Course Code : BCS-011 Course

Title:ComputerBasics andPCSoftware

Last Date of Submission : 15th October, 2019 (For July, 2019 Session)

15th April, 2020 (For January, 2020 Session)

Q1. Explain the von Neumann Architecture with the help of a diagram. Is this
architecture used in the current personal computers? Justify your answer. Explain the
role of integrated circuits in design of computers. Also, explain the classification of
computer on the basis of technology.

Ans:- Von Neumann Architecture also known as the Von Neumann model, the computer consisted of a
CPU, memory and I/O devices. The program is stored in the memory. The CPU fetches an instruction
from the memory at a time and executes it.

thus, the instructions are executed sequentially which is a slow process. Neumann m/c are called control
flow computer because instruction are executed sequentially as controlled by a program counter. To
increase the speed, parallel processing of computer have been developed in which serial CPU’s are
connected in parallel to solve a problem. Even in parallel computers, the basic building blocks are
Neumann processors.

The modern computers are based on a stored-program concept introduced by John Von Neumann. In this
stored-program concept, programs and data are stored in a separate storage unit called memories and are
treated the same. This novel idea meant that a computer built with this architecture would be much easier
to reprogram.

Ignounews.com
 An integrated circuit, or IC, is small chip that can function as an amplifier, oscillator, timer,
microprocessor, or even computer memory. An IC is a small wafer, usually made of silicon, that can hold
anywhere from hundreds to millions of transistors, resistors, and capacitors. These extremely small
electronics can perform calculations and store data using either digitalor analog technology.

Digital ICs use Logics Gate, which work only with values of ones and zeros. A low signal sent to to a
component on a digital IC will result in a value of 0, while a high signal creates a value of 1. Digital ICs
are the kind you will usually find in computers, networking equipment, and most consumer electronics.

Classification of computer based on technology: For more Assignments

and latest Ignou Updates
Analog Computers: An analog computer can perform arithmetical
about Results, forms,
operations by using some variable physical quantity. Such as
application, procedures
mechanical movement or voltage, to represent numbers. It can be
and other Study Materials
used to solve various types of problems. It is used in solving
visit regularly to
problems in relationship of changing variable quantities. The
https://ignounews.com
analog system is set up according to initial conditions and then
allowed to change freely. These have been used in various ways
simulating the operation of aircraft and the like.

Digital Computers: Digital computer is known as. digital because of the quality of performing
calculations and logical operations with quantities represented as digits, usually in the binary number
system. It can accept data in discrete manner. The data is represented internally in binary notation in a
digital computer thus enhancing its speed and storage capacity.

Hybrid Computers: Hybrid computer is a digital computer that accepts analog signals, converts them to
digital and processes them in digital form. This integration is obtained by digital to analog and analog to
digital converter. A hybrid computer may use or produce analog data or digital data. It accepts a
continuously varying input, which is then converted into a set of discrete values for digital processing.

2. b) Explain the term binary digit. How binary number system is different from decimal number
system? How do you represent a computer instruction in binary? Explain with the help of an
example. List and explain the role of various components of a computer instruction. What is the
role of bus and registers in instruction execution?

Ans:- A binary digit, or bit, is the smallest unit of information in a computer. It is used for storing
information and has a value of true/false, or on/off. An individual bit has a value of either 0 or 1, which is
generally used to store data and implement instructions in groups of bytes. A computer

Ignounews.com
 is often classified by the number of bits it can process at one time or by the number of bits in a memory
address. Many systems use four eight-bit bytes to form a 32-bit word.

d) What is the role of memory in a computer system? Why are primary and secondary memory
needed in a computer system? What is RAM? How is it different to ROM? Which of the two, RAM
or ROM is volatile?

Ans:- Memory” to refer to RAM (Random Access Memory). A computer uses RAM to hold temporary
instructions and data needed to complete tasks. This enables the computer’s CPU (Central Processing
Unit), to access instructions and data stored in memory very quickly. A good example of this is when the
CPU loads an application program – such as a word processing or page layout program – into memory,
thereby allowing the application program to work as quickly and efficiently as possible. In practical terms,
having the program loaded into memory means you can get work For more Assignments
done more quickly with less time spent waiting for the computer to and latest Ignou Updates
perform tasks. about Results, forms,
application, procedures
Primary Storage: RAM, cache memory, etc… Secondary
and other Study Materials
Storage: Mechanical disks, SSD, DVD, etc… visit regularly to
https://ignounews.com
The main reason is cost and speed and their relationship to each
other. Memory is fast but very expensive to make compared to disk
technologies. The solution was to create
systems where you could load information off secondary storage into primary storage, so things would
run fast enough, and bring the cost of computers down.

Today it’s becoming less of a concern. I foresee a time in the not very distant future (not distant at all)
where we will not be using mechanical disks whatsoever. However, in the older days it was very
expensive to get fast memory technologies versus mechanical disk technologies, but we needed much
more storage. The cost would have been prohibitive.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is the hardware in a computing device where the operating system ( os),
application programs and data in current use are kept so they can be quickly reached by the device's
Processer. RAM is the main memory in a computer, and it is much faster to read from and write to than
other kinds of storage, such as a hard disk drive solid-state drive or optical drive.

