Topic 1.2 Part 1 - System Architecture/Memory and Storage

Question 1

What is system architecture?

Answer 1

System architecture refers to the design and structure of a computer system or network.

Question 2

What is a central processing unit (CPU)?

Answer 2

The CPU is the brain of a computer, responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations.

Question 3

What is RAM (Random Access Memory)?

Answer 3

RAM is volatile memory used to store data that is actively being processed by the CPU.

Question 4

What is a motherboard?

Answer 4

The motherboard is the main circuit board in a computer, connecting all hardware components.

Question 5

What is an operating system (OS)?

Answer 5

An OS is software that manages hardware and provides a user interface for interacting with a computer.

Question 6

What is a microprocessor?

Answer 6

A microprocessor is an integrated circuit that contains the CPU.

Question 7

What is a bus in system architecture?

Answer 7

A bus is a communication pathway that allows data to be transferred between hardware components.

Question 8

What is firmware?

Answer 8

Firmware is software that is permanently stored on hardware components, such as the BIOS.

Question 9

What is BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)?

Answer 9

BIOS is firmware that initializes hardware components during system startup.

Question 10

What is an instruction set architecture (ISA)?

Answer 10

An ISA is a set of instructions that a CPU can execute.

Question 11

What is a cache memory in system architecture?

Answer 11

Cache memory is a small, high-speed memory used to store frequently accessed data for faster retrieval.

Question 12

What is a clock speed in system architecture?

Answer 12

Clock speed measures how quickly a CPU can execute instructions, typically in gigahertz (GHz).

Question 13

What is parallel processing?

Answer 13

Parallel processing is the use of multiple CPUs to perform tasks simultaneously, improving performance.

Question 14

What is a storage device?

Answer 14

A storage device is hardware for long-term data storage, such as hard drives and SSDs.

Question 15

What is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)?

Answer 15

A GPU is specialized hardware for rendering graphics and performing parallel processing.

Question 16

What is a file system?

Answer 16

A file system is the structure used to organise and manage data on storage devices.

Question 17

What is virtual memory?

Answer 17

Virtual memory extends RAM by using disk space as temporary storage for data.

Question 18

What is a network architecture?

Answer 18

Network architecture defines the structure and organization of a computer network.

Question 19

What is a client-server architecture?

Answer 19

In a client-server architecture, clients request services from a central server.

Question 20

What is a peer-to-peer architecture?

Answer 20

In a peer-to-peer architecture, devices communicate directly with each other without a central server.

Question 21

What is cloud computing?

Answer 21

Cloud computing provides access to computing resources over the internet, often through remote data centers.

Question 22

What is a distributed system?

Answer 22

A distributed system uses multiple interconnected computers to work together on a task.

Question 23

What is a database management system (DBMS)?

Answer 23

A DBMS is software that manages the storage and retrieval of data in a database.

Question 24

What is scalability in system architecture?

Answer 24

Scalability refers to a system’s ability to handle increased workloads by adding resources.

Question 25

What is fault tolerance?

Answer 25

Fault tolerance is a system's ability to continue operating in the presence of hardware or software failures.

Question 26

What is redundancy?

Answer 26

Redundancy involves duplicating critical system components to ensure continued operation in case of failure.

Question 27

What is a microservices architecture?

Answer 27

A microservices architecture breaks down applications into small, independent services.

Question 28

What is a monolithic architecture?

Answer 28

A monolithic architecture builds applications as a single, tightly integrated unit.

Question 29

What is API (Application Programming Interface)?

Answer 29

An API defines how software components should interact and communicate with each other.

Question 30

What is load balancing?

Answer 30

Load balancing distributes network traffic across multiple servers to optimize performance.

Question 31

What is latency in system architecture?

Answer 31

Latency is the delay between a request and a response in a system, often caused by data transmission.

Question 32

What is bandwidth?

Answer 32

Bandwidth measures the maximum data transfer rate on a network or communication channel.

Question 33

What is RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)?

Answer 33

RAID combines multiple hard drives for data protection and improved performance.

Question 34

What is a firewall?

Answer 34

A firewall is a security system that controls incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Question 35

What is a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?

Answer 35

A VPN encrypts and secures internet connections for privacy and security.

Question 36

What is IoT (Internet of Things) architecture?

Answer 36

IoT architecture involves connecting various devices and sensors to collect and exchange data.

Question 37

What is containerisation?

Answer 37

Containerisation isolates applications and their dependencies for easy deployment and management.

Question 38

What is a microcontroller?

Answer 38

A microcontroller is a compact computer designed for specific tasks, often found in embedded systems.

Question 39

What is a system-on-a-chip (SoC)?

Answer 39

An SoC integrates various hardware components, including CPU, GPU, and memory, on a single chip.

Question 40

What is virtualisation?

Answer 40

Virtualisation creates virtual instances of hardware, such as virtual machines or virtual networks.

Question 41

What is edge computing?

Answer 41

Edge computing processes data closer to the source to reduce latency and improve real-time decision-making.

Question 42

What is Moore's Law?

Answer 42

Moore's Law is the observation that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years.

Question 43

What is an API gateway?

Answer 43

An API gateway is a server that acts as an API front-end, managing requests and responses.

Question 44

What is SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture)?

Answer 44

SOA is an architectural approach that designs software as a collection of loosely coupled services.

Question 45

What is ESB (Enterprise Service Bus)?

Answer 45

An ESB is middleware software that facilitates communication between different applications.

Question 46

What is a container orchestration tool?

Answer 46

Container orchestration tools, like Kubernetes, manage the deployment and scaling of containerised applications.

Question 47

What is a reverse proxy?

Answer 47

A reverse proxy handles client requests and forwards them to the appropriate backend server.

Question 48

What is HPC (High-Performance Computing) architecture?

Answer 48

HPC architecture is designed for performing complex computations and simulations at high speeds.

Question 49

What is RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture?c

Answer 49

RISC architecture uses a simplified instruction set for faster and more efficient processing.

Question 50

What is CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) architecture?

Answer 50

CISC architecture uses a rich instruction set with complex operations, often requiring more clock cycles to execute.