Cloud Computing and SAN Technologies Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the key advantages of cloud computing regarding performance?

Fewer programs loaded into memory (correct)

Increased number of programs running simultaneously

Higher hardware requirements

Improved security measures

Which of the following is a significant challenge associated with cloud computing?

Dependence on physical data storage

Potential for easier hacking of accounts (correct)

Increased software costs

Limited data accessibility

What is a financial advantage of using cloud computing applications?

They often require an expensive subscription

They include extensive hardware purchases

They are typically free or cheaper than commercial software (correct)

They require payment only during peak usage hours

Which feature of cloud computing allows users to manage storage efficiently?

Pay-per-use model for data storage Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of cloud storage is highlighted as a concern about data security?

Legal challenges in the country of data storage Signup and view all the answers

What is the maximum usable capacity of the HP StoreOnce 4700 SAN?

160 TB Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of SAN?

Ubiquitous access Signup and view all the answers

What types of drives are supported by the HP StoreOnce 4700 SAN?

LFF SAS MDL dual-port drives Signup and view all the answers

How does cloud computing primarily deliver its services?

Via the Internet Signup and view all the answers

Which benefit is primarily associated with SAN solutions?

High-speed access for multiple users Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'commoditized' in cloud computing imply?

Users are billed based on actual usage Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a benefit of SAN regarding backup processes?

Improved backup and recovery Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary feature of cloud computing platforms

Simple interface for users Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of RAM in a computer?

To store programs currently in use Signup and view all the answers

What does DDR in DDR SDRAM stand for?

Double Data Rate Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of the Control Unit in a computer?

It issues commands to other parts of the computer. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Data Bus in a computer architecture?

To transfer data to and from memory Signup and view all the answers

Which best explains the significance of chipset in a computer system?

It manages data flow between the processor, memory, and peripherals. Signup and view all the answers

In a 64-bit system, how many different memory addresses can it access?

18 Quintillion bytes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the nature of RAM memory?

It is volatile and loses data when powered off. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)?

To perform arithmetic and logical operations Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary benefit of using a 64-bit processor compared to a 32-bit processor?

Higher capacity for RAM utilization Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of swap-file (paging) in a computer system?

To use secondary storage as a temporary memory extension Signup and view all the answers

Which levels of cache are generally utilized in modern computers?

L1, L2, and L3 caches Signup and view all the answers

What is the fundamental tradeoff when considering cache types in a CPU?

Speed versus accuracy of data Signup and view all the answers

When a CPU needs to access data, what is checked first?

CPU cache Signup and view all the answers

What happens when RAM is full and the computer utilizes paging?

Inactive pages are moved to hard disk to free up RAM Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a CPU cache?

To reduce the time needed to access data from the hard disk Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about multi-level caches is true?

L1 cache is accessed before L2 and L3 caches Signup and view all the answers

What does the acronym POST stand for?

Power On Self Test Signup and view all the answers

Which type of disk storage is typically the fastest in access time?

Solid State Disks Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of Solid State Drives compared to Hard Disk Drives?

Higher access speed Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage of Hard Disk Drives compared to Solid State Drives?

Higher access times Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason SSDs are often more expensive than HDDs?

Higher production costs due to the materials used Signup and view all the answers

What type of drives have mostly become obsolete in modern computing?

Tape Drives Signup and view all the answers

What performance benefit does an SSD provide over an HDD for operating systems?

Faster program loading times Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes the reliability of SSDs compared to HDDs?

SSDs offer better reliability due to having no moving parts. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of the NTFS file system?

It prevents access to disk data without credentials. Signup and view all the answers

Which operating systems can support the NTFS file system?

Linux, BSD, and Mac OS (readable only). Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of a NAS device?

To provide dedicated file sharing. Signup and view all the answers

How does NAS facilitate storage management on a network?

By allowing hot upgrades without downtime. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs to files over time in the FAT file system?

They become fragmented. Signup and view all the answers

What is typically not a characteristic of NAS?

Handles file management tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What describes the nature of actual FAT file allocation?