The differences between ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) are: ROM is

a form of permanent storage while RAM is a form of temporary storage.

Ignounews.com
 ROM is non-volatile memory while RAM is volatile memory.

ROM can hold data even without electricity, while RAM needs electricity to hold data.

If you’re not an alien reading this from a galaxy far, far away, then you probably hear these terms on an
almost daily basis: RAM and ROM (albeit, of the two, RAM is more commonly used in daily life). You
would have heard mentions of their purpose and even read at least a little about them to know that these
are related to computers. However, there’s a fair amount of the populace that doesn’t know a RAM from a
ROM and wouldn’t be able to tell if a ROM jumped up and hit them in the face!

f) Compare and contrast the following technologies

(i) Light Pen and Touch screen

(ii) Scanner and Optical Mark Reader

(iii) LCD monitor and LED display

(iv) Printers and Plotters

Ans: Light Pen and Touch screen

A light pen is a computer input device in the A touchscreen, or touch screen, is

form of a light-sensitive wand used in an input device and normally layered on the
conjunction with a computer's cathode-ray top of an electronic visual display of
tube (CRT) display. an information processing system. A user can
give input or control the information processing
It allows the user to point to displayed objects system through simple or multi-touchgestures
or draw on the screen in a similar way to by touching the screen with a special stylus or
a touchscreen but with greater positional one or more fingers.[1] Some touchscreens
accuracy. A light pen can work with any CRT- use ordinary or specially coated gloves to work
based display, but its ability to be used while others may only work using a special
with LCDs was unclear (though Toshiba and stylus or pen. The user can use the
Hitachi displayed a similar idea at the "Display touchscreen to react to what is displayed and,
2006" show in Japan[1]). if the software allows, to control how it is
A light pen detects changes in brightness of displayed; for example, zooming to increase
nearby screen pixels when scanned the text size.
by cathode-ray tube electron beam and The touchscreen enables the user to interact
communicates the timing of this event to the directly with what is displayed, rather than

Ignounews.com
 computer. Since a CRT scans the entire using a mouse, touchpad, or other such
screen one pixel at a time, the computer can devices (other than a stylus, which is optional
keep track of the expected time of scanning for most modern touchscreens).
various locations on screen by the beam and
infer the pen's position from the latest
timestamp.

(ii) Scanner and Optical Mark Reader

An image scanner—often abbreviated to optical mark reading or optical mark

just scanner, is a device that optically scans recognition, OMR is the process of gathering
images, printed text, handwriting or an object information from human beings by recognizing
and converts it to a digital image. Commonly marks on a document. OMR is accomplished
used in offices are variations of the by using a hardware device (scanner) that
desktop flatbed scanner where the document detects a reflection or limited light
is placed on a glass window for transmittance on or through a piece of paper.
scanning. Hand-held scanners, where the
OMR allows for the processing of hundreds or
device is moved by hand, have evolved from
thousands of documents per hour. For
text scanning "wands" to 3D scanners used for
example, students may recall taking tests or
industrial design, reverse engineering, test and
surveys where they filled in bubbles on paper
measurement, orthotics, gaming and other
(shown right) with a pencil. Once the form had
applications. Mechanically driven scanners been completed, a teacher or teacher's
that move the document are typically used for assistant would feed the cards into a system
large-format documents, where a flatbed that grades or gathers information from them.
design would be impractical.

(iii) LCD monitor and LED display

A liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor is a A LED display is a flat panel display that uses
computer monitor or display that uses LCD an array of light-emitting diodes as pixels
technology to show clear images, and is found for a video display. Their brightness allows
mostly in laptop computers and flat panel them to be used outdoors where they are
monitors. This technology has replaced the visible in the sun for store signs and
traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors,
billboards. In recent years, they have also
which were the previous standard and once
become commonly used in destination signs

Ignounews.com
 were considered to have better picture quality as well as variable-message signs on highways.
than early LCD variants. With the introduction LED displays are capable of providing
of better LCD technology and its continuous general illumination in addition to visual
improvement, LCD is now the clear leader display, as when used for stage lighting or other
over CRT, in terms of color and picture quality, decorative (as opposed to informational)
not to mention capabilities for large purposes.
resolutions. Also, LCD monitors may be made
much more cheaply than CRT monitors.

(iv) Printers and Plotters

a printer is such a device that takes an input A chief attribute of this device is that it draws
such as text, images and other formats from continuous lines that are point to point and
the computer and then displays as output on a come directly from the file command within the
piece of paper that have a standard. They graphics. The prices of such devices are
have many types and each has their uses and greater than others because of the
prices therefore, one fixed category is complicated structure. In short, a plotter helps
impossible. These printers are designed for with drawings more than text and therefore
low-volume, short-turnaround print takes more time to complete the processes
employments, requiring negligible setup time running. Rather than toner, plotters utilize a
to create a paper copy of a given report. pen, pencil, marker, or another composition
Nonetheless, they are simple devices ranging device to draw numerous, consistent lines
from 6 to around 25 pages for every moment onto paper instead of a pro gression of speaks
(ppm), and the cost per page is also high. The like a conventional printer. Plotters are utilized
distinction for them comes as impact a non- to create a printed copy of schematics and
impact printers where the process of accepting other comparative applications. Pen plotters
the output differs. print by moving a pen or other instrument over
the surface of a bit of paper.

g) Explain the characteristics/functions of the following in the context of a computer system:

(i) Disk Defragmenter

(ii) Motherboard of a computer

(iii) Disk Checkers

Ignounews.com
 (iv) Uses of "My Computer" and "My Documents" on a Windows Desktop

Ans:- Microsoft Disk Defragmenter software assists you in keep reorganizing your disk drives. After files
are saved, deleted and resaved again, the disk can become fragmented --- available space is in small
blocks located throughout the disk. Disk defragmenters gather those free spots and put them together to
enable you to continue to save your data in the most efficient manner.

