OLYMPIA COLLEGE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

NAME AS PER IC / PASSPORT: COLLEGE INDEX NO: IC NO / PASSPORT NO: BATCH NO:

CAMPUS: PETALING JAYA WORDS COUNT:1916

Table of content

Table of content NO Content 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Page

Acknowledgement........................... i Table of content............................... ii List of figure.................................... iii Table................................................. iv Question 1........................................ 1 Answer 1......................................... 2 - 6 Question 2....................................... 7 Answer 2......................................... 8-13 Reference.........................................14-15
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Table of content

List of figure NO Content Question 1 1. 2. 3. Figure 1.1........................................... 6 Figure 1.2........................................... 6 Figure 1.3............................................ 6 Page

Question 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Figure 2.1........................................... 9 Figure 2.2........................................... 9 Figure 2.3........................................... 10 Figure 2.4........................................... 10 Figure 2.5........................................... 11 Figure 2.6........................................... 11 Figure 2.7........................................... 12

8. Figure 2.8........................................... 12 _____________________________________

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Table of content

Table NO Content Question 2 1. Table 2.1........................................... 13 Page

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Question 1

Question 1 Describe the areas where computers are playing an important role in todays society.

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Question 1 (Answer 1)

Computer is playing important roles for human living style every day. Numerous users rely on different types of computers for a variety of applications. Whether they are used to run complex application software, connect to a network or perform countless other functions. Computers are powerful tools at home, at work and at play too. Human uses computers for businesses and home to support work tasks and leisure activities. So, there are few categories of user that used computers for their life such as a home user, a small business user, a mobile user, a large business user and power user.

First, a home computer user will be the most spend their time with the personal computer along the time. These devices that use a lot at a home user are a desktop, a set top box, handheld computer, other web appliance or surf to the internet. A home also actually is a comfortable place either to let a studying child to study well and for adult to take a rest to prevent from working stress. So, a student will uses computer as their search engine device to start the internet learning and not just for student because adult also uses it for type documents or do some investment through internet. Computer is very important for a family to having their easy lifestyle even though they didnt go out from home but they still can get information throughout the internet. A home user will used a computer for many purpose like reference through internet, entertainment such as games, music and etcetera, education, productivity, personal finance and others.

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Question 1 (Answer 1)

Second, a small business user is another one which wills communications and businesses through using a computer. Even though, using the same devices that used by home user but they also used local area network to make their working more efficient and effective because in a office sometimes internet connection is down but they still can extract file from each and other in the company. As we know both business and communication also a competitive job because we dont know what will happen after a minute or even a second. Besides that, a small business user will always used computer for doing some professional jobs such as using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, accounting software, spreadsheet, database, legal reference and others software to do their productivity projects. They also used web browser to search information and email as their communication partner because most of times the clients are in front of their laptop and also saves budget.

Another type is a mobile user which will always bring their computer travel around and using the computer to do power point at anywhere they are to make their every hours become useful. Usually, a mobile user used laptop which with built in devices such wireless card, graphic card and also modem, video projector, PDA with web-enabled, and also internet. Computer also became their very important device because everything control by a computer now a day, such as power point to show slide show and emailing was the most often then used. A mobile user also same as other category uses email as their communication and web browser too.

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Question 1 (Answer 1)

Forth, power user always do their work by using workstation or other powerful computer with multimedia capabilities such as high specification computer with high value of memory and good graphic card. That is because power user will design, publish, product and etcetera of things. Especially, a multimedia worker they used multimedia authoring tools to produce a product. A reporter will always do their job by using desktop publishing and Microsoft Word to type the report. A power user also included a designer which will help people creating, editing, design, research and other by some professional software for photo, sound and video editing specialist.

Fifth, a large business user is the most efficient among other user because they will organize their work, project and etcetera inside a computer. So, they will contact with a lot of different devices such as minicomputer or mainframe computer, desktop or laptop computer, handheld computer and kiosk. As we all know a large business user will used computer to do their accounting, personal information management, productivity and network management. For example, they will divide to a lot of department either is accounting department or designing department. So, they will also used local area networks and for bigger company will used wide area network is just depend on the size of the company. Not the less, email and web browser is their communications tools.

