Technical Infrastructure and Operational Practices

1. Technical Infrastructure and Operational Practices 13% ~ 26 questions

2. CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS • MAINFRAME • MINICOMPUTER • PERSONAL COMPUTER (PC) • WORKSTATION • SUPERCOMPUTER *

3. MAINFRAME MIPS: Millions of Instructions per second • LARGEST ENTERPRISE COMPUTER • 5O MEGABYTES TO OVER ONE GIGABYTE RAM • COMMERCIAL, SCIENTIFIC, MILITARY APPLICATIONS • MASSIVE DATA • COMPLICATED COMPUTATIONS *

4. MINICOMPUTER • MIDDLE-RANGE • 10 MEGABYTES TO OVER ONE GIGABYTE RAM • UNIVERSITIES, FACTORIES, LABS • USED AS FRONT-END PROCESSOR FOR MAINFRAME *

5. MICROCOMPUTER • DESKTOP OR PORTABLE • 64 KILOBYTES TO OVER 128 MEGABYTES RAM • PERSONAL OR BUSINESS COMPUTERS • AFFORDABLE • MANY AVAILABLE COMPONENTS • CAN BE NETWORKED *

6. WORKSTATION • DESKTOP COMPUTER • POWERFUL GRAPHICS • EXTENSIVE MATH CAPABILITIES • MULTI-TASKING • USUALLY CONFIGURED TO SPECIAL FUNCTION (e.g.; CAD, ENGINEERING, GRAPHICS) *

7. CPU INPUT DEVICES SECONDARY STORAGE OUTPUT DEVICES COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES PRIMARY STORAGE COMPUTER COMPONENTS BUSES

8. Hardware or Software Acquisition

9. Invitation To Tender (ITT)

10. H/W or S/W Acquisition • Why Purchase? • Immediate system availability • High quality • Low price • Available support

11. H/W or S/W Acquisition • Steps • Identifying the problem • Identifying potential vendors • Soliciting vendor information • Defining system requirements • Requesting vendor proposals

12. Steps • Reviewing proposals and screening vendors • Visiting sites • Selecting the vendor • Benchmarking • Negotiating a contract • Implementing the new system • Managing post-implementation support

13. Steps • Benchmarking • Codified comparison of performance measures between systems • Ensures adopted application satisfies the organization's minimum requirements • Learning from Experience

14. Information System Software

15. Software Overview • Computer program: sequences of instructions for the computer. • Documentation describes program functions to help people use it • Systems software coordinates the activities of hardware & programs. • Applications software helps users solve particular problems.

16. Operating Systems Activities • Perform common hardware functions • Provide a user interface • Provide hardware independence • Manage system memory • Manage processing • Control access to system resources • Manage files

17. Operating Systems Activities • Perform common hardware functions • Accept keyboard input • Store data on disks • Send data to output devices • Provide a user interface • Command-based interfaces • Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)

18. Operating Systems Activities • Manage processing • Multitasking: more than one program can run at a time using a single processor • Time sharing: multiple users simultaneously using the resources of a single processor • Scalability: easy adaptation to more users or tasks • Manage files • Physical storage location • File permissions • File access • Control access to system resources • Protection against unauthorized access • Logins and passwords

19. Other Operating Systems • Network OS • Netware • Windows NT Server 4.0 • Windows 2000 Server • Enterprise Operating Systems • IBM’s OS/390 • HP’s MPE/iX (Multiprogramming Executive with integrated POSIX) • Consumer appliances OSs • Windows CE • Mobil Linux

20. Utility Programs • Virus scanner • File compressor • Screen saver

21. Database Management Systems

22. Database Models • The Hierarchical Model • Records are related hierarchically -- each category is a subcategory of the next level up • Disadvantages of hierarchical databases • To retrieve a record, a user must start at the root and navigate the hierarchy. • If a link is broken, the entire branch is lost. • Requires considerable data redundancy because child records can have only one parent

23. Database Models • The Network Model • Allows a record to be linked to more than one parent • Supports many-to-many (N:M) relationships • Advantage of the network model • Reduced data redundancy • Disadvantages of the network model • Complicated to build and maintain • Difficult to navigate

24. Database Models • The Relational Model • Consists of tables; links among entities are maintained with foreign keys • Advantages of relational databases • Same advantages of a network database without the complications. • Easier to conceptualize and maintain. • Virtually all DBMSs offered for microcomputers accommodate the relational model.

