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Questions and Answers
What is the primary role of the information layer in a computing system?
What is the primary role of the information layer in a computing system?
Which of the following components is considered part of computer hardware?
Which of the following components is considered part of computer hardware?
In a computing system, what does the output layer produce?
In a computing system, what does the output layer produce?
Which statement best describes a computing system?
Which statement best describes a computing system?
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What types of information does the information layer manage?
What types of information does the information layer manage?
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Which layer of a computing system is responsible for the physical implementation of the system's components?
Which layer of a computing system is responsible for the physical implementation of the system's components?
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What is essential for hardware and software to function in a computing system?
What is essential for hardware and software to function in a computing system?
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Which of the following best describes the function of computer software?
Which of the following best describes the function of computer software?
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What is generally considered more secure than using a password for user authentication?
What is generally considered more secure than using a password for user authentication?
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What is a characteristic of CAPTCHA systems?
What is a characteristic of CAPTCHA systems?
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Which of the following statements is true about malicious code?
Which of the following statements is true about malicious code?
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Among the categories of malware, which one can embed itself in other programs?
Among the categories of malware, which one can embed itself in other programs?
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Which biometric method is NOT typically used for authentication?
Which biometric method is NOT typically used for authentication?
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What is the main drawback of using biometric authentication methods?
What is the main drawback of using biometric authentication methods?
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What risk does malicious code present to computer systems?
What risk does malicious code present to computer systems?
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Which of the following statements describes the purpose of a virus?
Which of the following statements describes the purpose of a virus?
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What are the two main protocols that enable communication over the Internet?
What are the two main protocols that enable communication over the Internet?
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What does the Internet Protocol (IP) primarily handle?
What does the Internet Protocol (IP) primarily handle?
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Which of the following is NOT one of Tim Berners-Lee's key ideas for the Web?
Which of the following is NOT one of Tim Berners-Lee's key ideas for the Web?
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How does the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) manage messages?
How does the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) manage messages?
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Which statement best describes hypertext as used in the Web?
Which statement best describes hypertext as used in the Web?
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Which of the following accurately describes the distributed nature of the Web?
Which of the following accurately describes the distributed nature of the Web?
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What is the primary function of the Internet Protocol (IP)?
What is the primary function of the Internet Protocol (IP)?
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In which year was the World Wide Web proposed by Tim Berners-Lee?
In which year was the World Wide Web proposed by Tim Berners-Lee?
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What happens when a failure occurs in a ring topology?
What happens when a failure occurs in a ring topology?
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Which topology provides the highest level of redundancy?
Which topology provides the highest level of redundancy?
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What is a significant disadvantage of adding nodes to a ring topology?
What is a significant disadvantage of adding nodes to a ring topology?
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In a star topology, what occurs if the central hub or switch fails?
In a star topology, what occurs if the central hub or switch fails?
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What is one of the main characteristics of bus topology?
What is one of the main characteristics of bus topology?
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Why is mesh topology rarely used in local area networks (LANs)?
Why is mesh topology rarely used in local area networks (LANs)?
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Which topology is considered the easiest to expand by adding additional nodes?
Which topology is considered the easiest to expand by adding additional nodes?
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What aspect makes ring topology less favorable for environments with frequent changes?
What aspect makes ring topology less favorable for environments with frequent changes?
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What is the purpose of a top-level domain (TLD) in a domain name?
What is the purpose of a top-level domain (TLD) in a domain name?
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Which of the following best describes latency in network performance?
Which of the following best describes latency in network performance?
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In the context of firewalls, what is a primary function they serve?
In the context of firewalls, what is a primary function they serve?
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What does a ping utility primarily check in a network?
What does a ping utility primarily check in a network?
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Which statement about bandwidth is accurate?
Which statement about bandwidth is accurate?
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What role does a firewall play in an organization's network policy?
What role does a firewall play in an organization's network policy?
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Which of these is NOT a benefit of computer networks?
Which of these is NOT a benefit of computer networks?
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Which statement correctly defines the concept of a DNS server?
Which statement correctly defines the concept of a DNS server?
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Study Notes
Computing Systems
- A computer system is a dynamic entity, used to solve problems and interact with its environment.
- A computing system is composed of hardware, software, and data.
- Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that make up the machine and its related pieces (boxes, circuit boards, chips, wires, disk drives, keyboards, monitors, printers, etc.).
- Computer software is the collection of programs that provide the instructions that a computer carries out.
- Data is at the heart of a computer system and is managed by hardware and software.
Layers of a Computing System
- A computing system is made up of many layers.
- Each layer plays a specific role in the overall design of the system.
- The innermost layer, information, reflects how information is represented on a computer.
