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Aisalkyn Aidarova
Aisalkyn Aidarova

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Computer and Technology Basics for absolute beginner

#beginners #tutorial #devops

đŸ§© 1. “What Is a Computer?” → Hardware vs Software Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Computer = electronic device that processes data.
  • Hardware = physical parts.
  • Software = instructions that tell hardware what to do.
  • Types: desktops, laptops, servers, and smart devices.

Connected Diagram:

+----------------------+
|     SOFTWARE         |
|  (OS + Applications) |
+----------------------+
|     HARDWARE         |
| (CPU, RAM, Storage)  |
+----------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • In cloud servers (EC2, Azure VM), you select both hardware (CPU, RAM, Storage) and software (Ubuntu, Amazon Linux, etc.).
  • As a DevOps engineer, you control both layers — for example, automating software setup on hardware with Ansible or Terraform.

đŸ–„ïž 2. “Buttons and Ports” → External Hardware Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Power button, USB ports, HDMI, audio jacks, Ethernet ports.
  • These allow connecting devices and networks.

Connected Diagram:

+-------------------------------------+
| USB | HDMI | Ethernet | Audio | Power |
+-------------------------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • Understanding ports = understanding networking. Example: Port 22 (SSH), Port 80 (HTTP), Port 443 (HTTPS).
  • Physical Ethernet = like a VPC connection in AWS.

⚙ 3. “Basic Parts of a Computer” → Internal Hardware Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, screen.
  • Laptops combine these into one device.

Connected Diagram:

+--------------------+
|   MONITOR (Display)|
|   KEYBOARD / MOUSE |
|   COMPUTER CASE    |
|   POWER CABLE      |
+--------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • These are what you use locally for coding, automation, and testing.
  • In cloud computing, you won’t physically see these — you use terminals and dashboards to control virtual computers.

đŸ§© 4. “Inside a Computer” → Motherboard Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Motherboard = central circuit board.
  • CPU = brain.
  • RAM = short-term memory.
  • Hard Drive / SSD = long-term memory.
  • Power Supply = sends power to components.
  • Expansion slots = extra capabilities.

Connected Diagram:

+-------------------------------------------------+
| CPU  | RAM  | STORAGE  | GPU | POWER SUPPLY     |
| (Brain)(Memory)(Disk)  (Graphics)(Electricity)  |
+-------------------------------------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • In AWS, Azure, or GCP, you configure all of this virtually:

    • CPU & Memory → EC2 instance type
    • Storage → EBS volume or S3 bucket
    • Motherboard/Network → VPC and subnets

  • When deploying apps, you allocate compute, memory, and storage just like a real machine.

đŸ’» 5. “Laptops vs Desktops”

Lecture Summary:

  • Laptops are portable; desktops are powerful and customizable.
  • Laptops have built-in batteries; desktops use power cables.

Connected Diagram:

[Desktop] -> More Power, Customizable
[Laptop] -> Portable, Built-in Components
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DevOps Connection:

  • Same tradeoff in DevOps:

    • Local machine = laptop
    • Cloud environment = remote “desktop” with more resources.

  • You use both — local for code/testing, cloud for deployment.

🧠 6. “Operating Systems” → Software Layer Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • OS controls communication between user and hardware.
  • Examples: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.

Connected Diagram:

+---------------------------+
| Applications (Browser, IDE)|
+---------------------------+
| Operating System (Linux)   |
+---------------------------+
| Hardware (CPU, RAM, Disk)  |
+---------------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • Most DevOps servers run Linux OS.
  • You’ll use the terminal, commands, and permissions to control the OS.
  • OS automation = core skill (Ansible, Bash scripting, etc.).

🌐 7. “Connecting to the Internet” → Networking Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Ethernet, Wi-Fi, broadband, fiber.
  • Modem + Router connect you to the web.

Connected Diagram:

[Computer] <--Ethernet/Wi-Fi--> [Router] <---> [Internet]
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DevOps Connection:

  • Same principle as connecting a VPC to the internet gateway in AWS.
  • You’ll manage connections using public/private subnets, firewalls, and routing.

☁ 8. “What Is the Cloud?” → Cloud Architecture Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Cloud = storing data and apps on internet servers.
  • Examples: Google Drive, Dropbox, iDrive.

Connected Diagram:

[Your Laptop] ---> [Internet] ---> [Cloud Server]
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DevOps Connection:

  • This is the foundation of DevOps.
  • You deploy code, databases, and apps to cloud servers (AWS EC2, EKS, Azure VMs).
  • You also manage CI/CD pipelines that push software to the cloud.

đŸ§č 9. “Cleaning and Maintenance”

Lecture Summary:

  • Keep computer dust-free; clean keyboard and fans.
  • Avoid overheating.

DevOps Connection:

  • In DevOps, this is system maintenance:

    • Cleaning log files
    • Deleting old containers/images
    • Monitoring CPU temperature and usage

🔐 10. “Protecting Your Computer” → Security Stack Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Use antivirus, backups, OS updates, and cloud backups.

Connected Diagram:

+--------------------------+
| User Data (Files, Code)  |
+--------------------------+
| Security Layer (Antivirus, Encryption) |
+--------------------------+
| Cloud Backup             |
+--------------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • Similar to DevSecOps — protect cloud systems using:

    • IAM Roles
    • Security Groups
    • Encryption (KMS, SSL/TLS)
    • Regular backups (S3, EBS snapshots)

đŸȘ‘ 11. “Creating a Safe Workspace”

Lecture Summary:

  • Ergonomics: monitor height, chair, breaks, posture.

DevOps Connection:

  • Encourages healthy long-term work habits.
  • DevOps work often involves long terminal sessions — ergonomics = productivity.

