Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Synopsis Functional and conceptual components of a computer. Peripheral devices such as serial, parallel and interfaces. Registers and their function. The control unit. The fetch-execute cycle. Characterisation of a CPU. Memory classification, technology and function. Addressing memory and the use of the address register. The physical characteristics of storage devices. Backup and archival media and techniques of use. Caching. Basic concepts of file organisation and access. Selection of the appropriate file organisation and type. Purpose and basic functions of an operating system. The concept of a virtual machine. Operating system characteristics and concurrency. Virtual memory using paging and segmentation. File management and functions of a file management system. Architectures for file management. Security and access controls. The data communications model and transmission media.
Assessment Examination (2 hours): 60% + Assignments: 40%