LO1. Plan and Prepare for Task to be Undertaken

Information Sheet 1.1: Main Types of Computers and Basic Features of Different Operating Systems

Main types of computers and basic features of different operating systems

A computer is a device that transforms data into meaningful information. It processes the input according to the set of instructions provided to it by the user and gives the desired output. Computers are of various types and they can be categorized in two ways on the basis of size and on the basis of data handling capabilities.

Types of Computer

Supercomputer – They are the biggest and fastest computers (in terms of speed of processing data). Supercomputers are designed such that they can process a huge amount of data, like processing trillions of instructions or data just in a second. This is because of the thousands of interconnected processors in supercomputers. It is basically used in scientific and engineering applications such as weather forecasting, scientific simulations, and nuclear energy research. It was first developed by Roger Cray in 1976.

Characteristics of Supercomputers

Supercomputers are the computers that are the fastest and they are also very expensive.
It can calculate up to ten trillion individual calculations per second, this is also the reason which makes it even faster.
It is used in the stock market or big organizations for managing the online currency world such as Bitcoin etc.
It is used in scientific research areas for analyzing data obtained from exploring the solar system, satellites, etc.

Mainframe computer are designed in such a way that they can support hundreds or thousands of users at the same time. It also supports multiple programs simultaneously. So, they can execute different processes simultaneously. All these features make the mainframe computer ideal for big organizations like banking, telecom sectors, etc., which process a high volume of data in general.

Characteristics of Mainframe Computers

• It is also an expensive or costly computer.
• It has high storage capacity and great performance.
• It can process a huge amount of data (like data involved in the banking sector) very quickly.
• It runs smoothly for a long time and has a long life.

Minicomputer is a medium size multiprocessing computer. In this type of computer, there are two or more processors, and it supports 4 to 200 users at one time. Minicomputer is similar to Microcontroller. Minicomputers are used in places like institutes or departments for different work like billing, accounting, inventory management, etc. It is smaller than a mainframe computer but larger in comparison to the microcomputer.

Characteristics of Minicomputer

• Its weight is low.
• Because of its low weight, it is easy to carry anywhere.
• Less expensive than a mainframe computer.
• It is fast.

Workstation Computer is designed for technical or scientific applications. It consists of a fast microprocessor, with a large amount of RAM and a high-speed graphic adapter. It is a single-user computer. It is generally used to perform a specific task with great accuracy.

Characteristics of Workstation Computer

• It is expensive or high in cost.
• They are exclusively made for complex work purposes.
• It provides large storage capacity, better graphics, and a more powerful CPU when compared to a PC.
• It is also used to handle animation, data analysis, CAD, audio and video creation, and editing.

Personal Computer (PC) is also known as a microcomputer. It is basically a general-purpose computer designed for individual use. It consists of a microprocessor as a central processing unit (CPU), memory, input unit, and output unit. This kind of computer is suitable for personal work such as making an assignment, watching a movie, or at the office for office work, etc. Examples are laptops and desktop computers.

Characteristics of Personal Computer (PC)

• In this limited number of software can be used.
• It is the smallest in size.
• It is designed for personal use.
• It is easy to use.

Server Computers are computers that are combined data and programs. Electronic data and applications are stored and shared in the server computer. The working of a server computer is that it does not solve a bigger problem like a supercomputer but it solves many smaller similar ones. Examples of server computer are like Wikipedia, as when users put a request for any page, it finds what the user is looking for and sends it to the user.

Analog Computers are particularly designed to process analog data. Continuous data that changes continuously and cannot have discrete values are called analog data. So, an analog computer is used where we don’t need exact values or need approximate values such as speed, temperature, pressure, etc. It can directly accept the data from the measuring device without first converting it into numbers and codes. It measures the continuous changes in physical quantity. It gives output as a reading on a dial or scale. For example speedometer, mercury thermometer, etc.

Digital Computers are designed in such a way that they can easily perform calculations and logical operations at high speed. It takes raw data as input and processes it with programs stored in its memory to produce the final output. It only understands the binary input 0 and 1, so the raw input data is converted to 0 and 1 by the computer and then it is processed by the computer to produce the result or final output. All modern computers, like laptops, desktops including smartphones are digital computers.

Different Operating Systems

1. MS-DOS: which is short for Microsoft Disk Operating System is a non-graphical command line operating system developed for IBM compatible computers with x86 microprocessor. The operating system used a command line interface for the user to input commands to navigate, open, and manipulate files on their computer.

Features:

It is a single user operating system meaning only one user can operate at a time.
It is a light weight operating system allowing users to have direct access to the BIOS and its underlying hardware.
Loads data and programs from external sources and bring them into the internal memory so they can be used on the computer.
Enables the computer to perform input and output operations such as taking commands from keyboard, printing information on the screen.
It is very helpful in making file management like creating, editing, deleting files, etc.
It also controls and manages other external devices such as the printer, keyboard or external hard drive using various drive utilities.

