MIS Chapter 5

Scalability refers to the ability of a computer, product, or system to expand to serve a large number of users without breaking down. True/False

True

The collection of Web services that are used to build a firm's software systems constitutes what is known as a service-oriented architecture. True/False

True

The operating system is used to manage the computer's activities. True/False

True

Today, many business firms continue to operate their legacy systems that meet a business need and would be costly to replace. True/False

True

________ surfaces allow users to gesture on a screen with several fingers to execute commands. A) Hypertouch B) Nanotech C) Multitouch D) Android E) Scalable

c

A client computer networked to a server computer, with processing split between the two types of machines, is called a(n) A) service-oriented architecture. B) on-demand architecture. C) multi-tiered client/server architecture. D) two-tiered client/server architecture. E) divided architecture.

d

Hypertext markup language specifies how text, graphics, video, and sound are placed on a Web page document. True/False

True

Prewritten, commercially available sets of software programs that eliminate the need for a firm to write its own software programs for certain functions, are referred to as A) software packages. B) mashups. C) outsourced software. D) open-source software. E) service level agreements.

a

Running a Java program on a computer requires A) a Java Virtual Machine to be installed on that computer. B) a Java Virtual Machine to be installed on the server hosting the Java applet. C) a miniature program to be downloaded to the user's computer. D) no specialized software, as Java is platform-independent. E) the Mozilla Firefox browser and no other browsers.

a

What is the foundation technology for Web services? A) XML B) HTML C) SOAP D) UDDI E) SCSI

a

Today's nanotechnology-produced computer transistors are roughly equivalent in size to A) the width of a fingernail. B) a human hair. C) a virus. D) an atom. E) a nanoparticle.

c

All of the following are current hardware platform trends except A) green computing. B) virtualization. C) cloud computing. D) Unix. E) quantum computing.

d

A set of self-contained services that communicate with each other to create a working software application is called A) Web services. B) EAI software. C) SOA. D) SOAP. E) a software package.

c

A software tool with a graphical user interface for displaying Web pages and for accessing the Web and other Internet resources is called a Web A) service. B) client. C) browser. D) app. E) beacon.

c

How would you determine the market demand for your firm's IT services? A) Perform a TCO analysis. B) Benchmark your services. C) Hold focus groups to assess your services. D) Analyze sales returns on key investments. E) Perform a stress test.

c

Linux is A) primarily concerned with the tasks of end users. B) designed for specific machines and specific microprocessors. C) an example of open-source software. D) especially useful for processing numeric data. E) poorly suited to power fast computers.

c

Specifications that establish the compatibility of products and the ability to communicate in a network are called A) network standards. B) telecommunications standards. C) technology standards. D) Internet standards. E) compatibility standards.

c

The network standard for connecting desktop computers into local area networks that enabled the widespread adoption of client/server computing and local area networks and further stimulated the adoption of personal computers is A) TCP/IP. B) COBOL. C) Ethernet. D) ASCII. E) Linux.

c

Which of the following statements about Linux is not true? A) It plays a major role in the back office running local area networks. B) It is available in free versions downloadable from the Internet. C) It has garnered 20 percent of the server operating system market. D) Linux applications are embedded in cell phones, smartphones, netbooks, and other handheld devices. E) Linux works on all the major hardware platforms.

c

The process of presenting a set of computing resources (such as computing power or data storage) so that they can all be accessed in ways that are not restricted by physical configuration or geographic location is called A) cloud computing. B) autonomic computing. C) virtualization. D) multicore processing. E) ubiquitous computing.

a

Which of the following is not an IT infrastructure service component? A) operating system software B) computing platforms to provide a coherent digital environment C) physical facilities management to manage the facilities housing physical components D) IT management services to plan and develop the infrastructure and provide project management E) IT education services that provide training to employees

a

A SAN is a ________ network. A) server area B) storage area C) scalable architecture D) service-oriented architecture E) software arrangement

b

A formal contract between customers and their service providers that outlines the specific responsibilities of the service provider and to the customer is called a(n) A) SOA. B) SLA. C) TCO. D) RFQ. E) SaaS.

b

A recent addition to the mobile digital platform is A) quantum computing. B) wearable computing devices. C) cloud computing. D) grid computing. E) consumerization of IT.

