Key term
CCEA A-Level Digital Technology 2650
Systems Analysis and Development Approaches
Topic overviewThe software crisis and the need for systems developmentUser needs, time and costRoles in a systems development teamThe purpose of analysisFact-finding techniquesFunctional and non-functional requirementsData flow diagramsThe waterfall modelRapid application development and AgileResources, constraints and risks in a software projectProject management, Gantt charts and critical path analysisVersion management
Design, Development and Testing
Topic overviewThe purpose of systems designStoryboarding the user interfacePrototyping the interface and the data modelThe development stage: turning a design into working codeWhy testing runs throughout developmentLevels of testing: unit and integrationSystem testingAcceptance testingAlpha and beta testingThe purpose and components of a test planTypes of test data
Implementation and System Security
Topic overviewThe purpose of system implementationDirect and parallel changeoverPilot and phased changeoverUser documentationTechnical documentationData conversionThe purpose of system maintenanceCorrective, adaptive and perfective maintenanceArchiving dataBackup and recoveryFull, differential and incremental backupsDisaster recovery plans
Programming
Topic overviewThe purpose of a computer programThe integrated development environmentTranslation: compilers, interpreters and assemblersThe stages of compilation and linkingAlgorithms, pseudocode and syntaxVariables, constants and data typesSequence and selectionIteration: count-controlled and condition-controlled loopsFlowcharts and algorithm representationObjects, classes and methodsInheritance and evaluating the object-oriented approach
Data, Information and Data Representation
Topic overviewBits, bytes and units of storageHow many values a given number of bits can holdConverting decimal to binaryConverting binary to decimalTwo's complement and negative numbersCharacter sets: ASCII and UnicodeData, information and knowledgeFactors affecting the quality of informationValidation: range, type, length and presence checksValidation: format checks and lookup checksCheck digits and the Modulus 11 methodBatch totals, verification and the limits of checking
Computer Architecture and Processing Systems
Topic overviewThe processor, the clock and the registersThe fetch-execute cycleBuses, input and output controllers and portsMain memory: RAM, ROM and addressingCache memory and the memory hierarchyFactors that affect processing speedThe need for secondary storageMagnetic, optical and flash storage mediaChoosing secondary storage for common applicationsBatch, real-time and transaction processingAutomatic teller machines and point of sale terminalsSmartphones: input, output and processing
System Software, Application Software and the User Interface
Topic overviewUser interfaces: WIMP, command line and forms dialogueChoosing and evaluating a user interfaceInputting text, sound and videoThe purpose of an operating systemHow an operating system manages memory and processesTypes of operating systemUtility programsThe need for data compression, lossless and lossyZipping and archive filesCommon data file formatsApplication software: generic and special purposeObtaining and delivering software
Web Technology and Multimedia
Topic overviewThe internet, the World Wide Web and web standardsURLs, HTTP and the request-response cycleDomain names, DNS and IP addressesWeb browsers, search engines, cache and cookiesWeb servers, hosting, ISPs and file transferIntranets and how an organisation uses oneCreating web pages with HTMLHTML tags for text, lists, images and linksStyling pages with CSSMultimedia assets in a web pageClient-side and server-side processingSecurity over the internet: encryption, HTTPS and certificates
Networks
Topic overviewNetwork scope: LAN, MAN and WANNetwork hardware and connection devicesIP addresses and MAC addressesPeer-to-peer and server-based networksBus, star and ring topologiesThe need for communication protocolsThe OSI seven-layer modelTCP/IP, Ethernet and media access methodsWi-Fi, Bluetooth, VoIP and RFIDBandwidth and broadbandTransmission media: metal cable, fibre optic and wirelessDetecting and correcting transmission errors
Databases
Topic overviewThe relational database and its main featuresLogical and physical data modelsEntities, attributes and keysEntity-relationship modellingNormalisation to third normal formThe data dictionaryStructured Query Language: creating and changing dataStructured Query Language: retrieving dataQuery By Example and alternatives to SQLDatabase security, integrity and recovery
Artificial Intelligence, Expert Systems and Robotics
