MODULE I

Task 1: Identification of peripherals of a PC, Laptop, Server and Smart Phones:

Prepare a report containing the block diagram along with the configuration of each
component and its functionality, Input/ Output devices, I/O ports and interfaces, main
memory, cache memory and secondary storage technologies, digital storage basics,
networking components, and speeds.

Block diagram of computer

1. Input Unit:

Computers need to receive data and instruction in order to solve any problem. Therefore we need to input
the data and instructions into the computers. The input unit consists of one or more input devices. Keyboard
is the one of the most commonly used input device. Other commonly used input devices are the mouse,
floppy disk drive, magnetic tape, etc. All the input devices perform the following functions.

2. Storage Unit:

The storage unit of the computer holds data and instructions that are entered through the input unit, before
they are processed. It preserves the intermediate and final results before these are sent to the output devices.
It also saves the data for the later use. The various storage devices of a computer system are divided into two
categories.
 1. Primary Storage:
 Stores and provides very fast.
 This memory is generally used to hold the program being currently executed in the computer, the data
being received from the input unit, the intermediate and final results of the program.
 The primary memory is temporary in nature.
 The data is lost, when the computer is switched off. To store the data permanently, the data has to be
transferred to the secondary memory.
 The cost of the primary storage is more compared to the secondary storage. Therefore most computers
have limited primary storage capacity.

2. Secondary Storage:
 Secondary storage is used like an archive.
 It stores several programs, documents, data bases etc.
 The programs that you run on the computer are first transferred to the primary memory before it is
actually run. Whenever the results are saved, again they get stored in the secondary memory.
 The secondary memory is slower and cheaper than the primary memory. Some of the commonly used
secondary memory devices are Hard disk, CD, etc.

Memory Size:
 All digital computers use the binary system, i.e. 0’s and 1’s. Each character or a number is represented by an
8 bit code.
 The set of 8 bits is called a byte. A character occupies 1 byte space. A numeric occupies 2 byte space. Byte is
the space occupied in the memory.
 The size of the primary storage is specified in KB (Kilobytes) or MB (Megabyte). One KB is equal to 1024
bytes and one MB is equal to 1000KB.
 The size of the primary storage in a typical PC usually starts at 16MB. PCs having 32 MB, 48MB, 128 MB,
256MB memory are quite common.

3.Output Unit:
 The output unit of a computer provides the information and results of a computation to outside
world. Printers, Visual Display Unit (VDU) are the commonly used output devices.
 Other commonly used output devices are floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, and magnetic tape
drive.

4.Arithmetic Logical Unit:

 All calculations are performed in the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) of the computer. It also does
comparisons and takes decision.

 The ALU can perform basic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc and
does logic operations viz, >, <, =, ‘etc.
  Whenever calculations are required, the control unit transfers the data from storage unit to ALU once
the computations are done, the results are transferred to the storage unit by the control unit and then it
is send to the output unit for displaying results.

5.Control Unit:
 It is responsible for directing and coordinating most of the computer system activities.
 It does not execute instructions by itself.
 It tells other parts of the computer system what to do.
 It determines the movement of electronic signals between the main memory and arithmetic logic unit
as well as the control signals between the CPU and input/output devices.

6.Central Processing Unit:

 The control unit and ALU of the computer are together known as the Central Processing Unit
(CPU).The CPU is like brain performs the following functions:
• It performs all calculations.

• It takes all decisions.

• It controls all units of the computer.

 A PC may have CPU-IC such as Intel 8088, 80286, 80386, 80486, Celeron, Pentium, Pentium Pro,
Pentium II, Pentium III, Pentium IV, Dual Core, and AMD etc.

