Though it is possible to be a distinguished AutoCAD user without knowing what is going on in your computer, it is almost entirely impossible to manage a drafting department without this knowledge. Most of AutoCAD users know thier computer front to back, not just the software, but also the hardware. If you are managing a drafting department and do not know the difference between RAM and Hard drive memory, it is hard to make a case to your financial department about why you need the 1200 dollar desktop instead of the 500 dollar desktop. And you really do not want to get stuck with a 500 dollar desktop. Just knowing the system requirements of AutoCAD and what you computer has is a start. But if you want to move up the ladder of your company, this is vital information. This information can be found all over the internet (feel free to post with trusted sites if you know any).
Again, a lot of this is well known information, but sometimes overlooked. I know in my own case, I was four or five years into AutoCAD before I knew about what was inside the computer.