Disk defragmenter utility reorganizes non contiguous files into contiguous files and optimizes their
placement on the hard drive for increased reliability and performance. There are many hardware and
software accelerators available to enhance performance in a particular area. For example, download
accelerators are software tools to increase the download speed, while graphic accelerators are
coprocessors that assist in drawing graphics

(ii) Motherboard of acomputer: For more Assignments

and latest Ignou Updates
Motherboard : The motherboard is the main circuit board of a about Results, forms,
microcomputer. It is also known as the main board or system board. It is application, procedures
the circuit board in which all the components are connected through and other Study Materials
cable within a personal computer. Many devices are connected with visit regularly to
motherboard directly or indirectly. Motherboards usually provide the https://ignounews.com
interface between the CPU memory and input/output peripheral circuits,
main memory, and facilities for initial setup of the computer
immediately after power- on

A motherboard (sometimes alternatively known as the mainboard, main circuit board, system board,
baseboard, planar board or logic board,[1] or colloquially, a mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB)
found in general purpose computers and other expandable systems. It holds, and allows, communication
between many of the crucial electronic components of a system, such as the central processing unit(CPU)
and memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals. Unlike a backplane, a motherboard usually
contains significant sub-systems such as the central processor, the chipset's input/output and memory
controllers, interface connectors, and other components integrated for general purpose use and
applications.

(iii) Disk Checkers

A disk utility is a utility program that allows a user to perform various functions on a computer disk, such as
disk partitioning and logical volume management, as well as multiple smaller tasks such as changing drive letters
and other mount points, renaming volumes, disk checking, and disk

Ignounews.com
 formatting, which are otherwise handled separately by multiple other built-

For more Assignments

and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms,
application, procedures
and other Study Materials
visit regularly to
https://ignounews.com

Ignounews.com
 in commands.[1] Each operating system (OS) has its own basic disk utility, and there are also separate
programs which can recognize and adjust the different filesystems of multiple OSes.
Types of disk utilities include disk checkers, disk cleaners and
For more Assignments disk space analyzers
and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms, It increases the amount of information that can be stored on a
application, procedures hard disk drive of given size. Unlike a file compression utility
and other Study Materials which compresses only specified files
visit regularly to – and which requires the user designate the files to be
https://ignounews.com compressed – an on-the-fly disk compression utility works
automatically without the user needing to be aware of its
existence.

When information needs to be stored to the hard disk, the

utility will compress the information. When
information needs to be read, the utility will decompress the information. A disk compression utility
overrides the standard operating system routines. Since all software applications access the hard disk
using these routines, they continue to work after disk compression has been installed. The
compression/expansion process adds a small amount of overhead to disk access and may complicate error
recovery on the affected volume. Also, if the compression utility's device driver was uninstalled or
became corrupted, all data on the disk would be lost.

(iv) Uses of "My Computer" and "My Documents" on a Windows Desktop

My Computer is a section of Microsoft Windows first found in Window 95 and included with all later
versions that allows you to explore and manage the contents of your computer Drives The picture to the
right shows examples of the My Computer icon in Microsoft Windows Although the name has changed,
"This PC" still has the same functionality as "My Computer."

Using My Computer
Once My Computer (This PC) is open, you will see all available drives on your computer. The primary
location of all your files is the Local Disk (C:), which is the default hard drive that stores all files. Double-
click this drive icon to open it and view its contents.

My Documents Not to be confused with a written document, My Documents and Documents are Microsoft
Windows folders that store computer documents and other files associated with programs on your
computer. For example, when saving a file in Microsoft Word, the default folder is My Documents.
Saving all your files into the My Documents folder makes them easier to backup and locate.

Ignounews.com
Q2. (Covers Block 2)

Explain the Client/Server architecture with the help of a diagram. Explain how this architecture is
similar to/ different from cloud computing.

Ans:
Client/server architecture is a computing model in
which the server hosts, delivers and manages most of
the resources and services to be consumed by the
client. This type of architecture has one or more client
computers connected to a central server over a network
or internet connection. This system shares computing
resources.
Client/server architecture is also known as a
networking computing model or client/server network
because all the requests and services are delivered over
a network.
Client server is a process where data processing is distributed between a client and a server. The best
example of client/server is – emails and RDBMS based web applications. In simpler words, client server
is a kind of application architecture whereas cloud computing is the way that defines how applications are
hosted. Cloud is the latest technology that allows businesses to abstract software from the hardware, and
scale up/down the applications as per the business demands
Cloud computing" is a blanket term meant to do two things: first, to abstract all possible uses of a client-
server model behind a single term, as opposed to more specific use cases like "file servers", "database
servers", "web servers", "application servers" etc.; and second, to abstract the server architecture itself, in
terms of hardware, topology, location, and even ownership.

a) Explain the differences between structured programming and non-structured

programming with the help of example code. List and define the three important
concepts of Object oriented programming.

