Network Security

Network security is an essential factor for both home and business networks. Security measures are needed to protect user information and not be vulnerable to bad online actors. Unfortunately, some individuals purposefully steal user information or infect devices with viruses and malware, which can be costly to repair. Most people are familiar with password protection as a form of network security. However, passwords are only the beginning of securing a network. Other forms of network protection may include firewalls, encryption, antivirus software, VPNs (virtual private networks), and two-factor authentication, which has become more popular over the last few years.

Computers in the Workplace

Computers are everywhere these days. I cannot think of an industry where computers do not play a role in some shape or form in today’s workplace. Although the choices are endless, I have chosen to focus on the healthcare industry. I have worked in healthcare in both hospital and long-term care environments; information technology has come a long way in years past. Years ago, medical records and charting information were handwritten, placed in folders, and stored in rows of color-coded file systems. Today things are much more convenient and orderly as computers make entering and organizing patient information more efficient.

In hospital settings, it is now possible to perform many tests and scans at the bedside, with results sent directly to a patient's chart electronically.  Minimally evasive laparoscopic surgeries are now possible, eliminating the need for extended recovery periods with almost no scaring for the patient, unlike years past when surgeries often resulted in doctors needing to make large incisions to find and correct a problem. If we think about our lives during the pandemic, many of us were able to attend doctor’s visits from the comfort of our homes via Telehealth visits. Let us also not forget how easy computers have made it to send and receive medical information when needed.

Traveling Through a Network

Ping & Traceroute Commands

Ping and traceroute are both excellent methods to test network connectivity. Ping is used for testing connectivity to a remote host. When the ping command is initiated, packets are sent over to the remote host, and if it is reachable, the host sends packets back in a reply. The ping results will show how many packets were sent and received, if any are lost, and the roundtrip time.   Traceroute is similar; however, it shows the path packets take to reach a destination. When packets attempt to travel from source to destination, they make a series of hops between multiple routers. If packets encounter a router with connectivity issues or one that does not recognize where the packets need to go, the packet will be ignored, and the request will time out. Let's take a look at a few examples, shall we? 

The Role of Applications for Documenting a Day

 My Experience Documenting a Day

The Documenting a Day assignment using a Word Processor, Excel Spreadsheet, and PowerPoint Presentation was interesting. At first glance, the task was easy as I have a basic skillset in each. However, upon getting started, I realized the assignment would be more challenging than I thought. The main issue I encountered was mapping out which day in my life entailed multiple tasks worthy of including in the assignment. Working from home since the pandemic began has resulted in dull weekdays with minimal movement away from my desk. After some thought, I settled on using a Saturday as they require me to move about the city where I reside. Ultimately using different software applications to document a day in my life was eye-opening as I noticed Saturdays for me, are much more hectic than I realized. Each application, although different, can be used successfully to relay information, it just depends on how a user wants the information displayed.

Web/Mobile App Critique

 

Carb Manager is a meal planning and tracking application used by individuals following a low-carb or Ketogenic diet plan to monitor the number of carbohydrates consumed throughout the day.  Users can choose between a Free or Premium version paid annually, unlocking additional site features.  Some Premium features include access to an extensive recipe database, in-depth goal-setting and macronutrient calculators, shopping lists, and members-only site areas and articles.  The application is available on iPhone and Android and receives regular updates

Planning meals using Carb Manager is done with ease. Pertinent areas within the application are readily assessable, and navigation is simple. If the user has food or meals they eat often, the entry can be saved in the My Favorites section of the application for easy access. Users can scan barcodes and take pictures of items for logging, or manual entry is also available for those wanting a hands-on approach. Premium users have the option to select meals for an entire week, which also includes recipes and shopping lists for needed ingredients.

Programming Languages

Each language type has a purpose. For instance, when two computers need to communicate, machine learning is used as computers can only understand 0’s and 1’s. Assembly language is practical to use when a programmer wants to have control of the hardware within a computer as it “provides a richer understanding of the underlying computer architecture” (1.3: Why Learn Assembly Language, 2020). High-level languages are most effective for new programmers as they use statements within the instructions that are easier to understand. Of the languages introduced thus far, high-level languages like Python are the most popular. Programmers prefer such languages due to their ease of use and learnability. Well-known platforms such as Google Search and YouTube were developed using Python (Berkeley, 2020). High-level languages will be beneficial to both new and skilled programmers.

Building a Program Using Scratch

My experience building a program using scratch was enjoyable yet challenging.  The Scratch platform has many tutorials to assist users throughout different project phases.  At first glance, the platform was intimidating as code is new to me. The different colors and oddly shaped blocks were confusing at the start.  However, after browsing various tutorials, I became more confident in creating a simple program.