Evolution of IT Hardware Quiz

Mainframe Computers

• Widespread commercial use of mainframe computers began with the introduction of transistorized machines like the IBM 1401 and 7090 during the General-Purpose Mainframe and Minicomputer Era.
• Mainframe computers became powerful enough to support thousands of online remote terminals during the 1970s and 1980s.

Personal Desktop Productivity Software

• The launch of personal desktop productivity software tools in the 1980s and early 1990s was contributed by the proliferation of PCs and the need for users to be productive.

Advancements in Mainframe Computers

• A significant advancement in mainframe computers during the General-Purpose Mainframe and Minicomputer Era was the introduction of transistorized machines like the IBM 1401 and 7090.

Client/Server Computing

• Client/server computing is characterized by the separation of tasks between client computers and server computers.
• Server computers in client/server computing typically provide services, store data, and process requests from client computers.
• The term 'server' refers to a computer or device that provides services, stores data, or processes requests.

Enterprise Computing

• Enterprise computing in the early 1990s was characterized by the use of client/server computing and the proliferation of PCs.

Cloud Computing

• The cloud computing model advanced the client/server model by providing on-demand access to a shared pool of computing resources.

Personal Computer Power

• The power of personal computers is determined by factors such as processing speed, memory, and storage capacity.
• Knowing a computer’s power is important for end users to make informed decisions about software and hardware compatibility, and to optimize system performance.

End User Competence

• Competent end users need to understand the power of their computer, software and hardware compatibility, and how to optimize system performance.

Network Protocols

• Firms began seriously using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networking standard by adopting it for internal networks and connecting to the Internet.

Cloud Computing Advancements

• The widespread adoption of broadband connectivity pushed the client/server model further towards the cloud computing model.

Test your knowledge on the evolution of IT hardware, covering topics such as the stage of IT infrastructure, different types of computer hardware, and the general-purpose mainframe and minicomputer era. This quiz also explores the system unit, input/output, secondary storage, and hardware trends.