IT Fundamentals for Business Profiles: Hardware
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Recommended experience
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Components of a computer and data storage devices.
Representation of data inside a computer.
Basics of computer networks: LAN, WAN, enterprise, and wireless.
Skills you'll gain
- Memory Management
- Data Storage
- Computer Architecture
- Infrastructure Security
- Peripheral Devices
- Computer Hardware
- General Networking
- Hardware Architecture
- Hardware Troubleshooting
- Wireless Networks
- Data Storage Technologies
- Information Technology
- Networking Hardware
- Computer Systems
- Business Technologies
- Mainframe Computing
- Computer Networking
Details to know
January 2026
59 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
There are 5 modules in this course
This course is the second installment in an introductory series on business information systems, created to guide you into the fascinating field of Information Technology.
Here, you’ll explore the fundamentals of computer hardware and networking. From understanding what a computer is and the difference between hardware and software, to learning about various networking technologies and devices, you’ll build a solid foundation in the systems that power our increasingly digital and interconnected world. As the second part of a five-course series, completing it will help you prepare for the CLEP Information Systems and Computer Applications exam.
What's included
2 readings20 assignments17 plugins
2 readings•Total 11 minutes
- Course Handouts•2 minutes
- Fundamental ideas section 1•9 minutes
20 assignments•Total 131 minutes
- Exam Section 1•30 minutes
- What is a computer, hardware and software. Data and Information. The IPOS Cycle•3 minutes
- Computer history•3 minutes
- Types of computers •3 minutes
- Wearable and embedded computers•3 minutes
- Computer Architecture•3 minutes
- Personal computer architecture•3 minutes
- Motherboard•3 minutes
- CPU question•3 minutes
- Memory •3 minutes
- Keyboard•3 minutes
- Pointing devices•3 minutes
- Scanning devices•3 minutes
- Multimedia•3 minutes
- Other input devices•3 minutes
- Screen•3 minutes
- Printed Output•3 minutes
- Other output devices•3 minutes
- Practice test 1-1•24 minutes
- Practice test 1-2•26 minutes
17 plugins•Total 142 minutes
- What is a computer, hardware and software. Data and Information. The IPOS Cycle•12 minutes
- Computer history•4 minutes
- Types of computers •14 minutes
- Wearable and embedded computers•3 minutes
- Computer Architecture•5 minutes
- Personal computer architecture•12 minutes
- Motherboard•9 minutes
- CPU•15 minutes
- Memory •9 minutes
- Keyboard•6 minutes
- Pointing devices•9 minutes
- Scanning devices•15 minutes
- Multimedia•9 minutes
- Other input devices•4 minutes
- Screen•7 minutes
- Printed Output•7 minutes
- Other output devices•2 minutes
What's included
1 reading12 assignments10 plugins
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- Fundamental ideas section 2•6 minutes
12 assignments•Total 97 minutes
- Exam Section 2•30 minutes
- Magnetic hard disk•3 minutes
- CD/DVD/ BLU Ray•3 minutes
- Flash disks•3 minutes
- Bits and bytes•3 minutes
- Data types •3 minutes
- Analog, Digital, Binary•3 minutes
- Numerical Bases: Binary system and conversions•3 minutes
- Kilo, Mega, Giga….•3 minutes
- Character sets: ASCII, EBCDIC,Windows, Unicode•3 minutes
- Practice test 2-1•20 minutes
- Practice test 2-2•20 minutes
10 plugins•Total 67 minutes
- Magnetic hard disk•13 minutes
- CD/DVD/ BLU Ray•4 minutes
- Flash disks•6 minutes
- Bits and bytes•3 minutes
- Data types •9 minutes
- Analog, Digital, Binary•8 minutes
- Numerical Bases: Binary system and conversions•6 minutes
- Kilo, Mega, Giga….•5 minutes
- Character sets: ASCII, EBCDIC,Windows, Unicode•4 minutes
- Character sets: Example•9 minutes
What's included
1 reading15 assignments12 plugins
1 reading•Total 7 minutes
- Fundamental ideas section 3•7 minutes
15 assignments•Total 106 minutes
- Exam Section 3•30 minutes
- Communication using computers•3 minutes
- Computer networks•3 minutes
- Network classification by area covered•3 minutes
- Distributed systems•3 minutes
- Enterprise networks•3 minutes
- Wired networks I•3 minutes
- Wired networks II•3 minutes
- Packets in data transmission•3 minutes
- Ethernet•3 minutes
- OSI Stack•3 minutes
- TCP/IP Stack•3 minutes
- Network Devices•3 minutes
- Practice Test 3-1•20 minutes
- Practice Test 3-2•20 minutes
12 plugins•Total 126 minutes
- Communication using computers•6 minutes
- Computer networks•8 minutes
- Network classification by area covered•7 minutes
- Distributed systems•13 minutes
- Enterprise networks•7 minutes
- Wired networks I•11 minutes
- Wired networks II•13 minutes
- Packets in data transmission•10 minutes
- Ethernet•11 minutes
- OSI Stack•12 minutes
- TCP/IP Stack•13 minutes
- Network Devices•15 minutes
What's included
1 reading11 assignments8 plugins
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
- Fundamental ideas section 4•5 minutes
11 assignments•Total 94 minutes
- Exam Section 4•30 minutes
- Wireless computing•3 minutes
- Infrared an other free space communication devices•3 minutes
- Bluetooth•3 minutes
- Cellular phone networks•3 minutes
- Wifi question•3 minutes
- Microwave links•3 minutes
- Satellite communications•3 minutes
- GPS question•3 minutes
- Practice test 4-1•20 minutes
- Practice test 4-2•20 minutes
8 plugins•Total 68 minutes
- Wireless computing•6 minutes
- Infrared an other free space communication devices•3 minutes
- Bluetooth•4 minutes
- Cellular phone networks•6 minutes
- Wifi•11 minutes
- Microwave links•12 minutes
- Satellite communications•16 minutes
- GPS•10 minutes
What's included
1 reading1 assignment
1 reading•Total 1 minute
- End of the course•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Final Exam•30 minutes
Instructors
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