Chapter (5).pdf

Chapter 5. IT INFRASTRUCTURE: HARDWARE & SOFTWARE Learning Objectives What are the components of IT infrastructure? What are the major computer hardware, data storage, input, and output technologies used in business? What are majo...

Chapter 5. IT INFRASTRUCTURE: HARDWARE & SOFTWARE Learning Objectives What are the components of IT infrastructure? What are the major computer hardware, data storage, input, and output technologies used in business? What are major hardware trends? What are the major types of computer software used in business? What are major software trends? What are the principal issues in managing hardware and software technology? 2  IT Infrastructure Components IT infrastructure: provides platform for supporting all information systems in the business. ­ Computer hardware ­ Computer software ­ Data management technology vOrganizes, manages, and processes business data concerned with inventory, customers, and vendors. ­ Networking and telecommunications technology ­ Technology services v E.g., IT consulting. 3 IT Infrastructure Components A firm’s IT infrastructure is composed of hardware, software, data management technology, networking technology, and technology services. 4  Connection Between the Firm, IT Infrastructure, and Business Capabilities 5 Computer Hardware: Types of Computers Personal computers ­ Desktops, laptops Mobile devices ­ Smartphones, tablets Workstations ­ More powerful mathematical and graphics-processing capabilities than a PC. 6  Computer Hardware: Types of Computers Servers ­ Support computer network, sharing files and resources. ­ Provide hardware platform for e-commerce. ­ E.g., web server, email server, database server. Mainframes ­ Large-capacity, high-performance computer that can process large amounts of data very rapidly. ­ E.g., used by airlines to handle thousands of reservations per second. 7 Computer Hardware: Types of Computers Supercomputer § More sophisticated computer used for tasks requiring extremely rapid and complex calculations with thousands of variables, millions of measurements. § Used in engineering, scientific simulations, military/weapons research, weather forecasting 8  Computer Hardware: Types of Computers Grid computing ­ Power of geographically remote computers connected into single network to act as “virtual supercomputer” 9 Client/Server Computing Form of distributed computing ­ Splits processing between “clients” and “servers” Clients: user point of entry Servers: store and process shared data and perform network management activities 10  Client/Server Computing Clients are often situated on personal computers, while servers are located elsewhere on the network, usually on more powerful machines. Many clients can access the server simultaneously. 11 Client/Server Computing Most well-known Internet applications use the client-server architecture. ­ A web browser (client) and a web server. ­ In a hospital, a client computer can be running an application for entering patient information while the server computer is running another program that manages the database in which the information is permanently stored. 12  Client/Server Computing Clients do not directly communicate with each other. ­ Two email clients do not directly communicate with each other. ­ The email sender (client) uses the server to send an email. ­ The email receiver (client) reads the message from an inbox in the server. 13 Client/Server Computing Two-tiered client/server architecture ­ Uses two types of machines 14  Client/Server Computing Multi-tiered client/server architecture (N-tier) ­ Balances load of network over several levels of servers 15 Storage, Input, and Output Technology In addition to hardware for processing data, you will need technologies for: ­ Data storage ­ Input ­ Output 16  Secondary Storage Technologies Hard disks ­ Magnetic disk. ­ Internal or external. 17 Secondary Storage Technologies Solid state drives (SSD) ­ Electronic chips made by semiconductors. ­ Faster, smaller, and consumes less energy than hard disks. ­ But more expensive. ­ Internal or external (USB flash drives). 18  Secondary Storage Technologies Optical disks Magnetic tape § CD, DVD, Blu-ray § Same technology used for video tapes and cassettes 19 Secondary Storage Technologies Storage area networks (SAN) ­ Connect multiple storage devices on a separate high-speed network dedicated to storage. ­ Consist of a server, storage devices, and networking devices. ­ The SAN stores data on many different types of storage devices, providing data to the enterprise. 20  Input and Output Input devices ­ Gather signals from outside into the computer and convert them into electronic form. ­ Keyboard, computer mouse, touch screen, pen- based input, scanner, microphone, sensors. Output devices ­ Send information outside the computer. ­ Monitor, printer, audio output. 21 Contemporary Hardware Trends The mobile digital platform Consumerization of IT Nanotechnology Quantum computing Virtualization Cloud computing Green computing Multicore and power-efficient processors 22  Contemporary Hardware Trends The mobile digital platform ­ Mobile devices, smartphone ­ Netbooks and tablet computers ­ E-book readers ­ Wearable devices (e.g., smart watches) 23 Contemporary Hardware Trends Consumerization of IT ­ New technology that emerges in consumer market spreads into business organizations. ­ BYOD (bring your own device): business use of employee’s personal mobile devices. ­ What are advantages and disadvantages of BYOD? 24  Contemporary Hardware Trends Nanotechnology ­ Uses individual atoms and molecules to create computer chips and other devices thousands of times smaller than current technologies. ­ Nanotubes are tiny tubes about 10,000 times thinner than a human hair. They have potential uses as tiny wires or in ultrasmall electronic devices. 25 Contemporary Hardware Trends Quantum computing ­ Uses principles of quantum physics to represent data and perform operations on the data. ­ Enables processing times that are millions of times faster than current high-speed processing. 26  Contemporary Hardware Trends Virtualization ­ The process of creating multiple virtual machines (operating systems) from one physical hardware box (computer). ­ Each machine works independently from each other and have their own operating system. ­ Enables companies to host multiple systems on one machine. ­ Virtualized computers are much more efficient. 