Drawbacks:

It does not allow multiple users to operate on the system.
It does not support graphical interface hence mouse cannot be used to operate it.
It does not support multiprogramming meaning it can only have one process in the ram.
It lacked memory protection which meant no security, and less stability.
It has difficulty in memory access when addressing more than 640 MB of RAM.

2. Windows Operating System: Designed by Microsoft to be used on a standard x86 Intel and AMD processors. It provides an interface, known as a graphical user interface (GUI) which eliminates the need to memorize commands for the command line by using a mouse to navigate through menus, dialog boxes, buttons, tabs, and icons. The operating system was named windows since the programs are displayed in the shape of a square. This Windows operating system has been designed for both a novice user just using at home as well as for professionals who are into development.

Features:

It is designed to run on any standard x86 Intel and AMD hence most of the hardware vendors make drivers for windows like Dell, HP, etc.
It supports enhanced performance by utilizing multi-core processors.
It comes preloaded with many productivity tools which helps to complete all types of everyday tasks on your computer.
Windows has a very large user base so there is a much larger selection of available software programs, utilities.
Windows is backward compatible meaning old programs can run on newer versions.
Hardware is automatically detected eliminating need of manually installing any device drivers.

Drawbacks:

Windows can be expensive since the OS is paid license and majority of its applications are paid products.
Windows has high computer resource requirement like it should have high ram capacity, a lot of hard drive space and good graphics card.
Windows slows and hangs up if the user loads up many programs at the same time.
Windows includes network sharing that can be useful if user has a network with many PCs.
Windows is vulnerable to virus attacks since it has a huge user base and users have to update OS to keep up-to-date with security patches.

3. LINUX Operating System: is an open source operating system project that is a freely distributed, cross-platform operating system developed based on UNIX. This operating system is developed by Linus Torvalds. The name Linux comes from the Linux kernel. It is basically the system software on a computer that allows apps and users to perform some specific task on the computer. The development of Linux operating system pioneered the open source development and became the symbol of software collaboration.

Features:

Linux is free can be downloaded from the Internet or redistribute it under GNU licenses and has the best community support.
Linux OS is easily portable which means it can be installed on various types of devices like mobile, tablet computers.
It is a multi-user, multitasking operating system.
BASH is the Linux interpreter program which can be used to execute commands.
Linux provides multiple levels of file structures i.e. hierarchical structure in which all the files required by the system and those that are created by the user are arranged.
Linux provides user security using authentication features and also threat detection and solution is very fast because Linux is mainly community driven.

Drawbacks:

There’s no standard edition of Linux hence confusing for users and also becoming familiar with the Linux may be a problem for new users.
More difficult to find applications to support user needs since Linux does not dominate the market.
Since some applications are developed specifically for Windows and Mac, those might not be compatible with Linux and sometimes users might not have much of a choice to choose between different applications like in Windows or Mac since most apps are developed for operating systems that have a huge user base.
Some hardware may not be incompatible with Linux since it has patchier support for drivers which may result in malfunction.
There are plenty of forums to resolve Linux issues, but it may not always match the user’s own level of technical understanding.

4. Solaris Operating System: Solaris or SunOS is the name of the Sun company’s Unix variant operating system that was originally developed for its family of Scalable Processor Architecture-based processors (SPARC) as well as for Intel-based processors. The UNIX workstation market had been largely dominated by this operating system during its time. As the Internet grew Sun’s Solaris systems became the most widely installed servers for Web sites. Oracle purchased Sun and later renamed to Oracle Solaris.

Features:

Solaris is known for its scalability. It can handle a large workload and still delivers indisputable performance advantages for database, Web, and Java technology-based services.
Solaris systems were known to their availability meaning that these operating systems hardly crashes at any time and because of its internet networking oriented design and broad scope of features it makes the job of adding new features or fixing any problems easy.
It is built for network computing as it provides optimized network stack and support for advanced network computing protocols that delivers high-performance networking to most applications.
Solaris has advanced, unique security capabilities which includes some of the world’s most advanced security features, such as user rights management, cryptographic Framework and secure by default networking that allows users to safely deliver new solutions.
Provides tools to enable seamless interoperability, test new software and efficiently consolidate application workloads.

Drawbacks:

Solaris is quite expensive since it’s an enterprise operating system. Also, Solaris doesn’t provide updates for free.
Solaris lacks a good graphical user interface support and is not user friendly.
Hardware support is not nearly as good as many other operating systems.
Performance would degrade considerably since Solaris cannot make use of different hardware that efficiently.
Solaris sometimes becomes unstable and crashes due to total consumption of CPU and memory.

5. Symbian Operating System: was the most widely-used smartphone operating system in the world based on ARM architecture, until it was discontinued in 2014. It was developed by Symbiant Ltd, which was a partnership among PDA devices and smartphone manufacturers like Psion, Motorola, Ericsson, and Nokia. The Symbian Operating System was developed of two sub system where the first is the microkernel-based operating system with its associated libraries, and the other being interface of the OS with which the user interacts. It was explicitly developed for smartphones and hand held digital devices since this operating system consumes very low power, battery-based devices and also for ROM-based systems.

