Chapter 10 - System Architecture
multiple input/multiple output (MIMO)
A wireless networking technology incorporated in the IEEE 802.11n and 802.11ac standards that uses multiple data streams and multiple antennas to achieve higher transmission speeds and substantially increase wireless range over earlier standards
Clients
Workstation that users interact within a client/server design. These workstations, or computers, are supplied data, processing service or other support from other computers, called servers.
hierarchical network
A network design where one computer (typically a mainframe) controls the entire network. Satellite computers or servers control lower levels of processing and network devices.
Gateway
(1) In business processing modeling notation, a fork in the process, allowing the flow to go one way or another (2) A router or other network device used to connect to a large, dissimilar type of network, such as the Internet
Gigabits per second (Gbps)
A bandwidth or throughput measurement.
megabits per second (Mbps)
A bandwidth or throughput measurement.
Data processing center
A central location where physical data was delivered or transmitted in some manner and entered into the system. Users in the organization had no input or output capability, except for printed reports that were distributed by a corporate IT department.
Access Point
A central wireless device that provides network services to wireless clients.
Wireless Access point (WAP)
A central wireless device that provides network services to wireless clients. Also called an access point
Application Server
A computer acting as "middlemen" between customers and an organization's databases and applications. Often used to facilitate complex business transactions.
Bus Network
A computer network where a single communication path connects the mainframe computer, server, workstations, and peripheral devices. Information is transmitted in either direction from any workstation to another workstation, and any message can be directed to a specific device.
Router
A device that connects network segments, determines the most efficient data path, and guides the flow of data.
Net-centric computing
A distributed environment where applications and data are downloaded from servers and exchanged with peers across a network on an as-needed basis.
802.11
A family of wireless network specification developed by the IEEE
Bluetooth
A form of wirless transmission very popular for short-distance wireless communication that does not require high power
n-tier designs
A multilevel design or architecture. For example, three-tier designs also are called n-tier designs, to indicate that some designs use more than one intermediate layer.
Mesh network
A network design in which each node connects to every other node. While this design is very reliable, it is also expensive to install and maintain.
local area network (LAN)
A network design that allows the sharing of data and hardware, such as printers and scanners. Advances in data communication technology have made it possible to create powerful networks that use satellite links, high-speed fiber-optic lines, or the Internet to share data.
Fat client
A network design that locates all or most of the application processing logic at the client
two-tier design
A network design where the user interface resides on the client, all data resides on the server, and the application logic can run either on the server or on the client or be divided between the client and the server
Star network
A network design with a central device and one or more workstations connected to it in a way that forms a star pattern
transparent
A network is transparent if a user sees the data as if it were stored on his or her own workstation
Ring Network
A network resembling a circle of computers that communicate with each other. A ring network often is used when processing is performed at local sites rather than at a central location
Wide area network (WAN)
A network spanning long distances that can link users who are continents apart
multipath design
A networkd design that relies on multiple data paths to increase bandwidth and range, using MIMO technology
Proxy Server
A networking device that provides Internet connectivity for internal LAN users.
Wi-Fi Alliance
A nonprofit international association formed in 1999 to certify interoperability of wireless network products based on IEEE 802.11 specifications.
Knee of the curve
A performance characteristic of a client/server computing environment. Client/server response times tend to increase gradually and then rise dramatically as the system nears its capacity. The point where response times increase dramatically
Node
A physical device, wired or wireless, that can send, receive, or manage network data
Roaming
A process that allows wireless clients to move from one access point to another, automatically associating with the stronger access point and allowing for uninterrupted service
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
A professional organization that establishes standards for telecommunications
platform
A specific hardware and software configuration that supports IT business goals such as hardware connectivity and easy integration of future applications
web-centric
A strategy or approach that emphasizes a high degree of integration with other web-based components. A web-centric architecture follows Internet design protocols and enables a company to integrate the new application into its ecommerce strategy.
thick client
A system design that locates most of all the application processing logic at the client. Also called a fat client design
Mainframe architecture
A system design where the server performs all the processing
distributed database management system
A system for managing data stored at more than one location.
System architecture
A translation of the logical design of an information system into a physical structure that includes hardware, software, network support, and processing methods
Logical topology
A view of a network that describes the way the components interact, rather than the actual network cabling and connections
wiki
A web-based repository of infomration that anyone can access, contribute to, or modify
Corporate portal
A website that provides various tools and features for an organization;s customers, employees, suppliers, and the public
infrastructure mode
A wireless network configuration in which a central wireless device called an access point is used to serve all wireless clients; also called Basic Service Set (BSS).
