Introduction to IT - C182 WGU, Top Exam Questions and answers, verified. Rated A+

Introduction to IT - C182 WGU, Top Exam Questions and answers, verified. Rated A+ What is Information Technology - -1) The task of gathering data and processing it into information and the ability to disseminate that information using technology 2) The technology itself that permits creating, maintaining and making information accessible, which includes the software, data, and computer networks 3) The collection of people who enable the processing of data and provide IT support (the computer, networks and operating systems). What is not Information Technology? - -1) Raw data alone is not IT 2) Standalone technology devices and software (such as purely output devices). Use of technology itself to a means is not IT (ex: a background check) 3) People doing personal things outside the scope of information dissemination (such as making a birthday card for someone). System Administrator duties - -- Maintaining operating system of a computer system - Supporting the user - Installing new information Network Administrator duties - -- Physically laying down cable - Making connections - Working with the network hardware (routers and switches) - Supporting physical network Database Administrator duties - -- Focus on design, development and support of data management systems (DBMS) - Support, maintain, do performance tuning, and schema development on DBMSs Security Administrators duties - -- Stay informed of the many different types of attacks (denial of service, IP spoofing, buffer overflow, etc.) - Install, configure and administer appropriate firewall security to protect the organization systems - Work proactively against intrusions Web Administrator duties - -- Install, configure, maintain, secure and troubleshoot web server - May be required to set up password files and establish locations where server scripts can be stored and tested. Buffer overflow - -Allows hackers to invade computer memory with their own code Difference between System and Network administrators - -System Administrators: work with users Network Administrators: work with the physical network Difference between Database and Web administrators - -Database: Works specifically with DBMS Web: works with webpages that serve the DBMS Difference between Security and Web administrators - -Security: Secure data access Web: Secure webpage access Difference between Security and Network administrators - -Security: securing the network parameter by allowing/denying access to data ports over the network; working with firewalls specifically Network: Physically installing and securing networking devices. Skills and duties of IT Personnel - -- Troubleshooting problem solving - Knowledge of operating systems - System level programming - System security - Use, install and replace hardware Difference between IT Professional and IT Specialist - -Professional: Expected to understand theory, hardware/software components, and programming techniques; need less math than a computer scientist. Specialist: Have greater privileges with respect to the computer systems - have access to many resources; must become aware of the impacts that computers, and IT in general, have on society (jack of all trades). What is data? - -- Any input that *has not been verified* by both sender and receiver. In essence, it is simply raw. Difference between information and data - -Once data from sender is *verified and validated* by receiver, then it is considered information. Information can also be considered as processed, or interpreted, data: raw data is the input and information is the output of some process. How is data used? - -Data can be organized, manipulated, filtered, sorted and used for computation. What is the benefit of information - -Information is presented to humans in support of decision making. What is the "DIKW hierarchy?" - -Describes the transition of data to wisdom: - Data - Information - Knowledge - Wisdom What is another way to think of data? - -Signals. For humans: sight, sound smell, taste, feel For computers: values entered by the user when running an application; data received through camera, microphone, bar code reader, sensor, etc. Define Knowledge in the DIKW hierarchy - -Information that has been put to use A synthesis of several different sources of information. Information that is placed into a context, such as experience gained from using information. ` Define Wisdom in the DIKW hierarchy - -Wisdom provides a social setting to knowledge - an understanding of "why". What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom - -Wisdom can only come by having both knowledge and experience. Knowledge can be learned from others who have it. What is an information system? - -A collection of data and information used to support management of an organization. The technical components and human resources that enable the assembly, storage, and processing of data. Name the four computer operations - -IPO+S: - Input: raw data is entered by the user - Processing: raw data is organized or structured for usefulness - Output: information output so user can see the results - Storage: Processed information is stored for permanent record. What are the characteristics of quality data? - -- Relevance - Timeliness - Thoroughness - Accuracy - Reliability What are the physical components of the computer system and networks? - -External parts: - Chassis Internal Parts: - CPU - Memory - Motherboard Network Components - Routers - Switches - Hubs - Ethernet Cables - NICs (network interface cards) Define software and its characteristics - -The programs and other operating information used by the computer. - Written using a programming language. - System software - Operating system - System utilities - Applications - does real work (ex: MS office, outlook) - Intangible What is system software? - -Operating systems and system utilities Name some different operating systems - -Windows, Linux, Mac OS, FreeBSD, Solaris, redhat What is Graphical User Interface (GUI) - -An interface that allows the user to issue commands to the computer for the computer to work (ex: Point and Click) What are programming languages? - -Code written in pseudo English which translates into machine language (binary) What is a network? - -A collection of computers and resources connected by various media so they can communicate with each other What is a protocol? - -A set of rules by which people behave. What is a network protocol? - -A set of rules by which networks communicate. What are the benefits of a network? - -Helps people and devices communicate with each other Sharing information reduces business cost by allowing devices to be shared. What is a drawback to networks? - -Does NOT increase information security and can make more security risks by opening more avenues to attack a network. Describe users - -People who use the computer system. How have users progressed with technology? - -As computers got simpler to use, and the advent of personal computers and GUI operating systems, users could learn to use computers with little to no training. What is the structure of most computer systems? - -CPU - ALU, Control Unit, Registers Memory - SCRAM, DRAM, ROM I/O Subsystem - Input devices, Output devices, Storage devices System Bus - Connects the CPU, Memory and I/O bus I/O Bus - Connects the System Bus and I/O subsystem What were the first computers needed for during World War II? - -To assist in computing rocket trajectories. Crack German codes. What was the first digital, general-purpose, programmable computer? - -the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). What distinguished the ENIAC from previous analog computers? - -ENIAC was general purpose, whereas previous computers were either for a special purpose (could only run programs of a certain type) or were not electronic but electromechanical. A general-purpose computer could conceivably execute any program that can be written for that computer. What constituted the first generation of computer hardware? - -ENIAC and other laboratory computers like it. They are classified not only by the timeline but also the reliance on: - vacuum tubes, - relay switches and - the need to program in machine language. True or False: First Generation computers were relatively inexpensive compared to today's computers - -False. ENIAC itself cost $500,000. Even without accounting for inflation, first generation computers were far more expensive than today's computers. True or False: First generation computers were less reliable than today's computers. - -True. Between the relatively short shelf life of vacuum tubes and the difficulty of programming by physically connecting separate pieces of hardware, first generation computers had high failure rates. What are vacuum tubes? - -Vacuum tubes were used for storage and were a defining characteristic of first generation computers. Name the two new pieces of hardware that symbolized the second generation computers: - -- Transistors - Magnetic core memory. What was used to replace vacuum tubes in second generation computers? - -Transistor components. Why were transistors favored over vacuum tubes? - -- They could be mass produced - Cheaper to produce - While vacuum tubes gave off a great deal of heat and had a shelf life of only a few thousand hours, transistors could last for up to 50 years. - Used less power and were far more robust. What is magnetic core memory? - -Consists of small rings made of magnetic materials, placed in a wire-mesh framework. Each ring stores one bit by having magnetic current rotate in either clockwise or counterclockwise fashion. How does magnetic core memory work? - -The collection of magnetic cores and wires constitute memory where each ring (at the intersection of a horizontal and a vertical wire) stores a single bit. The wires are used to specify which core is being accessed. Current flows along one set of wires so that the cores can retain their charges. The other set of wires is used to send new bits to select cores or to obtain values from select ones. Although very expensive, magnetic core memory permitted computers to have. . . - -Larger main memory sizes (from hundreds or thousands of bytes to upward of a million bytes). True or false: the size of the computer was reduced in second generation computers. - -True. Because of the reduction in size of the hardware, the size of a computer was reduced. Why did computers get faster as they got smaller? - -With smaller computers, the physical distance electrical currents had to travel between components