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Question 1 (Answer 1)

Finally, the explanation of a home user, a small business user, a mobile user, a large business user and a power user is able to let you all know how it important to the society. Actually, every user also got their own position to uses computer to make their work easier and more efficient. In another part, computer also can help some people to do crime as well. Especially, post things to internet, hacking into a big bank, hack into a people computer to get some private things and etcetera. Advantages and disadvantages are also held on it. There it just see whether a user using a computer for positive purpose or the opposite. So, computer is very important for everyone now a day, for working, for studying, for searching and for many others jobs.

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Question 1 (Answer 1)

Figure 1.1: Designer

Figure 1.2: Businessman

Figure 1.3: Student

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Question 2

Question 2 What is networking? Describe the types of topologies that are used in networking?

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Question 2 (Answer 2)

In the computer world, networking is an important part because it has a main purpose for sharing data through linking either two or more connection of computers, media and networking devices together. It is involve permanent connections, such as cables, or temporary connection made through telephone or other communication links. Network also the combine of computer hardware and computer software, either consisting of few computers, printers and other devices, or it can consist of many small and large computers distributed over a vast geographic area. Now a day, network can be categories in many types such as local area networks (LANs), wide area network (WANs), campus area network (CANs), metropolitan area network (MANs) and home area network (HANs). Local area networks is the computers are geographically close together whereby wide area networks is the computer are farther apart and are connected by telephone lines or radio waves. Another is campus area networks and metropolitan area networks which campus area networks mostly use within a limited geographic area such as campus or military base but metropolitan is different because it is a data network designed for a town or city. Lastly, home area networks are networks contained within a users home that connects a persons digital devices. Besides that, these little type of networks will used in network topologies. Network topologies contains of bus topology, ring topology, star topology and mesh topology.

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Question 2 (Answer 2)

Figure 2.1: Ring Topology

Figure 2.2: Ring Topology

In ring topology, each device has a dedicated point to point connection only with the two devices on either side. A signal is passed along in one direction, from device to device, until it reaches the destination. When a device receives signals that not belong to the device, its repeater regenerates the bits and passes them along. A ring is relatively easy to install and reconfigure, its also linked only to its immediate neighbour either using physically or logically. Actually, in a ring, a signal wills always circulating. If one of the devices does not receive a signal within a specified period, it can issue an alarm. The alarm is to alerts the network operator to the problem and its location.

Finally, unidirectional traffic can be a disadvantage for this topology. If a break down in the ring can disable the other network that in the ring. This weakness can be solved by using a dual ring or a switch capable of closing off the break down part.

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Question 2 (Answer 2)

Figure 2.3: Star Topology

Figure 2.4: Star Topology

In star topology, each device has a dedicated point to point link to the central controller, usually called a hub. The devices are not directly linked to one another. Unlike a mesh topology, a star topology does not allow direct traffic between devices. The controller acts as an exchange. If one device wants to send data to another, it sends the data to the controller, which then relays the data to the other connected device. In a star, each device just needs only one link and one input and output port to connect it to any amount of others. Its also makes it easy to install and reconfigure. Less cable needs in this topology is because all the connection is point to the hub. Another advantage includes robustness. If one link fails, the others not affected. This factor lends itself to easy fault identification and fault isolation. So, as long as the hub is working, it can be used to monitor link problems and bypass defective links. Finally, although star uses less cable than mesh but for another topology such as bus will least uses on cabling.

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Question 2 (Answer 2)

Figure 2.5: Mesh Topology

Figure 2.6: Mesh Topology

In mesh topology, every device has a dedicated point to point link to every other device. The term dedicated means that the link carries traffic only between the two devices it connects. A mesh offers some advantages over other network topology. First, the use of dedicated links guarantees that each connection can carry its own data load, thus eliminating the traffic problems that can occur during sharing by multiple devices. Second, if one link becomes unusable, it does not disturb the entire system. Its another advantage is privacy and security. When the message travels along a dedicated line, only the intended recipient can sees it. Physically this can prevent other users from gaining access to the message. Lastly, point to point links make fault identification and fault isolation easy. This facility enables the network manager to find the precise location of the fault and aids in finding its cause and solution. The main disadvantages of this topology are related to the amount of cabling and the number of input and output ports required. First, is because every device needed to connect to other device, for installation and reconnection are difficult. Second, when a bulk of the wiring can be greater than the available space can accommodate. Finally, the device required to connect each link can be prohibitively expensive

