UNIT 1 IT LEARNING AIM A

Multifunctional Device (MFD)

A single hardware unit that performs multiple tasks (such as printing, scanning, copying, and faxing), reducing physical office space and hardware costs.

System-on-a-Chip (SoC)

An integrated circuit that combines multiple computer components—including the CPU and GPU—onto a single chip to conserve space and reduce power consumption in mobile devices.

Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)

An automated data capture technology that reads and identifies pre-marked selections on paper forms, commonly used to grade multiple-choice exam papers.

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

A technology that reads characters printed with magnetised ink, widely used by the banking sector to process bank cheques.

Network Switch

A hardware device that connects multiple devices on a Local Area Network (LAN) and uses MAC addresses to forward data frames directly to the intended destination device.

Mechanical actuator

An output peripheral that converts electrical control signals from a computer system into physical movement or mechanical force.

SSD physical durability advantage

Contains no moving parts and relies on flash memory, making it far more resistant to physical shock and movement compared to magnetic platters.

Magnetic tape data access method

Sequential access, meaning the medium must physically wind through earlier sections to reach a target file, making individual file retrieval slow.

Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)

An operating system designed to process inputs and produce outputs within predictable, strictly guaranteed time limits, essential for systems such as vehicle ABS.

Device driver

Specialised system software that translates high-level operating system instructions into hardware-specific commands a peripheral can understand.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

A text-based user interface where users navigate and execute tasks by typing commands; requires minimal system resources and supports rapid task automation through scripting.

Network firewall

A security utility or hardware appliance that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined security rules to block unauthorised access.

Disk defragmentation

A utility process that reorganises scattered parts of files on an HDD into continuous sectors to reduce read/write head movement and improve access speeds.

Open-source software

Software provided with accessible source code, allowing users to inspect, modify, and redistribute the program under its licensing terms.

Bespoke software

Software specifically designed and programmed from scratch to meet the exact operational requirements and workflows of a single organisation.