 Components of CPU:

1. Power supply
2.Heat sink/fans.
3.Cabinet
4.Mother board
5.Processor
6.AGP
7.North bridge
8.South bridge
9.AGP
10.PCI slots
11.BIOS 12.CMOS

1. SMPS (Switching mode power supply)

 The power supply converts the alternating current (AC) from your mains (110V input or 220V input)
to the direct current (DC) needed by the computer.
 In a PC, the power supply is the metal box usually found in a corner of the case.
 The power supply is visible from the back of many systems because it contains the power-cord
receptacle and the cooling fan.
  The typical voltages produced are: •3.3 volts, •5 volts, •12 volts

2.Heat Sinks/Fans:
 As processors, graphics cards, RAM and other components in computers have Increased in speed and
power consumption, the amount of heat produced by these components as a side-effect of normal
operation has also increased.
 These components need to be kept within a specified temperature range to prevent overheating,
instability, malfunction and damage leading to a shortened component lifespan.

3.Cabinet/Case:
 A computer case (also known as a computer chassis, cabinet, box, tower, enclosure, housing, system
unit or simply case) is the eclosure that provides protection to all the components from heat light and
temperature.
 If you are building your own computer selecting the case will be one of your first choices to make:
the type of case, its size, orientation, tc.
4.Motherboard:
 The motherboard is the key circuit board holding the essential processing parts of a Computer.
 It allows all the parts of your computer to receive power and Communicate with one another.
 It is usually screwed to the case along its largest face, which could be the bottom or the side of the
case depending on the form factor and orientation.
 Attached directly to the motherboard are the CPU, RAM, expansion cards, networking, video, and
audio components.
5.Processor/Socket:

 An integrated circuit (IC) supplied on a single silicon chip. It’s function is to control all the computers
functions. The main processor manufacturers are: AMD & INTEL

6. AGP(Accelerated graphical port)

 Short for accelerated graphics port, AGP is an advanced port designed for video cards and 3D
accelerators.
 Developed by Intel and introduced in August 1997, AGP introduces a dedicated point-to-point channel
that allows the graphics controller direct access to the system memory.
 Below is an illustration of what the AGP slot may look like on your motherboard.
7.North bridge

 Northbridge is an integrated circuit responsible for communications between the CPU interface,
AGP, and the memory.
 Unlike the Southbridge, the Northbridge is directly connected to these components and acts like a
"bridge" for the Southbridge chip to communicate with the CPU, RAM, and graphics controller

8.South bridge

 The south bridge is an IC on the motherboard responsible for the hard drive controller, I/O
controller and integrated hardware.
 Integrated hardware can include the sound card and video card if on the motherboard, USB, PCI,
ISA, IDE, BIOS, and Ethernet.
 9.ATX Power connector

 ATX power connectors are designed to connect a computer’s power supply to a motherboard.
 They are constructed of metal pins laid throughout a nylon matrix.

10.PCI Slots

 Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slot is a connecting apparatus for a 32-bit computer bus.
 These tools are built into the motherboards of computers and devices in order to allow for the
addition of PCI devices like modems, network hardware or sound and video cards.
11.BIOS (Basic input and output)

 Short for Basic Input/Output System, the BIOS (pronounced bye-oss) is a ROM chip found on
motherboards that allows you to access and set up your computer system at the most basic level.
 The picture below is an example of what a BIOS chip may look like on a computer motherboard.
 The example picture below is of an early AMIBIOS, a type of BIOS manufactured by AMI.

12.CMOS(complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor)

CMOS is an onboard, battery powered semiconductor chip inside computers that stores information.This
information ranges from the system time and date to system hardware settings for your computer.
1.2 Input/ Output devices
1.2.1 Input devices
 In computing, an input device is a piece of computer hardware equipment used to provide data and
control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or information appliance.
 Examples of input devices include keyboards, mouse, scanners, digital cameras, joysticks, and
microphones.

1.2.2 Output Devices

 An output device is any device used to send data from a computer to another device or user.
 Most computer data output that is meant for humans is in the form of audio or video.
 Thus, most output devices used by humans are in these categories.
 Examples include monitors, projectors, speakers, headphones and printers.
1.3 I/O ports and interfaces

 Computer ports are interfaces between peripheral devices and the computer.
 They are mainly found at the back of the computer but are often also built into the front of the
computer chassis for easy access.
 Serial port - a 9-pin port. Often called Com ports - Com1, Com2 etc. Mice and external
modems were connected to these ports. They are turquoise in colour.