Ans:-
In Structured programming statements are organized in a specific manner to minimize error or
misinterpretation. It enforces logical structure of the program. Here large routines can be broken down
into smaller, modular routines. It discourages GOTO statements. Non Structured programming is the
earliest programming paradigm in which program usually consists of sequentially ordered
commands, or
statements, usually one in each line. It does not enforce any logical 42 Basics of Computer Software
structure of the program. Its needs discipline on programmers part to write readable and understandable
code. Here the whole code is written in one module. It makes extensive use of GOTO statements that
leads to spaghetti code.

Object Oriented Programming is more abstract than procedural programming because it looks for patterns
and reusability. There are three main concepts that any language needs to support to be an object oriented
language.

Encapsulation: is a mechanism through which a protective wrapper is created to hide the implementation
details of the object and the only thing that remains externally visible is the interface of the object. (i.e.:
the set of all messages the object can respond to). Encapsulation prevents code and data from being
arbitrarily accessed by other code defined outside the wrapper.

Inheritance: is the process by which a new class is created using an existing class. It is a way to
compartmentalize and reuse code since it allows classes
to inherit commonly used state and behavior from other For more Assignments
classes. The new classes are called the derived classed and the
main class is called the parent class. 20 Basics of Computer and latest Ignou Updates
Software about Results, forms,
application, procedures
and other Study Materials
Polymorphism: Polymorphism is the characteristic of being
able to assign a different meaning specifically, to allow an visit regularly to
entity such as a variable, a function, or an object to have more https://ignounews.com
than one form. It is the ability to process objects differently
depending on their data types and to redefine methods for
derived classes. Following are the few terms that will help you
understand object oriented
programming: A class is a set of functions that work together to accomplish a task. It can contain or
manipulate data, but it usually does so according to a pattern rather than a specific implementation. An
instance of a class is considered an object.

C. Define the basic functions of the following software:

(i) Compiler
(ii) Device Driver
(iii)Diagnostic Program
(iv)Anti-virus software
Ans:
(i) Compiler

https://ignounews.com
A compiler is a computer program that translates computer code written in one programming language
(the source language) into another language (the target language). The name compiler is
primarily used for programs that translate source code from a high-level programming language to a
lower level language (e.g., assembly language, object code, or machine code) to create an
executableprogram.[1][2]:p1
However, there are many different types of compilers. If the compiled program can run on a computer
whose CPU or operating systemis different from the one on which the compiler runs, the compiler is a
cross-compiler. A bootstrap compiler is written in the language that it intends to compile. A program
that translates from a low-level language to a higher level one is a decompiler. A program that
translates between high-level languages is usually called a source-to-source compiler or transpiler. A
language rewriter is usually a program that. translates the form of expressions without a change of
language. The term compiler- compiler refers to tools used to create parsers that perform syntax
analysis.
(ii) Device Driver

device driver is a computer program that operates or For more Assignments

controls a particular type of device that is attached to a and latest Ignou Updates
computer.[1] A driver provides a software interface to hardware
about Results, forms,
devices, enabling operating systems and other computer
programs to access hardware functions without needing to know application, procedures
precise details about the hardware being used. and other Study Materials
A driver communicates with the device through the visit regularly to
computer bus or communications subsystem to which the https://ignounews.com
hardware connects. When a calling program invokes a routine
in the driver, the driver issues commands to the device. Once the
device sends data back to the driver, the driver may invoke
routines in the original calling program.
Drivers are hardware dependent and operating-system-specific. They usually provide the interrupt
handling required for any necessary asynchronous time-dependent hardware interface
(iii) Diagnostic Program

A diagnostic program (also known as a Test Mode) is an automatic computer program

sequence that determines the operational status within the software, hardware, or any combination there
of in a component, a system, or a network of systems. Diagnostic programs ideally provide the user with
guidance regarding any issues or problems found during its operation.
Diagnostics programs may be simple or complex, operating unknowingly within everyday devices or
awaiting their invocation to make more complex performance assessments. Everyday examples are a
microwave oven that displays code F6 to warn of a shorted temperature probe[1] or a garage door opener
that flashes its control board's LED four times warning of critically misaligned safety sensors and
impending shutdown.

https://ignounews.com
Diagnostic programs are also inserted into consumer electronic products and electronic games.
Sometimes if the owner of an electronic device asks the manufcaturer how to access the hidden diagnostic
program, they usually reply to the consumer saying that the information is considered to be 'propitary' and
cannot be shared
(IV)Anti-virus software

The purpose of antivirus (AV) software is to detect, neutralize or eradicate malware (malicious
software).

AV software not only will identify and destroy the computer virus, but it’s also designed to fight off
other kinds of threats such as phishing attacks, worms, Trojan horses, rootkits and more.

How does AV software work?

