1 Melissa Hinton CINS 3050 Briefing Review Questions

Foundational Hardware Review Questions 1. IS hardware is classified into what three major types? a. Input technologies i. Used to enter information into a computer using devices such as a keyboard or mouse on your pc ii. A biometric fingerprint reader to authenticate a person entering a secure laboratory iii. RFID scanners to track inventory in a warehouse b. Processing devices i. Transform input into outputs c. Output devices i. Deliver information into a useable format 2. Describe various methods for entering data into and interacting with a computer. a. Entering text and numbers with a QWERTY keyboard b. By using a mouse c. Scanners d. Voice input 3. How do computers represent internal information? a. Through binary codes 4. Describe the system unit and its key components. a. Container that houses most of the electronic components that make up a computer system. Houses motherboard, power supply, fan, CPU, RAM, ROM, HDD, optical drives, ports, slots, and power supply. i. Desktop system units 1. Contain systems electronic components, and selected secondary storage. Input and output devices like monitor, mouse, and keyboard are located outside the system unit. Can be placed vertically (tower models) or horizontally. ii. Notebook system units 1. Portable, smaller. Contain electronic components, selected secondary storage and input devices such as keyboard and mouse. Monitor is located outside of the system unit and its attached to it by hinges. iii. PDA or personal digital assistance system units 1. Smallest and designed to fit in one hand. Contains entire computer system including electronic components, secondary storage and input and output devices. 5. What determines the speed of a CPU?

2 a. Number of transistors b. Clock speed c. Registers d. Cache memory 6. Compare and contrast the different types of secondary data storage. a. Hard disk drive i. Magnetic media ii. Usually installed internally, but may be located externally and attached via cables to ports iii. Writes on a fixed disk iv. High storage capacity v. Redundant array of independent disks (RAID) b. Tape storage i. Removable ii. Must be inserted into a tape reader to be read from or written to and are removed when these tasks are accomplished iii. Used for longer-term archival storage 7. What are output devices? Describe various methods for providing computer output. a. Electronic equipment that connects to a computer and used to transfer data out of the computer (in the form of text, images, other media, etc.) i. Monitor displays 1. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)older computer displays and TVs 2. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)newer, lighter, and thinner 3. Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLED)even lighter ii. Electronic paper 1. Microscopic beads change color in response to small electrical charges. These beads are encased between thin sheets of flexible material. iii. Projectors 1. Ex: Kindle Foundational Software Review Questions 1. Define the term software and list several software packages and their uses. a. A program or set of programs that tell the computer to perform certain processing functions. i. Word processors 1. Enables you to create a document and electronically store it a. Ex: MS Word ii. Spreadsheets 1. Use numbers and formulas to do calculations in payroll, budgets, etc. a. Ex: MS Excel iii. Data bases 1. Keeps membership lists, student lists, grade reports, etc. a. Ex: MS Access

3 iv. Graphic presentations 1. Slide shows, repeating computer presentations using a computer monitor, use for animation in slide shows. a. Ex: MS Powerpoint v. Web browsers 1. Allows you to surf the internet, use search engines, advertise, etc. a. Ex: IE, Opera, Safari, Chrome 2. Describe at least four different tasks performed by an operating system. a. Processor management i. Puts tasks in order and pairing them to manageable sizes before they go to the CPU b. Memory management i. Coordinates data to and from RAM and determines the necessity for virtual memory. c. Device management i. Provides interface between connected devices d. Storage management i. Directs permanent data storage e. Application interface i. Allows standard communication between software and your computer f. User interface i. Allows you to communicate with your computer 3. Describe the similarities and differences between at least two major operating systems in use today. a. Linux i. Open sourcefree ii. Command line interface iii. Freezes/crashes less often than Windows iv. Can run continuously for months without reboot v. Less security flaws b. Windows i. Is not free ii. Has graphic user interface iii. More widely accepted 4. Name and describe four functions of utility programs. a. Backup i. Archives files from hard disk to tapes, flash drive, or other storage devices b. File Defragmentation i. Coverts fragmented files on your hard disk into contiguous files that will load and be manipulated more rapidly c. Disk and data recovery i. Allows the recovery of damaged or erased data from hard and floppy disks d. Data compression