 Parallel port - a 25-pin port used to connect printers, scanners, external hard disks etc. to the
computer. Burgundy in colour, they are often called LPT ports - LPT1, LPT2 etc.

 Video port - used to connect a monitor to the computer system. There are two types:

o VGA port - This is a 15-pin port and is blue in colour. It is an analogue port and is being
replaced by the DVI port.
 o DVI port - white in colour, it is a digital port. This means that no conversion is necessary
between the computer and the monitor and that means that images can be produced more
quickly on the monitor.

 PS/2 port - used to connect keyboards and mice to the computer. The keyboard port is purple
and the mouse port is green

 Modem port - used to connect a modem to a telephone line. RJ11 is the technical term for the port.

 USB port- Intended to replace Serial, Parallel and PS/2 ports with a single standard. 127 devices can
be connected to a single USB port.
  Ethernet port - used to connect to a network. Known as RJ45, it is larger than a modem port.

 Audio ports - used to input and output audio from the computer. Three mini jack ports but there may
be more:
Light blue - Line in - connect external devices
Lime - Connect the speakers to this port.
Pink - Connect a microphone to this port.

1.4 Primary Memory (Main Memory)

 Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer is currently working.
 It has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched off.
 It is generally made up of semiconductor device.
 These memories are not as fast as registers.
 The data and instruction required to be processed resides in the main memory. It is divided into two
subcategories RAM and ROM.

 Characteristics of Main Memory

 These are semiconductor memories.

 It is known as the main memory.
 Usually volatile memory.
 Data is lost in case power is switched off.
 It is the working memory of the computer.
 Faster than secondary memories.
 A computer cannot run without the primary memory.

PROM-Programmable Read Only Memory

EPROM - Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory

EEPROM- electrically erasable programmable read-only memory

1.5 Cache memory

 Cache memory, also called CPU memory, is high-speed static random access memory (SRAM) that a
computer microprocessor can access more quickly than it can access regular random access memory
(RAM).
 This memory is typically integrated directly into the CPU chip or placed on a separate chip that has a
separate bus interconnect with the CPU.
 The purpose of cache memory is to store program instructions and data that are used repeatedly in the
operation of programs or information that the CPU is likely to need next.
 The computer processor can access this information quickly from the cache rather than having to get it
from computer's main memory.
 Fast access to these instructions increases the overall speed of the program.

1.6 Secondary storage devices:

 Hard disk

 The hard disk drive is the main, and usually largest, data storage hardware device in a computer.
 The operating system, software titles, and most other files are stored in the hard disk drive.
 Floppy disk

 A floppy disk drive (FDD), or floppy drive, is a hardware device that reads data storage information.
 It was invented in 1967 by a team at IBM and was one of the first types of hardware storage that
could read/write a portable device.
 FDDs are used for reading and writing on removable floppy discs.
 Floppy disks are now outdated, and have been replaced by other storage devices such as USB and
network file transfer.

 Flash drive
 Alternatively referred to as a USB flash drive, data stick, pen drive, memory unit, keychain drive
and thumb drive, a jump drive is a portable storage device.
 It is often the size of a human thumb (hence the name), and connects to a computer via a USB
port.
 Flash drives are an easy way to store and transfer information between computers and range in
sizes from 2 GB to 1 TB.
 SD card
 Short for Secure Digital card, the SD card is one of the more common types of memory cards
used with electronics.
 The SD technology is used by over 400 brands of electronic equipment and over 8000
different models, including digital cameras and cell phones.
 It is considered the industry standard due to the wide use.

 Types of SD cards : The three versions of the SD card, along with their physical dimensions, are
shown below.
 SD - 32mm x 24mm x 2.1mm.
 MiniSD - 21.5mm x 20mm x 1.4mm.
 MicroSD - 15mm x 11mm x 1.0mm.
  Compact Disk
 Abbreviated as CD, a compact disc is a flat, round, optical storage medium invented by James
Russell.
 The first CD was created at a Philips factory in Germany on August 17, 1982.