b

A(n)________ server is used to communicate between a Web server and an organization's back-end systems. A) public server B) private server C) legacy server D) application server E) blade server

d

________ are computers consisting of a circuit board with processors, memory, and network connections that are stored in racks. A) Mainframes B) Rack servers C) Cloud servers D) Hybrid servers E) Blade servers

e

________ are created by combining and customizing components from different online software applications. A) Apps B) Web browsers C) SaaS D) Web services E) Mashups

e

________ provides a standard format for data exchange, enabling Web services to pass data from one process to another. A) HTML B) HTML5 C) Java D) Chrome OS E) XML

e

Application server software is responsible for locating and managing stored Web pages. True/False

False

IT infrastructure consists of just those physical computing devices required to operate the enterprise. True/False

False

Quantum computing is implemented primarily with enterprise or ISP servers. True/False

False

TCO refers to the original cost of purchased technology: both hardware and software. True/False

False

The technology trends exhibited by Portugal Telecom, as discussed in the chapter opening case, illustrate the shift away from green computing. True/False

False

Web services can exchange information between two different systems only if the operating systems and programming languages upon which the systems are based are identical. True/False

False

Java software is designed to run on any computing device, regardless of the specific microprocessor or operating system it uses. True/False

True

An application server may reside on the same computer as a Web server or on its own dedicated computer. True/False

True

Enterprise infrastructure requires software that can link disparate applications and enable data to flow freely among different parts of the business. True/False

True

In N-tier computing, significant parts of Web site content, logic, and processing are performed by different servers. True/False

True

In green computing, reducing computer power consumption is a top priority. True/False

True

The decision to purchase your own IT assets or rent them from external providers is also referred to as the rent-versus-buy decision. True/False

True

Whereas HTML is limited to describing how data should be presented in the form of Web pages, XML can perform presentation, communication, and data storage tasks. True/False

True

Which of the following is the most popular mobile operating system? A) Linux B) Android C) Chrome OS D) iOS E) Unix

b

SANs maintain a series of servers and provide fee-paying subscribers with space to maintain their Web sites True/False

False

A primary example of centralized processing is client/server computing. True/False

False

A(n) ________ is an integrated circuit to which two or more processors have been attached for enhanced performance and reduced power consumption. A) multicore processor B) legacy processor C) scalable processor D) aggregate circuit E) green circuit

a

Hardware and software acquisition costs account for about ________ percent of TCO. A) 20 B) 40 C) 50 D) 75 E) 90

a

Sets of loosely coupled software components that exchange information with each other using standard Web communication standards and languages are referred to as A) Web services. B) EAI software. C) SOA. D) SOAP. E) SaaS.

a

Software that manages the resources of the computer is called A) operating system software. B) application software. C) data management software. D) network software. E) partitioning software.

a

The ________ PC, becoming the standard PC in the Personal Computer Era, uses the Windows operating system software on a computer with an Intel microprocessor. A) Wintel B) Dell C) IBM D) Altair E) Digital Equipment Corporation

a

The introduction of the minicomputer A) allowed computers to be customized to the specific needs of departments or business units. B) strengthened centralized computing. C) offered new, powerful machines at higher prices than mainframes. D) represented the rise of Microsoft. E) was dominated by IBM.

a

The marketplace for computer hardware A) has become increasingly concentrated in top firms. B) has expanded to include a wide variety of start-up and mobile-computing firms. C) has moved significantly to Asian firms. D) has been decimated by mobile and cloud computing. E) has begun moving away from blade servers.

a

The multitasking, multi-user, operating system developed by Bell Laboratories that operates on a wide variety of computing platforms is A) Unix. B) Linux. C) OS X. D) COBOL. E) DOS.

a

The practice of contracting custom software development to an outside firm is commonly referred to as A) outsourcing. B) scaling. C) service-oriented architecture. D) application integration. E) utility computing.

a

Which type of computing refers to firms purchasing computing power from remote providers and paying only for the computing power they use? A) on-demand B) grid C) edge D) autonomic E) quantum

a

________ states that the value or power of a network grows exponentially as a function of the number of network members. A) Metcalfe's Law B) Moore's Law C) Law of scalability D) Law of outsourcing E) Law of networks

a

In a multi-tiered network A) the work of the entire network is centralized. B) the work of the entire network is balanced over several levels of servers. C) processing is split between clients and servers. D) processing is handled by multiple, geographically-remote clients. E) processing is located in the cloud.

b

Legacy systems are still used because they A) can only be run on the older mainframe computers. B) are too expensive to redesign. C) integrate well using new Web services technologies. D) contain valuable data that would be lost during redesign. E) incorporate cloud technologies.