It will first scan (either on automatic timer that the user selects or manual) the computer’s files to seek out
any viruses that fit the description that’s in a virus dictionary.
Using a method called heuristic analysis, it will also try to detect suspicious activity from any
program that might seem to be infected.
Antivirus programs come in different flavors, but the common denominator is that they seek out viruses
and other malware, and neutralize them.
The computer’s hard drive and external drives are also included in the scanning process.
What’s really important is that you make sure that your AV software is set for automatic updates—and on
a daily basis at that—so that any new viruses or malware can be quickly pounced upon and rendered
disabled

d)List the functions of the following in the context of Operating System

(i) Graphical User interface and its advantages
(ii) File management
(iii)Process
(iv) Batch Processing
(v) Time sharing
(vi) Input/ Output Services

Ans: (i) Graphical User interface and its advantages

Advantages of GUIs:

• A major advantage of GUIs is that they make computer operation more intuitive, and thus easier to
learn and use.

https://ignounews.com
• GUIs generally provide users with immediate, visual feedback about the effect of each action.

• GUI allows multiple programs and/or instances to be displayed simultaneously.

• Users do not need to know any programming languages.

(ii) File management

The concept of a file is central to the effective use of a computer system. A file is generally loosely defined as a collection of
related information such as students records employee database. It might contain graphical usage. A file may be organized
internally into records or it may simply be a stream of bytes. A file constitutes a logical unit of storage, that is, logical to the
person or program using the file.Thefilemanagementsystemprovidesandmaintainsthemappingbetweenafilelogicalstorage
needs and the physical location where it is stored. Users and programs simply access the files by the name, and the file
management system handles the details The file management system identifies and manipulates files by the names provided by
their users determines the physical requirements of the file, allocate space for it, stores it in that space, and maintains the
information about the file so that it may be retrieved partially or in full, later. The file management system keeps track of
the available space on each device connected to the system. The user and the user’s program need not be aware of the
underlying physical storage issues. The file management system allows the retrieval and storage of files by name, keeps
track of the mappings, allocates and frees space, allows the mounting and unmounting of file structures, and provides other
functions required to maintain the structures of the file system.
(iii) Process

A process is an executing program. It is considered the standard unit of work within a computer system. Every executing
program is treated as a process. This includes not only application programs, but the programs within the operating
system itself. The process concept considers the program, together with the resources that are assigned to it, including
memory, I/O devices, time for execution, and the like. When admitted to the system, each program is assigned memory space
and the various resources that it initially requires to complete its work. As the process executes, it may require additional
resources, or it may release resources that it no longer needs. The operating system performs various functions with
processes, including scheduling and memory management, by providing the various services. Processes must often be
synchronized, so that processes sharing a common resource do not step on each other’s toes by altering critical data or
denying each other

https://ignounews.com
needed resources. Systems also provide communication capability between different processes. Processes may cooperate
with each other by sending messages back and forth using interprocess messaging services.

https://ignounews.com
(iv) Batch Processing
The central idea behind the batch processing system was the use of a piece of software known as the monitor. With the use of
this type of operating system, the user no longer had direct access to the machine. Rather, the user submitted the job on
cards or tape to a computer operator, who batches the jobs together sequentially and places the entire batch on an input
device, for use by the monitor. Many important breakthroughs in operating system design occurred in the early 1960s
which laid the foundation for design of modern operating system. In 1963, Burroughs design of Master Control Program
(MCP), which included design of many of the features of modern systems such as support for multiprocessing (with two
identical CPUs) as well as multitasking capabilities. IBM introduces OS/360 as the operating system for its new System/360
in 1964. OD/360 provided a powerful language to expedite batch processing known as Job Control Language. It
introduced a simple form of multiprogramming or multitasking feature that facilitated loading several jobs into main
memory,sothat otherjobsprograms could use the CPU when one job was busy with I/O. By this time,
disks were also becoming available. To take its advantage the OS introduced
features to cards onto disk while the CPU executed its jobs; thus, when a
job completed, the OS could load another job from disk into memory,
ready to run. This improved the OS scheduling capability.
Multiprogramming or multitasking is the central theme of modern For more Assignments
operating system. and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms,
application, procedures
(v) Time sharing
and other Study Materials
Time SharingSystemWiththeuse multiprogramming, the batch processing
visit regularly to
can be quite efficient. However, for many jobs, it is https://ignounews.com
desirable to provide a mode in which the user interacts directly with the computer. Indeed for some jobs, such as
transaction processing, an interactive mode is essential. 55 Today, the requirement for an interactive computing
facility can be, and often is, Operating Sytem met by the use of a dedicated microcomputer. That option was not available in the
1960s when most computers were big and costly. Instead time sharing was developed. Just as multiprogramming allows
the processor to handle multiple batch jobs at a time, multiprogramming can be used to handle multiple interactive jobs. In
this latter case, the technique is referred to as time sharing, because the processor’s time is shared among multiple
users. In time sharing system, multiple users

https://ignounews.com
simultaneously access the system through terminals, with the operating system interleaving the execution ofeach user
program in a short burst or quantum of computation.