Features:

Its kernel known as EKA2 features preemptive multithreading, scheduling, memory management system and device drivers.
Allows third party software to enhance the platform for better performance of the operating system.
Symbian Interface is easy to use and very user friendly.
Applications for Symbian are normally written in C++ or Symbian C++ using Symbian Software Development Kit (SDK).
Symbian can also run applications written in Python, Java ME, Flash Lite, Ruby and .NET.
Connectivity is lot easier and faster.
Symbian OS has good efficiency and stability.

Drawbacks:

Responsiveness is not smooth and sensitive as other operating systems.
The Symbian OS is very vulnerable and can be easily affected by a Virus.
Lack of virtual memory.

6. Android Mobile Operating System:

Android is a Google’s Linux based operating system it is designed primarily for touch screen mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. The hardware which can be used to support android is based on three architectures namely ARM, Intel and MIPS design lets users manipulate the mobile devices intuitively, with finger movements that mirror common motions, such as pinching, swiping, and tapping making these applications comfortable for the users.

Features:

The android operating system is an open source operating system means that it’s free and any one can use it.
Android offers optimized 2D and 3D graphics, multimedia, GSM connectivity, multi-tasking.
Android OS is known for its friendly user interface and exceptional customizable according to the user’s taste.
Huge choice of applications for its users since Playstore offers over one million apps.
Software developers who want to create applications for the Android OS can download the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) to easily develop apps for android.
Android would consume very little power but deliver extreme performance since its hardware is based on ARM architecture.

Drawbacks:

The design and coding of intuitive modern user experiences and interfaces poses a difficulty because of its dependency on Java.
Most apps tend to run in the background even when closed by the user draining the battery.
Performance is bound to take a hit as multiple programs run simultaneously in the background at any given time.
Android phones overheat especially when indulged in hardcore productivity tasks or heavy graphics.
Apps have lower security profiles and make users more susceptible to data breaches.

7. iOS Mobile Operating System:

iOS which is short for iPhone OS is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware like A12 Bionic chip that presently powers many of its mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. The iOS user interface is based upon using multi-touch gestures such as swipe, tap, pinch, and reverse pinch. The purpose of these finger actions is to provide the user with fast responsive inputs given from multiple fingers to the multi-touch capacitive screen display.

Features:

It is written in C, C++, Objective-C and Swift and is based on the Macintosh OS X.
Has excellent and intuitive user interface and very fluid response.
Performance of iOS is unbeatable.
iOS comes with a lot of default apps, including an email client, web browser, media player and the phone app.
Availability of higher quality apps which can be downloaded from the Appstore.
Apple has provided its own iOS software development kit (SDK) for the developers to create applications for Apple mobile devices.
iOS is much safer than other mobile operating systems and has fewer security breaches as well.
Provides regular updates and security patches.

Drawbacks:

The OS is closed source instead of open source hence beta testing taking a lot of time since its only available to limited developers.
The amount of memory space the iOS applications occupy is very large when compared with other mobile platforms.
Lack of customization compared to other operating systems.
Doesn’t allow third party installations.
Having intense graphics and animations consumes more power and causes battery drains.
iOS is resource intensive operating system due to which older devices struggle to run it.

Applications and their suitable Operating Systems:

These are explained as following below.

1. Database and Web Server Management: The best suitable operating system for database and web server management is SOLARIS, is Unix Operating system, which itself is designed for enterprise web servers where robust applications and database is deployed where throughput is very high and needs the server 24×7 up and less down time.

Solaris has Zettabyte File System (ZFS) which is a revolutionary file and logical volume manager that control the storage and retrieval of data which is not found in any other operating system.
Solaris is provided with a Service Management Facility (SMF) that is responsible for management of system and application services that improves the availability of a system by ensuring that essential system and application services function normally without any troubles even in the case of hardware or software failures which is also known as Oracle Solaris Predictive Self-Healing capability.
Solaris provides awesome observability utilities which can be used to find performance bugs, functional bugs and kernel bugs.
Solaris scales well on multi-socket multicore systems with large number of cores due to Solaris’ broader CPU support but also to the architecture of the OS itself. Solaris you can mix and match vertical and horizontal scalability whereas most of the other operating systems only provide vertical scaling.
Solaris has always provided strict security providing additional barriers and immune systems to prevent any data breaches to their servers.

Hence since Solaris is reliable, very stable, extremely fast, and secure operating system comparing to other OS which have raw performance and security problems it is the ideal operating system for any database management systems like SQL and web service servers.

2. Cluster Computing: Clustering is a technique where multiple computers, storage devices and redundant interconnections are used to create a single highly available system. Each computer in it is a node. The best preferred operating system for cluster computing is LINUX which is a UNIX based open source freely distributed operating system which offers many robust network features.