25. Normally employs relational data model Provide a user view Provide tools to create & modify the database Store & retrieve data Manipulate data Produce reports Database Management Systems (DBMSs)

26. Overview of Telecommunications Systems

27. Overview • Communication Flow • Synchronous communication • Asynchronous communication • Data Transmission Speeds • Measured in bits per second (bps) • Kilobits per second (kbps) • Megabits per second (Mbps) • Gigabits per second (Gbps)

28. Computer Networks • Telecommunications media • Telecommunications devices • Software • Hardware devices

29. Types of Media • Guided media • Twisted Pair • Coaxial Cable • Fiber-Optic Cable • Microwave Transmission • Unguided media • Infrared Transmission • Line of sight • Short distances • Microwave

30. Types of Devices • Modem • Analog signals: continuous • Digital signals: discrete • Modulation: translating digital data to analog • Demodulation: translating analog data to digital • Modems modulate & demodulate data

31. Carriers • Common carriers • Long distance carriers • Value-added carriers • Special purpose carriers • Additional services

32. Services • Line types • Switched • Dedicated • Private Branch Exchange (PBX) • Digital subscriber lines (DSL) • Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) • T1 Carrier

33. Network Concepts & Considerations • Network topology • Star • Bus • Ring • Network types • Local Area Networks • Wide Area Networks

34. User User HOST User User Network Topologies STAR

35. User User User User User User Network Topologies BUS

36. User User User User Network Topologies RING

37. Network Types • Logical Area Network (LAN) • Limited geographical area • Any topology possible • Network Interface Card (NIC) • Designs • Peer-to-peer • Client-server • Wide Area Network (WAN)

38. Communications Software • Error checking • Message formatting • Security • Network Operating System (NOS) • Network Management Software

39. 7 layers of OSI/RM Model Please Do Not Touch Susan’s Pretty A**!!! Application Application Presentation Presentation Session Session Transport Transport Network Network Data Link Data Link Physical Physical

40. Use and Functioning of the Internet • Interconnected networks • NO control • NO management • NO charge • NO laws • NO ownership • NO………………………

41. How the Internet Works • Hosts • Routers forward packets to other networks • Internet Protocol Stack (TCP/IP) • Internet Protocol (IP) • Transport Control Protocol (TCP) • Backbones

42. How the Internet Works • Uniform Resource Locator (URL) • http://www.whitehouse.gov World Wide Web Domain category Hypertext transfer protocol Host Network Name

43. Internet Services • E-mail (Electronic mail) • Can include images, attachments, or HTML • Routed by gateways and routers • Telnet: remote login • FTP: file transfer • Chat rooms: allow interactive conversations • Instant Messaging: online, real-time communication over the Internet • Videoconferencing • Internet phone

44. The World Wide Web • An application running on the Internet • Allow multimedia presentation of information • Allow point and click • Allow graphical interface • Make the Internet much more user friendly

45. Web Software • Web browsers • Search engines • Keyword indexes: fast & broad • Subject indexes: focused searches • Tools • Word processors • HTML editor • HTML Template • Text editor • View your page • Add effects judiciously

46. Net Issues • Service bottlenecks • Firewalls • Privacy & security • Cookies • Cryptography • Encryption • Digital signature

47. Auditing Infrastructure and Operations

48. Hardware Reviews • Review h/w acquisition plan • See if aligns with IS plan to identify any deficiencies • See if documentation for h/w and s/w specifications adequate • Review PC acquisition criteria to determine: • Written policy statements exists and have been communicated • Criteria, procedures and forms developed • Request supported by cost/benefit analysis

49. Hardware Reviews • Review change management controls • Verify IS mgmt developed and enforced change schedules • Verify operator documentation appropriately revise before implementation • Select sample of h/w changes that affected scheduling of IP and see if plans work • Assure h/w changes communicated to all

50. Operating System Reviews • Interview technical personnel • Review and approval process of option selection • Test procedures for s/w implementation • Review and approval procedures for test results • Documentation requirements • Review system s/w selection procedures • Address both IS and biz plans • Include IS processing and control requirements • Include overview of capabilities of s/w and control options