©THEBRIGHT 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TSA Foundations of Information Technology
Study Guide
Infrastructure - Answer✔The underlying framework or basic foundation for something.
paradigm shift - Answer✔a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
Information Technology - Answer✔the study, design, development, implementation, support,
and management of computer-based information systems.
Information Technology Infrastructure - Answer✔A combination of hardware and software
installed on a network that allows employees of a business to be productive.
Hardware - Answer✔the physical parts of a computer system such as the monitor, keyboard, and
hard drive
CPU (Central Processing Unit) - Answer✔the "brain" of a computer, where data manipulation
actually takes place
Motherboard - Answer✔the main circuit board of the computer
Network Interface Card (NIC) - Answer✔A card that enables one computer to send and receive
data to and from another computer.
RAM (Random Access Memory) - Answer✔____________ is a memory chip in a computer
which holds all programs and data when they are in use. Temporary storage.
Software - Answer✔a set of computer instructions that tell the computer how to work and
actually perform computer tasks.
3 types of software - Answer✔system, utility, application
Application Software - Answer✔computer software created to allow the user to perform a
specific job or task
System Software - Answer✔software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as
scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals.
Utility Software - Answer✔software that performs a particular function in the "background"; it
requires little or no interaction with the user, but it is essential to the computer functioning.
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, ©THEBRIGHT 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Examples include virus protection and printer drivers. It works on an exception basis to notify
user.
Networks - Answer✔Include devices such as routers, switches, and communication links that
allow the computer systems to communicate with each other no matter the distance or location.
They are sometimes known as the "backbone" of the IT infrastructure.
Data - Answer✔after the finances, are the most valuable asset a company can acquire.
Systems Analyst - Answer✔focuses on IS issues. This person develops ideas and suggestions for
ways that IT can support and improve business processes and helps designs new business
processes and policies.
End Users - Answer✔people who use the hardware, software, networks, and databases in their
performance of their daily work.
Processes - Answer✔the applications that a business uses in its daily operations.
Off-the-shelf software - Answer✔Software mass-produced by software vendors to address needs
that are common across businesses, organizations, or individuals.
IT Professionals Specialties - Answer✔Hardware, Software, and Network
Best Practice - Answer✔a desired outcome
Moore's Law - Answer✔computing power doubles every 18 months
HTML - Answer✔HyperText Markup Language, the authoring language used to create web
pages.
HTTP - Answer✔Hypertext Transfer Protocol, Protocol used to define how messages are
transmitted and formatted on the Internet.
Router - Answer✔(computer science) a device that forwards data packets between computer
networks
Switches - Answer✔A device used to connect two or more network segments and regulate
traffic.
Hub - Answer✔Common point of connection on a network.
Client - Answer✔An end user's computer in a computer network.
Server - Answer✔a central computer in a computer network
Mainframe computer - Answer✔Large computer system capable of processing massive volumes
of data
Midrange Computers - Answer✔Sometimes called minicomputers, midrange computers are less
powerful and smaller in physical size than mainframe computers, but do many of the same
things, simply on a smaller scale.
2|Page
TSA Foundations of Information Technology
Study Guide
Infrastructure - Answer✔The underlying framework or basic foundation for something.
paradigm shift - Answer✔a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.
Information Technology - Answer✔the study, design, development, implementation, support,
and management of computer-based information systems.
Information Technology Infrastructure - Answer✔A combination of hardware and software
installed on a network that allows employees of a business to be productive.
Hardware - Answer✔the physical parts of a computer system such as the monitor, keyboard, and
hard drive
CPU (Central Processing Unit) - Answer✔the "brain" of a computer, where data manipulation
actually takes place
Motherboard - Answer✔the main circuit board of the computer
Network Interface Card (NIC) - Answer✔A card that enables one computer to send and receive
data to and from another computer.
RAM (Random Access Memory) - Answer✔____________ is a memory chip in a computer
which holds all programs and data when they are in use. Temporary storage.
Software - Answer✔a set of computer instructions that tell the computer how to work and
actually perform computer tasks.
3 types of software - Answer✔system, utility, application
Application Software - Answer✔computer software created to allow the user to perform a
specific job or task
System Software - Answer✔software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as
scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals.
Utility Software - Answer✔software that performs a particular function in the "background"; it
requires little or no interaction with the user, but it is essential to the computer functioning.
1|Page
, ©THEBRIGHT 2024/2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Examples include virus protection and printer drivers. It works on an exception basis to notify
user.
Networks - Answer✔Include devices such as routers, switches, and communication links that
allow the computer systems to communicate with each other no matter the distance or location.
They are sometimes known as the "backbone" of the IT infrastructure.
Data - Answer✔after the finances, are the most valuable asset a company can acquire.
Systems Analyst - Answer✔focuses on IS issues. This person develops ideas and suggestions for
ways that IT can support and improve business processes and helps designs new business
processes and policies.
End Users - Answer✔people who use the hardware, software, networks, and databases in their
performance of their daily work.
Processes - Answer✔the applications that a business uses in its daily operations.
Off-the-shelf software - Answer✔Software mass-produced by software vendors to address needs
that are common across businesses, organizations, or individuals.
IT Professionals Specialties - Answer✔Hardware, Software, and Network
Best Practice - Answer✔a desired outcome
Moore's Law - Answer✔computing power doubles every 18 months
HTML - Answer✔HyperText Markup Language, the authoring language used to create web
pages.
HTTP - Answer✔Hypertext Transfer Protocol, Protocol used to define how messages are
transmitted and formatted on the Internet.
Router - Answer✔(computer science) a device that forwards data packets between computer
networks
Switches - Answer✔A device used to connect two or more network segments and regulate
traffic.
Hub - Answer✔Common point of connection on a network.
Client - Answer✔An end user's computer in a computer network.
Server - Answer✔a central computer in a computer network
Mainframe computer - Answer✔Large computer system capable of processing massive volumes
of data
Midrange Computers - Answer✔Sometimes called minicomputers, midrange computers are less
powerful and smaller in physical size than mainframe computers, but do many of the same
things, simply on a smaller scale.
2|Page
