Computer Systems: Chapter 4 (Networking)

Question 1

What is a Network?

Answer 1

It is two or more computer linked together in such a way that data and messages may be exchanged between them

Question 2

What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?

Answer 2

A LAN is a network that covers a small geographical area

Question 3

What is a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

Answer 3

A WAN is a network that covers a large geographical area

Question 4

What is an Internetwork?

Answer 4

An Internetwork is a collection of two or more LANS

Question 5

What is a Mainframe?

Answer 5

A large, powerful computer system that can process a huge amount of data at high speed

Question 6

What is a File server?

Answer 6

A File server provides central disk storage for user’s programs and data on a network

Question 7

What is a Print server?

Answer 7

A Print server allows all of the client stations to use a printer controlled by it

Question 8

What is a Web server?

Answer 8

A Web server is a computer that provides World Wide Web services to a network

Question 9

What is a Node?

Answer 9

A computer on a network

Question 10

What is a Channel?

Answer 10

It is a link between 2 nodes on a network, or any type of communication channel

Question 11

What is a Topology?

Answer 11

It is the way in which the nodes on the network are connected together

Question 12

What happens if there is a Node failure on a Bus Topology? What happens if there is a Channel failure on a Bus topology?

Answer 12

• Node failure - No effect on rest of network

* Channel failure - Network is down

Question 13

What happens if there is a Node failure on a Star Topology? What happens if there is a Channel failure on a Star topology?

Answer 13

• Node failure - No effect on rest of network, unless central node
• Channel failure - No effect on rest of network

Question 14

What happens if there is a Node failure on a Ring Topology? What happens if there is a Channel failure on a Ring topology?

Answer 14

• Node failure - No effect on rest of network, node bypassed

* Channel failure - Network is down

Question 15

What happens if there is a Node failure on a Mesh Topology? What happens if there is a Channel failure on a Mesh topology?

Answer 15

• Node failure - No effect on rest of network

* Channel failure - No effect on rest of network

Question 16

What is a Repeater?

Answer 16

A Repeater is a device which amplifies a signal on a cable

Question 17

What is a Hub?

Answer 17

A Hub is a multi-port Repeater

Question 18

What is a Switch?

Answer 18

A Switch is a ‘Smart Hub’, it divides a network into separate segments, one for each machine

Question 19

What is an advantage of using a Switch over a Hub?

Answer 19

If you use a Switch then there are no collisions between signals to reduce speed of network, whereas using a Hub increases network traffic

Question 20

What is a Router?

Answer 20

A Router is a device which links 2 or more networks

Question 21

How does a Router work?

Answer 21

It looks at the destination address of packets of data passing through it, and decides which route each packet should take

Question 22

What is Bandwidth?

Answer 22

Bandwidth is a measure of the quantity of data which may be carried by a communications channel at any one time

Question 23

What are the 3 varieties of 802.11 Wi-Fi standards?

Answer 23

• 802.11a
• 802.11b
• 802.11g

Question 24

What is Bluetooth?

Answer 24

A WPAN that allows short range wireless communications between devices up to 10m apart

Question 25

What are advantages of higher Bandwidth? (2)

Answer 25

• You can transmit larger data files

* You can support video conferencing

Question 26

What are advantages of Wireless communications? (2)

Answer 26

• No trailing wires

* You can move about without being tied to a desk

Question 27

What are the advances in computer hardware? (4)

Answer 27

• Advances in processors
• Advances in main memory capacity
• Advances in Backing Storage
• Advances in Data Transfer Rates

Question 28

What are the advances in network-related software? (3)

Answer 28

• Advances in Browser software
• Advances in Communications software
• Advances in Network operating systems

Question 29

What is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act?

Answer 29

An act that covers breaches of copyright, such as illegal copying of software, music and movies

Question 30

What is the Computer Misuse Act?

Answer 30

An act that makes it illegal to gain unauthorised access to a computer system (hacking) and the spreading of viruses

Question 31

What is the Data Protection Act?

Answer 31

It is an act that covers how information may be held and for what purposes

Question 32

What are the advantages of using a Cabled network (As opposed to wireless)? (2)

Answer 32

• Transmission rates are faster (than wireless)

* The range is fixed

Question 33

What are the differences between a network and a mainframe? (2)

Answer 33

• Each computer on a network has its own built in processor and memory
• A terminal is reliant on the processor and memory of the mainframe

Question 34

How does a switch reduce collisions? (1)

Answer 34

A switch reduces collisions in a network by allocating the whole bandwidth to each connected computer