6.1 Managing Hardware

Question 1

What is primary memory and give an example.

Answer 1

Place where all data/programs currently being processed are kept. e.g. RAM

Question 2

What happens to primary memory if it is too limited? [3]

Answer 2

Secondary storage is required, which is a slower method of storing.
Virtual memory is limited so data can’t be loaded
Influences how many processes can be done simultaneously

Question 3

What is secondary storage? And give 3 examples.

Answer 3

Place where data/programs can be stored if power is lost. E.g. HDD, SDD, optical.

Question 4

What happens is secondary storage is too limited? [3]

Answer 4

No place to ‘save’ works so data might be lost.
Can prevent OS from using virtual memory.
Limits computer data generally.

Question 5

What is a processor?

Answer 5

A processor does all the calculations in a computer system.

Question 6

What happens if the processor is too limited?

Answer 6

The processor will take longer to perform tasks.

Question 7

What do processor cores do?

Answer 7

Each core can process smth. More processors - more tasks simultaneously.

Question 8

What happens if you have too little cores?

Answer 8

If you have only one core, you can only perform one set of calculations at once. Takes longer to process stuff.

Question 9

What does bandwidth measure? And what is it unit?

Answer 9

How much data can be sent at one time. Measured in bps (bits per second)

Question 10

What happens if bandwidth is too limited?

Answer 10

Data takes longer to travel.

Effects speed of all data processing.

Question 11

What is screen resolution?

Answer 11

Measurement of pixels height x width.

Question 12

What happens if screen resolution is too small?

Answer 12

Image quality deteriorates.

Question 13

What happens if screen resolution is too big?

Answer 13

Files would be too large.

Question 14

What is a sound processor?

Answer 14

A place where sound processing happens to give CPU more space.

Question 15

What is the GPU?

Answer 15

Does complex graphic processing.

Question 16

What happens if the sound processor or GPU are limited?

Answer 16

CPU has to do more work and the quality is reduced.

Question 17

What is the role of the network card?

Answer 17

Each network card connects to a network media.

Question 18

What happens if the network connectivity is limited?

Answer 18

The connection types are limited and it’s slower.

Question 19

What is cache?

Answer 19

Contains instructions that the CPU is likely to request next for RAM. Usually in MB.

Question 20

What does a mainframe contain? [3]

Answer 20

Processor with thousands of cores.
Vast amounts of primary memory.
Vast amounts of secondary memory.

Question 21

What is a mainframe?

Answer 21

A mainframe is a large-capacity computer system

Question 22

Where are mainframes commonly used?

Answer 22

In large companies, weather/financial models and to virtualise smaller computers.

Question 23

What is a server farm?

Answer 23

A server farm is a group of computers acting as servers and housed together in a single location.

Question 24

What do server & server farms contain?

Answer 24

Processor with many high spec PCs in parallel.
Big capacity of primary memory.
Lots of secondary memory per machine.

Question 25

Where are server & server farms used?

Answer 25

In networks or data centres for cloud storage.

Question 26

What is a PDA?

Answer 26

A personal digital assistant - a small mobile device to store information.

Question 27

Is Siri a PDA?

Answer 27

NO.

Question 28

What can you do if a certain area of your resources are limited and you can’t upgrade them?

Answer 28

Use a multi-programming or multi-user system.

Question 29

What is a multi-user system?

Answer 29

Either many users on the same machine.

Or many users connected to the same network.

Question 30

What is a multi-programming network?

Answer 30

System that can have different programs installed.