Computer Systems

Computer Architecture:
 Von Neumann architecture contains 4 components:
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
- Carries out and executes instructions.
 Memory (RAM – Random Access Memory)
- Stores both data and result to operate
on.
- Instructions (programs) that operate
on that data.
 Bus connection CPU and memory (see diagram)
 Input and output devices.
Fetch-Execute cycle: (IMPORTANT!)
 As the CPU processes instructions, it runs through the same
cycle over and over again. This is called the fetch-execute
cycle. Consists of the following steps:
- CPU fetches instruction one at a time from
main memory.
- Instruction is found at memory address and
stored in binary code.
- CPU decodes the binary code which reveals
the instruction.
- CPU executes instruction.
- This process will repeat untill there are no
more instructions.
 CPU may use some of the registers to store information while
it executes the instruction.
 When instruction has been processed, the CPU sends result
back to memory if required.
 This cycle happens millions of times per second on modern
computer systems.
Example:
 Area = length * width (Area is equal to the length integer
times the width integer)
- First, the computer needs to load in the value of
the variable length into the immediate access
store (registers).
- Next, it needs to load in the value of the variable
width.
- Then it needs to multiply the two numbers
together.
- Finally, it needs to store the result in the variable
area.
- A single piece of program code might require
several cycles.
Exam questions:
World Wide Web (WWW):
 Invented by a British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee in
1989.
 Without the internet the WWW would not work.
 The WWW is a vast collection of documents , often HTML
documents , with links to each other.
Client-Server Model:
 When accessing a website, your computer is the client.
 The client issues a request which makes its way to an
appropriate server.
 The server than carries out the request and the
information representing the web page or other
resource is transmitted to your computer (the client).
 Your browser (Chrome, edge, Firefox) renders it into
what you see as a web page.

Communication protocols:
 A communication protocol is a set of rules describing how to
transmit data across a network.
 Main protocols include:
HTTP
HTTPS
DNS
FTP
POP
SMTP
SSH
 The main two are HTTP and HTTPS.
- HTTP: HyperText Transport Protocol.
- HTTPS: HyperText Transport Protocol Secure.
 What is the difference between the two?
- HTTPS is HTTP with encryption and verification.
HTTPS uses TLS (SSL) to encrypt normal HTTP
requests and responses, and to digitally sign those
 requests and responses. As a result, HTTPS is far
more secure than HTTP.
Internet Hardware Components:
 Hub (now replaced by switches):
- Used to connect multiple computers or networks
together.
- forward data only to devices that need to receive
it.
 Router:
- forward data packets between computer
networks.
 Network Bridge:
- Create a single network for multiple network
segments.
Logic Gates:
 Each type of logic gate has one or more inputs and only one
output.

AND Truth Table OR Truth Table NOT Truth Table

A B Output A B Output A Output

1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1
1 0 0 1 0 1
1 0
0 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0

NAND Truth Table NOR Truth Table

A B Output
1 1 0
 A B Output
0 1 0
1 1 0
1 0 0
1 0 0
0 0 1
0 1 0
 
0 0 1