MBA 508: Management
Information System
Lecture 4
MBA 508: Management
Information System
ComputerHardware and Software
Fundamentals
OBJECTIVES
What computer processing and storage capability
does our organization need to handle its information
and business transactions?
What arrangement of computers and computer
processing would best benefit our organization?
What kinds of software and software tools do we
need to run our business? What criteria should we
use to select our software technology?
OBJECTIVES
Ofwhat new software technologies should we
be aware? How would they benefit our
organization?
Howshould we acquire and manage the firm’s
hardware and software assets?
MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
The centralization versus decentralization
debate
The application backlog
Hardware Components of a
Computer System
The Computer System
Bit
Binary digit
Represents smallest unit of data in the form of either 0 or 1
Byte
String of bits, usually eight
Stores one number or character
Bits and Bytes
0 or 1 One bit
Characters are
represented by one
byte for each letter.
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 One byte for character A
The CPU and Primary Storage
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Manipulates symbols, numbers, and letters
Controls other parts of the computer system
The CPU and Primary Storage
Primary Storage
Temporarily stores program instructions
Data being used by the instructions
The CPU and Primary Storage
Computer Hardware
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
– Arithmetic and logic Unit (ALU)
– Control Unit
CPU’s use semiconductor chips called
microprocessors.
Computer’s microprocessors help determine a
computers processing power and are based on the
number of bits that can be processed at one time
and cycle speed, measured in megahertz.
Metric Units
The principal metric prefixes.
Primary Storage
Stores
Software program being executed
Operating system programs
Data being used by program
Primary Storage
RAM: Directly accesses any randomly chosen
location in the same amount of time
ROM: Semiconductor memory chips with
program instructions, cannot be written to
Computer Processing
Microprocessors and Processing Power
Integrated circuit technology
Integrates the computer’s memory, logic, and
control on a single chip
Computer Processing
Parallel Processing
Problem broken down into smaller parts
Multiple instructions processed simultaneously
with multiple processors
Sequential and Parallel Processing
Secondary Storage Technology
Magnetic disk: Floppy disk, Hard disk
Optical disks: CD-ROM, DVDs
Magnetic tape: Inexpensive, older secondary-storage
medium
New storage alternatives: Storage Area Networks
(SANs)
A Storage Area Network (SAN)
Input Devices
“Human begins interact with computer systems largely
through input and output devices.”
Mouse
Keyboard
Touch screen
Source data automation
– Optical and magnetic ink character recognition
– Pen-based Input
– Digital scanners
– Audio input
– Sensors
– Radio-Frequency identification (RFID) (Bangkok airport)
Output Devices
Cathode ray tube (CRT) Terminals
Video display terminals (VTD)
Printers
Audio output
Batch and On-Line Input and Processing
Batch processing
Transactions accumulated and stored until processing
On-line processing
Transactions are entered directly into computer and
processed immediately
A Comparison of Batch and On-line Processing
Interactive Multimedia
Integrates two or more types of media into a computer-
based application
Used in interactive Web pages with graphics, sound,
animation, video
BMP,JPEG, MP3, MPEG etc
Classifying Computers
Mainframes: Largest computer, massive
memory, rapid processing power
Midrange computers: Less powerful, less
expensive, and smaller than a mainframe
Server: Provides software and other resources
to computers over a network
Classifying Computers
Minicomputers: Middle-range computer, used
in universities, factories, or research
laboratories
Server Farm: Large group of servers
maintained by a commercial vendor, available
for electronic commerce and other activities
Classifying Computers
Personal Computer (PC): Small desktop or
portable computer
Workstation: Desktop computer with powerful
graphics and mathematical capabilities
Supercomputer: Highly sophisticated and
powerful, performs complex computations
Computer Networks and Client/Server Computing
• Distributed processing: Distribution of
processing work among multiple computers
• Centralized processing: Accomplished
by one large central computer
• Client/server computing: Splits
processing between “clients” and “servers”
on network
Client/Server Computing
Types of Client/Server Computing
Network Computers and Peer-to-Peer Computing
• Network computer (NC): Simplified desktop
computer, does not store data permanently
• Peer-to-peer computing: Distributed processing that
links computers through Internet or private
networks
• Grid computing: Applies computational resources
of many networked computers to solve a large,
complex problem
The Major Types of Software
• Software program: Series of statements or
instructions to the computer
• System software: Generalized programs,
