Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 12
Systems and network technologies: performance, security and backups – Week 6 focus
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Systems and network technologies: performance, security and backups – Week 6 focus
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Computer Applications Technology
Class: Grade 12
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 6
Theme: General lesson support
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This week, we delve into crucial aspects of computer systems and networks: performance optimization, robust security measures, and reliable backup strategies. These elements are not just theoretical concepts; they are fundamental to ensuring data integrity, efficient operations, and protection against ever-increasing cyber threats, all of which directly impact individuals and organizations in South Africa. Imagine a small business in Khayelitsha relying on its computer system for stock management and sales transactions. If the system is slow, insecure, or prone to data loss, the business’s profitability and reputation are at significant risk.
2.1 System Performance Optimization System performance refers to how efficiently a computer system performs its intended tasks.
Several factors can affect performance: Hardware Resources: CPU (Central Processing Unit): The "brain" of the computer. A faster CPU executes instructions more quickly. Consider the difference between running demanding software on an older Intel Celeron processor compared to a modern Intel Core i
7. RAM (Random Access Memory): Used for storing data and instructions that the CPU needs to access quickly. Insufficient RAM leads to excessive hard drive access (swapping), slowing down the system. Imagine trying to prepare a large meal on a tiny counter – you'll be constantly fetching ingredients, which slows you down.
Hard Drive/SSD (Solid State Drive): Storage devices. SSDs are significantly faster than traditional hard drives because they use flash memory instead of spinning platters. Opening a large file from an SSD is much quicker than from a hard drive.
Graphics Card (GPU): Important for graphics-intensive tasks like gaming and video editing. A dedicated GPU offloads processing from the CPU, improving performance.
Software Factors: Operating System (OS): The OS manages system resources. An optimized OS improves overall performance. Windows, macOS, and Linux are common examples.
Applications: Some applications are resource-intensive and can consume significant CPU and RA
M. Background Processes: Unnecessary background processes consume resources and slow down the system.
Disk Fragmentation: Over time, files become fragmented on the hard drive, requiring the system to work harder to access them. Defragmenting the hard drive can improve performance.
Malware: Viruses and other malware can consume resources and significantly degrade performance.
Network Factors (for networked systems): Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transmitted over the network in a given time. Insufficient bandwidth can lead to slow network performance.
Latency: The delay in transmitting data over the network. High latency can result in slow response times.
Network Congestion: Too many devices using the network simultaneously can lead to congestion and slow performance.