🌎 12. “Internet Safety, Spam, Tracking”

Lecture Summary:

  • Beware phishing, spam, and tracking cookies.
  • Check HTTPS padlock icon.

Connected Diagram:

[User] ---> [Secure Website (HTTPS)] ---> [Internet]
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DevOps Connection:

  • Web security knowledge = essential for CI/CD testing, SSL configuration, and protecting infrastructure.
  • When you set up HTTPS on a load balancer or Kubernetes Ingress, it’s the same concept.

💡 13. “Windows & macOS Basics” → GUI Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Learn desktop, start menu, dock, file explorer, finder.

Connected Diagram:

+--------------------------------+
| Graphical Interface (Icons, Menus) |
+--------------------------------+
| File System (Folders, Files)      |
+--------------------------------+
| OS Kernel + Hardware             |
+--------------------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • GUI for beginners → later replaced by CLI tools (bash, zsh).
  • File navigation (Finder, File Explorer) → equivalent to using Linux commands (ls, cd, pwd).

🌐 14. “Browser Basics” → Application Layer Diagram

Lecture Summary:

  • Browser = tool to access websites.
  • Tabs, bookmarks, history, back/forward.

Connected Diagram:

+--------------------------+
| Web Browser (Chrome)     |
|  -> Uses Internet        |
|  -> Displays Web Apps    |
+--------------------------+
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DevOps Connection:

  • Browsers are used to access Jenkins dashboards, AWS Console, Grafana, and Argo CD UI.
  • Understanding browser structure helps debug web apps and APIs.

✅ 15. Summary Diagram for Students 

USER (You)
    ↓
APPLICATIONS (VS Code, Docker Desktop)
    ↓
OPERATING SYSTEM (Linux, macOS, Windows)
    ↓
HARDWARE (CPU, RAM, Storage)
    ↓
NETWORK (Router, Internet, Cloud)
    ↓
CLOUD SERVERS (AWS, Azure, GCP)
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đŸ§© 2. Section Breakdown for DevOps Beginners

Component Simple Explanation DevOps Relevance (Why You Should Care)
CPU (Processor) The “brain” of the computer that runs instructions. In cloud (AWS EC2, Azure VMs), you choose CPU types (t2.micro, m5.large etc.) — more cores = faster builds & deployments.
Motherboard A large board that connects all other parts. In physical servers (on-prem DevOps), all components attach here; in cloud, the VPC network is like a digital motherboard.
Chipset & Bus The communication center between CPU, RAM, storage, and ports. Equivalent to how Kubernetes or Terraform connect resources — data flow and resource coordination.
VRM (Voltage Regulator) Lowers power from the supply to safe levels for CPU. Teaches you why monitoring power and CPU temperature matters in data centers.
CPU Cooler Moves heat away from CPU using air or liquid. In DevOps monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana), CPU temperature and load alerts are crucial.
Power Supply (PSU) Converts wall power into DC power for the computer. Equivalent to cloud infrastructure power planning and availability zones.
GPU (Graphics Processor) Handles visual and parallel computing tasks. Used in DevOps for machine-learning servers, AI pipelines, and render jobs that need GPUs on AWS (EKS or EC2 p2/p3).
RAM (Temporary Memory) Fast memory that stores data the CPU is using right now. Impacts build and deployment speed in CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitHub Actions).
SSD (Solid State Drive) Permanent fast storage with no moving parts. Used for container images and CI/CD workspaces — fast I/O means faster pipelines.
HDD (Hard Disk Drive) Magnetic disks that store lots of data cheaply but slower. Used for backups and log storage (ELK, S3 Glacier analogy in cloud).
Mouse & Keyboard Input devices to interact with computer. DevOps engineers often work headless (SSH terminal), but you should know how peripherals connect via USB for troubleshooting.

🧠 3. Quiz for Absolute Beginners (DevOps Context)

A. Multiple Choice

  1. Which part executes the commands you type in a terminal?
    a) RAM b) GPU c) CPU ✅ d) HDD

  2. Which component is like the “central hub” that connects CPU, RAM, and storage?
    a) Motherboard ✅ b) GPU c) Power Supply d) SSD

  3. What makes SSDs faster than HDDs?
    a) They use liquid cooling b) They have no moving parts ✅ c) They store data magnetically d) They are cheaper

  4. In DevOps, choosing an EC2 instance with more CPU cores helps because ___.
    a) It uses less power b) It can run more containers faster ✅ c) It needs no cooling d) It has bigger screen

  5. Why is RAM important in a Jenkins pipeline?
    a) It stores the OS permanently b) It helps run multiple builds at once ✅ c) It controls the fans d) It cools the CPU

B. True / False

  1. The GPU is only used for gaming. ❌
  2. The CPU needs a cooler because it gets hot while processing. ✅
  3. The power supply converts AC to DC power for the computer. ✅
  4. HDDs are faster than SSDs. ❌
  5. RAM is temporary and data is lost when power is off. ✅

C. Short Answer (1–2 sentences each)

  1. Why do DevOps engineers care about CPU and RAM sizes when creating cloud instances?
    → They affect how fast applications build, deploy, and run in the pipeline.

  2. What is the purpose of cooling systems in data centers or servers?
    → To prevent hardware damage and downtime by keeping CPUs and GPUs from overheating.

  3. Why do we use SSD storage for containers or databases?
    → Because SSDs have high speed and low latency, making applications and pipelines faster.

  4. If you were to monitor a server, which hardware metrics would you track?
    → CPU usage, memory (RAM), disk I/O, temperature, and power supply status.

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