Transcript Computer Hardware - McGraw Hill Higher Education

Chapter 3
Computer Hardware
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2010 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives

Understand the history and evolution of
computer hardware

Identify the major types and uses of
microcomputer, midrange, and mainframe
computer systems

Outline the major technologies and uses of
computer peripherals for input, output, and
storage
3-2
Learning Objectives

Identify and give examples of the components
and functions of a computer system

Identify the computer systems and peripherals
you would acquire or recommend for a
business of your choice, and explain the
reasons for your selection
3-3
Case 1: IBM, Wachovia, and Paypal

Researchers at the Cancer Institute use grid computing
technology to convert images of cancerous tissues and
cells into digital images
– The grid checks digitized images for accuracy to
ensure the bits/bytes translate into diagnoses
– IBM, researchers, and doctors are building an image
database to help oncologists diagnose and treat
cancer patients faster and better

Grid computing technologies avoid the need for
expensive, dedicated hardware
– The processing load is distributed among commoditypriced equipment
3-4
Case Study Questions

Applications for grid computing in this case
include medical diagnosis and financial
transaction processing
– What other areas would be well suited to
the use of grid computing, and why?

Provide examples from organizations other
than those included in the case
3-5
Case Study Questions

The joint effort by IBM and the Cancer Center
of New Jersey works by digitalizing medical
diagnoses on the World Community Grid
– What are the advantages & disadvantages
of relying on a volunteer-based network?
3-6
Case Study Questions

IBM, Wachovia, and Paypal are arguably large
organizations. However, several vendors have
started offering computing power for rent to
smaller companies, using the principles
underlying grid computing
– How could small and medium companies
benefit from these technologies?
3-7
Pre-Computer Calculations

Counting on fingers and toes

Stone or bead abacus
– Calculate comes from calculus,
the Latin word for small stone

1642: first mechanical adding machine
– Invented by Blaise Pascal, wheels moved counters
– Modified in 1674 by Von Leibnitz

Age of industrialization
– Mechanical loom used punch cards
3-8
Early Computing

19th Century
– Charles Babbage proposed the Analytical
Engine, which could calculate, store values
in memory, perform logical comparisons
– Never built due to of lack of electronics

1880s
– Hollerith’s punched cards used to record
census data using On/Off patterns
– The holes turned sensors On or Off when
run through tabulating machine
– This company became the foundation for IBM
3-9
Electronic Computers

1946 - First Generation Computer
– ENIAC
– Programmable
– 5000 calculations per second
– Used vacuum tubes
– Drawbacks were size and processing ability

1950s
– ENIAC replaced by UNIVAC 1, then IBM 704
– Calculations jumped to 100,000 per second
3-10
Waves of Computing

Late 1950s - Second Generation
– Transistors replaced vacuum tubes
– 200,000 to 250,000 calculations per second

Mid-1960s - Third Generation
– Integrated circuitry and miniaturization

1971 - Fourth Generation
– Further miniaturization, multiprogramming,
virtual storage

1980s - Fifth Generation
– Millions of calculations per second
3-11
Microcomputers

1975
– ALTAIR, programmed by flicking switches

1977
– Commodore & Radio Shack produce PCs

1979
– Apple computer, the fastest selling PC thus far

1982
– IBM introduced the PC, which changed the
market
3-12
Categories of Computer Systems
3-13
Microcomputer Systems
Called a personal computer or PC
Computing power now exceeds that of the
mainframes of previous generations
Relatively inexpensive
Networked professional workstations
used by businesses
Hand-held, notebook, laptop, tablet,
portable, desktop, and floor-standing
3-14
Recommended PC Features
3-15
Microcomputer Uses
Workstations
Network Servers
Supports heavy
mathematical
computer and
graphics display
demands
More powerful than
workstations
CAD, investment,
and portfolio analysis
Coordinates
telecommunications
and resource sharing
Supports small
networks and Internet
or intranet websites
3-16
Microcomputer Uses

Terminals
– Any device that allows
access to a computer

Types
– Dumb
– Intelligent
(Windows or Internet)
– Transaction
3-17
Corporate PC Criteria

Solid performance at a reasonable price
 Operating system ready
 Connectivity
 Security-equipped
3-18
Information Appliances

Hand-held microcomputer devices

Known as personal digital assistants (PDAs)
– Web-enabled PDAs use touch screens,
handwriting recognition, or keypads
– Mobile workers use to access email or the Web,
exchange data with desktop PCs or servers
– Latest entrant is the BlackBerry

PDAs include
– Video-game consoles
– Cellular and PCS phones
– Telephone-based home email appliances
3-19
Midrange Systems

High-end network servers that handle large-scale
processing of business applications
– Not as powerful as mainframes
– Less expensive to buy, operate, maintain

