1.How could the flow of data and instruction signals be optimized in a computer system’s block diagram to improve performance?
2.How do control signals enable a computer to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a block diagram?
3.How does the choice of transmission media (e.g., fiber optics vs. coaxial) affect network latency in a WAN?
4.How does the choice of a star topology versus a bus topology affect the scalability and reliability of a LAN?
5.How does replacing a switch with a router in a MAN improve network efficiency, and what are the potential drawbacks?
Ruwan Suraweera Changed status to publish March 30, 2025
1.
Answer: By reducing latency through faster buses and prioritizing control signals for critical operations like memory access.
Description: In a block diagram, data signals carry information between the ALU, memory, and I/O, while control signals from the Control Unit dictate timing. Using high-speed buses (e.g., PCIe) and efficient instruction queuing minimizes delays, enhancing overall system performance. For example, modern CPUs use pipelining to overlap instruction execution.
Description: In a block diagram, data signals carry information between the ALU, memory, and I/O, while control signals from the Control Unit dictate timing. Using high-speed buses (e.g., PCIe) and efficient instruction queuing minimizes delays, enhancing overall system performance. For example, modern CPUs use pipelining to overlap instruction execution.
2.
Answer: Control signals coordinate task switching by directing the ALU and memory to process different instructions in sequence or parallel.
Description: In multitasking, the Control Unit uses control signals to manage the fetch-decode-execute cycle for multiple programs. It prioritizes tasks, switches contexts (e.g., saving register states), and ensures the ALU processes the right data, enabling efficient multitasking in modern systems.
Description: In multitasking, the Control Unit uses control signals to manage the fetch-decode-execute cycle for multiple programs. It prioritizes tasks, switches contexts (e.g., saving register states), and ensures the ALU processes the right data, enabling efficient multitasking in modern systems.
3.
Answer: Fiber optics reduce latency with higher speed and lower signal degradation, while coaxial cables increase latency over long distances due to slower transmission and interference.
Description: Latency is the delay in data transfer. Fiber optics, using light, transmit data faster (near the speed of light) and resist interference, making them ideal for WANs. Coaxial cables, using electrical signals, suffer signal loss and slower speeds over distance, increasing latency in large networks.
Description: Latency is the delay in data transfer. Fiber optics, using light, transmit data faster (near the speed of light) and resist interference, making them ideal for WANs. Coaxial cables, using electrical signals, suffer signal loss and slower speeds over distance, increasing latency in large networks.
4.
Answer: Star topology offers better scalability and reliability due to centralized control, while bus topology is cheaper but less reliable and harder to scale.
Description: In a star topology, all devices connect to a central hub or switch, making it easy to add devices (scalable) and isolate failures (reliable). A bus topology uses a single cable, which is cost-effective but prone to failure if the cable breaks and limited in capacity as more devices slow the network.
Description: In a star topology, all devices connect to a central hub or switch, making it easy to add devices (scalable) and isolate failures (reliable). A bus topology uses a single cable, which is cost-effective but prone to failure if the cable breaks and limited in capacity as more devices slow the network.
5.
Answer: A router improves efficiency by directing traffic across networks using IP addresses, but it may introduce higher costs and complexity compared to a switch, which only manages local traffic.
Description: In a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a switch forwards data within a single network, while a router connects multiple networks (e.g., LANs), reducing congestion by routing data intelligently. However, routers are more expensive, require configuration, and may add slight latency due to processing, unlike simpler switches.
Description: In a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a switch forwards data within a single network, while a router connects multiple networks (e.g., LANs), reducing congestion by routing data intelligently. However, routers are more expensive, require configuration, and may add slight latency due to processing, unlike simpler switches.
Ruwan Suraweera Changed status to publish March 29, 2025
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