Week 15: Computer Components and System Design

Garden State Cyber I now moves into the devices and networks unit.

Before students analyze packets, they need a working model of the computer producing and receiving them.

This week

Lesson 1: Computer Components: Follow the Data Through the Machine

Model input, memory, CPU, storage, output, motherboard, and connected devices. Trace data through the system and connect component failures to CIA impacts.

Lesson 2: Hardware Failure and Security: What Can Go Wrong?

Build fault trees, distinguish reliability failures from evidence of attack, and examine device theft, storage handling, backups, and hardware lifecycle risk.

Lesson 3: Virtual PC Build: Design the System for the Job

Complete a workload-driven virtual PC build, justify each component, add security controls, inject a failure, and defend the architecture.

What you will produce

• labeled component diagram
• data-flow trace
• fault tree
• component-risk review
• virtual PC build
• architecture diagram
• failure-injection revision

The standard is:

Choose hardware because the workload requires it, then explain how the system protects and recovers the data moving through that hardware.