b

Place the following eras of IT infrastructure evolution in order, from earliest to most recent: 1. Cloud Computing Era; 2. Client/Server; 3. Enterprise Era; 4. Personal Computer; and 5. Mainframe and Minicomputer. A) 5, 2, 3, 4, 1 B) 5, 4, 2, 3, 1 C) 4, 5, 2, 3, 1 D) 5, 4, 2, 1, 3 E) 4, 5, 3, 2, 1

b

Which of the following refers to the ability of a computer, product, or system to expand to serve a larger number of users without breaking down? A) modality B) scalability C) expandability D) disintermediation E) customizability

b

________ allows a single computing resource, such as a server, to appear to the user as multiple logical resources. A) Cloud computing B) Virtualization C) Quantum computing D) Nanotechnology E) Utility computing

b

________ unleash powerful economies of scale and result in price declines in manufactured computer products. A) Internet and Web technologies B) Technology standards C) Linux and open-source software D) Client/server technologies E) Virtualization technologies

b

________ uses individual atoms and molecules to create computer chips and other devices thinner than a human hair. A) Virtualization B) Nanotechnology C) Quantum computing D) A minicomputer E) On-demand computing

b

The phenomenon of employees using their own devices in the workplace is known as A) wearable computing. B) mobile consolidation. C) cloud computing. D) BYOD. E) self computing.

d

Which of the following is not an example of the emerging mobile digital platform? A) tablets B) the Kindle C) cell phones D) CRM E) apps

d

Which of the following is not one of the main six factors to consider when evaluating how much your firm should spend on IT infrastructure? A) your firm's business strategy B) the IT investments made by competitor firms C) market demand for your firm's services D) your firm's organizational culture E) information technology assessment

d

Which type of infrastructure service provides voice and video connectivity to employees, customers, and suppliers? A) networking B) telephone C) VOIP D) telecommunications E) data management

d

Which type of software is created and updated by a worldwide community of programmers and available for free? A) software packages B) mashups C) outsourced D) open source E) closed source

d

________ takes place when a firm contracts custom software development or maintenance of existing legacy programs to outside firms. A) Cloud computing B) Utility computing C) On-demand computing D) Outsourcing E) Consumerization of IT

d

All of the following are cloud computing services except A) infrastructure as a service. B) platform as a service. C) software as a service. D) on-demand computing. E) virtualization as a service.

e

As referred to in the text, legacy systems are A) systems that employ Unix. B) electronic spreadsheets used on a PC. C) any pre-1990 Wintel systems. D) systems found on older ASPs. E) traditional mainframe-based business information systems.

e

At what percent of capacity do most servers operate? A) 100% B) 80-90% C) approximately 70 percent D) 40-50% E) 15-20%

e

Interpretations of Moore's law assert that A) computing power will eventually level off. B) transistors decrease in size 50% every two years. C) data storage costs decrease by 50% every 18 months. D) PCs decrease in market share by 9% every 5 years. E) computing power doubles every 18 months.

e

SaaS refers to A) supplying online access over networks to storage devices and storage area network technology. B) managing combinations of applications, networks, systems, storage, and security as well as providing Web site and systems performance monitoring to subscribers over the Internet. C) self-contained services that communicate with each other to create a working software application. D) easy-to-use software tools for displaying Web pages. E) hosting and managing access to software applications delivered over the Internet to clients on a subscription basis.

e

The ability to be in many different states at once, dramatically increasing processing power, is a hallmark of A) co-location. B) edge computing. C) grid computing. D) utility computing. E) quantum computing.

e

The development of TCP/IP occurred during the ________ era. A) cloud and mobile computing B) general-purpose mainframe and minicomputer C) client/server era D) personal computer E) enterprise computing

e

Which model can be used to analyze the direct and indirect costs to help firms determine the actual cost of specific technology implementations? A) supply and demand B) return on investment C) breakeven point D) cost-benefit analysis E) total cost of ownership

e

Which of the following factors does not help explain why computing resources today are ever more available than in previous decades? A) network economics B) law of mass digital storage C) Moore's law D) declining communications costs and the Internet E) widespread rejection of technology standards

e

Which of the following is a leading networking hardware provider? A) Dell B) Intel C) Seagate D) IBM E) Cisco

e

Which of the following is not one of the NIST defined characteristics of cloud computing? A) ubiquitous network access B) location-independent resource pooling C) on-demand self service D) measured service E) reduced elasticity

e

Which of the following is not one of the current software platform trends? A) Web services and service-oriented architecture B) open-source software C) HTML5 D) software outsourcing E) multicore processors

e