Files may be stored in non-contiguous blocks. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the FAT system is true?

FAT systems can manage storage in fragmented formats. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

International & Access Foundation Programmes

This presentation covers topics related to computer science, specifically focusing on networks, PC internals, storage, and network storage.
It encompasses a variety of computer components and their roles in a PC's architecture.
The module is part of a semester 1 course.

PC Structure and Components

A diagram illustrating a PC's structure shows input components (keyboard, mouse), processing unit (processor chip), and output components (monitor, printer).
Storage devices shown are hard drives and flash memory.
Input includes keyboard and mouse
Processing includes processor chip
Output includes monitor and printer
Storage includes hard drive and flash memory

Inside a PC

Components of a PC's interior are displayed in a diagram
The motherboard, CPU cooler, RAM,Graphics card, PSU, and hard drive are highlighted as crucial internal components.
5.25" and 3.5" bays for storage devices are mentioned

Motherboard Components

A motherboard diagram details DRAM memory slots, power connector, CPU heat sinks/fan mounting points, CPU socket, Northbridge, Southbridge, ROM, PCI slots, hard drive slots, backup battery, AGP slot, and connectors for peripherals (audio, Ethernet, serial, USB).

Motherboards Explained

The presentation indicates that motherboards are explained with animation.

SDRAM Versions

A table provides specifications for different DDR SDRAM versions.
Data included relates to release date, Bus clock (MHz), Voltage (volts), Transfer Rate (MT/s), and burst time in minutes.
Key features for DDR SDRAM versions are listed

Random Access Memory (RAM)

RAM is computer data storage for active programs, and is volatile (wipes memory on shutdown).
DDR versions of RAM are displayed here
Key DDR versions (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, DDR5) are displayed with release dates
DDR SDRAM versions, including Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory, are explained.
Key features are iterated from year 2000 onwards

CPU Components and Functions

The central processing unit (CPU) contains the arithmetic logic unit (ALU).
Internal memory stores data temporarily during processing, known as registers.
Buses transfer information within the computer (data bus, address bus, control bus).
Data, address and control buses for data transfer and instruction control.
Peripherals are connected to communicate with the CPU (using buses).
Power bus delivers power to the components.
Control unit orchestrates computer operations.

Chipset Explanation

A chipset is a set of integrated circuits that manages data flow between components (processor, memory, peripherals).
Typically located on the motherboard.
Chipsets are designed for specific microprocessor families and play a vital role in determining system performance.

Memory Addressing in x86

32-bit systems accommodate up to 4GB of RAM, using 2^32 unique addresses.
64-bit systems have larger address space (18-Quintillion bytes or Exabytes).
Differences between 32-bit and 64-bit processors is that 64-bit processors can handle more complex calculations per second.
Memory is divided into blocks which aids faster data access by using virtual memory

Paging

Paging allows using more memory than is physically present in the system (RAM), using the hard disk.
Pages of data that are not frequently used are moved to the hard drive for storage (swap file), creating space in RAM for active processes and programs.

Swap File (Paging) Process

The swap file acts as a secondary storage to save data. The hard drive is the storage for those data files that is not in use currently.
The computer tries to hold as much data as possible in RAM, but only up to capacity.
Less active data pages are moved to the swap file on the hard drive to free up RAM space for other processes.
The hard drive data is brought back into RAM when needed by the system.

CPU Cache

A cache is a small memory, located inside the CPU.
It stores recently accessed data to reduce the time it takes to access data from RAM.
Different cache levels (L1, L2, etc.) are within the CPU to make data access quicker.

CPU Cache Levels

The CPU checks the cache first when needing data from main memory.
If the required data is in the cache, access is faster.
Cache "prefetching" may not always contain the required data.
Larger caches have better hit rates but longer latency, which means a balance between data access speed and memory storage capacity.
Multi-level caches (e.g., L1, L2) are used for speed.

VGA Feature Connector, RAMDAC, and Video-In Socket

VGA connector connects to other expansion cards.
RAMDAC converts digital images to analogue signals for the monitor.
Video-In socket inputs video signals from various devices (e.g., VCRs).