Basic Service Set (BSS)
A wireless network configuration in which a central wireless device called an access point is used to serve all wireless clients; also called infrastructure mode.
Extended Service Set (ESS)
A wireless network configuration made up of two or more BSS networks, which allows wireless clients to roam from BSS to BSS
Wireless local area network (WLAN)
A wireless network that is relatively inexpensive to install and is well-suited to workgroups and users who are not anchored to a specific desk or location.
HTTP/2
The second major version of the network protocol used by the web. Released as a standard in 2015.
802.11n
An IEEE wireless network specification adopted in 2009 that uses multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) technology to achieve speeds of 200+ Mbps while increasing the wireless range, and is backward-compatible with 802.11 a, b, and g.
802.11g
An IEEE wireless network specification introduced in 2003 based on a frequency of 2.4 GHz and maximum bandwidth of 54 Mbps; compatible with and replaced 802.11b, and has been superseded by the 802.11n standard.
802.11ac
An IEEE wireless network specification, approved in 2014, that uses expanded multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) technology to achieve theoretical speeds of nearly 7 Gbps while increasing the wireless range, and is backward-compatible with 802.11 a, b, g, and n.
802.11b
An IEEE wireless specification introduced in 1999 based on frequency of 2.4 GHz and maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps
Portal
An entrance to a multifunction website. After entering a portal, a user can navigate to a destination, using various tools and features provided by the portal designer/
Semantic web
An evolution of the web where the documents shared on the Internet have semantics (meaning) and not just syntax (HTML markup). Sometimes called Web 3.0.
Wi-Max
IEEE 802.16 specifications, which are expected to enable wireless multimedia applications with a range of up to 30 miles.
Switch
Central networking device in a star network, which manages the network and acts as a conduit for all network traffic
distributed systems
Company-wide systems that are connected by one or more LANs or WANs. The capabilities of a distributed system depend on the power and capacity of the underlying data communication network.
Server
Computer in a client/server design that supplies data, processing, and services to client workstations
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) modle
Describes how data actually moves from an application on one computer to an application on another networked computer. The OSI consists of seven layers, and each layer performs a specific function
Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)
Family of popular IEEE LAN wireless networking standards, also known as 802.11, including 802.11a, b, g, and n. 802.11n is the most recent standard. 802.11ac and 802.11as are proposed new standards
client/server architecture
Generally refers to systems that divide processing between one or more networked clients and a central server. In a typical client/server system, the client handles the entire user interface, including data entry, data query,and screen presentation logic
online system
Handling transactions when and where they occur and providing output directly to users. Because it is interactive, online processing avoids delays and allows a constant dialog between the user and the system
Three-tier design
In a three-tier design, the user interface runs on the client and the data is stored on the server, just as in a two-tier design. A three-tier design also has a middle layer between the client and server that processes the client requests and translates them into data access commands that can be understood and carried out by the server.
Internet operating system
Part of the Web 2.0 model, and online computing environment created by online communities and services, based on layers of shared information that can contain text, sound bytes, images, and video clips
Applications
Part of the information system, an application handles that input, manages the processing logic, and provides the required output
Extensibility
Refers to a system's ability to expand, change, or downsize easily to meet the changing needs of a business enterprise
Scaling on demand
The ability to match network resources to needs at any given time; a feature of cloud computing. For example, during peak loads, additional cloud servers might come on line automatically to support increased workloads
bandwidth
The amount of data that the system can handle in a fixed time period
hub
The center of a star network. Switches in modern networks have largely replaced hubs
Physical topology
The connection structure of an actual network's cabling
Legacy data
The data associated with an older less technologically advanced legacy system
Point-of-sale (POS)
The part of an information system that handles daily sales transactions and maintains the online inventory file
Application Logic
The underlying business rules or logical for an application
Network Topology
The way a network is configured LAN and WAN networks typically are arranged in one of four common patterns: hierarchical, bus, star, and ring.
Data frames
Traffic on a computer network.
Stand-alone
When personal computers first appeared in large numbers in the 1990, users found that they could run their own word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications, without assistance from the IT group, in a mode called stand-alone computing.
Glueware
software and cloud services that provide common services and capabilities to application and help developers and operators build and deploy applications more efficiently.