Since Linux operating system is highly customizable, which plays an important role in resource management and performance optimization that makes it most convenient for building or setting up large, multi-processor clusters while such modifications are very limited or in some cases restricted in other operating systems like windows.
Management of storage access is often troublesome when multiple computers are organized to form a cluster, this where Linux’s clustered file system may be come in handy to organize data storage and access across the entire cluster nodes connected.
Linux clustered file systems will employ utilities to actually power down the faulty node.
Linux is scalable hence making it easy to add resources to the cluster.
Linux has the added advantage of availability of most scientific and engineering software and compilers readily through package managers and they can be easily configured and compiled without hassle.

Since clustering applications are such that they require an OS with utmost portability, performance, scalability and serious computational power, Linux distributions like Redhat or CentOS are best suited for these computer clusters like Beowulf cluster.

3. Productivity and Daily Tasks: The best suitable operating system for productivity is WINDOWS because it is intuitive, cohesive, functional and very user friendly. Windows offers best selection of software and can run on widest variety of hardware that the user has.

Windows operating systems offer a suite of built-in utilities and applications like text processors, e-mail clients, calendars, calculators, image and video viewers, editors, snapshot tools, voice recorders, and web browsers, and apps for maps, cameras, news, weather, and contacts and many more can be installed from the internet if the user desires.
Windows provides a suite of productivity applications under Office suite like Word, Presentations, Spreadsheets etc.
Microsoft’s cloud storage platform OneDrive which helps the users to backup files and use them in any device anywhere.
Windows provides a huge range of interface customization options.
Windows 10 had full touch screen support, and it offers a Tablet mode that lets users to switch between using the pen and keyboard for inputs to increase productivity.
Windows even provides a voice assistant that is capable of tasks like opening apps and web pages, informing the weather, etc.
Windows OS makes it easier to arrange windows on the screen and lets users to create multiple virtual desktops for multi-tasking applications.

Hence for creative, productive and daily tasks of users like creating presentations, editing images, surfing the internet, etc. Windows is the best operating system.

Information Sheet 1.2: Main Parts of a Computer

Main Parts of a Computer

Going over the basic parts of a computer and their functions will help you understand all the vital components. It’s a great place to start if you want to learn about modern computers. Not only is it a good entry point, but it’s also something good to know for curiosity’s sake. Knowing what the computer parts are is good, but we will explain each part’s function, giving you a firmer understanding of them.

1. The computer case or system unit: This component holds all of the physical parts of a computer system. It is usually designed in such a manner to make fitting a motherboard, wiring, and primary and secondary storage devices as easy as possible. Some are designed so well that it is easy to make everything look tidy and presentable.

They can also accommodate CD or DVD drives, allowing the user to listen to music using compact discs or watch Blu-ray movies from their computer.

Cases come in all different sizes and shapes to accommodate various types of computer components and satisfy the consumer’s needs. Not only do computer builders need to ensure compatibility between components, but also the case.

List of computer case sizes (known as form factor):

Very small form factor: Supports Mini ITX motherboards
Small form factor: Supports micro ATX motherboards.
Standard form factor: Supports standard ATX motherboards.
Larger form factors: Supports ATX and XL-ATX motherboards.

2. Motherboard: The motherboard is the main board mounted directly inside the computer case. All other cards plug directly into the motherboard, hence its name. It is a printed circuit board in which the CPU, RAM, drives, power supply, expansion cards, and more are plugged into it.

Its function involves integrating all the physical components to communicate and operate together. A good motherboard offers a wide amount of connectivity options. It also has the least amount of bottlenecks possible. This allows all the components to operate efficiently and to fulfill their maximum potential as they were designed to do.

Motherboards come in the following sizes:

Motherboard	Dimensions
Pico-ITX	3.9 inch x 2.9 inch \| 100mm x 72mm
Nano-ITX	4.7 inch x 4.7 inch \| 120mm x 120mm
Mini-ITX	6.7 inch x 6.7 inch \| 170mm x 170mm
Micro-ATX	9.6 inch x 9.6 inch \| 244mm x 244mm
Standard-ATX	12 inch x 9.6 inch \| 305mm x 244mm
XL-ATX	EVGA: 13.5 inch x 10.3 inch \| 343mm x 262mm Gigabyte: 13.58 inch x 10.31 inch \| 345mm x 262mm Micro-Star: 13.6 inch x 10.4 inch \| 345mm x 264mm

3. Central Processing Unit (CPU): The CPU or central processing unit is basically like the brain of computer systems. It processes all the information on a computational level.

It takes all the processes from the RAM and processes them to perform the tasks required by the computer system. The faster the processor, the more instructions it can execute at any given time.

The central processing unit is usually seated in a socket that utilizes a lever or a latch with a hinged plate with a cut-out in the center to secure the CPU onto the motherboard. It has many copper pads underneath it for the socket contacts to push up against them to make electrical contact.

There are other ways CPUs can be attached to the motherboard. Here are some common examples:

ZIF (Zero Insertion Force): Although this is a more desirable socket, they are mostly found on older computer motherboards. It has a lever-operated mechanism to clamp the pins of the processor.
PGA (Pin Grid Array): It is also a ZIF socket with a different pin pitch and count.
LGA (Land Grid Array): More commonly found on motherboards today. A levered hinged plate with a center cut-out clamps down on the processor.
BGA (Ball Grid Array): The CPU is soldered directly onto the motherboard. This makes it a non-user-swappable component. It is susceptible to bad connectivity.

