IT Hardware

Left: The on-board L2 cache.Right: The Pentium® Pro processor core with 5.5 million transistors.

Source: Intel

Learning Objectives

1.Understand the history and evolution of computer hardware.

2.Outline the major technologies and uses of computer peripherals for input, output, and storage.

3.Identify and give example of the components and functions of a computer system.

Learning Objectives

4. Identify the computer systems and peripherals you would acquire or recommend for a business of your choice, and explain the reasons for your selections.

Computer System Categories

Microcomputer Systems

Personal Computer (PC) – microcomputer for use by an individual

Desktop – fit on an office deskLaptop – small, portable PC

Microcomputer Systems

Workstation – a powerful, networked PC for business professionalsNetwork Server – more powerful microcomputers that coordinate telecommunications and resource sharing in small networks

Information Appliances

Hand-held microcomputer devicesPersonal digital assistants (PDA) BlackBerry

Video-game consolesInternet enabled cellular phones

Motherboard: components

bus , chipset, CPU, memory

Motherboard: bus system

data bus address bus system/control busexpansion slotsISA, EISA, VESA,SCSI, PCI, AGPHow local bus works? PCI vs

VESABus speeds: Pentium 4 and

AthlonXP

Motherboard: chipset components of the

chipset memory controller I/O controller bus controller cache controller

types of chipsets

Semiconductor memory

Microelectronic semiconductor memory chipsUsed for primary storageAdvantage: Small size Fast Shock and temperature resistance

Disadvantage: Volatility: must have uninterrupted electric

power or lose memory

Two types of semiconductor memory

RAM: random access memory Most widely used primary storage medium Volatile memory Read/write memory

ROM: read only memory Permanent storage Can be read but cannot be overwritten Frequently used programs burnt into chips

during manufacturing Called firmware

Bit and Byte

Bit (short for binary digit) Smallest element of data Either zero or one

Byte Group of eight bits which operate as a

single unit Represents one character or number

Representing characters in bytes

Computers use binary system to calculate

Decimal

Octal

Binary

Measuring storage capacities

Kilobyte (KB): one thousand bytesMegabyte (MB): one million bytesGigabyte (GB): one billion bytesTerabyte (TB): one trillion bytesPetabyte (PB): one quadrillion bytes

Main Memory

basic concepts memory banks (0,1,2): 64 Meg to 1 Gig SIMMs (single in-line memory modules), DIMMS (dual in-line

memory modules), SDRAM (synchronous DRAM) SIMMs older, DIMMS old, SDRAM newer PCs organization: conventional and extended

additional references Upgrading memory c|net RAM Primer PNY Electronics: configure memory Crucial memory selector

Disk drives Hard-drives

Overview Speed Interfaces: IDE, SCSI, SATA, IDE vs SCSI

CD and DVD basics: CD standard and DVD standards x

A measurement of CD or DVD drive speed. Each x translates to either 153,600 bytes of data per second, the data rate of the CD-audio or 1,250,000 bytes per second, the data rate of the DVD-video.

USB flash drives Overview

Magnetic Disks

Used for secondary storageFast access and high storage capacity

Source: Quantum. Source: Corbis.

Types of magnetic disks

Floppy disks Magnetic disk inside a plastic jacket

Hard disk drives Magnetic disk, access arms, and read/write

heads in sealed module

RAID (Redundant arrays of independent disks) Disk arrays of interconnected hard disk drives Fault tolerant with multiple copies on several

disks

Optical Disks

Uses of optical disks

Image processing Long term storage of historical files of

images Scan documents and store on optical disks

Publishing medium for fast access to reference materials Catalogs, directories, etc.

Interactive multimedia applications Video games, educational videos, etc.

Disk drive performance

Fragmentation: overview and defragmentation software.

Compression: overview and file, folder and drives compression in Windows.

Cache: overview and hardware vs. software

Swap file (paging file): overview and changing its size

Others

graphics cards: BIOS and memory monitors: resolution, size, analog vs.

digitalprinters: ink, laser, color, speed.Modems: phone lines, cable and DSLscannersdigital cameras

Radio Frequency Identification

RFIDTag and identify mobile objects E.g., store merchandise, postal packages, pets

Use RFID chips to transmit and receive radio signalsChips half the size of a grain of sandPassive chips: do not have power source and derive power from signal

in reader

Active chips: Self-powered

RFID versus bar codes

RFID Scan from greater distance Can store data Allows more information to be tracked

Privacy concerns due to invisible natureRFID Controversy