Cambridge O Level Computer Science · Syllabus 2210 · Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving
Sub-system
What is Sub-system?
A self-contained part of a larger computer system that performs an identifiable function, can be designed, implemented and tested separately from the other parts, and may itself be divided into further sub-systems.
This definition is part of the Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving chapter in Cambridge O Level Computer Science.
Sub-system in context
Every computer system can be divided into sub-systems, and each sub-system can itself be divided into further sub-systems. This matters for a practical reason: a sub-system is small enough to be understood, designed, coded and tested on its own, and several people can work on different sub-systems at the same time. The parts must still work together, so the interfaces between them — what each part is given and what it hands back — are part of the design.