Often used to manage
– Large Internet websites, intranets, extranets
– Integrated, enterprise-wide applications
– First became popular as minicomputers

Used as front-end servers
– Assists mainframes with telecommunications
and networks
3-20
Mainframe Computer Systems

Large, fast, powerful computer systems
– Large primary storage capacity
– High transaction processing
– Handles complex computations

Widely used as superservers for…
– Large client/server networks
– High-volume Internet websites

Becoming a popular computing platform for…
– Data mining, warehousing, electronic commerce
applications
3-21
Supercomputer Systems

Extremely powerful systems designed for…
– Scientific, engineering, and business applications
– Massive numeric computations

Markets include…
– Government research agencies
– Large universities
– Major corporations

Uses parallel processing
– Billions to trillions of operations per second
(gigaflops and teraflops)
3-22
The Next Wave of Computing
Harnessing the infinite amount of unused
computing power
Desktops and laptops within an organization
Distributed or grid computing
Parallel computing that relies on complete
computers connected to a network
Harnesses the unused CPU power in all connected
computers, even between organizations
3-23
Computer System Concept
Input
System of
hardware devices
organized by
function
Processing
Control
Storage
Output
3-24
Computer System Concept
3-25
Computer Processing Speeds

Early computers
– Milliseconds (thousandths of a second)
– Microseconds (millionths of a second)

Current computers
– Nanoseconds (billionth of a second)
– Picoseconds (trillionth of a second)

Program instruction processing speeds
– Megahertz (millions of cycles per second)
– Gigahertz (billions of cycles per second)

Commonly called “clock speed”
3-26
Computer Processing Speeds

Throughput
– Ability to perform useful computation or data
processing assignments during a given period

Speed is dependant on…
– Size of circuitry paths (buses) that
interconnect microprocessor components
– Capacity of instruction processing registers
– Use of high-speed cache memory
– Use of specialized microprocessors, such
as math coprocessor
3-27
Moore’s Law
Doubling of the number of transistors
per integrated circuit every 18 to 24 months
3-28
Case 2: Apple, Microsoft, IBM, and Others

WIMP
– Windows, icons, menus, and pointing devices
have dominated computing for 15 years
– New human interface technologies will
revolutionize the way we interact with computers

Microsoft is working with Starwood Hotels &
Resorts to introduce surface computing
– Hotel guests use a virtual concierge to manipulate
maps, photos, restaurant menus…

A logical extension of touch technology is gesture
recognition
– Hand or finger movements across a screen, or
close to it, without requiring an actual touch
3-29
Case Study Questions

What benefits may Starwood Hotels derive
from the introduction of touch-screen
technology, as noted in the case?
– What possible disruptions may occur as a
result?
3-30
Case Study Questions

Bill Buxton of Microsoft stated that
“Touch now may be where the mouse
was in about 1983”
– What do you make of his comments, and
what do you think it would take for touch
technology to displace the WIMP interface?

Advanced touch-screen technology is really
a solution in search of a problem
– Do you agree with this statement?
3-31
Peripherals
Peripheral
Generic name for all input, output,
and secondary storage devices
Parts of the computer system (not
the CPU)
All online devices
Online Devices
Separate from the CPU, but
electronically connected to (and
controlled by) it
Offline Devices
Separate from, and not under the
control of, the CPU
3-32
Peripherals Advice
3-33
Input Technologies

Common input devices
– Keyboard
– Graphical User Interface
(GUI)
– Electronic mouse
and trackball
– Pointing stick
– Touchpad
– Touchscreen
3-34
Pen-Based Computing

Used in Tablet PCs and PDAs
– Pressure-sensitive layer, similar to touch screen,
under liquid crystal display screen
– Software digitizes handwriting, hand printing, and
hand drawing
3-35
Speech Recognition Systems

Speech may be the future of data entry
– Easiest, most natural means of human
communication

Recognizing speech patterns
– Discrete, requires pauses between each word
– Continuous speech recognition software (CSR)
recognizes continuous, conversationally paced
speech
3-36
Speech Recognition Software

Speech recognition systems digitize, analyze,
and classify speech and sound patterns
– Compares to a database of sound patterns
– Passes recognized words to software
– Typically requires voice recognition training

Speaker-independent systems
– Allow computers to recognize words from a
voice never heard before
– Typically used in voice-messaging computers
3-37
Optical Scanning

Devices read text or graphics and convert them into
digital computer input
– Enables direct entry of data from source documents

