I/O Processors and Controllers: Master the Fundamentals of Input/Output Systems

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a method of data transfer in Input/Output (I/O) operations?

Accepted Answer

Virtual I/O

Answer

Programmed I/O

Answer

Interrupt-driven I/O

Answer

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of an I/O processor?

Accepted Answer

To act as an intermediary between the CPU and I/O devices

Answer

To execute I/O instructions

Answer

To manage data flow between memory and I/O devices

Answer

To implement I/O virtualization techniques

Question 3

What is the key difference between interrupt-driven I/O and polling for I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

Polling requires active CPU involvement, while interrupt-driven I/O does not.

Answer

Interrupt-driven I/O is faster than polling.

Answer

Interrupt-driven I/O is more reliable than polling.

Answer

Polling is more efficient for high-speed I/O devices.

Question 4

What is the purpose of a memory-mapped I/O interface?

Accepted Answer

To provide direct access to I/O devices from the CPU

Answer

To implement I/O virtualization techniques

Answer

To minimize the number of I/O instructions needed

Answer

To enhance data transfer rates

Question 5

Which primary role does an I/O processor assume in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

Facilitating and managing input and output operations.

Answer

Executing user-level application code.

Answer

Translating virtual memory addresses into physical addresses.

Answer

Encrypting and decrypting data to enhance security.

Question 6

In I/O programming, what technique involves the periodic examination of a device's status?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Interrupt Handling

Answer

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

Answer

Virtualization

Question 7

What is the primary objective of I/O virtualization?

Accepted Answer

To simplify the complexity of I/O devices from the operating system's perspective.

Answer

To enhance I/O performance and efficiency.

Answer

To reduce system latency and improve responsiveness.

Answer

To strengthen the security of I/O operations.

Question 8

In interrupt handling mechanisms, what is the primary purpose of the vector table?

Accepted Answer

To store the addresses of interrupt service routines (handlers).

Answer

To prioritize the order in which interrupts are handled.

Answer

To disable or enable interrupts based on specific conditions.

Answer

To translate interrupts into specific events or signals.

Question 9

In a polling-based I/O model, the CPU:

Accepted Answer

Repeatedly checks the status of I/O devices

Answer

Waits for an interrupt signal from I/O devices

Answer

Utilizes Direct Memory Access (DMA) to transfer data

Answer

Relies on a software interrupt handler

Question 10

Which technique is commonly employed to isolate hardware components from the software that communicates with them?

Accepted Answer

I/O virtualization

Answer

Interrupt handling

Answer

DMA

Answer

Bus arbitration

Question 11

What is the primary function of an interrupt controller?

Accepted Answer

Prioritizing and managing interrupt requests from multiple sources

Answer

Sending interrupt signals to the CPU

Answer

Creating interrupt handlers

Answer

Caching I/O data

Question 12

Which of the listed options is NOT considered an I/O device?

Accepted Answer

Memory

Answer

Keyboard

Answer

Printer

Answer

Disk drive

Question 13

What is the primary purpose of utilizing a dedicated I/O processor (IOP) in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To offload I/O tasks from the CPU, leading to improved performance

Answer

To augment the number of I/O devices that can be connected to the system

Answer

To simplify the design of the CPU

Answer

To prevent potential errors in I/O operations

Question 14

In a system with multiple I/O devices, how does the operating system determine the priority of servicing their requests?

Accepted Answer

By employing a priority-based interrupt controller

Answer

Based on the physical location of the devices in the system

Answer

Randomly

Answer

Through a software polling mechanism

Question 15

Which I/O programming technique involves the CPU actively monitoring a device's status to determine when it is ready for data transfer?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Interrupts

Answer

Memory-mapped I/O

Answer

Direct memory access

Question 16

What is the primary function of an I/O controller?

Accepted Answer

To facilitate communication between I/O devices and the CPU

Answer

To temporarily store data during data transfers

Answer

To decode instructions sent to I/O devices by the CPU

Answer

To enhance system security

Question 17

What is the main distinction between vectored and non-vectored interrupts?

Accepted Answer

Vectored interrupts provide a unique interrupt vector for each device, while non-vectored interrupts use a single vector for all devices.

Answer

Non-vectored interrupts are faster than vectored interrupts.

Answer

Vectored interrupts are more complex to implement than non-vectored interrupts.