4 i. Compresses data by substituting a short code for frequently repeated patterns of data, much like the machine shorthand used by court reporters, allowing more data to be stored on a disk e. File conversion i. Translates a file from one format to another so that it can be used by an application other than the one used to create it f. Antivirus i. Scans files for viruses and removes or quarantines any virus found g. Device drivers i. Allows adding new hardware to your computer system, such as a game controller, printer, scanner, and so on, to function with your operating system h. Spam blockers i. Monitors your incoming e-mail messages and filters or blocks unwanted messages from arriving i. Spyware detection and removal i. Scans your computer for spyware and disables or removes any spyware found j. Media players i. Allows you to listen to music or watch video on a computer 5. What is HTML, and why is it important? a. HTML stands for hypertext markup language. It is the standard method of specifying the format of Web pages. Specific content within each webpage is enclosed within codes (called HTML tags) that stipulate how the content should appear to the user. i. It is important because it allows the information to be shared on the internet 6. Describe various options for adding dynamic content to a Web page. a. Java i. Lets you add active content such as add shapes, change colors, etc. b. Applets i. Program designed to be used within another application 1. Ex: Flash games on Facebook c. Microsoft.NET i. Programming platform used to develop applications that are highly interoperable across a variety of platforms and devices 7. What is CASE, and how can it help in the development on information systems? a. Computer-aided software engineering b. Developers represent business processes and information flows by using graphical diagramming tools. By providing standard symbols to represent business processes, information flow between processes, data storage, and the organizational entities that interact with the business processes, CASE eases a very tedious and error-prone activity. Also ensure drawing conforms to development standards and provides consistency with other design documents developed by developers. c. Has ability to generate program source codes automatically. i. Ex: Java, Visual Basic.NET, C# d. General types of CASE tools i. Diagramming tools

5 1. Tools that enable system process, data and control structures to be represented graphically. ii. Screen and report generators 1. Tools that help model how systems look and feel to users. Screen and report generators make it easier for the systems analyst to identify data requirements and relationships. iii. Analysis tools 1. Tools that automatically check for incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect specifications in diagrams, screens, and reports. iv. Repositories 1. Tools that enable the integrated storage of specifications, diagrams, reports, and project management information. v. Documentation generators 1. Tools that help produce both technical and user documentation in standard formats. vi. Code Generators 1. Tools that enable the automatic generation of program and database definition code directly from the design documents, diagrams, screens, and reports. 8. What is open source software? Why would business choose to implement open source software? a. Software for which the source code is freely available for use and/or modification. i. Ex: Open Office, Firefox, GNU/Linux Foundational Networking Review Questions 1. Compare and contrast centralized, distributed, and collaborative computing. a. Centralized computing i. A computing model utilizing large centralized computers, called mainframes, to store data. b. Distributed computing i. Using separate computers to work on subnets of tasks and then pooling the results by communicating over a network. c. Collaborative computing i. A synergistic form of distributed computing in which two or more networked computers are used to accomplish common processing tasks. 2. How are LANs, WANs, enterprise networks, and global networks related to each other? a. An enterprise network connects wide area networks (WANs) together. WANs reach over a large geographical area, then the smaller areas from the LANs are connected together. i. Ex private network: Acme Headquarters (enterprise)>Acme local office (LAN) ii. Ex public network: Internet (global internet)>Acme Headquarters (WAN) 3. What are the major types of network services available? a. Files services

