Chapter 3: Managing The Information Systems Infrastructure and Services

Computer Network Requires 3 things

1.) A sender (source) and a receiver (destination) that have something to share (a message) 2.) A pathway or transmission medium, such as a cable, to send the message. 3.) Rules or protocols dictating communication between senders and receivers.

Organizations store data for 3 distinct purproses

1.) Operational: for example, for processing transactions or for data analysis. 2.) Backup-Short-term copies of organizational data. Used to recover from system-related disaster (backup data are frequently overwritten with newer backups.) 3.) Archival-long term copies of organizational data, often used for compliance and reporting purposes.

Three basic capabilities that organizations use in their business processes?

1.) Processing 2.) Storage 3.) Transmission of data

SOA uses and reuses individual services as "building blocks" so that systems can be easily built and reconfigured as requirements change. Services have to follow 3 priniciples

1.) Reusability: A service should be usable in many different applications 2.) Interoperability A service should work with any other service 3.) Compenentization: A service should be simple and modular

Software as a service (SaaS)

A cloud computing model in which a service provider offers applications via a cloud infrastructure

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

A cloud computing model in which only the basic capabilities of processing, storage, and networking are provided

Plateform as a service (Paas)

A cloud computing model in which the customer can run his or her own applications that are typically designed using tools provided by the service provider; the customer has limited or no control over the underlying structure.

Private Cloud

A cloud infrastructure that is internal to an organization

Grid Computing

A computing architecture that combines the computing power of a large number of smaller, independent, networked computers (often regular destops PCS) into a cohesive system in order to solve large-scale computing problems.

Service-Level Agreements SLAS

A contract specifying the level of service provided in terms of performance (e.g., as measured by uptime), warranties, diaster recovery, and so on.

Hypertext

A document otherwise known as web page, contains not only information but also hyperlinks.

Utility computing

A form of on demand computing where resources in terms of processing, data storage, or networking are rented on an as-needed basis. The organization only pays for the services used.

Dedicated Grid

A grid of computing architecture consisting of homogeneous computers that are dedicated to performing the grid's computing tasks.

Cloud Computing

A model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on demand network access to a shared pool of configureable computing resources (networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction

Content Delivery Networks

A network of servers in various physical locations that store copies of particular web sites, so as to reduce latency

Web browser

A software application that can be used to locate and display web pages, including text, graphics, and multimedia content.

Service -Oriented Architecture (SOA)

A software architecture in which business processes are broken down into individual components (or services) that are designed to achieve the desired results for the service consumer (which can be either an application, another service, or a person).

World Wide Web

A system of interlinked documents on the internet , or a graphical user interface to the Internet that provides users with a simple, consistent interface to access a wide variety of information.

Device drivers

Allow the computer to communicate with various different hardware devices.

Server

Any computer on a network that makes access to files, printing, communications, and other services available to users of the network.

Green computing

Attempts to use computing resources more efficiently to reduce environmental impacts, as well as the use of information systems to reduce negative environmental impacts.

Extranet

Can be regarded as a private part of the internet that is cordoned off from ordinary suers, enables two or more firms to use the internet to do business together.

Describe cloud computing and other current trends that can help an organnization address IS infrastructure-related challenges.

Cloud computing uses a utility computing business model, where customers can draw on a variety of computing resources that can be accessed on demand, with minimal human interaction. Characteristics of cloud computing include on demand self service, rapid elasticity, broad network access, resource pooling, and measured service. Typical cloud computing service models are infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, and software as a service. When considering the move to a public cloud based infrastructure, organizations have to weigh issues such as availability, reliability, scalability, viability, security, privacy, compliance, openness, diversity of offerings, and, not least, cost. Other applications in the cloud include SOA, grid computing, content delivery networks, voice over IP, and videoconferencing over IP. Finally, a recent trend is green computing, as companies realized potential cot savings and a positive effect on the company's image by implementing ways to reduce energy consumption and waste.

Public Cloud

Cloud infrastructure offered on a commercial basis by a cloud service provider

System Software

Collection of programs that control the basic operations of computer hardware.

Databases

Collections of related data organized in a way that facilitates data searches, are vital to an organization's organizations and often are vital to competitive advantage and success.

Wide area network

Connect multiple LANS, distributed ownership and management.

Operating System

Coordinates the interaction between hardware components (e.g., office programs), and users (Examples: windows 8, OS , Ubuntu Linux

Protocols

Define the procedures that different computers follow when they transmit and receive data.

Characteristics of Internet

Focus: External Communications Type of information: general, public, and "advertorial" information Users: Any user with an internet connection Access public and not restricted

Characteristics of Extranet

Focus: External Communications Types of information Communications between business partners Users: Authorized business partners Access: Private and restricted.

Characteristics of the Intranet

Focus: Internal Communications Types of information: Specific, corporate, and proprietary information Users: Authorized employees Access: Private and restricted

Information Systems Infrastructure

Hardware, system software, storage, networking, and data centers.

Application Software

Helps to automate business processes, and enables processes that would otherwise not even be possible.

Explain social media and evolving web capabilities:

In contrast to traditional web 1.0 sites, web 2.0 applications allow people to collaborate and share information online, with a sift in the users role from passive consumer of content to creator. Many successful web 2.0 apps can be classified as social software that people widely use for communication and socializing. Owing to the societal changes, using social media can be an important factor in being able to attract or retain employees as younger generations are joining the workforce. Future Web capabilities extending Web 2.0 are the semantic Web, as well as the "contextual web," which is characterized by devices providing the information and content needed depending on the user's specific context. To harness the opportunities brought about by these changes, organizations are increasingly using social software to connect with customers and internal or external stakeholders in order to become more innovative or productive.

