Computer Systems and the Way They Function

Almost every device has some type of computer within it, but very few people understand the ins and outs of how it operates. Building a new area of knowledge starts by understanding how the personal computer operates internally, but most can go through their lives without the need to know. The basic design that computers are made from is actually rather simple compared to the pieces themselves, since there is just a simple flow of information.

The central processing unit, or CPU, is the main brain of the entire system that allows it to work. The CPU processes data and holds levels of memory much like the brain in a human being. Many processors today feature what are called multiple cores, which are actually just multiple processing units built into a single chip. Even though it is not really related, cache has multiple different layers and is somewhat related to the function of system RAM. To prevent from being forced to reprocess information repeatedly, the cache will hold frequently processed info to provide it much faster. The level 1 cache is the quickest but contains the least space, while the level 3 cache is the slowest but has the highest storage.

After the level 3 cache there is the system RAM, which is actually a separate component altogether. When a program loads, it is basically being transferred from the hard drive to the system’s RAM for faster reading. Even though loading to the RAM is where a lot of the wait time is spent when opening a program, without it, many different things would not be possible because things would be so slowly pulled from the hard drive. When the computer system is switched off all the information in the RAM is erased, and because of that a hard drive is needed to permanently store information.

The hard drive is simple: it is a device that permanently stores everything that is installed on one’s system. While the other bits of hardware are not necessary to make the system work, they generally provide a needed operation. In order to share files and gain access to the Internet, a network card should be used. While a lot of home systems have a simple Ethernet interface, data centers have particular interfaces such as a Cisco GLC-T and SFP transceiver modules to allow a system to do certain functions faster. The video card and sound card do exactly what they seem like they do: produce a picture to see and sound to hear. Motherboards are designed to connect everything together and process information between them with simpler integrated chipsets.