Answer

Non-vectored interrupts can only be used with a single CPU.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of an I/O processor?

Accepted Answer

Executing application programs

Answer

Managing data transfers between I/O devices and memory

Answer

Handling interrupt requests from I/O devices

Answer

Providing a standardized interface for accessing I/O devices

Question 19

What is the primary purpose of a DMA controller?

Accepted Answer

To transfer data between I/O devices and memory without CPU involvement

Answer

To manage interrupt requests from I/O devices

Answer

To provide a virtual interface for accessing I/O devices

Answer

To enhance system security

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a standard I/O programming technique used in computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

Multithreading

Answer

Polling

Answer

Interrupts

Answer

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT a common challenge associated with I/O processing in computer systems?

Accepted Answer

Guaranteeing a secure interface for accessing I/O devices

Answer

Managing the high bandwidth requirements of modern I/O devices

Answer

Handling the complexities of diverse I/O devices

Answer

Ensuring data integrity during I/O operations

Question 22

What is the primary purpose of an I/O map in computer architecture?

Accepted Answer

To specify the memory addresses used to access I/O devices

Answer

To define the physical addresses of I/O devices

Answer

To map I/O operations to interrupt handlers

Answer

To provide a mechanism for sharing I/O devices among multiple processors

Question 23

What is the fundamental difference between polled I/O and interrupt-driven I/O?

Accepted Answer

In polled I/O, the CPU actively checks for I/O requests, while in interrupt-driven I/O, the CPU is notified when an I/O request occurs

Answer

Polled I/O is more efficient than interrupt-driven I/O

Answer

Interrupt-driven I/O is more reliable than polled I/O

Answer

Polled I/O is more complex to implement than interrupt-driven I/O

Question 24

What is the primary responsibility of an I/O processor (IOP) in a computer system?

Accepted Answer

To manage I/O operations and reduce the burden on the CPU

Answer

To provide a secure interface for accessing I/O devices

Answer

To translate I/O commands into the appropriate hardware instructions

Answer

To store I/O data and provide data buffering

Question 25

Polling, an I/O programming technique, involves the CPU:

Accepted Answer

Continuously checking for device input

Answer

Responding to interrupt signals

Answer

Directly accessing device memory

Answer

Using special instructions to transfer data

Question 26

The primary purpose of I/O virtualization is to:

Accepted Answer

Create a virtualized environment for I/O device operation

Answer

Enhance I/O performance

Answer

Increase I/O device security

Answer

Provide fault tolerance for I/O devices

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT considered a type of I/O controller:

Accepted Answer

Operating system

Answer

Programmable I/O controller

Answer

Direct memory access controller

Answer

Network interface controller

Question 28

The primary function of an interrupt service routine (ISR) is to:

Accepted Answer

Handle interrupts from I/O devices

Answer

Execute I/O instructions

Answer

Manage memory allocation for I/O devices

Answer

Provide a user interface for I/O operations

Question 29

Which I/O programming technique involves continually checking the status of an I/O device?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Interrupt

Answer

DMA

Answer

Shadowing

Question 30

What is the primary purpose of a DMA controller?

Accepted Answer

To transfer data directly between I/O devices and memory without CPU involvement

Answer

To manage interrupts generated by I/O devices

Answer

To interface between the CPU and I/O devices

Answer

To store I/O device configuration details

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT an I/O virtualization technique?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Virtual machines

Answer

Containers

Answer

Single-root I/O virtualization

Question 32

What is the main advantage of using interrupts instead of polling for I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

Reduced CPU overhead

Answer

Faster data transfer rates

Answer

Improved security

Answer

Increased reliability

Question 33

What is the fundamental difference between synchronous and asynchronous I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

Synchronous I/O operations block the CPU, while asynchronous I/O operations do not

Answer

Asynchronous I/O operations always outperform synchronous I/O operations

Answer

Synchronous I/O operations are used for real-time applications, while asynchronous I/O operations are not

Answer

Asynchronous I/O operations are simpler to implement than synchronous I/O operations

Question 34

Which interrupt handling technique involves periodically checking each device for pending interrupts?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Interrupt handling

Answer

DMA

Answer

I/O virtualization

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a type of I/O programming technique?

