Unit 4: Computer Systems and Networks

Intro

• The Internet is a network that most people use on a regular basis to look up information, to socialize with friends, and in many cases to complete work and learn.

• In this unit, we will learn how computer systems and networks, primarily the Internet, work.

• Students will learn about how information is transmitted on the Internet and about the safeguards that have been put in place to keep this system from breaking down.

• In addition, students will learn the effect that dividing tasks across multiple computing devices can have on the speed at which processes can occur.

Overview 4

Key Terms

Essential Questions

• Why are long text messages sometime delivered out of order?

• When an Internet service outage occurs in a different part of your town or city, how are you still able to access the Internet?

• What are the benefits of dividing tasks among group members?

• Is there a point where adding another group member would not make completing the task faster? Why?

4.1 The Internet

4.2 Fault Tolerance

4.3 Parallel and Distributed Computing