NOTE:When referring to a round CD, DVD, or Blu-ray it is known as a "disc" and not a "disk." If you are
referring to a magnetic media such as a floppy disk or a hard disk drive, it is called to as a "disk" and not a
"disc."

DVD:
 Short for digital versatile disc or digital video disc, a DVD or DVD-ROM is a disc capable of
storing a significant amount more data than a standard compact disc.
 DVDs are widely used for storing and viewing movies and other data.
 The picture of the Matrix DVD movie disc is an example of a DVD movie. CD/DVD drives that

utilize both of these discs were first sold in 1997.

1.7 Digital storage and basics

 Digital storage allows you to store information in a way that is more efficient and compact
than analog storage methods.
 The advantage of digital storage is that it can hold much more information, take up less space,
and be created in a shorter amount of time than analog methods.

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  You may wonder how digital storage can hold so much information in a small space.
 The answer is that you can pack more data into the same amount of space using binary code
of zeroes and ones instead of analog signals such as voltage levels or magnetic fields.
 In contrast to analog forms of storing information, such as sound waves or photographs,
digital data does not fluctuate continuously but instead consists of discrete values (for
example, 1's or 0's).
 Digital storage stores information (including text, video, and audio) as long as the data is
reduced into a series of symbols representing the content.
 The advantage of digital storage is that it can hold much more information, take up less space,
and be created in a shorter amount of time than analog storage methods.
 When you take a photo with your digital camera, it's stored in the camera's memory card until
you transfer it to a computer or another device.
 The same is true for any digital audio or video file: it's stored on an electronic device and
must be transferred before use.
 You still have a copy elsewhere if something happens to your computer, hard drive, or other
device containing the data.
 Digital files are easier to access than analog ones because they don't require physical reading
access.

1.7.1 Types of digital storage:

i. magnetic,
ii. optical disks, and
iii. solid state,

i. Optical Disks
 Examples: CDs, DVDs, DVD-Rs, DVD+Rs, CD+Rs, and Blu-Ray
 Optical disks are often used for backing up, storing, or sharing information.
 Optical disks easily store data such as photographs, movies, audio files, and non-changing data.
 While optical disks are often thought of as a long-lasting solution to digital storage, the lifetime of
optical disks has not been proven.
 Unlike profesional made CDs, in which the data is recorded onto the disc by stamping pits into
the plastic, home-burned disks use chemicals that are burned by the laser.
 Transferring data onto new disks every 5-10 years is a good practice to preserve information.

ii. Solid State Storage

 Examples: Memory cards, flash drives, and internal storage in digital recorders, digital cameras,
cell phones, Blackberry devices, PDAs, MP3 players, and iPods.
 Solid state devices are a great way to quickly check, update, transfer, and share data. They
provide a temporary storage solution for portable information.
 Solid State devices provide a quick, easy, and accessible way to gather, add, and temporarily
store genealogical information until it may be organized and stored in more permanent formats.

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 iii. Magnetic Storage
 Examples: Hard drives (computer hard drives, servers, and external hard drives), floppy disks,
and archival magnetic tape (NOT a consumer product).
 Magnetic storage is often used as a long-term storage solution, often with regular backups of
information.
 The most common form of magnetic storage is the hard drive. Hard drives help genealogists
quickly add, change, locate, and share information.
 Hard drives are used in computers, servers, and external hard drives and are magnetically
coated disks with magnetic particles. Unlike solid state devices, damaged hard drive data may
often be recovered.

 Networking components

 Computer network components include the major parts that are needed to install a network
both at the office and home level.
 Before delving into the installation process, you should be familiar with each part so that you
could choose and buy the right component that fits with your network system.
 These hardware components include cable, Hub, Switch, NIC (network interface
card), modem and router.
 Depending on the type of network you are going to install, some of the parts can be
eliminated. For example, in a wireless network you don’t need cables, hubs so on.
 Computer network is a group of two or more computers that connect with each other to
share a resource. Sharing of devices and resources is the purpose of computer network. You can
share printers, fax machines, scanners, network connection, local drives, copiers and other
resources.