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Question 2 (Answer 2)

Figure 2.7: Bus Topology

Figure 2.8: Bus Topology

In bus topology, is used one long cable acts as a backbone of the link to all the devices in a network. If the signal travels along the backbone, some of its energy is transformed into heat. Therefore, it becomes weaker and weaker as it has to travel farther and farther. For this reason there is a limit on the amount of taps a bus topology can support. Advantages backbone cable can be laid along the most efficient path, and then connected to the nodes by drop lines of various lengths. This topology also uses less cabling than mesh and star topologies. Besides that, redundancy is eliminated because each of the drop line has to reach the nearest before go to the far on the backbone. Disadvantages, designed to be optimally efficient at installation. Therefore it can be difficult to add new devices because it may need modification or replacement of the backbone. Signal reflection at the taps can cause degradation in quality. The degradation can be controlled by limiting the number and spacing of devices connected to a given length of cable.

Lastly, if one of the parts breaks, it will fault whole transmission not complete to transfer even between devices on the same side of the problem.

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Question 2 (Answer 2)

Conclusion, topologies is really important because it can connect every computer even though it is not in the same room or same place. Human now a day also using wireless network to connect their devices such as mobile phone, laptop, desktop, PDA, IPAD and also other device which wireless network is another topic for everyone to have their sharing. Anyways, for the topologies in the table below still not yet obsolete yet because that was still very useful and stable for transferring data. And the most popular is bus topology that always used in factory or small business. So, networking will always come out with new things but for the recently topology and wireless network, they will still daily update to improve the technology.

Type Of Topology

Places Of Using

Common Type Of Cable Twisted Pair Coaxial Fiber Optic

Type of Device Needed

Ring

Cyber Cafe

Cable

Star

Office Department

Twisted Pair Coaxial Fiber Optic

Cable, Hub Or Switch Cable, Hub, Switch Or Etc.

Mesh

Big Company

Twisted Pair Coaxial Fiber Optic

Bus

Factory

Twisted Pair Coaxial Fiber Optic

Cable

Table 1.1: Comparison between ring topology, star topology, mesh topology and bus topology.

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Reference

Reference

Data communications and networking, third edition, Behrouz A. Forouzan DeAnza College with Sophia Chung Fegan, Chapter 1, page 8 15 Figure Star Topology
http://axainforma.com/Cursos/DEFINITIVO%20INTERACTIVO%20CEDULA%20A/interactivo% 20cedula%20a%20flash/imagenes/Para%20PPT/NetworkTopology-Star.png

Figure Star Topology http://rdspc.com/images/topology_star.jpg Figure Ring Topology http://rdspc.com/images/topology_ring.jpg Figure Ring Topology
http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/NetworkTopologyRing.png/220px-NetworkTopology-Ring.png

Figure Mesh Topology http://rdspc.com/images/topology_mesh.jpg Figure Mesh Topology http://intersci.ss.uci.edu/wiki/index.php/Image:NetworkTopologyFullyConnected.png

Figure Bus Topology http://rdspc.com/images/topology_bus.jpg Figure Bus Topology

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/NetworkTopology-Bus.png

Figure Tree Topology http://rdspc.com/images/topology_tree.jpg Figure Tree Topology

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/NetworkTopology-Tree.png

Information about topology

http://www.rdspc.com/knowledge.asp?subPage=techRef&tid=8

Information about topology http://fcit.usf.edu/network/chap5/chap5.htm

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Reference

Information about topology http://www.exforsys.com/tutorials/networking/meshtopology.html

Information about topology http://fallsconnect.com/topology.htm Information about tree topology http://www.exforsys.com/tutorials/networking/treetopology.html

Suggestion about IT http://www.buzzle.com/articles/role-of-computers-in-education.html Suggestion about IT http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2005/6/1/0125/75136 Networking

http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/basicnetworking/f/whatsnetworking.htm

Picture for question 1 http://www.heartshare.org/media/gal-pro-sch-4lg.jpg Picture for question1

http://www.reigate.ac.uk/secure/contentPORT/uploads/DepartmentPictures/Art/graphics_ computer_for_web.jpg

Picture for question 1

http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/1555/PreviewComp/SuperStock_1555R315182.jpg

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