- Information on a computer is managed using binary digits (1 and 0).
- Types of information managed include numbers, text, images, audio, and video.
Hardware Layer
- The hardware layer consists of the physical hardware of a computer system.
- Computer hardware includes devices such as gates and circuits – the computer’s central processing unit (CPU), memory, and input and output devices.
Communication Layer
- This layer focuses on how information is transmitted between different parts of a computer system.
- Communication may occur over a network or via a bus, connecting different components within a computer.
Software Layer
- This layer encompasses all the programs that run on a computer system.
- It includes operating systems, applications, utilities, and other software components.
Information Layer
- This layer represents the data that is processed and stored by the computer.
- Data is organized and managed at this level.
Ring Topology
- In a ring topology, each node is connected to two adjacent nodes, forming a closed loop.
- Data travels in one direction around the ring.
- To connect one more node, only one extra cable is needed.
- Network disruption occurs when nodes are added or removed, making it impractical for frequently changing networks.
Mesh Topology
- In a mesh topology, each node has a direct connection to every other node in the network.
- It provides high redundancy, offering alternative paths for data transmission in case of a cable failure.
- Rarely found in LANs due to complex cabling, primarily used in WANs with routers.
Bus Topology
- In a bus topology, all devices are connected to a single shared communication line (the bus).
- Data transmission occurs across the bus, accessible to all devices.
- Inexpensive and easy to install.
- Failure of the communication line affects all devices.
Star Topology
- In a star topology, all devices are connected to a central hub or switch.
- Data transmission occurs through the hub/switch, acting as a central point.
- Easy to expand, adding new nodes requires only one separate cable.
- More expensive than bus topology.
- Hub/switch failure disconnects all connected devices.
Domain Name System (DNS)
- DNS translates domain names like www.google.com.sa into corresponding IP addresses (172.217.18.227).
- It enables users to remember and navigate websites using easy-to-remember names rather than complex IP addresses.
Top-Level Domain (TLD)
- The TLD is the last part of a domain name (e.g., .com, .org, .net).
- It specifies the type of organization or country of origin.
- Countries outside the US use a TLD reflecting their two-letter country code.
Network Performance
- Latency (network delay) is the time taken for a message to travel from one device to another.
- Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can be transferred over a network medium in a given time.
- Ping checks if network data packets can reach a specific address without errors.
Firewall
- A firewall acts as a security gateway between a network and the outside world.
- It filters incoming network traffic, checking for legitimacy and potentially blocking suspicious messages.
- Enforces an organization's access control policy, which dictates permitted and prohibited network communication.
Computer Network Advantages
- Connectivity and communication: Enables email, chat, and other forms of communication.
- Data sharing: Allows for easy sharing of files, images, movies, and other data across networks.
- Resource sharing: Provides access to shared resources like printers and files across connected devices.
- Centralized management: Offers simplified management of network resources and policies.
Protocols and Addresses
- The Internet allows different types of computers to communicate by using common protocols.
- The two key protocols that control Internet communication are:
- Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): Manages message breakdown into packets and reassembly at the destination.
- Internet Protocol (IP): Labels packets with source and destination IP addresses and handles routing across networks.
History of the Web
- The World Wide Web (WWW) was proposed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 at CERN.
- It combined two key ideas:
- Hypertext: Allows linking text or documents enabling users to access related information.
- Distributed nature of the internet: Web pages can be stored and accessed from multiple computers.
Authentication Techniques
- Authentication techniques verify the identity of users accessing systems or resources.
- Techniques include:
- Something the user knows: Like passwords or secret questions.
- Something the user has: Physical tokens like ID cards or smart cards.
- Something the user is: Biometric data like fingerprints or retina scans.
Other Authentication Techniques
- CAPTCHA programs present problems solvable by humans but difficult for automated programs to complete.
Malicious Code (Malware)
- Malware is any program that attempts to bypass security safeguards and perform unauthorized actions.
- It can cause serious damage, such as data destruction, or create nuisances, like unwanted pop-ups.
Categories of Malware
- Virus: A program that replicates itself by embedding copies into other programs.
- Worm: A program that replicates itself independently and spreads across networks without the need for a host program.
- Trojan horse: A program disguised as legitimate software but secretly performs malicious actions.
- Spyware: Programs that secretly monitor user activity and collect personal information.
- Ransomware: Malware that restricts access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid.
- Adware: Programs that display unwanted ads on a computer screen.
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Description
This quiz covers the basics of computing systems, including their dynamic nature and composition of hardware, software, and data. It delves into the various layers of a computing system, particularly emphasizing the role of information and the hardware layer. Test your understanding of these fundamental concepts in computing.