(vi) Input/ Output Services

For more Assignments

and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms,
application, procedures
and other Study Materials
visit regularly to
https://ignounews.com

https://ignounews.com
 Input/Output Services Every operating system, large or small, provides input/output services for each device in the system.
The operating system includes I/O device driver programs for each device installed on the system. These drivers provide
services to the file management system and are also available, through the API, to other programs for their use. The I/O device
drivers accept I/O requests and perform the actual data transfers between the hardware and specified areas of memory.
Devices drivers for newly installed devices are added and integrated into the operating systems. In Windows, this capability
is known asplug-and-play.

Q3. (Covers Block 3) (6×4=24)

(a) What are the advantages of using Computer Networks? Explain the following terms in the context of
computer networks: (i) Circuit switching (ii) Half Duplex transmission (iii)Guided Channels
(iv)Infrared transmission.
Ans : Computer network is defined as a set of interconnected autonomous systems that facilitate distributedprocessingof
information.Itresultsinbetterperformancewithhighspeedof processing. Advantages ofNetwork:
ThesearemainadvantagesofComputer
Networks: CentralStorageofData–
Files can be stored on a central node (the file server) that can be shared and made available to each and every user in an
organization.

Anyone can connect to a computer network –

There is a negligible range of abilities required to connect to a modern computer
network. The effortlessness of joining makes it workable for even youthful kids
For more Assignments to start exploiting the data.
and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms, Faster Problem solving –
application, procedures Since an extensive procedure is disintegrated into a few littler procedures and
and other Study Materials each is taken care of by all the associated gadgets, an explicit issue can be settled
visit regularly to in lesser time.
https://ignounews.com
Reliability –
Reliability implies backing up of information. Due to some reason equipment
crash, and so on, the information gets undermined or inaccessible on one PC,
anotherduplicateofsimilarinformationis
accessibleon another workstationforfutureuse,whichpromptssmooth workingandfurther handling without interruption.

It is highly flexible –
This innovation is known to be truly adaptable, as it offers clients the chance to investigate everything about fundamental things, for
example, programming without influencing their usefulness.

https://ignounews.com
Circuit Switching: This terminology has started from telephone network, where switching offices were places having
switches that were used to create connection from one source to destination. Circuit switching involves creating a switched
path for entire communication, for example, when you make a telephone call the connection is established by switching and is
available for the whole communication. Whereas in packet switching a message is broken in small packet which are handed over
from a source to destination through many small steps.

Half Duplex: Half duplex communications occurs when data flows in both directions; although in only one direction at a time.
An example of a half-duplex system is a Walkie-Talkie system used a two- way radio normally by Police. You may use the
word "Over" to indicate the end of transmission, and ensure that only one party transmits at a time. In such systems sender and
receiverbothtransmiton the same frequency.

Guided Channels: Guided media provide a physical connection between two devices. A signal traveling through guided media
is directed and contained within the physical limits of the medium. There are several different Guided media, however we
define only the most popular as given below: a)
Twisted pair cable b) Optic Fiber cable
a) Twisted Pair Cable Twisted pair cable is still the most common transmission media. A twisted pair cable consists of
two conductors which are normally made of copper. Each conductor has its own plastic insulation typically 1 mm thick.
These cables are twisted together
b) Optical Fiber An optical fiber consists of two concentric cylinders: an inner core surrounded by a cladding. Both the
coreandthecladdingaremadeoftransparentplasticorglassmaterialwhich transmit signals in the form of light.

c) Infrared transmission

Infrared Infrared signals range between 300 Giga-Hertz to 400 Tera-Hertz. These can be used for short range
communication. High range infrared rays cannot be used for long range communication as it cannot penetrate
walls. This also helps in avoiding interference. Infrared signals are generated and received using optical transceivers.
Infrared systems represent a cheap alternative to most other methods, because there is no cabling involved and the
necessary equipment is relatively cheap. Data rates similar to those of twisted pairs are easily possible. However,
applications are limited because of distance limitations (of about one kilometer). One recent use of infra-red has been for
interfacing hand- held and portable computing devices to Local Area Networks. It cannot be used outside building as
rays of sun contain infrared which leads to

https://ignounews.com
interference in communication. Infrared having wide bandwidth

https://ignounews.com
can be used to transmit digital data with a very high data rate. Infrared signals can be used for communication
between keyboards, mouse and printers.

(b) Explain the differences between the following, giving one application of each:

(i) Ring Topology, Bus topology and star topology

(ii) LAN, MAN and WAN

Ans (i) Ring Topology, Bus topology and star topology

Ring Topology Bus topology star topology

Ring topology is also known Bus topology is a single In star topology, each
as circular topology. This common communication to computer on a network
layout is similar to the linear which all the computers are communicates with a central hub
bus, except that the nodes are connected. It has a single length
(also called as a concentrator)
connected in a circle asIn this of cable with a terminator at
that re-sends the message either to
topology, each node is connected each end. It is a passive topology
all the computers or only to the
to two and only two neighboring which means only one computer at
destination computer. A hub
nodes. The ring does not have an a time can send a message. Hence,
expands one network
end. It is made of short the number of computers connection into many. For
segments that connect one PC attached to a bus network can
example, a four-port hub
to the next PC and so on Data is significantly affect the speed
connects up to four machines.
accepted from one of the of the network. A computer must
A single hub is sufficient for a
neighboring nodes and is wait until the bus is free small network; however large
transmitted 15 Networking and beforeit cantransmit. networks require multiple hubs.
Internet onwards to another But, it increases hardware and
node 1) It requires least amount of cabling costs.
cable to connect computers
1) It performs better than a star together and is therefore less 1.It is easy to replace, install
topology under heavy expensive than other cabling or remove hosts or other
network load. arrangements. devices, problem can be easily
detected-It is easier to modify or
2) It can create much larger 2) It is easy to implement and add a new 2.computer without
network using Token Ring. extend using connectors. disturbing the rest of the
network by simply running
3) It does not require a new line from the

https://ignounews.com
network server to manage computer to the central
the connectivity between the location and
computers. plugging it to the hub.