Document management library system
– Scans documents, then organizes and stores them
for easy reference or retrieval
3-38
Optical Scanning
Scanners
Compact desktop models
are popular for low
cost and ease of use
Larger, more expensive
flatbed scanners are
faster, offer high-resolution
color scanning
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Software that reads
characters and codes
Used to read merchandise
tags, sort mail, score tests,
read bar codes
3-39
Other Input Technologies
Magnetic Stripe
Smart Cards
Digital Cameras
Magnetic Ink Character
Recognition (MICR)
3-40
Output Technologies
Voice Response
Increasingly found along with
video displays in business
applications
Video Displays
Cathode-ray tube (CRT)
Liquid crystal display (LCD)
Plasma displays
(TVs, flat-panel monitors)
Printed Output
Inkjet and laser
3-41
Storage Tradeoffs
3-42
Computer Storage Fundamentals
Uses two-state
(binary) data
representation
On (1) or Off (2)
Data processed & stored in computer
systems through On/Off signals
Smallest element of data
Bit
Either zero or one
Byte
Group of eight bits, which operate
as a single unit
Represents one character or number
3-43
Representing Characters in Bytes
3-44
Using Binary Code to Calculate
3-45
Storage Capacity Measurement
Kilobyte (KB)
One thousand bytes
Megabyte (MB)
One million bytes
Gigabyte (GB)
One billion bytes
Terabyte (TB)
One trillion bytes
Petabyte (PB)
One quadrillion bytes
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Direct (Random) and Sequential Access
3-47
Semiconductor Memory

Microelectronic semiconductor memory chips
are used for primary storage
– Advantages: small size, fast, shock and
temperature resistance
– Disadvantages: volatility; must have
uninterrupted electric power or loses memory
3-48
Types of Semiconductor Memory
Random Access
Memory (RAM)
Read-Only Memory
(ROM)
1. Most widely used
primary storage
medium
1. Permanent storage
2. Volatile memory
3. Frequently used
programs burnt into
chips during
manufacturing
3. Read/write memory
2. Can be read, but not
overwritten
4. Called firmware
3-49
Flash Drives

Sometimes called a jump drive
– Uses a small chip containing
thousands of transistors
– Can store data for virtually
unlimited periods without power
– Easily transported
– Highly durable
– Storage capacity of up to 20 GB
– Plugs into any USB port
3-50
Magnetic Disks
Hard Disk Drives & Floppy Disks (diskettes)

Used for secondary storage
– Fast access and high capacity
– Reasonable cost
3-51
RAID Storage

Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks
– Provides virtually unlimited online storage
– 6 to more than 100 hard disk drives are
combined into a single unit
– Data is accessed in parallel, over multiple
paths, from many disks
– Redundant storage of data on several disks
provides fault-tolerant capacity

Storage area networks can interconnect
many RAID units
3-52
Magnetic Tape

Secondary storage
– Tape reels, cassettes, and cartridges
– Used in robotic, automated drive assemblies
– Archival and backup storage
– Lower-cost storage solution
3-53
Optical Disks
3-54
Uses of Optical Disks
Image Processing
Long-term storage of
historical image files
Storage of scanned documents
Publishing
Medium
Allows fast access to
reference materials
Catalogs, directories, and so on
Interactive
Multimedia
Applications
Video games, educational videos,
and so on
3-55
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

One of the newest, fastest growing storage
technologies
– System for tagging and identifying mobile objects
– Used with store merchandise, postal packages,
casino chips, pets
– Special reader allows objects to be tracked as
they move from place to place
– Chips half the size of a grain of sand

Passive chips derive power from reader signal
– Active chips are self-powered
3-56
RFID Versus Bar Coding
Scans from greater distance
RFID
Can store data
More information can be tracked
Privacy
Concerns
Invisible nature of the system
Capacity to transmit fairly sophisticated
messages
3-57
Case 3: Kimberly-Clark & Daisy Brand
Kimberly-Clark
Almost $20 billion in sales in 37 countries
Wants to evolve into a demand-driven supply network
Uses SAP for forecast-to-stock and
order-to-cash processes
Has been redesigning business processes and finding
a way for technology to support those processes
RFID helps trace trailers and raw materials
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Case 3: Kimberly-Clark & Daisy Brand
Daisy Brands
Sells perishable products through Wal-Mart
RFID helps manage flow of product and ensures
marketing promotions proceed as planned
Lets customers track their orders
Knows when pallets of product arrive, and when
they’re unpacked
Can dispatch people to investigate anomalies
3-59
Case Study Questions

Kimberly-Clark and Daisy Brands were two
of the earliest adopters of RFID through
their relationship with Wal-Mart
– How has that initiative fared since it was
announced?

Go online and research the most recent
developments
– Prepare a report to highlight any successes
and failures in the advancement toward a
fully RFID-enabled supply chain for the
giant retailer
3-60
Case Study Questions

What is the value of having access to realtime (or near real time) information about
sales and inventory?
– Are there any dangers to having this
capability, such as overreacting to
short-term trends?
3-61