A processor generates a decent amount of heat, especially when working under high loads. It will run even hotter when set to a higher clock speed to make it run faster. This is called overclocking.

This is why a heatsink and fan assembly are required to draw the heat away from the central processing unit and distribute it to thin sheets or fins of metal for the fan to cool down.

There are so many different types of computer processors. The top manufacturers of processors are Intel, AMD, and NVidia.

4. Random Access Memory (RAM): is a data storage device that can provide fast read and write access. RAM is volatile memory, meaning it loses all the stored data when power is lost.

The RAM keeps data ready for the CPU to process. The RAM speed is a big contributor to the overall speed of a computer system. It plugs directly into a long slot that has contacts on either side of the slot.

It, too, has a clock speed, just like a processor. So, it can also be overclocked to deliver increased performance beyond the intended specification.

Certain RAM modules are sold with a heat spreader. It helps dissipate the heat from the individual memory ICs, keeping them cooler.

RAM has evolved like any other component. RAM used on the motherboard often uses DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) type memory.

RAM Amount always comes in powers of 2, so you will always see numbers like 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of RAM, to mention some examples of memory units.

5. Graphics Card or Graphics Processing Unit (GPU): is an output device that processes the data from the motherboard and sends the appropriate information to the computer’s screen for display.

You can connect monitors to it using HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA connectors. It can also be referred to as a video or display card.

A video card takes the burden of all the video processing from the main CPU. This gives a computer a big boost in performance.

Fans are almost a given because of the large processing requirements for a gaming GPU.

A video card plugs into a PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) slot on the motherboard. It is a serial expansion bus slot capable of high bandwidth in two directions.

A graphics card has a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), the main part of a computer system that requires cooling. A GPU is slower than a CPU but is designed to deal with mathematical operations required for video rendering.

The card’s memory amount varies depending on the manufacturer’s design. Video cards use GDDR (Graphics Double Data Rate) SDRAM, specially designed to optimize graphics performance. GDDR is built to handle a higher bandwidth compared to plain DDR ram.

6. Sound Card: Most of the time, the sound chip built into the motherboard is used for audio output. But, if you are a sound enthusiast or prefer high-quality audio output while playing a game, you might be inclined to use a sound card.

Sound cards plug into a computer in multiple ways. It can be through USB, PCI slot, or PCI Express x 1 slot.

External DACs have gained popularity and help deliver clearer and more defined audio or high-definition sound output. They connect up using an IO cable like a USB cable to your computer or laptop and provide a line out for your speakers or headphones.

A sound processing chip on the card does all of the audio processing and is usually not a very powerful processor. A sound card can offer a wide range of connectivity with audio equipment. Examples could be optical audio, a 1/4-inch jack, or RCA connectors.

7. Hard Disk Drive (HDD): A hard drive is still found in many PCs to this day. A mechanical drive’s purpose is to store all your information for retrieval at any time.

Apart from storing information for your computer, hard disk drives also function as a boot drive to run the operating system (OS) from it. You can install operating systems of many different kinds depending on your needs.

An OS is a software program installed, making a computer useable, like Microsoft Windows. The biggest vulnerability of a mechanical drive is its physically fragile nature.

One bump the wrong way can destroy a whole drive. A mechanical hard drive contains one or more platters that spin anywhere between 5200 to 10000 RPM (revolutions per minute). The read and write heads are about 0.002 (51 micro M) inches from the platter. This gives you an idea about the physical limitations of its fragile nature.

There are various categories of hard drives made for various real-world applications. Some examples include:

General use for desktops or laptops.
Gaming optimized for desktops or laptops.
General high-capacity storage.
NAS Devices.
Servers.
Video recording.

They can also be purchased as an external drive that usually connects to your computer by USB cable.

An uninterruptible power supply is sometimes used to prevent data loss with mechanical drives where a sudden power outage is experienced or the power cord is accidentally disconnected while the computer is running. This allows proper shutdowns for desktop systems that have experienced sudden power loss.

8. Solid State Drive (SSD): An SSD is also a type of hard drive, but it doesn’t have any moving bits. It consists of a bank of flash memory that can hold a reasonable amount of information.

While the capacity of SSDs is increasing, they aren’t cost-effective for storing large amounts. A mechanical drive has a cheaper gigabyte-to-dollar ratio.

However, the SSD is a high-performance drive. It’s fast and cannot be as easily damaged by dropping it or taking a few bumps.

SSDs are available as 2.5-inch laptop encapsulated drives, and an M.2 SDD is the most commonly used kind on the market.

9. Power Supply Unit (PSU): A power supply unit mounts inside the computer case. It converts the AC mains supply from the power cord from a wall socket and supplies the correct DC voltages to all the components.

A computer power supply supplies the following voltages:

+3.3v: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard.
+5V: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard and other computer hardware.
+12V: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard and other components.
-12V: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard.

