Networking

NIC (Network Interface Card) - hardware required to connect to a network

Client Server Network - network organisation that consists of several clients and multiple servers (like Print, File, Web) and the clients access and uses the resources available on them.

Network topologies consist of communications channel and nodes (computers)
each has its own advantages and disadvantages

Network Topology Node Failure Channel Failure
Bus no overall effect network failure
Star central node - yes, one node is effected
Ring unless there is a bypass network failure
Mesh/
Fully Connected Mesh no commuincation with node none! several routes that data can take

Peripherals

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Functions of the Interface (The hardware and Software required to communicate between the Hardware (peripherals) and the processor

Protocol conversion (odd and even parity)
Data Format Conversion (Analogue to digital and visa versa)
Buffering (Temporary Data Storage)
Voltage Conversion (components of motherboard work at lower voltages to peripherals)
Handling of Status Signals (Ready, Out of Ink, Paper Jam)

Solid state storage devices have no moving parts, require less energy are more robust, are physically smaller and more robust.

Buffering - hardware solution, built into peripherals like printer
spooling (also temporary data storage) is the software solution that uses fast backing storage to send data to peripheral at rate it can cope with

Interface speeds are increasing USB 1 - 2 - 3 increased data transfer rates

Backing Storage devices

Smaller Physically, increased capacity, faster data transfer speeds and becoming cheaper per bit storage