Video BIOS and Graphics Processor Chip

The Video BIOS includes operational firmware (graphics modes/screen fonts).
The Graphics Processor Chip manages resolution, colour depth, and rendering.

Power On Self Test (POST) and BIOS

POST is a pre-operating system test.
BIOS drivers and setup tools are for pre-operating system processes by controlling the computer.

PC Storage Types Overview

Mechanical Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) use magnetic polarity for data storage.
Solid State Drives (SSDs) employ NAND Flash memory.
Flash drives (e.g., USB drives) use Flash memory and are used as portable storage devices.
Tape drives and optical drives are less common storage media.

Mechanical 'Hard' Disk Drives

HDDs use a platter/spindle, actuator, read/write head, actuator arm, and power/IDE connectors to function.

Hard Disk Drives Data

Data on HDDs is organized into tracks, sectors, and cylinders for efficient access.
Different types of data storage can be organized into tracks, cylinders, sectors, and clusters.

Solid State Disk (SSD)

SSDs utilize NAND flash memory for data storage, and are shock-resistant (up to 1500g).
SSDs employ NAND Flash memory and have controller units for management.
SSDs contain a cache and controller to manage the NAND flash memory.

HDD & SSD Internal Architecture

Diagrams illustrating HDDs (rotating platter/head/actuator) and SSDs (NAND flash/controller) internal structures are provided.

Solid State Disk Specifications

SSDs have much lower access times compared to HDDs which have greater storage space at a lower cost.
Reliability improvements and lower power usage characterizes SSDs compared to HDDs.
SSDs operate without moving parts, unlike HDDs' moving components.
SSDs use NAND flash memory, which provides fast access speeds but has a higher per gigabyte cost compared to hard drives.

Optical Storage

Data is stored in CDs/DVDs using pits (shallow dents) and lands (flat areas).
Lasers read the pit/land pattern
Lasers passing through a reflective surface to read data in pits and lands

Making Disk Storage Reliable

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is used for data backups if a hard drive fails.
RAID techniques are used for disk storage reliability and fault tolerance.

RAID Levels

RAID Level 0 involves striping data across multiple disks for improved performance, but lacks redundancy.
RAID Level 1 uses mirrored data across disks for backups, increasing data reliability but decreasing performance.
RAID Level 10 combines striping and mirroring for backup support, providing both data reliability and optimized data retrieval speed.

Real World RAID Arrays

RAID arrays are disk setups commonly deployed in servers.

RAID Array in a Server Rack

Diagrams are provided showing RAID array configurations in a server rack, demonstrating how multiple servers can be used to create a network solution for managing data.

Example of a Rack Server

Physical diagrams of Rack Servers, showing configurations (1U, slots).
Lenovo Rack Servers illustrate components (drive bay, connection ports).

Blade Servers

Blade servers are stripped-down servers for maximized space utilization and high processor densities.
Blade servers are frequently utilized in enterprise environments where high processing requirements exist.
Storage management and redundancy can be incorporated using network storage solutions (SAN) for these servers

File Systems

FAT and NTFS are file systems used to organize data on storage devices like hard drives.
FAT is used for older systems (e.g. DOS). It's known for being simple, but has less space efficiency.
NTFS is a widely used file system for Windows and other systems, designed to accommodate larger files effectively and robust fault tolerance.
The major difference is that NTFS is more powerful and can handle more advanced features, while FAT is more basic.

FAT and NTFS Features

Key features are compared for FAT and NTFS file systems, including file size limitations, naming conventions, data encryption support, and data sharing support.
Data sharing and file management features differ between FAT and NTFS systems.

Group Task: Network Storage Deployment

The task requires devising three questions about network storage deployment in regards to the needs of the user.

Any Questions?

This is a closing prompt for questions from the audience.

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Description

Test your knowledge on cloud computing advantages, challenges, and storage area networks (SAN). This quiz covers essential features, benefits, and security concerns in cloud computing. Prepare to assess your understanding of key concepts and technologies.