Explain Organizations needs for communication and collaboration

In today's increasingly competitive world, organizations need to communicate and collaborate effectively and efficiently within and outside organizational boundaries. For example, virtual teams, composed of team member located around the globe that are forming and disbanding as needed, have communication needs that often cannot be met buy traditional communication media. Traditionally, organizations used tools such as groupware, videoconferencing, or intranets for their communication and collaboration needs.

Essential components of an organization's IS infrastructure

Information systems infrastructure consisting of: 1.) Hardware 2.) System software 3.) storage, 4.) networking 5.) data centers

Moore's Law

Intel Cofounder Dr Gordon Moore hypothesized that the number of transistors on a chip would double about every two years.

Internet

Large worldwide collection of networks that use a common protocol to communicate with each other.

Intranet

Looks and acts just like a publicly accessible web site and uses the same software, hardware, and networking technologies to communicate information. All intranet pages are behind the companies firewall, which secures proprietary information store within the corporate local area network. Can only be viewed by authorized users.

Embedded systems

Optimized to perform a well defined set of tasks, ranging from playing MP3 music files to controlling engine performance, traffic lights, or DVD players.

Describe how changes in businesses competitive landscape influence changing IS infrastructure needs:

Organizations are facing continuously changing business environments, and quickly adapting to a constantly changing competitive environment necessitates that business are increasingly flexible and agile. Modern organizations use various applications and databases to support their business processes; these applications and databases rely on a solid underlying IS infrastructure, consisting of hardware, system software, storage, networking, and data.

Describe the essential components of an organization's IS infrastructure

Organizations use various types of IS hardware to meet their diver computing needs. The most prominent type of system software, the operating system, coordinates the interaction between hardware devices, peripherals, application software, and users. Further, organizations need to store massive amounts of data for operational, backup, and archival purposes. Networking is one of the reasons why information systems have become so powerful and important to modern organizations. Finally, Organizations use data centers to house the different infrastructure components, so as to ensure security and availability.

Mainframe Computers

Primarily as the main, central computing system for major corporations; optimized for high availability, resource utilization, and security, mainframes re typically used for mission-critical applications, such as transaction processing.

Discuss managerial issues associated with managing an organizations's IS infrastructure.

Radical advances in information technology have opened many opportunities for organizations but have also brought about challenges. Advances in hardware have enabled advances in software. Hardware and software obsolescence, faster IT cycles, and computerization present issues such as when and how to upgrade the current infrastructure. Further, organizations storage needs are growing at an ever-increasing peace, and organizations also have to deal with fluctuations in demand for computing power while often being unable to quickly scale the IS infrastructure accordingly. The increasingly need for both computing power and storage fuels and increasing demand for energy which affect a company's image as well as its bottom line.

Transmission Media

Refers to the physical pathway-cables and wireless-used to carry network information.

IP Addresses

Serve to identify all the computers or devices on the Internet.

Computer Networking

Share of data or services

Local Area Network (LAN)

Sharing of data, software applications, or other resources between several users.

Describe carious social media apps, and explain their role in enhancing communication, collaboration, cooperation, and connection

Social software can enhance communication within organizations as well as between an organization and its stakeholders. Blogs, micro blogging tools, and instant messaging are widely used by individuals and organizations to communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Social media applications such as media sharing, social bookmarking, or social cataloging apps facilitate cooperation by using the network effect to provide the greatest benefit to users. Further, social media apps have enabled new forms of collaboration for organizations and individuals. These and other technologies have enabled cloud-based collaboration tools, content management systems, wikis, as well as the use of collective intelligence and crowd sourcing. Finally, social media apps aid in connecting people with each other. For individuals, social networking has become an important way to meet new friends, connect with family members, or meet new colleagues and business partners. the reach of social networks is also used by business organization to market their products or services through viral marketing, which resembles offline word of mouth communication, in which advertising messages are spread like viruses through social networks.

5 Different types of computers

Supercomputer, mainframe, server, workstation, and personal computer.

Scalability

The ability to adapt to increases or decreases in demand for processing or data storage

Planned Obsolescence

The design of a product so that it lasts for only a certain life span

Supercomputer

The most expensive and most powerful kind of computer; typically not used by business organizations, it is used primarily to assist in solving massive scientific problems.

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

The standard method of specifying the structure and content of web pages is called

Infrastructure

The technical structures enabling the provision of services. Examples: power, telephone, water, and sewage lines. More examples: streets, schools, retail stores, law enforcement, etc.

Bandwidth

The transmission capacity of a computer or communications channel, measured in bits per second (bps) or multiples thereof, and represents how much binary data can be reliably transmitted over the medium in one second.

Videoconferencing over IP

The use of Internet Technologies for videoconferences

Voice over IP (VoIP)

The use of internet technologies for placing telephone calls

IP Convergence

The use of the internet protocol for transporting voice, video, fax, and data traffic.

Database Management Systems

Type of software that allows organizations to more easily store, retrieve, and analyze data.

Personal Computer

Used for personal computing and small business computing.

Personal area network (PAN)

Wireless communication between devices, using technologies such as Bluetooth

Workstations

designed for medical, engineering, architectural, or animation and graphics design uses, are optimized for visualization and rendering of 3D models, and typically have fast processors, large memory, and advanced video cards.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

facilitates the transmission of web pages and other information.

Cloud Computing Characteristics

on demand service rapid elasticity (salability) broad network accessibility resource pooling measured service

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

used to identify and locate a particular web page.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

web servers