Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Answer all the questions.
The total mark for this paper is 80.
(a) State the full name of the following CPU registers and describe their specific purpose in the Von Neumann architecture.
Program Counter (PC)
Accumulator (ACC)
(b) A computer has run out of physical RAM and is now using Virtual Memory. Explain how virtual memory works and describe one negative effect of "thrashing" on the system's performance.
(c) A professional photographer needs to back up 500GB of high-resolution images. Justify the selection of a specific secondary storage device for this application, comparing it against one other type of storage.
(a) Define the difference between a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN). State one example of each.
(b) Identify and explain three factors that can affect the performance of a network.
1.
2.
3.
(a) Explain the role of Hosting in relation to the World Wide Web.
(b) Describe what is meant by "The Cloud" and state one benefit of using it for data storage.
(c) Explain the relationship between Web Servers and Web Clients when a user requests a website.
(a) Complete the table below by stating the full name and primary purpose of each network protocol.
| Protocol | Full Name | Primary Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| FTP | ||
| POP | ||
| IMAP | ||
| SMTP |
(b) Explain the concept of layers in network protocols and state one advantage of using a layered model.
(a) Describe how the following network security threats operate:
Denial of Service (DoS) attack:
Data Interception and Theft:
(b) Identify four different methods of preventing or identifying security vulnerabilities in a network.
1.
2.
3.
4.
(a) The Operating System manages many different aspects of the computer. Describe the role of the OS in:
Memory Management and Multitasking:
User Management and File Management:
(b) Explain the purpose of Utility System Software. Give one example of a utility task.
(a) Contrast Open Source software with Proprietary software. State one benefit of each.
(b) Identify the specific piece of legislation that makes it illegal to access a computer system without permission.