 Major computer network components

Computer network requires the following devices (some of them are optional):-
 Network Interface Card (NIC)
 Hub/ Switches
 Cables and connectors
 Router
 Modem

1. Network Interface Card

 Network adapter is a device that enables a computer to talk with other computer/network.
 Using unique hardware addresses (MAC address) encoded on the card chip, the data-link protocol
employs these addresses to discover other systems on the network so that it can transfer data to
the right destination.
 There are two types of network cards: wired and wireless. The wired NIC uses cables and
connectors as a medium to transfer data, whereas in the wireless card, the connection is made

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 using antenna that employs radio wave technology. All modern laptop computers incorporated
wireless NIC in addition to the wired adapter.

Network Card Speed

 Network Interface card, one of the main computer network components, comes with different
speeds, 10Mbps, 100Mbps, and 1000Mbps, so on.
 Recent standard network cards built with Gigabit (1000Mbps) connection speed. It also supports to
connect slower speeds such as 10Mbps and 100Mbps.
 However, the speed of the card depends on your LAN speed.
 For example, if you have a switch that supports up to 100Mbps, your NIC will also transfer a data
with this same speed even though your computer NIC has still the capability to transfer data at
1000Mbps (1Gbps).
 In modern computers, network adapter is integrated with a computer motherboard.
 However if you want advanced and fast Ethernet card, you may buy and install on your computer
using the PCI slot found on the motherboard (desktop) and ExpressCard slots on laptop .

2. Hub
 Hub is a device that splits a network connection into multiple computers. It is like a
distribution center.
 When a computer request information from a network or a specific computer, it sends the
request to the hub through a cable.
 The hub will receive the request and transmit it to the entire network. Each computer in the
network should then figure out whether the broadcast data is for them or not
 Currently Hubs are becoming obsolete and replaced by more advanced communication
devices such as Switchs and Routers.

3. Switch
 Switch is a telecommunication device grouped as one of computer network components.
Switch is like a Hub but built in with advanced features.
 It uses physical device addresses in each incoming messages so that it can deliver the message
to the right destination or port.
 Like Hub, switch don’t broadcast the received message to entire network, rather before
sending it checks to which system or port should the message be sent.
 In other words switch connects the source and destination directly which increases the speed
of the network.
 Both switch and hub have common features: Multiple RJ-45 ports, power supply and
connection lights.

4. Cables and connectors

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  Cable is one way of transmission media which can transmit communication signals. The
wired network typology uses special type of cable to connect computers on a network.
 There are a number of solid transmission Media types, which are listed below. - Twisted pair
wire
 It is classified as Category 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5E, 6 and 7. Category 5E, 6 and 7 are high-speed
cables that can transmit 1Gbps or more. -

i. Coaxial cable
Coaxial cable more resembles like TV installation cable. It is more expensive than twisted-pair cable
but provide high data transmission speed.

ii. Fiber-optic cable

It is a high-speed cable which transmits data using light beams through a glass bound fibers. Fiber-
optic cable is high data transmission cable comparing to the other cable types. But the cost of fiber
optics is very expensive which can only be purchased and installed on governmental level.

5. Router
 When we talk about computer network components, the other device that used to connect a
LAN with an internet connection is called Router.
 When you have two distinct networks (LANs) or want to share a single internet connection to
multiple computers, we use a Router
 In most cases, recent routers also include a switch which in other words can be used as a
switch.
 You don’t need to buy both switch and router, particularly if you are installing small business
and home networks
 There are two types of Router: wired and wireless. The choice depends on your physical
office/home setting, speed and cost.

6. Modems
 A modem enables you to connect your computer to the available internet connection over the
existing telephone line.
 Like NIC, Modem is not integrated with a computer motherboard. It comes as separate part which
can be installed on the PCI slots found on motherboard.
 A modem is not necessary for LAN, but required for internet connection such as dial-up and DSL
 There are some types of modems, which differs in speed and transmission rate. Standard PC
modem or Dial-up modems (56Kb data transmission speed), Cellular modem (used in a laptop
that enables to connect while on the go), cable modem (500 times faster than standard modem)
and DSL Modems are the most popular.

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