manages computer’s resources
• Application software: Programs written to
perform functions specified by end users
The Major Types of Software
System Software and PC Operating Systems
Operating system
• System software
• Manages and controls computer
System Software and PC Operating Systems
Functions of the operating system
• Allocates and assigns system resources
• Schedules use of computer resources
• Monitors computer system activities
• Provides locations in primary memory for data and
programs
• Controls the input and output devices
System Software and PC Operating Systems
Multiprogramming
• Executes two or more programs concurrently
using the same computer
• CPU executes only one program but services
the input/output needs of others
System Software and PC Operating Systems
Multitasking
• Multiprogramming capability of single-user operating
systems
Virtual Storage
• Handles programs more efficiently by dividing the
programs into small fixed or variable length
System Software and PC Operating Systems
Time Sharing
• Sharing of computer resources by many users
simultaneously
Multiprocessing
• Executing two or more instructions simultaneously in
a single computer using multiple central processing
units
System Software and PC Operating Systems
Language translation and utility
software
• Translates high-level language programs into
machine language
PC Operating Systems and Graphical User Interfaces
• GUIs in contemporary PC operating systems
• Windows XP
• Microsoft’s Windows 98 and Me
• Windows 2000
PC Operating Systems and Graphical User Interfaces
• Windows .NET server
• UNIX
• Linux: open-source software
• OS2
• Mac OS
• DOS
Application Software and Programming Languages
• Programming languages: evolved from
machine language to high-level languages for
business and scientific work
• Important programming languages for
business today: COBOL, C, C++, and Visual
Basic
Fourth-Generation Languages
• Fourth-generation language: Can help
end users develop software with little or no
assistance from IS specialists
• Natural languages: Close to human
language
• Query languages: Provide immediate on-
line answers to requests
Object-Oriented Programming
Object-oriented programming
• Approach to software development that
combines data and procedures into a single
object
Visual programming
• Construction of software programs by
selecting and arranging programming objects
Java
• Programming language
• Delivers the software functionality needed for
a particular task
• Runs on any computer and operating system
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and XML
• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML):
Page description language, creates Web
pages and other hypermedia documents
• XML (eXtensible Markup Language):
Describes the structure of a document,
supports links to multiple documents, allowing
data to be manipulated by the computer
Application Software Packages and Productivity Software
• PC software tools: Word Processing
Software, Spreadsheets, Data Management
Software, Presentation Graphics
• Other productivity software: e-mail,
groupware, Web browsers
Word Processing Software
Software for Enterprise Integration
Enterprise software
• Set of integrated modules for major business
functions
• Allows data to be used by multiple functions
and business processes
Software for Enterprise Integration
Middleware
• Allows two disparate applications to communicate to
exchange data
Web server
• Manages requests for Web pages on the computer
where they are stored
Software for Enterprise Integration
Enterprise application integration
software
• Ties together multiple applications to support
enterprise integration
Hardware Technology Requirements for
Electronic Commerce and Digital Firm
• Capacity planning: Process of predicting the computing power
• Predicting when a computer hardware systems become
saturated
• Maximum number of user
• Future Software applications (VISTA)
• Performance Measurement
• Scalability: Ability of a computer, product, or system
to expand and to serve without breaking down
Managing hardware and software
assets
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
– Acquiring and installing Computers and software
– Ongoing Administration cost
– Up gradation Cost
– Maintenance Cost
– Technical support cost
– Training Cost
– Utility and real estate cost
Using standard and centralized hardware and
software resources can reduce TCO
Rent or build Decision
Managing hardware and software
assets
On line Storage Service Providers (SSP) (IBM
Managed Storage Services (MSS))
Application Service Providers (ASP)
– SAP (Corio Inc. )
Management Service Providers (Totality, Seven
Space)
– Combination of applications
– Networks
– Storage
– Security
– Web site
– System Performance Monitoring
Managing hardware and software
assets
BusinessContinuity Service Providers
(Comdisco)
– Disaster Recovery and continuous Web
Availability.
Internet Service Providers (ISP)
– Internet Connectivity
– Security
– Web site management.
– Web based System management.
MBA 508: Management Information
System
Many Thanks for
Attending
&
Not Sleeping!
(The End)
