R05 (Part 1) Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and how can it be prevented?
ESD is a sudden flow of static electricity that can harm electronics. It’s prevented by using grounded wrist straps and carefully handling components.
What are key safety steps when building a PC system?
H – Handle components by edges
E – ESD protection
M – Manage cables
P – Power off & unplug
E – Ensure good ventilation
What is PAT (Portable Appliance Testing)?
PAT is a safety check of electrical devices, looking at wires, insulation, and connections—commonly done in workplaces.
What is the role of the motherboard and common port types?
The motherboard connects all components.
Ports include USB, HDMI, Ethernet, and audio jacks for connecting peripherals.
What do chipsets and computer buses do?
Chipsets control data flow—northbridge links CPU and RAM, southbridge handles input/output.
Computer Buses move data—system bus for CPU and RAM, PCIe for fast parts, USB for external devices.
What are expansion slots and what do they support?
Expansion slots are connectors on the motherboard that support add-ons like GPUs (PCIe), RAM, and older PCI cards.
What’s the difference between primary and secondary storage?
Primary storage is fast and temporary, used by the computer for things like RAM, cache, and registers.
Secondary storage is permanent and includes devices like hard drives, SSDs, and flash memory.
What are the four types of computer peripherals?
Input (keyboard)
Output (monitor)
Storage (USB drive)
Hybrid (touchscreen)
What is virtualisation and how does it differ from cloud computing?
Virtualisation runs VMs locally and cloud computing hosts services online.
What is a hypervisor and its types?
A software that manages VMs.
Type 1 is Hyper-V which runs on hardware
Type 2 is Virtual box which runs on a OS
List benefits and issues of virtualisation:
Benefits: lower costs, scalability, backup ease.
Issues: resource limits, security risks, complex setup.
What are the different types of networks?
LAN (local) - Home
WAN (wide) - Internet
MAN (metro) - University
PAN (personal) - Bluetooth
VPN (private/secure).
What’s the difference between client-server and peer-to-peer networks?
Client-server uses central servers (secure, scalable)
P2P shares directly (simple, less secure).
Describe common networking cables.
Twisted-pair (UTP/STP)
fibre-optic (SMF/MMF)
coaxial (used in CCTV and cable TV)
What’s the difference between analogue and digital signals?
Analogue = smooth, continuous (e.g., vinyl).
Digital = binary, discrete (e.g., MP3).
What is a protocol and what’s a network packet?
Protocol – Defines the rules for communication.
Network Packet – Contains a header (where it’s going), data (the message), and footer (checks for errors).
What is a MAC (Media Access Control) address?
It is a unique hardware identifier for network interfaces.
What is a NIC (Network Interface Card)?
A hardware component that enables a device to connect to a network (wired or wireless).
Network Server Types:
Print Server - Manages printers and print jobs.
Proxy Server - Filters traffic and hides user identity.
Network Server - Provides services/resources to network devices.
FTP Server - Transfers files using FTP.
Web Server - Delivers websites via HTTP.
Hardware Server types:
Tower Server - Upright server for small offices
Rack Server - Flat server in a rack; used in data centres.
Blade Server - Slim, space-saving server.
What are the layers of the TCP/IP model?
Application – Supports user apps (e.g. HTTP, FTP, SMTP).
Transport – Ensures delivery (e.g. TCP, UDP).
Internet – Routes data (e.g. IP, ICMP).
Network Access – Sends data physically (e.g. Ethernet, Wi-Fi).