Topic overviewWhat artificial intelligence meansThe Turing test and machine intelligenceNeural network modellingThe structure of an expert systemThe knowledge base and the inference engineShells, heuristics, fuzzy logic and the knowledge engineerExpert systems in medicine, fault diagnosis and insuranceNatural language processingVoice recognition technologyEvaluating natural language and voice recognition systemsThe technology of roboticsRobotics in commercial situations
Mobile Technology, Data Mining and Cloud Computing
Topic overviewCells, masts and frequency reuseHandoff between cellsThe base station controller, the mobile switching centre and the PSTNWhat data mining isGathering and storing data for miningProcessing and analysing large volumes of dataBig data in health, finance and retailData mining and the privacy of the individualWhat cloud computing isVirtualisation, hosted instances, hosted solutions and clusteringCloud services: storage, email, software and backupEvaluating cloud computing for business
Individual, Social and Legal Considerations
Topic overviewThe Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPRThe data protection principles and the rights of the data subjectThe Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988The Computer Misuse Act 1990Data protection duties of an organisationHow the legislation affects employees and the publicThe ethics of automated decision makingOnline censorshipMonitoring of personal behaviourThe ethics of artificial intelligence and of personal information
The Development Project: Analysis and Design
Topic overviewScheduling the project with a Gantt chartInternal and external constraints on the solutionDetailing user requirements as inputs, processes and outputsPrioritising requirements as essential and non-essentialData flow diagrams at level 0 and level 1Specifying hardware and software requirementsThe overall system designProcess descriptions and algorithmsUser interface design and validationData modelling and normalisation for the solutionDesigning the queries and reportsDeveloping a comprehensive test plan
The Development Project: Build, Testing and Evaluation
Topic overviewChoosing software to develop the solutionBuilding the solutionTest data and the types of testingCarrying out and recording the testingDocumenting a strategy for system implementationEvaluating the solution against the user requirementsIdentifying extensions to the systemThe electronic user guideBringing the system into use and supporting itDocumentation for the completed system
Web Technology and Multimedia
- 12 subtopics
- 36 things to know
- AS Unit 2
What Web Technology and Multimedia covers
Web Technology and Multimedia is examined in Unit AS 2, Fundamentals of Digital Technology. It covers the internet, the World Wide Web and web standards, URLs, HTTP and the request-response cycle, domain names, DNS and IP addresses, web browsers, search engines, cache and cookies, web servers, hosting, ISPs and file transfer, Intranets and how an organisation uses one, creating web pages with HTML, HTML tags for text, lists, images and links, styling pages with CSS, multimedia assets in a web page, client-side and server-side processing and security over the internet: encryption, HTTPS and certificates.
The 12 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- The internet, the World Wide Web and web standardsTerm internet, term World Wide Web and difference between the internet and the World Wide Web.Open →
- URLs, HTTP and the request-response cycleMain parts of a URL, purpose of the path and file name in a URL and query string.Open →
- Domain names, DNS and IP addressesDomain name, top-level domain and purpose of an IP address in fetching a web page.Open →
- Web browsers, search engines, cache and cookiesWeb browser, browser cache and session cookie and a persistent cookie.Open →
- Web servers, hosting, ISPs and file transferWeb server, web hosting and shared hosting and dedicated hosting.Open →
- Intranets and how an organisation uses oneOne cost saving an organisation gains from an intranet and why an intranet can become less useful over time.Open →
- Creating web pages with HTMLHypertext Markup Language, structure of a typical HTML element and empty element in HTML.Open →
- HTML tags for text, lists, images and linksPurpose of the paragraph tag, purpose of the alternative text attribute on an image and purpose of the anchor tag.Open →
- Styling pages with CSSCascading style sheet, parts of a CSS rule and three ways a style can be applied to a page.Open →
- Multimedia assets in a web pageMultimedia content on a web page, streaming a video and downloading it and two ways of making audio and video content accessible.Open →
- Client-side and server-side processingClient-side processing, server-side processing and task normally handled on the client side.Open →
- Security over the internet: encryption, HTTPS and certificatesWhat encryption does to data, symmetric encryption and main steps of a secure connection handshake.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
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What is a portal?