https://ignounews.com
 3) If one computer on the bus 3.It has good performance
fails, it does not affect the restof
thetrafficonthebus

(ii) LAN, MAN and WAN

LAN MAN WAN

LAN is generally limited to Metropolitan area networks, or Wide Area Network is a
specific geographical area less MANs, are large computer network system connecting cities,
than 2 Km., supporting high network that spans a countries or continents, a network
speed networks. A wide variety metropolitan area or campus. Its that uses routers and public
of LANs have been built and geographic scope falls between a communications links. The
installed, but a few types have WAN and LAN. They largest and most well- known
more recently become dominant. typically use wireless example of a WAN is the
The most widely used LAN infrastructure or Optical fiber Internet.
system is the Ethernet system connections tolink their sites.
based on the bus topology. 1) It generally covers large
1. It connects computers in a 1) It generally covers towns and distances (states, countries,
single building, block or cities (50 kms) continents).
campus, i.e. they work in a
restricted geographical area. 2) It is developed in 1980s. 19 2) Communication medium used
Networking and Internet are satellite, public telephone
2. LANs are private networks, networks which are connected by
not subject to tariffs or other 3) Communication medium used routers.
regulatory controls. For the for MAN are optical fiber
Wireless LANs there are cables, however it may use 3) Routers forward packets from
additional regulations in othermediatoo. one to another on a route from
several countries. the sender to the receiver.

3. LANs operate at relatively high

speed when compared to the
typical WAN (.2 to 100
MB /sec).

(c) Explain the characteristics of the following networking devices:

https://ignounews.com
(i) Routers

(ii) Modem

https://ignounews.com
(iii) Gatew

ays

(iv)Switches

Ans:

(i) Routers

A router translates information from one network to another; it is similar to an intelligent bridge. Router selects the best
path to route a message, based on the destination address and origin. The router can direct traffic to prevent head-on
collisions, and is smart enough to know when to direct traffic along shortcuts. Routers can even ―listen‖ to the entire network
to determine which sections are busiest— they can then redirect data around those sections until they are removed. If you have
a LAN that you want to connect to the internet, you will need to purchase a router. In this case, the router serves as the
translator between the information on your LAN and the internet. It also determines the best route to send the data
over the internet. Routers maintain a map of the physical networks on a Internet (network) and forward data received
from one physical network to other physical networks.

(ii) Modem

Modem is an acronym for modulator demodulator. The meaning of the word modulator is to change and the
meaning of the word demodulator is to restore to an original condition. A modem is a communication device that
converts (i.e., modulates) Network Interface Card 23 Networking and Internet binary signal into analog signals for
transmission over telephone lines and converts (i.e., demodulates) these analog signals back into binary form at the
receiving end.

Modems are of two types: Internal and External. Internal modems are hardware cards and External modems, are
kept outside of your computer, connected either by a USB or Serial Port. Internal modems are good for general usage, as
they take up less desk space, and do not require a power supply, and for most purposes, internal modems work fine

(iii) Gateways :

Gateway Interconnects networks at higher layers than bridges or routers. A gateway usually supports address mapping
from one network to another, and may also provide transformation of data between the environments to support end to
end application connectivity. Gateway

https://ignounews.com
typically limits the interconnectivity of two networks to a subset of the application protocols supported on either one.
Routers exemplify special cases of gateways. Gateway, also called protocol converters, can operate at any layer of the
networking model. The job of a gateway is much more complex than that of a router or a switch. Typically, a gateway must
convert one protocol into another. The main function of a gateway is to convert protocols among communications networks. A
routerby itself transfers, accepts and relays

https://ignounews.com
packets only across networks using similar protocol. A gateway, on the other hand, accepts data formatted for one
protocol and convert it to data formatted for another protocol before forwarding it. A gateway can be implemented in
hardware, software or both, but they are usually implemented by the software installed within a router. A gateway must
understand the protocols used by each network linked into the router. Gateways are slower than bridges, switches and
(non- gateway) routers.

(IV) Switches:

A switch does essentially what a hub does but more efficiently. By paying attention to the traffic that comes across it, it
can ―learn‖ where particular addresses are. For example, if it sees traffic from machine A coming in on port 2, it now knows
that machine A is connected to that port and that traffic to machine A needs to only be sent to that port and not any of the
others. The net result of usingaswitch overahubisthatmostofthenetworktrafficonlygoeswhereit needstoratherthan to
everyport.On busy networks this can make the network significantly faster.
A switch (or Switching Hub) is a device that can segment a larger local area network to reduce the traffic load. One should
implement a switch when you have a network with 20 or more users that have bogged down the network by excess traffic. It
splits the network into two or more segments with devices that normally talk with each other. Conceptually – switching
takes data from one interface and delivers it to another interface.

