The Smart Energy Company uses network consultants to advise them regarding their network - NSC Information Technology - Question 3 - 2022 - Paper 2

For mobile devices, Wi-Fi is the most suitable medium as it allows wireless connectivity, making it easy to connect devices without physical cables.

1. Mobility: Wireless networks allow users to move freely within the network range without being tethered by cables.
2. No cables used: This reduces installation costs and simplifies network setup and maintenance.

A local network can still allow the transfer of files and communication between computers within the network even when the internet connection is faulty.

1. Less secure: Peer-to-peer networks can be less secure as there is no centralized control over resource access.
2. Difficult management: Managing resources and configurations can be challenging with many users, leading to potential issues with shared resources.

A common peer-to-peer file transfer protocol used for sharing large files over the internet is BitTorrent.

In a server-based network, a server can serve as a centralized resource management system, providing access to software, data, and network services.

When a switch fails, it can lead to a single point of failure, causing all connected devices to lose network access.

The purpose of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is to define how messages are formatted and transmitted on the World Wide Web.

HTTP has been extended to HTTPS to provide a secure and encrypted transfer of web content, protecting user data and privacy.

Data needs to be encoded before transmission to ensure it is in a format suitable for various transmission mediums and to maintain confidentiality and integrity during transfer.

A website is a collection of related web pages hosted under a single domain, while a web page is a single document on the web that can display content such as text, images, and multimedia.

The purpose of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is to improve a website's visibility on search engines, thereby increasing organic traffic and user engagement.

One way SEO can be applied is by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases in the content and meta tags of webpages to enhance search engine ranking.

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) separates the content of a web page from its design. By applying styles to HTML elements in a .css file, whenever the content is updated, the formatting is retained. This allows for consistent design across all pages.

1. Exposure to hacking: Data transmitted over public networks can be intercepted by malicious actors.
2. Shoulder surfing: Unauthorized users may observe and capture information, such as passwords, while someone is using the hotspot.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) service creates an encrypted connection over the public internet to establish a secure link to a private network. This process includes encrypting the user's data, routing it through the VPN server, and then accessing the workplace network as if directly connected.

Companies have not abandoned static web pages entirely because they are simpler to create and host, can load faster, and are easier to maintain for content that does not change often.

1. Personalization: Dynamic web pages can offer personalized content tailored to the user's preferences and behavior.
2. Real-time updates: They allow for real-time updates and interactions, providing users with the most current information.

Metadata is a set of data that describes and provides additional information about other data, such as the content, context, and structure of the information.

A semantic search utilizes metadata to understand the context and intent of the user's query, retrieving the most relevant information from the internet. It analyzes the relationships between search terms and uses structured data to improve search results.