It plays an important role in keeping a computer running reliably.

You get different wattage ratings for power supplies. The higher the wattage, the higher the electrical current that can be made available to everything that needs it to function properly.

The higher you go in Watts, the more the power supply will likely cost.

A power supply usually also comes with a cooling fan. This helps all the internal components in your computer to stay cool when the power supply is subjected to bigger loads.

10. Monitor or Visual Display Unit (VDU): A monitor is an output device to visualize the graphics information sent from the computer’s GPU.

There are various types of monitors on the market. A LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlit LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor is the most commonly used with a modern PC.

There are also various computer screen sizes with different aspect ratios. The aspect ratio is simply the ratio between height and width. For example, a 16:9 aspect ratio screen will have 16 parts wide to 9 parts in height.

There are also curved computer monitors, but they are more expensive displays. Monitors also have a fast response time to meet the high demands required to eliminate delays with user input for gaming.

11. Keyboard: is an input device that is one of the ways to communicate with a computer. Typing a key from the keyboard sends a small portion of information to tell it which key was pressed.

Once the computer receives input from the keyboard, it can use the keystrokes in digital form to produce a specific task in any software being used.

The computer system can use this information in many ways. An example could be a command or a character that can be used in a document. There are two main different types of keyboards; mechanical and membrane types.

12. Mouse: is an input device that allows the user to move a pointer displayed on the monitor and experience a more intuitive interaction with computer systems.

These days mice have more buttons than the common three and offer way more functions than mice in the early days. However, the three main buttons allow users to select, grab, scroll, and access extra menus and options.

A computer mouse is a handy pointing device that can be wired or wireless. The latter requires batteries.

Optical mice of today allow for very accurate precision and smooth movement.

Common peripheral parts for computers

Some common peripherals connect to a computer and extend their usefulness.

1. Printer: A printer can take an image sent by a computer and deliver it onto a sheet of paper.

It does this by using the information from the computer, and by either using toner or ink, it deposits one of these in a controlled and accurate manner to form the image.

2. Scanner: A scanner can take anything on paper, and it functions by scanning it to produce a replicated digital image for a computer to save. This is also handy for saving physical photos you want to preserve. Once the photo is stored digitally, it won’t decay as a physical photo does over time. The flatbed scanner is one of the most commonly used today.

3. Multifunction printers: Many all-in-one, multifunction devices have printer and scanning capabilities in one reasonably compact product, which has dominated the market over recent years and continues to grow.

The most common models include an inkjet printer and scanner for home use and a laser printer version for home and other office applications.

4. Computer Speakers: Speakers can connect to the sound card at the rear of the computer. Another way they can be connected is by a monitor that already has built-in speakers.

Generally, the sound quality is poor from a monitor’s speakers. That’s why most people buy a set of computer speakers for their desks.

You can even connect up a 7.1 surround speaker system to certain sound cards for a computer. This can add a nicer experience to gaming, playing music, or watching a film.

5. A microphone is essential for anyone who requires decent audio recording or capturing. They can range widely in price, from extremely cheap to very expensive, depending on the individual’s profession or application. They are usually connected to an audio interface before connecting to the computer.

There are so many uses for a microphone connected to a computer, but some include:

Recording singing or musical instruments for composing music.
Game streaming or commentary.
Communication for calls.
Webinars.
Creating podcasts.

6. Camera or webcam: Desktop users often use cameras when they’re not using a laptop or other portable communication device with an inbuilt camera.

Again, quality can vary depending on how much someone is willing to spend. They allow many applications, including video or conference calls, webinars, or presentations, and gamers to be streamed from their seats.

Many models have microphones built into them, but they won’t deliver the audio quality that a high-end dedicated microphone can produce.

Information Sheet 1.3: Information on Hardware and Software

A computer system is divided into two categories: Hardware and Software. Hardware refers to the physical and visible components of the system such as a monitor, CPU, keyboard and mouse. Software, on the other hand, refers to a set of instructions which enable the hardware to perform a specific set of tasks. The software must be installed in the hardware to function properly and similarly, the hardware must be present for the tasks to be performed. Both are interdependent, yet they are also different from each other.

Differences Between Hardware and Software

Hardware	Software
Hardware is further divided into four main categories: Input Devices Output Devices Secondary Storage Devices Internal Components	Software is further divided into two main categories: Application Software System Software
Developed using electronic and other materials	Developed writing using instructions using a programming language
When damaged, it can be replaced with a new component	When damaged it can be installed once more using a backup copy
Hardware is physical in nature and hence one can touch and see hardware	The software cannot be physically touched but still can be used and seen
Hardware cannot be infected by Viruses	The software can be infected by Viruses
Hardware will physically wear out over time	Software does not wear out but it can be affected by bugs and glitches
An example of Hardware is hard drives, monitors, CPU, scanners, printers etc.	An example of software is Windows 10, Adobe Photoshop, Google Chrome etc.

Information Sheet 1.4: OH& S Guidelines and Procedures in Planning Task Performance

What is an occupational health and safety (OH&S) program?

