Impact and implications for organisations of IT systems

• newEditor
• ICT
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Unit 1 Information Technology Crammer

Learning objective

How confident are you on topic A?

A multifunctional device is one that performs many different functions. School photocopiers can copy, print, scan, and send faxes. Which TWO of the following are also multifunctional devices?

A

Toothbrush and Calculator

B

Smartphone and Smart TV

C

Keyboard and Mouse

D

Desk Lamp and Speaker

What are the benefits of using multifunctional devices?

Benefits of using multifunctional devices MFDs are

Saves space - reduces the need for separate devices saving work space and minimises clutter

Cost reduction - Users can avoid costs by purchasing one single device

Streamlines operation - centralises tasks allowing seamless transition between functions without switching devices.

Environmental benefits and Enhance productivity - reducing electricity usage and has the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously

Drawback of using MFDs

Security risks and vulnerability - MFDs can pose security risks and vulnerabilities that are often overlooked.

Maintenance and repair- Cost can often be an unexpected burden

Limited functionality and performance - while convenient can suffer from limited functionality and performance

Which statement best explains why a device is described as digital?

A

It uses electricity to operate

B

It has buttons and a display

C

It is controlled by a microprocessor that can be programmed

D

It performs only one function

Digital devices are often classified into different types depending on their usage.
List five types of digital devices.

1

2

3

4

Types of digital devices

•Digital devices are often classified into different types depending on their usage:

•Multifunctional devices

•Mobile devices

•Entertainment systems

•Digital cameras – still, video

•Navigation systems

Data capture devices

•Data capture devices are used to collect data electronically to be processed. Examples include:

•GPS receiver

•Credit/debit card reader

•Automatic number plate
recognition (ANPR) camera

•What are three other data
capture devices?

What are three other data capture devices?

1

2

3

Data capture devices

Barcode readers

Biometric capture devices: fingerprint reader,
iris reader

Near Field Communication (NFC) devices – used in mobile/contactless payments and to connect electronic devices

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) – used in contactless payment cards

Communication devices

•Computers, mobile phones and tablets
can all be used for communication

•These can be connected together in
networks using:

•Wi-Fi

•Network cable (copper and fibre optic)

•Routers

Give four other technologies that allow people to communicate electronically

1

2

3

4

Modern gaming consoles are multifunctional devices.Explain the purpose of a multifunctional device. (2 marks)

How confident are you with digital devices?

Drag and Drop these peripheral devices into their category

Input devices

Output devices

Keyboard

Mouse

Monitor

Microphone

Drag and Drop the types of devices to their right definition

interacts and send information to the computer.

are peripheral devices that are used for storage on a computer.

provides information to the user from the computer.

What is assistive technology? use the video to help you answer the question

Characteristics and implications of storage media used to form part of an IT System

1. Servers are most commonly used by businesses and organisations

2. Servers allow large numbers of people to share data, software and resources easily.

3. Storage devices such as USB flash drives, DVDs, CDs and external hard drives are most commonly used by individuals.

4. Businesses usually have formal procedures for storing data centrally over a network allowing employees to access shared information.

5. Servers often use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks).

6. RAID spreads data across multiple physical disks.

7. When a file is accessed, parts of it may be spread across many disks (for example, up to 10).

Why do businesses commonly use servers instead of portable storage devices such as USB flash drives?

A

Servers are cheaper and easier for individuals to use

B

Servers store data only on DVDs and CDs

C

Servers allow data to be stored centrally and shared securely over a network

D

Servers reduce the need for any backup systems

Key characteristics of storage media

Cost per GB - How much you pay for each gigabyte of storage.

•HDDs are cheap, SSDs are more expensive, cloud varies by use.

Upfront Cost- The initial price to buy the storage device.

•Cloud storage has low upfront costs; physical devices can be expensive.

Running Costs - Ongoing costs like electricity, maintenance, and repairs.

•HDDs use more power; SSDs use less; cloud includes service fees.

Lifespan - How long the storage lasts before needing replacement.

•SSDs often last longer, meaning fewer replacements.

Scalability Cost - The cost to increase storage as your needs grow.

•Cloud is easy to scale (but can get costly), while physical systems need more hardware.

Explain the different cost factors that an organisation should consider when choosing a storage solution. In your answer, you should refer to at least three of the following: cost per GB, upfront cost, running costs, lifespan, and scalability cost.

Access Time

• The time it takes to locate and retrieve data.

• Faster media (e.g. SSDs, RAM): microseconds to milliseconds.

• Slower media (e.g. HDDs, optical discs): several milliseconds or more.

Data Transfer Rate

• The speed at which data can be read from or written to storage media.

• SSDs: approximately 500 MB/s to 7000+ MB/s (NVMe).

• HDDs: approximately 80–200 MB/s.

• RAM: tens of GB/s.

• Optical discs and USB flash drives: generally slower, ranging from a few MB/s to a few hundred MB/s depending on quality.

Latency

• SSDs and RAM have low latency.

• HDDs have higher latency due to mechanical movement.

• Mechanical parts in HDDs include spinning platters and a moving read/write head.

Interface Type

• The interface used (e.g. SATA, NVMe, PCIe, USB) affects data transfer speed.

• NVMe (over PCIe) is significantly faster than SATA.

Evaluate which storage device would be most suitable for a high‑performance gaming PC. (6 marks)

How confident are you on storage devices?