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Are the standards published by the W3C legally binding on a browser manufacturer?
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Name the main parts of a URL.
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Distinguish between the GET and POST methods.
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Describe what happens between a user pressing Enter on a web address and the page appearing.
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Why does a household need an internet service provider to reach a web server?
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Explain how an intranet improves the consistency of information within an organisation.
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How does an intranet let an organisation control who sees what?
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Give one security risk that an intranet does not remove.
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Compare writing HTML in a plain text editor with using a what-you-see-is-what-you-get editor.
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Why should HTML be checked against a validator?
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Explain the benefit of keeping structure in HTML and appearance out of it.
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Describe the parts of a CSS rule.
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What happens to a page if its external style sheet fails to load?
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Explain the effect of large media files on the experience of visiting a page.
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Why do many organisations serve video from a dedicated media service rather than their own web server?
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How does consistent use of multimedia contribute to the design of a site?
Evaluation
Give two disadvantages of server-side processing.
Process
Describe what happens when a form is submitted for server-side processing.
Process
How is a page personalised for an individual visitor using server-side processing?
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Explain what is meant by a public key and a private key.
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What does the Secure Sockets Layer provide?
Process
Describe the main steps of a secure connection handshake.
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Distinguish between a generic top-level domain and a country code top-level domain.
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What is a web browser?
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State the purpose of the paragraph tag.
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Why can two organisations not hold the same domain name?
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Describe how a browser turns received code into the page a user sees.
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Why must a web server have a permanent connection and a stable address?
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State the purpose of the image tag and name the attribute that identifies the picture.
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Explain the purpose of an IP address in fetching a web page.
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What is a browser cache?
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Distinguish between shared hosting and dedicated hosting.
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What is the purpose of the alternative text attribute on an image?
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Why is an external style sheet preferred for a site of several pages?
Take Web Technology and Multimedia further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Intranet vs Extranet
Intranet: a private network reachable only from inside the organisation. Extranet: a private network that deliberately opens part of itself to named suppliers and customers.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Define the term internet.
Model answer
The internet is the global network of interconnected computer networks, joined by cables, fibre and radio links, over which every online service travels.
- 2
Define the term World Wide Web.
Model answer
The World Wide Web is the worldwide collection of linked documents and services that are stored on web servers and viewed through a browser.
- 3
Explain the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web.
Model answer
The internet is the physical infrastructure of connected networks, while the World Wide Web is one of the services carried on that infrastructure, alongside others such as electronic mail and file transfer.
- 4
What is hypertext?
Model answer
Hypertext is text that contains links to other text, allowing a reader to jump straight to related material instead of reading in a fixed order.
- 5
What is a hyperlink?
Model answer
A hyperlink is a clickable piece of text or an image that carries the address of another resource, so that selecting it makes the browser fetch and display that resource.
- 6
Distinguish between a web page and a website.
Model answer
A web page is a single document displayed in a browser, while a website is the whole collection of related pages and files published together under one domain name.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Web Technology and Multimedia revision questions
- What does Web Technology and Multimedia cover in CCEA A-Level Digital Technology?
- 12 subtopics: the internet, the world wide web and web standards, urls, http and the request-response cycle, domain names, dns and ip addresses, web browsers, search engines, cache and cookies, web servers, hosting, isps and file transfer, intranets and how an organisation uses one, creating web pages with html, html tags for text, lists, images and links, styling pages with css, multimedia assets in a web page, client-side and server-side processing and security over the internet: encryption, https and certificates. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Web Technology and Multimedia organised?
- By the CCEA 2650 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Web Technology and Multimedia, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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