utility system software Flashcards
What is ‘Utility Software?
Utility Software are programs that perform a collection of useful functions:
- Keep your system secure
- Configure the system
- Keep your storage disks organised
- Maintain the system
- Optimise the system
Describe the purpose of encryption software.
Encryption is where data is scrambled before being sent across a network so that it is unreadable if intercepted.
Encryption software facilitates this process.
an encryption key is used which will convert ‘plain text’ into ‘cipher text’ and back again.
Describe the purpose of formatting software.
Formatting prepares the storage device for data storage.
It creates sectors and tracks on which data can be stored.
It also creates a special list called the File Allocation Table (FAT).
Explain the purpose of the File Allocation Table (FAT).
This allows your computer to find your data when you request it.
Why is it often possible for data to be recovered after a hard disk has been formatted?
When you format your hard disk, you don’t actually delete the data on the disk, you delete the FAT.
The computer can no longer locate any data and thinks it is empty.
But in fact the data remains.
Describe the purpose of defragmentation software.
Defragmentation software searches the disk for related data items and reorganizes them so they become positioned physically next to one another.
Describe the purpose of data compression software.
Compression software reduces the size of files, which is useful in many situations. For example:
- Less storage space required
- Faster download times – improving online experience
- Faster steaming speeds of video/audio files
State and describe 2 types of data compression.
Lossy Compression
This is when unrequired data is removed from a file. MP3s are an example of this where sound quality may reduce but not to a point which is noticeable by the listener.
Lossless Compression
This is when data is temporarily removed from the file, but added back (rebuilt) when the file is to be used again. Zip files are an example of this.
They will need to be unzipped (extracted) to be useable again.
Describe the purpose of backup software, explaining why backup software is a vital utility.
‘Backup software’ unsurprisingly allows data to be backed up.
A back up is where a copy of some data is made and stored elsewhere.
It is vital the data is backed up so that in the event of data loss (through malware, attacks, natural disasters, accidents etc.) the data can be recovered.
State two ways that backup software can backup data.
- Full Backup
- Incremental Backup
Describe what a ‘Full Backup’ is and give an advantage and disadvantage of this backup method.
During a Full Backup, the software makes a copy of all the files on a system.
Doing this each day will take a long time but recovering the data is quick as all the data is stored together, ready to be re-loaded onto the system.
Describe what an ‘Incremental Backup’ is and give an advantage and disadvantage of this backup method.
With this backup, the software only backs up the files that have changed since the last backup.
It is much quicker to run the backup, as the system will only back up files that have been changed in the short term.
However, it can take a long time to restore all the incremental backups as well as the last full backup.
