Practice A2.1 Network fundamentals with authentic IB Computer Science (First Exam 2027) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 structure, covering key topics like programming concepts, algorithms, and data structures. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
A university campus network serves 25,000 students and 2,000 staff members across multiple buildings.
Design a network addressing scheme using the table below to accommodate the campus requirements:
| Building/Department | Users | Subnet | Subnet Mask | Available Addresses | Growth Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Dormitories | 15,000 | 192.168.0.0/12 | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Academic Buildings | 8,000 | Not specified | 255.255.192.0 | Not specified | Good |
| Administration | 2,000 | 192.168.32.0/20 | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Guest Network | 2,000 | Not specified | 255.255.248.0 | Not specified | Limited |
Justify why VLANs would be beneficial for segmenting different user groups on this campus network.
A financial services company requires high-availability network connectivity for real-time trading operations.
Evaluate three different network redundancy methods (dual ISP links, link aggregation, and hot standby routers) in terms of their failover time, cost, and suitability for trading applications.
Explain why Quality of Service (QoS) is essential for trading applications and describe how priority queuing and traffic shaping mechanisms would be implemented.
A virtual reality gaming company designs a network architecture to support multiplayer VR experiences with minimal latency.
Analyse the network performance requirements for VR gaming including bandwidth, latency, jitter, and packet loss tolerances. Discuss how these requirements differ from traditional online gaming.
Evaluate edge computing strategies for VR gaming, including content pre-positioning, local rendering, and predictive content delivery.
A smart city project implements IoT sensors throughout the urban area for traffic monitoring and environmental sensing.
Explain how the data volume requirements differ between traffic cameras, air quality sensors, and emergency alert systems in an IoT smart city deployment.
Compare LoRaWAN and 5G technologies for IoT applications, discussing their suitability for different sensor types in terms of power consumption, range, and latency.
Describe how edge computing architecture reduces network congestion in smart city IoT deployments.
A university campus network serves 25,000 students and 2,000 staff members across multiple buildings.
Design a network addressing scheme using the table below to accommodate the campus requirements:
| Building/Department | Users | Subnet | Subnet Mask | Available Addresses | Growth Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Dormitories | 15,000 | 192.168.0.0/12 | — | — | — |
| Academic Buildings | 8,000 | — | 255.255.192.0 | — | Good |
| Administration | 2,000 | 192.168.32.0/20 | — | — | — |
| Guest Network | 2,000 | — | 255.255.248.0 | — | Limited |
(b) Justify why VLANs would be beneficial for segmenting different user groups on this campus network.
A global logistics company optimizes its network infrastructure to support real-time package tracking across multiple transportation modes. Complete the transportation network connectivity table:
| Transportation Mode | Network Technology | Coverage Range | Data Requirements | Reliability Needs | Cost Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Freight | Not specified | Global | Medium | Not specified | Not specified |
| Air Cargo | Cellular/Satellite | Not specified | High bandwidth | High | Not specified |
| Ground Transport | Not specified | Regional | Low bandwidth | Not specified | Not specified |
| Warehouse Operations | Not specified | Local | High | Low | Not specified |
Explain how edge computing at distribution centres improves package tracking accuracy and reduces network bandwidth requirements.
Complete the transportation network connectivity table:
| Transportation Mode | Network Technology | Coverage Range | Data Requirements | Reliability Needs | Cost Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Freight | Not specified | Global | Medium | Not specified | Not specified |
| Air Cargo | Cellular/Satellite | Not specified | High bandwidth | High | Not specified |
| Ground Transport | Not specified | Regional | Low bandwidth | Not specified | Not specified |
| Warehouse Operations |
A smart city project implements IoT sensors throughout the urban area for traffic monitoring and environmental sensing.
Explain how the data volume requirements differ between traffic cameras, air quality sensors, and emergency alert systems in an IoT smart city deployment.
Compare LoRaWAN and 5G technologies for IoT applications, discussing their suitability for different sensor types in terms of power consumption, range, and latency.
Describe how edge computing architecture reduces network congestion in smart city IoT deployments.
A smart agriculture system implements IoT sensors across thousands of acres to monitor crop conditions and automate irrigation.
Evaluate the network requirements for different agricultural IoT applications including soil moisture sensors, weather stations, automated irrigation systems, and drone surveillance. Consider power consumption, range, data frequency, and environmental challenges.
Explain how LoRaWAN technology addresses the specific networking challenges of large-scale agricultural deployments compared to traditional WiFi or cellular solutions.
A financial services company requires high-availability network connectivity for real-time trading operations.
Evaluate three different network redundancy methods (dual ISP links, link aggregation, and hot standby routers) in terms of their failover time, cost, and suitability for trading applications.
Explain why Quality of Service (QoS) is essential for trading applications and describe how priority queuing and traffic shaping mechanisms would be implemented.
A retail chain connects 500 stores using various network technologies for point-of-sale and inventory management.
Evaluate different WAN technologies for connecting the retail stores:
| WAN Technology | Bandwidth | Latency | Cost per Site | Reliability | Suitable Store Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPLS | Low | High | — | — | — |
| Broadband Internet | Variable | Low | — | — | Standard stores |
| Satellite | High | Medium | — | — | — |
| 4G/5G Cellular | Moderate | — | — | Good | Pop-up/temporary stores |
Explain how SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) could improve network management and reduce costs for this retail chain