27 Cloud Computing A model of computing in which firms and individuals obtain computing resources over the Internet. Shifts computing activities from users’ computers to computers on the Internet (servers). Not just storing files, but also running software over the cloud. ­ E.g., Google Docs, MS Office 365. 28  Cloud Computing Frees end-users from owning, maintaining, and storing software programs and data. Data storage security, availability and maintenance is in hands of cloud provider. Three basic components: ­ Clients (end-users) ­ Service providers (servers) ­ The Internet 29 Cloud Computing In cloud computing, hardware and software capabilities are provided as services over the Internet. Businesses and employees have access to applications and IT infrastructure anywhere at any time using an Internet-connected device. 30  Cloud Computing Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a collection of web services that Amazon provides to users of its cloud platform. AWS is the largest provider of cloud- based services in the World. 31 Cloud Computing What business benefits do cloud computing services provide? What problems do they solve? What are the disadvantages of cloud computing? What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from using cloud computing? Why? 32  Contemporary Hardware Trends Green computing ­ Practices and technologies for designing, making, using, and disposing of computer hardware to reduce environmental impact. ­ Key priority is power reduction. ­ Examples of green technologies: v Efficient cooling techniques v Energy-efficient processors v Cloud computing v Virtualization 33 Contemporary Hardware Trends Multicore processors ­ Integrated circuit with two or more processors ­ Enhanced performance and reduced power consumption Power-efficient processors ­ Low power consumption essential in mobile computing. 34  IT Infrastructure Components 35 The Major Types of Software System software ­ Consists of operating systems, device drivers, and utility programs. ­ Enables applications to interact with the computer hardware. ­ Examples: Windows, iOS, Android. Application software ­ End-user software. ­ Examples: Most of the apps we use. 36  Operating System The software that controls all computer activities Coordinate between all computer resources such as memory, storage, input and output devices. Runs the applications Provide graphical user interface (GUI). 37 Operating System 38 Operating System 39 Operating System 40  Operating System The part of OS that we see (user interface) The hidden part of the OS that works in the background 41 Operating System PC operating systems ­ Windows ­ MacOS (previously Mac OS X) ­ UNIX ­ Linux (open source) ­ Chrome OS Mobile operating systems ­ Android, iOS 42  Programming languages Languages programmers use to develop software, scripts, or other sets of instructions for computers to execute. ­ C++ ­ Java ­ Visual Basic ­ Python 43 Software Packages and Desktop Productivity Tools Word processing ­ MS Word, Google Docs Spreadsheet ­ MS Excel Data management ­ MS Access Presentation graphics ­ MS PowerPoint Web browsers ­ MS Edge, Google Chrome, Safari 44  HTML and HTML5 Hypertext markup language (HTML) ­ Page description language for specifying how elements are placed on a Web page and for creating links to other pages and objects. HTML5 ­ Next evolution of HTML. ­ Enables multimedia embedding without 3rd party plugins like Flash. 45 Software Trends Mobile apps Open-source software ­ Produced by community of programmers ­ Example: Linux, Apache Cloud-based software and tools ­ SaaS (software as a service) ­ Example: Google Docs, MS Office 365 46  Principal Issues in Managing Hardware and Software Technology Capacity Planning and Scalability Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model Using technology service providers § Outsourcing services § Cloud services Managing software localization for global business 47 Capacity Planning and Scalability Capacity planning ­ Process of predicting when hardware system becomes saturated. ­ Ensuring firm has enough computing power for current and future needs. ­ Factors include: v Maximum number of users v Impact of current, future software v Performance measures Scalability ­ Ability of system to expand to serve large number of users without breaking down. 48  Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model This model is used to analyze direct and indirect costs to help determine the actual cost of owning a specific technology. ­ Direct costs: hardware, software purchase costs. ­ Indirect costs: ongoing administration costs, upgrades, maintenance, technical support, training, utility, and real estate costs. ­ Hidden costs: support staff, downtime, additional network management. TCO can be reduced through increased centralization, standardization of hardware and software resources. 49 Using Technology Service Providers Outsourcing ­ Using external provider to: v Run networks. v Host, manage websites. v Develop software (software outsourcing). v Manage IT infrastructures. ­ Requires service level agreements (SLA) v Define the level of service you expect from a vendor, laying out the metrics by which service is measured, as well as remedies or penalties should agreed-on service levels not be achieved. 50  Using Technology Service Providers Using cloud services ­ Businesses “rent” infrastructure from provider to avoid expenses of maintaining hardware and software on their own. ­ Three cloud models: v Public v Private v Hybrid 51 Managing Software Localization for Global Business Local language interfaces. ­ English not typically standard at middle, lower levels. ­ Interfaces are complex: menu bars, error messages, online forms, search results, and so on. Differences in local cultures. Differences in business processes. All these factors add to TCO of using technology service providers. 52  Summary IT infrastructure components Hardware ­ Types of computers ­ Client-server computing ­ Storage, input, and output ­ Hardware trends Software ­ Types of software ­ Software trends Managing software and hardware 53