Introduction to I.T. Unit 1

6 components of Computer Information Systems

Hardware, Software, Data, People, Process, Communication

Hardware

The part of the information systems that you can touch; the physical components of the technology

software

Programs and applications that run on the hardware and gives a set of instructions to tell the hardware what to do

computer network

A group of computers connected for the purpose of communication, sharing, data, and resources

Data

Information, or a collection of facts

What do people do in I.T.

Manage and maintain systems

process

Procedure and rules that govern the operation of the system

Computer Network

A group of computers connected for the purpose of communication and the sharing of data and resources

Local area network (lan)

Computer network that links computers within a building

Communication

Connects and shares data

Information Systems

A combination of technology, people, and processes that collects, creates, distributes, and exploits useful information

computer

A electronic device that uses a combination of hardware and software to manipulate data

peripheral

Hardware component that is not natively part of the system

Client-Server

Computer system in which a centralized computer provides data to connected computers over a network

Four primary functions of a computer

input, output, processing, storage

Computer basic components

Central processing unit, memory, circuit board, storage, input/output

Input

Mode by which data enters the computer

Output

Mode by which data is delivered

CPU stands for what

Central Processing Unit

A CPU does what

Carries out the commands sent to it by the software. "brains" of the device.

CPU is measured in what

Hertz

A hertz defined as

One cycle per second

RAM stands for what

Random Access Memory

RAM

The working memory of a computer that transfer data from the hard disk upon starting the device

Volatile

Computer storage that only holds data while power remains on

Hard disk

Is where data is stored when the computer is turned off and where it is retrieved from when the computer is turned on

Why is a hard disk called a hard disk

It consist of a stack of disks inside a hard metal case

SSD

Solid-State Drive

Definition of Solid-State Drive (SSD)

Form of data storage that uses flash memory; all data is stored on a microchip

Cloud computing

Storing and processing data over the internet rather than on a personal computer

Form Factor

The physical characteristics of a device such as size, shape, weight, and usability

Smartphone

A mobile phone that incorporates the same functionality as a computer

Tablet Computer

A computer that uses a touchscreen as its primary input

Portability

How easily a computer can be transported

Processing speed

Amount of clock cycles a processor can perform in a second, measured in hertz.

Screen size

The length of the monitor, typically the diagonal measured in inches.

5 security domains

Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

A form of memory in which the data stored can only be read; it cannot be changed

CD/DVD-ROM DRIVE

Drive bay used to insert CDs and DVDs

Vent

Provides external area for internally generated heat to be dissipated

Ports

Provides user with feedback as to the current operation of the system

Keyboard

Device that provides text and/or numeric input into a computer system

Pointing device

Device that moves an on-screen pointer and provides buttons for input

Mouse

A device that can be moved across a flat surface to move an on-screen pointer

Touchpad

Touch sensitive pad that behaves like a mouse and is built into laptop computers

Scanner

Input device that allows users to input documents as images or text

digital camera

Input device that captures a picture and converts it to digital information

Monitor

Output device used to display video, images, and text

Printer

Output device that generates a hard copy of work created on a computer

Status light

Provide users with feedback as to the current operation of the system

Software can be divided into two categories

System software and application software

Application software

Provides users with the ability to accomplish a goal or purpose

computer programming

Process used by computer programmers to develop software that solves problems.

Operating System

Software that performs the task required to keep the system running, and provides the main interface for the user

Productivity software

Subcategory of application software that provides office employees the ability to complete their work

Programming software

software whose purpose is to make more software

Software

The set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do

System software

Any number of programs that manage a computers resources and peripheral components

Utility software

Software that allows you to fix or modify your computer in some way

What are the basic components of all personal computers

CPU, memory, circuit board, storage, and input/output devices

Sound card

Expansion card that produces sound through the speakers or headphone

Graphics processing unit (gpu)

Generates images on the monitor; also referred to as the video card.

Motherboard

The main circuit board on the computer to which the cpu, memory, and storage connect

Network interface card (NIC)

Expansion card that provides a computer with the ability to connect to a network

Bit

A contraction of "binary digit", a digit containing either a 0 or 1

Byte

A Unit of digital data, containing a string of eight binary units (0s or 1s)

Flash drive

Form of data storage that attaches to the USB connector on PCs

Hard disk controller

A hard disk component that enables the CPU to access, modify, read, and write data to and from the hard disk, CD-ROM, and any other drive

Optical disk

A form of removable storage media that stores data on the surface of the disc

Byte (B)

eight bits

Kilobyte (KB)

1,000 bytes

Megabyte (MB)

1 million bytes

Gigabyte (GB)

1 billion bytes

Terabyte (TB)

1 trillion bytes

Hertz

A unit of frequency used t describe the speed of computing devices; abbreviated Hz

Unit prefix

A group of letters attached to the beginning of a unit; common prefixes include kilo, mega, giga, and tera.

Binary Number System

Base- two numbering system used by computers to work with data; includes the digits 0 and 1

Decimal number system

Base- ten numbering in which each column in the number represents a power of ten; includes the digits 0-9

Hexadecimal number system

A numbering system based on 16 digits; includes the digits 0-9 and A-F

Numbering system

Method of representing numbers of a certain type