML and statistics.

What is blockchain and how is it different from a traditional database?

Blockchain stores data in blocks chained together chronologically; highly secure and immutable, commonly used as the public ledger for Bitcoin.

What is cryptocurrency and why is it secure?

Digital currency that uses cryptography and blockchain; decentralized and designed to be hard to counterfeit or double-spend.

What is a distributed application?

An application that runs on multiple computers in a network; can failover to others if one node stops; web browsers are examples.