Accepted Answer

I/O remapping

Answer

Polling

Answer

Event-driven programming

Answer

DMA

Question 36

What is the fundamental distinction between synchronous and asynchronous I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

Synchronous operations pause the CPU until I/O completion, while asynchronous operations do not

Answer

Asynchronous operations pause the CPU until I/O completion, while synchronous operations do not

Answer

Synchronous operations are inherently faster than asynchronous operations

Answer

Asynchronous operations offer enhanced security compared to synchronous operations

Question 37

Which I/O programming technique involves the CPU actively monitoring the status of I/O devices?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

Answer

Interrupt-driven I/O

Answer

I/O virtualization

Question 38

Which of the following is a primary advantage of using DMA for data transfer operations?

Accepted Answer

Reduces CPU overhead by allowing direct memory access

Answer

Requires additional hardware resources

Answer

More complex to implement than other techniques

Answer

Slower than interrupt-driven I/O

Question 39

What is the key difference between synchronous and asynchronous I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

Synchronous I/O blocks the CPU until the I/O operation is complete, while asynchronous I/O does not

Answer

Synchronous I/O is always faster than asynchronous I/O

Answer

Asynchronous I/O requires more hardware resources than synchronous I/O

Question 40

What is the primary role of interrupt handlers in I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

To handle I/O events and execute appropriate code in response to those events

Answer

To translate I/O requests into system calls

Answer

To manage I/O device queues

Answer

To control data transfer between I/O devices and memory

Question 41

Which of the following is a primary advantage of using a memory-mapped I/O system compared to a port-mapped I/O system?

Accepted Answer

Memory-mapped I/O simplifies programming and debugging by treating I/O devices as memory locations

Answer

Faster data transfer rates

Answer

Reduced hardware overhead

Answer

Improved security and protection mechanisms

Question 42

Which I/O technique requires the CPU to repeatedly check the status of an I/O device?

Accepted Answer

Polling

Answer

Interrupt-driven I/O

Answer

Memory-mapped I/O

Answer

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

Question 43

What is the primary advantage of using interrupts for I/O operations?

Accepted Answer

Improved CPU efficiency by allowing other tasks to run while waiting for I/O completion.

Answer

Increased data transfer speeds between the I/O device and memory.

Answer

Simplified I/O device management.

Question 44

Direct Memory Access (DMA) is particularly beneficial for:

Accepted Answer

Transferring large amounts of data between peripherals and memory without CPU intervention.

Answer

Managing multiple low-speed I/O devices simultaneously.

Answer

Handling complex I/O devices with specialized protocols.

Question 45

A device controller typically communicates with the CPU through:

Accepted Answer

I/O ports and registers

Answer

Shared memory regions

Answer

Cache memory

Answer

System bus arbitration

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT a typical function of an I/O device controller?

Accepted Answer

Managing the operating system's memory allocation.

Answer

Handling device interrupts and status reporting.

Answer

Controlling the rate of data transfer to and from the device.

Answer

Translating data formats between the device and the system.

Question 47

In I/O virtualization, how does a virtual machine interact with physical I/O devices?

Accepted Answer

Through a hypervisor that intercepts and translates virtual I/O requests to physical devices.

Answer

Through shared memory allocated between the guest OS and the host system.

Answer

By directly accessing the physical device drivers of the host system.

Question 48

Which of the following is a potential drawback of I/O virtualization?

Accepted Answer

Increased complexity in I/O device management and potential performance overhead.

Answer

Enhanced security through device isolation from virtual machines.

Answer

Greater flexibility in deploying and managing virtual machines.

Answer

Improved resource utilization by sharing physical devices among VMs.

Question 49

A device driver primarily acts as a bridge between:

Accepted Answer

The operating system and a specific I/O device.

Answer

The CPU and the memory controller on the motherboard.

Answer

The network interface card and the physical network cable.

Answer

The hard disk controller and the physical hard drive platters.

Question 50

In a system handling multiple I/O devices, how does the CPU typically prioritize I/O requests?

Accepted Answer

By employing an I/O scheduling algorithm to determine request order.

Answer

Solely based on the device's pre-assigned priority level.

Answer

Strictly on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of device type.

Question 51

What is the primary function of an I/O processor (IOP)?

Accepted Answer

To offload I/O operations from the main CPU, improving overall system performance.

Answer

To control the flow of data between the CPU and main system memory.

Answer

To manage and optimize the system's cache memory operations.