A health and safety program is a definite plan of action designed to prevent incidents and occupational diseases. Some form of a program is required under occupational health and safety legislation in most Canadian jurisdictions. A health and safety program must include the elements required by the health and safety legislation as a minimum.

This document reviews general elements of an OH&S program. In all cases, contact the OH&S authorities in your jurisdiction for specific requirements. Further details about these elements are also available in other OSH Answers documents.

Because organizations differ, a program developed for one organization cannot necessarily meet the needs of another. Always customize the OH&S program to match the requirements and needs of your workplace.

What is a policy statement?

An organization’s occupational health and safety policy is a statement of principles and general rules that guides action. Senior (or top) management must be committed to ensuring that the policy is carried out with no exceptions. The health and safety policy should have the same importance as the other policies of the organization.

The policy statement can be brief, but it should mention:

Management’s commitment to protecting and promoting the safety and health of workers, and preventing injuries and illnesses.
The objectives of the program.
The organization’s health and safety philosophy.
Who is accountable for the health and safety programs?
The general responsibilities of all managers and workers.
That health and safety shall not be sacrificed for convenience or expediency.
That unacceptable performance of health and safety duties will not be tolerated.

The policy should be:

Stated in clear terms.
Signed by the current President or Chief Executive Officer.
Kept up-to-date.
Communicated to each worker.
Followed for all work activities.

What are the program elements?

While organizations will have different needs and scope for specific elements required in their health and safety program, the following basic items should be considered in each case:

Individual responsibility.
The establishment and role of the health and safety committee or representative.
Applicable health and safety legislation requirements and organizational health and safety rules.
Safe work procedures.
Worker orientation.
Training and education.
Workplace inspections.
Hazard identification, assessment, and control
Reporting and investigating incidents.
Emergency planning.
Medical and first aid.
Health and safety promotion, including psychological health and prevention of harassment and violence.
Workplace specific items.
Review of the health and safety program.

What are individual OH&S responsibilities?

Health and safety is the joint responsibility of management and workers. Managers and supervisors are accountable for non-compliance to health and safety legislation.

Responsibility may be defined as an individual’s obligation to carry out assigned duties. Authority implies the right to make decisions and the power to direct others. Responsibility and authority can be delegated to others, giving them the right to act for others, such as supervisors. It is important to note that, while some responsibilities can be delegated, the supervisor remains accountable for seeing that they are carried out.

Individual responsibilities apply to every worker in the workplace, including the President or Chief Executive Officer. Stating these responsibilities means that all workers will then know exactly what is expected in health and safety terms.

To fulfill their individual responsibilities, the people must:

Know what these responsibilities are (communication required).
Have sufficient authority to carry them out (organizational issue).
Have the required ability and competence (such as those acquired through education, training or certification).

Once all these criteria have been met, safety performance can be assessed by each individual’s supervisor on an equal basis with other key job elements. Health and safety is not just an extra part of a worker’s job: it is an integral, full-time component of each individual’s responsibilities.

Information Sheet 1.5: Client-Specific Guidelines and Procedures

Client management is the process of overseeing and coordinating an organization’s interactions with its clients and potential clients. Note that “clients” and “customers” can be different, in part based on how and what they buy from a company.

A customer typically purchases a product or service through a brief interaction with an organization. The customer often does not develop a long-term relationship with the seller and, thus, garners less personal attention.

Conversely, a client may buy a product but more typically purchases a service from an organization. By procuring that service, the buyer often develops a deeper, ongoing relationship with the seller, who then provides more personalized attention.

In client management, the ultimate goal is to build and maintain good client relationships, so a company can retain more of its customers and ensure ongoing success. A successful client relationship starts with a solid onboarding process. To learn more about client retention, read “Expert Advice for Effective Client Retention Management.”

Client Management Examples

Examples of client management include proactively checking on specific client’s needs and questions or conducting satisfaction surveys with a large group of clients.

Here are more ways to implement client management:

Check in with clients and informally survey them on their needs. You might also ask what they want from an organization in your industry.
Conduct a formal satisfaction survey with a client after you complete a project.
Hold a debrief with the client and organizational leaders following a project.
Use client relationship management technology or other means to check in on clients who haven’t communicated with your organization lately.

Client Management Principles

Several basic principles help guide organizations that perform good client management. The principles range from honesty to communication. Top client management principles include the following:

Be Honest and Transparent: Be up front about timelines and any issues with a client’s project. If your team encounters issues related to a client’s project, let them know. Don’t sugarcoat the realities.

Communicate Well: Communicate regularly with clients, keeping in mind their preferences on frequency and mode of communication. Be accessible — respond quickly when they want to communicate.

Build Trust: This step starts with authenticity, but you can build trust in other ways, too. Help clients understand your industry’s jargon, for instance — while taking care not to use it too often. Take the time to learn a client’s industry lingo and nuances.

Set Expectations: Don’t try to please clients by making promises you’re not sure you can keep. That causes bigger problems later. Tell clients what you believe is reasonable in terms of the work, timelines, and results. Ask your clients directly about what they expect from a project or the relationship. Then respond to that feedback truthfully.

