Do you know what makes your computer tick?

Technology is playing a bigger and bigger role in small businesses today. Many of us are reliant on our computer systems and are lost when something goes amiss. It is surprising though, how many of us know very little about computers and what makes them tick.

A computer is comprised of many components:

• The main component of a computer is the motherboard, which is the main circuit board into which all of the other peripherals and cables plug. Think of it like the frame of your car - all other main parts tie into that main structure. A cheap or poor quality motherboard means the stability of the rest of your computer components could be compromised.

• A CPU (central processing unit) is the brain of your computer. It does all the thinking, calculating and tells all the other parts what to do and when to do it. When selecting a CPU it is important to decide how much processing your programs are going to need. For example, running just word processing and the like doesn't require a powerful CPU. If you are running computer-aided design (CAD) applications, you would want the most powerful CPU on the market. The CPU is usually the most expensive component of your computer.

• RAM (random access memory) is where programs load and run from. Think of RAM like gas in your car. The more gas you have, the further you can travel without stopping. There are different types of RAM just like grades of gasoline. The better the grade, the better performance you will receive. The larger the RAM the quicker and more smoothly you will be able to run your programs.

• The hard drive is where your programs are stored permanently. It keeps the programs safe but within easy reach if you need to access them. The only times you are at risk of losing your programs is in the infrequent but unpleasant event of your hard drive crashing, viruses, a bad controller on motherboard or in the event of a power surge..

• A network refers to a group of computers that have the capability of communicating with each other. They are able to do so because of network cards, which plug into the motherboard or through USB ports.

• Hubs are where all the cables meet and join all of the networked computers together. When Computer A wants to send data to Computer B, the data is sent from Computer A to the hub. The hub then gives it a green light to travel across the network to find where Computer B is located. As hubs merely act as data flow directors and do not send data to a specific location, they are much better suited for small networks of approximately two to 10 computers. However hubs are no longer readily accessible in stores because they are becoming obsolete.

• Switches are very similar to hubs, but are much more efficient. The data travels from Computer A to the switch, which then sends it directly to Computer B. Switches are well-suited for networks of approximately 10 to 300 computers.
   
• Routers are also similar to hubs, but their purpose is to allow each network computer access to the Internet. Routers also heighten the security of the network because they have a firewall built in. A firewall protects a network from external hackers on the Internet. Unfortunately, statistics state that 70 percent of malicious activity relating to the corruption, deletion or theft of data occurs from within an organization. But that's a topic for a future article.

With a better grasp on how computer technology works, a business will be better equipped to make more strategic technology acquisition decisions that match its operational needs.

With thanks to Jody Melanson, President of Scream Savers, for his assistance with this article.

Copyright - Kelly Melanson, Certified Management Accountant