(d) Explain the layers of TCP/IP Model. What is an IP address? Explain the role of subnet mask with
thehelpof anexample. HowdoesDNStranslatea webaddress? Explainwiththe helpofanexample.

Ans:

The OSI Model we just looked at is just a reference/logical model. It was designed to describe the functions of the
communication system by dividing the communication procedure into smaller and simpler components. But when we
talk about the TCP/IP model, it was designed and developed by Department of Defense (DoD) in 1960s and is based on
standard protocols. It stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The TCP/IP model is a concise version of
the OSI model. It contains four layers, unlike seven layers in the OSI model. The layers are:

Process/Application Layer Host-

to-Host/Transport Layer

https://ignounews.com
Internet Layer

Network Access/Link Layer

https://ignounews.com
The diagrammatic comparison of the TCP/IP and OSI model is as follows :

IP address: 192.168.1.97 in various forms:

IPv4 address is a series of four numbers separated by dots (.). The four numbers ranges between 0 and
255. So IPv4 address takes only 4-bytes (or 32-bits) of computer memory. Not all the IPv4 addresses may be used to identify a
computer. Some addresses of IPv4 are not used at all due to certain restrictions. In addition, some addresses are
reserved, for example; the IP address 255.255.255.255 is used for broadcasts

The subnet mask is similar to an IP address - it is also a 4-byte (or 32-bits) field and can be represented using dot
notation. In binary, it always comprise a series of ones, followed by sequence of zeros. The total number of bits is 32, but the
number of ones and zeros determines the nature of the mask. By comparing any IP address with a 32 Internet Technologies
given mask, you can split addresses into two parts, a network ID and a device ID. The following example explains this
concept in more details. Suppose your computer has an IP address of 193.168.1.35 and you want to access a location
193.168.1.56,asyoursubnet maskis255.255.255.0,itwillgiveyou following answers:

An Internet or Web address is used to view a web page. When you are viewing a Web page, the web address of the page
appears in the Address bar in the browser. In the previous section, you have gone through the concept of IP addresses.
What do you think about the IP address? Are they not very cumbersome to remember? For example, to visit IGNOU
website the address

https://ignounews.com
www.ignou.ac.in is far simpler than that of an IP address like 190.10.10.247. Obviously, what we want to use are simpler
textual domain addresses instead of complex IP addresses. However, to enable the use of simple textual address, you will
require a service that will map these text based names to respective IP addresses

https://ignounews.com
automatically. Such a service was designed in 1983 by the University of Wisconsin with the name Domain Name
System (DNS).

(f) Explain the following in the context of Internet and its applications:

(i) E-learning and Moodle

(ii) Electronic EducationalResources

Ans:

(i) E-learning and Moodle

E-learningisoneofthemostusedtermsontheInternetthatdescribesanyformoflearningthat is facilitated academically by
the electronic means. Such means may be in the form of multimedia rich contents, web based lectures and web based
tutorials or training programmes. In general, E- learning is strongly supported electronically by the administrative,
academic and assessment processes. Some of the activities that may be done using such electronic form using web sites include
providing multimedia based contents, providing assignments, conducting on line tests, lectures or discussions through web
conferencing, feedback on students work, student progress report to faculty etc.
MOODLE is a free and open-source e-learning software platform. It provides feature for Learners and content
management. In the past decade, it has become very popular for the delivery of e- learning content and student
management. You can get access to information related to Moodle for the website http://www.moodle.org Alternatively,
you may download the Moodle software and create your own server having Moodle

(ii) Electronic EducationalResources:

you can get access to a large number of electronic educational resources through the web. These resources may be on
different specialized areas. These resources include the electronic journals, encyclopedias, dictionaries, digital libraries,
educational resource databases, indexing and abstracting databases and electronic books. However, please note that some of
these resources require paid subscription. These resources allow you to browse through the abstracts, search on various
topics, and access the complete information for research in specific areas. Some of these electronic resources are
listed below: E-Journals and Databases
• ACM DigitalLibrary
• EBSCO database
• IEL Online

https://ignounews.com
• JSTOR

For more Assignments

and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms,
application, procedures
and other Study Materials
visit regularly to
https://ignounews.com

https://ignounews.com
 • Lawyers Collective Magazine
• LecturenoteinMathematics
• Maths Sci_net
• Project Muse
• ProQuest
• Springer Link
• Taylor andFrancis

WIKI Wiki’s are a powerful tool for creating collaborative knowledge resources created by the community. A wiki is a
page or collection of Web pages designed to create and edit contents. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has simple text
syntax for creating new pages. Wiki’s are also used to create websites, to enhance thefeatures of community websites andfor
knowledge management MediaWiki As discussed earlier, Media Wiki is the software in which Wikipedia and IOCG
wiki of IGNOU havebeendeveloped. Itisaverysimpletoolthatallowsmultiple peopletomakeandcommit changes in a
document. It keeps the version of each change. Many Universities have used this

software to develop a collaboration space.

For more Assignments

and latest Ignou Updates
about Results, forms,
application, procedures
and other Study Materials
visit regularly to
https://ignounews.com
Ignounews.com