Learn Your Client’s Industry: When you research the client’s background, they’ll be impressed that you took the time to understand their business and the challenges they face. This insight can help you grasp their needs and your work together.

Stay Aligned: Establish the scope of the work at the beginning of the project and avoid scope creep. When your client asks or expects you to do work that’s not part of the original agreement, communicate directly about why that isn’t your responsibility. Make changes only if both sides agree.

Measure Success: You might also want to establish key performance indicators for the work and relationship, then regularly track those KPIs.

Information Sheet 1.6: Data Security Guidelines

Data Security Guidelines

Data security is the practice of safeguarding digital information from unauthorized access, accidental loss, disclosure and modification, manipulation or corruption throughout its entire lifecycle, from creation to destruction.

This practice is key to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and availability of an organization’s data. Confidentiality refers to keeping data private, integrity to ensuring data is complete and trustworthy, and availability to providing access to authorized entities.

Why is data security important?

Data is the lifeblood of every organization. It informs decision-making, finds solutions to problems, improves the efficiency and efficacy of operations, boosts customer service and informs marketing efforts, reduces risks, increases productivity, enhances collaboration and, in the end, is instrumental in increasing revenue and profit.

Data breaches, which occur when data is accessed in an unauthorized manner, are a major concern for organizations of all shapes, sizes and industries. In fact, 63% of respondents to a KPMG study said they suffered a data breach or cyber incident in 2021 — and that number is only projected to grow.

Data breaches are attributed to a number of cyber incidents, including the following:

accidental leaks or exposures
phishing attacks
distributed denial-of-service attacks
physical breaches
lack of access controls
backdoors

Types of data security

Before an organization can secure data, it has to know what data it has. This is where a data inventory –a record of all the data created, used and stored by a company — is key. The process starts with data discovery, or learning what and where the data is. Data classification follows, which involves labeling data to make it easier to manage, store and secure. The four standard data classification categories are as follows:

public information
confidential information
sensitive information
personal information

Data is often further broken down by businesses using common classification labels, such as “business use only” and “secret.”

Sensitive data is often classified as confidential or secret. It includes these types of data:

personally identifiable information
protected health information
electronic protected health information
PCI data
intellectual property

Compounding the difficulty of doing data inventory and classification is that data can reside in many locations — on premises, in the cloud, in databases and on devices, to name a few. Data also can exist in three states:

in motion, meaning data that is being transported;
at rest, meaning data that is being stored, or data that is at its destination — i.e., not transported or in use; and
in use, meaning data that is being written, updated, changed and processed — i.e., not being transported or stored.

Because no single form of data exists, no single magic-bullet technique can secure all data. A defense-in-depth data security strategy is made up of a combination of tools, techniques and policies. Must-have data security technologies include the following:

encryption
data masking
access control
data loss prevention (DLP)
data backup and resiliency

Encryption is the process of converting readable plaintext into unreadable cipher text using an encryption algorithm, or cipher. If encrypted data is intercepted, it is useless as it cannot be read or decrypted by anyone who does not have the associated encryption key.

Symmetric and asymmetric encryption are two commonly used ciphers:

Symmetric encryption uses a single secret key for both encryption and decryption. The Advanced Encryption Standard is the most commonly used algorithm in symmetric key cryptography.
Asymmetric encryption uses two interdependent keys: a public key to encrypt the data and a private key to decrypt the data. The Diffie-Hellman key exchange and Rivest-Shamir-Adleman are two common asymmetric algorithms.

Data masking

Data masking involves obscuring data so it cannot be read. Masked data looks similar to the authentic data set but reveals no sensitive information. Legitimate data is replaced so the masked data maintains the characteristics of the data set as well as referential integrity across systems, thereby ensuring the data is realistic, irreversible and repeatable.

Below are some common data masking techniques:

scrambling
substitution
shuffling
data aging
variance
masking out
nullifying

Data masking is useful when certain data is needed for software testing, user training and data analysis – but not the sensitive data itself.

While the end result of encryption and masking are the same — both create data that is unreadable if intercepted — they are quite different.

Access control

One of the best ways to secure data is to control who has access to it. If only authorized individuals can view, edit and delete data, it is inherently safer than an access free-for-all.

Access control involves two main processes:

Authentication is the process of ensuring users who they say they are.
Authorization is the process of ensuring authenticated users has access to the necessary data and resources.

Data loss prevention

An integral tool for any enterprise security strategy is a DLP platform. It monitors and analyzes data for anomalies and policy violations. Its many features can include data discovery, data inventory, data classification and analysis of data in motion, at rest and in use. Many DLP tools integrate with other technologies, such as SIEM systems, to create alerts and automated responses.

Data backup

Data backup involves creating copies of files and databases to a secondary, and often tertiary and quaternary, location. If the primary data fails, is corrupted or gets stolen, a data backup ensures it can be returned to a previous state rather than be completely lost. Data backup is essential to disaster recovery plans.