IT Fundamentals Flashcards
What is Virtualization?
Creating something digitally as opposed to physically using a hypervisor.
What is the Computer Sandwich?
Software, Operating System, Hardware
What is a Hypervisor?
A software that allows us to create virtual machines to communicate between the host OS and Guest’s OS. Also known as the Virtual Machine Manager.
What are some examples of Hypervisors?
Oracle VirtualBox, Microsoft Hyper V, VMWare, Parallels Desktop (Mac Only)
What are the types of Hypervisors?
Type 1 (Bare Metal) is a hypervisor installed directly to the hardware with no host OS. Type 2 is installed into the Host OS.
How do you access your virtual machines?
For Type 1, you can use a web browser or a hypervisor application on a different computer. Type 2, the same as above with the addition off the hypervisor app on the same computer.
Why use Virtual Machines?
Reduce IT Hardware expenses, Easy to Add/Remove VMs, Easy to share VMs, Better security as VMs are isolated from each other.
What does CMOS stand for and what does it do?
Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor. CMOS is a type of integrated circuit that holds basic configuration information for the computer. Your BIOS and the current date and time are examples.
What does a Chipset do?
Provides Communications between different components using controllers.
What is the difference between volatile and non-volatile memory?
Volatile memory is lost when power is lost.
What is RAM an acronym for?
Random Access Memory
What does RAM do?
It is the Principal storage space for computer data and program instructions.
What does DIMM and SODIMM stand for? What types of computers use each? What are these terms describing?
Dual Inline Memory Modules and Small Outline Dual Inline Memory, Desktop and Laptop respectively, RAM
What is a heatsink and what does it do?
A piece of metal that pulls heat away from the CPU through surface area.
What are the motherboard sizes?
ATX, Micro ATX, ITX
What is a BUS?
A common collection of signal pathways over which related devices communicate with the computer system.
What does USB stand for?
Universal Serial BUS
What is a PGA and an LGA? How are they different?
Pin Grid Array has holes that the processor’s pins go into and a lever locking mechanism. Land Grid Array have pins that connect into the CPU with a locking harness.
What are the 3 types of expansion slots on a motherboard?
PCI, AGP, and PCIe
What is a disc controller?
A hard drive
What is a SATA and what is it’s function?
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, defines how data is transferred between the computer and mass storage devices
What does BIOS stand for?
Basic Input Output System
What’s the difference between Software and Firmware?
Firmware is software that is encoded in hardware.
What does POST stand for and what does it do?
Power On Self Test. It verifies the BIOS, confirms the size of the primary memory, analyzes hardware such as buses and boot software, offers the user a key sequence to config, and hands control to the boot device.
What is “Flashing the BIOS”
Manually downloading an update for your BIOS.
What 3 CPU architectures are there?
32-bit, 64-bit, ARM
What are the 3 caches on the motherboard called and which is fastest?
L1, L2, L3. L1 is fastestf4 because it’s smallest.
What is the difference between static and dynamic memory?
Static is non volatile memory, so it’s retained without power. Dynamic is Volatile memory, meaning it is lost when power is lost.
What is the difference between ROM and RAM?
Read Only Memory chips store data permanently and are not changed. Random Access Memory can be written and rewritten.
What does DDR stand for?
Double Data Rate
What are some examples of things that can into expansion slots?
Graphics cards, Network Interface Cards (NIC), Sound Card, Video Capture Card, or Hardware Security Modules (HSM)
