1. Computer Review
Internal Components

2. Motherboard Connects all of the parts of the computer together
Works like the central nervous system of the human body

3. CPU CPU Fan/Heatsink CPU handles the processing of programs
Can be thought of as the brain of the computer
Heat is a major concern, so a heatsink is used to draw heat away from the CPU with thermal paste and metal fins, and then a fan creates air flow to move the heat away from the CPU
Different CPUs have different optimum temperatures and maximum temperatures, but under 60° Celsius (140° Fahrenheit) tends to be ideal

4. Data Storage Long term memory of the computer
Stores all of the software and files on the computer
Currently two types of storage drive:
Hard Disk Drive
Solid State Drive
Most commonly uses a SATA cable
Can be thought of as a filing cabinet for the computer

5. Memory RAM is the computer’s short term memory
Stores information that is currently being used
Motherboard will limit type and amount of RAM
Recently, RAM sometimes comes with heat dissipation to prolong the life of the RAM
Can be thought of a special shelf in the filing cabinet

6. Power Supply Provides power to the computer by connecting to the wall
Takes 120 volt AC power from the wall and transformers it into DC power
Different cables have different voltage
Modular power supplies come with cables unconnected to decrease clutter and increase air flow
Dangerous to take apart due to capacitors holding charge
Can be thought of as the heart of the computer

7. Expansion Cards
Used to expand a computer’s functionality with specialized hardware
Examples of expansion cards
Graphics Card
Sound Card
USB Host Card
Serial Host Card

8. Optical/Floppy Drives
Provide a way to store and read long term data
Usable to create backups, install programs and transfer data
Less common due to the advent of cloud storage, but still used

9. Introduction to Networks
Unified Communications Systems

10. Unified Communications
Unified Communications (UC) takes the concept of VoIP and advances it several steps further
In a UC deployment, multiple types of real-time, IP-based digital communication are integrated together, including:
Voice calls
audio conferencing
video teleconferencing (VTC)
desktop sharing
instant messaging.
Most UC systems also provide non-real-time communications, such as:
Texting
Voic
Faxing
We refer to it as unified communications because all of these applications work together seamlessly

11. Unified Communications example
When you deploy a UC system, you provide users with the ability to use multiple communication options for exchanging information with each other
For example:
A user can use a UC system to schedule and host a video conference
During the video conference, participants can ask the presenter questions using instant messaging
Participants who are away from their computer or on the road can use a cell phone to join the meeting via audio conferencing
When the video conference is over, the presenter can share her presentation with the participants by attaching it to an

12. UC Details
UC solutions typically support both user-to-user communications using unicast network transmissions and multicast transmissions to share data among multiple users. For example, one user could place a VoIP phone call to another user, or a manager could schedule a phone conference where many users from her department join a voice communication session
A UC system provides a consistent user interface and experience across many different types of devices, including computers,laptops, tablets, and smartphones
To make this possible, most UC deployments require a great deal of work to configure and maintain. Therefore, a UC deployment should be carefully designed before it is deployed
Most organizations do not currently deploy their own UC systems. Instead, they usually use a UC contractor who is already familiar with all of the components and configurations required to make it work correctly

13. Presence Information
UC systems typically provide presence information, which lets users inform each other as to their availability for communication. A user's status could be displayed as:
Available
Busy
On a call
Do not disturb
Away from my computer
Offline
Each user specifies their availability status on their local system. This information is sent to a presence service hosted on a UC server
The presence service then makes that user's status information available to other connected users

14. Human Latency
Some UC deployments also provide business process integration functions, usually in the form of a workflow application that ties communications and tasks together
The purpose for doing this is to eliminate human-caused latency
For instance, your Accounts Payable department might not be able to pay the company's bills on time because it's waiting for a VP to sign the checks
A UC solution that implements workflow management can help reduce this delay by automatically establishing communications between employees at the appropriate point in a business process
For example, when Accounts Payable goes into their workflow and specifies that the checks for this month's bills have been written, a notification can be automatically sent to the VP to remind them that they need to be signed

15. UC Devices
A UC deployment is composed of many components. The exact components used will depend on the vendor and the type of deployment. However, the following elements are commonly used:
The UC server manages the entire UC system and provides the necessary services. For example, a UC server typically hosts a presence service to enable presence information to be disseminated between users
Hardware UC devices are designed to work specifically with the UC server. For example an IP phone. An IP phone captures analog voice information and converts it to a digital signal that can be sent in IP packets on the network
Software UC devices are computers, tablets, and smart phones that have the necessary client software installed to access the UC system. Some UC products require a proprietary client to be installed, while other simply use the web browser that is already installed on these devices.
A UC gateway connects the digital, IP-based UC network with legacy analog networks, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)