6 i. Used to store, retrieve, and move data files in an efficient manner b. Print services i. Use to control and manage users access to network printers and fax equipment c. Message services i. Include the storing, accessing, and delivering of text, binary, graphic, and digitized video and audio data across a network d. Application services i. Run software for network clients and enable computers to share processing power 4. What are three common types of transmission media that use cabling? a. Twisted-pair cable i. Made of two or more pairs of insulated copper wires twisted together b. Coaxial cable i. Contains a solid inner copper conductor surround by plastic insulation and an outer braided copper or foil shield c. Fiber-optic cable i. Made of light-conducting glass or plastic core surrounded by more glass, called cladding, and a tough outer sheath 5. What are four common methods of wireless transmission media for networking, and how do they differ from each other? a. Infrared line of sight i. Low cost, up to 16 Mbps, high attenuation ii. Transmit data through high-frequency light waves on an unobstructed path between does on a network up to 80 feet iii. Ex: Tv remote b. High-frequency radio i. Moderate cost, up to 300 Mbps, low attenuation ii. Transmit data up to 7.5-25 miles iii. Ex: Mobile phones, Wi-Fi c. Terrestrial microwave i. Moderate cost, up to 274 Mbps, low attenuation ii. High frequency is sent through the air using earth-based systems or satellite systems. Uses antennae, must have unobstructed path. d. Satellite microwave i. High cost, up to 90 Mbps, moderate attenuation ii. Use satellites orbiting earth as they relay stations to transfer signals between ground stations located on earth. iii. Ex microwaves: XM/Sirius satellite radio. 6. What is a network topology? Describe the four common topologies that are used today. a. The shape of a network b. Star network i. Has several workstations connected to a central hub; shaped like a star c. Ring network

7 i. Configured in a closed loop, with each workstation connected to another workstation; shaped like a circle d. Bus network i. Configured in the shape of an open-ended line where each workstation receives the same message simultaneously e. Mesh network i. Consists of computers and other devices that are either fully or partially connected to each other What is the purpose of the OSI model? a. Provides a framework for connecting different computers with different operating systems to a network b. Protocol that represents a group of specific communication tasks and successive layers i. Physical 1. Defines the mechanism for communicating with the transmission media and interface hardware ii. Data link 1. Validates the integrity of the flow of data iii. Network 1. Defines the protocols for data routing to ensure that data arrives at the correct destination iv. Transport 1. Defines the protocols for structuring messages v. Session 1. Coordinates communications and maintains the session for as long as neededincluding security and log-on functions vi. Presentation 1. Defines the way data is formatted, converted, and encoded vii. Application 1. Defines the way that application programs such as electronic mail interact with the network What is the Internet, and why was it created? a. Connecting host computers and their networks to form even larger networks. A large collection of world-wide networks that use a common protocol to communicate with each other. b. Its sole purpose for creation was so that information could be shared. Other than dial-up, what are three alternatives for connecting to the Internet at home? a. Cable b. Wireless c. Satellite What organization manages the registration for domain names? a. ICANNInternet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

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Foundational Database Review Questions

1. Describe why databases have become so important to modern organizations. a. They can help an organization grow b. Easy to set up and manipulate c. Can be specialized for a specific function 2. Explain the difference between a database and a DBMS. a. Database is an organized collection of data or information so that it can be easily accessed, updated or manipulated; holds records, data, cells, etc. b. DBMS is a software that manages database on a computer; are the tools for manipulate the data in a database. 3. List some reasons that record keeping with physical filing systems is less efficient than using a database on a computer a. Less paper b. More efficient c. Easier to find files 4. Describe how the following terms are related: entity, attribute, record, and table. a. You collect the data about something specific (entity), which is then put into rows (records) and columns (attributes). Combine entities, records, and attributes and you will have a table. 5. Compare and contrast the primary key, combination key, and foreign key within an entity. a. Primary keyfield included in a database that contains a unique value for each instance of an entity to ensure that it is stored or retrieved accurately b. Combination keyA unique identifier consisting of two or more attributes c. Foreign keyAn attribute that appears as a non-primary key attribute in one entity and as a primary key attribute (or part of a primary key) in another entity 6. What is the purpose of a secondary key? a. Attribute that can be used to identify one or more records within a table that share a common value 7. What is the purpose of normalization? a. A technique for making complex databases more efficient and more easily handled by a database management system 8. Explain how organizations are getting the most from their investment in database technologies. a. Saving money on paper costs b. Saving time c. Helps retention d. Helps businesses expand