8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

1/14

9 ICT systems and their components

What is ICT? Use of technology for the input, processing, storage and transfer of data and the output of information.

What is a system? Three basic stages Inputs, Processes and Output

y Photos from camera Edited on comp. Improved pics

ICT systems where the output from the system goes directly to a human being or intoanother ICT system

Components of ICT systemsy P eople Involved at every stage of a development, with no ICT system able to function

with the input of human interaction. Large organisations split work up betweendepartments. These include sales, purchasing, finance and operations, with all levelsusing a form of ICT system.

y D ata System will not compute properly if it does not have the fund amental buildingblock of data to build on. Can be input in a variety of ways, from keyboards, bar -codereaders, scanners and cameras.

y P rocedures Codes of practice and rules as to how the ICT system can be used. Isgoverned by laws Data Protection Act, Computer Misuse Act, Copyright, Designs andPatents Act and Freedom of Information Act. Correct protocol is followed to ensure dataintegrity is upheld and all information is kept safe.

y S oftware Used to carry out processes. Office suites, video editing software,photoshop, etc.

y H ardware Computer and hardware peripherals are dependent on the type of processing and output intended for a task. These include : storage space, processingpower, output devices such as laser printers

y Information Information is data that has been processed, in order to give it meaning. Achart or graph to show annual snowfall in a mountain range.

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

2/14

10 D ata and Informationy ICT systems input data which is processed to convert it to information.y If good quality information is produced, it can be used by humans to aid the decision-

making process.y H aving access to the facts is not the key; everyone receives more or less the same

information. In fact, we are drowning in information, but often starved for knowledge.The trick is to filter out correct knowledge; to pull useful information from the endlesssea of computerised data. Megatrends John Naisbitt, 1982

y A good information system will present each person with information that is useful tothem, in a form that makes it easy for them to use.

What is data? Raw facts or figures sets of values

Coding when data is shortened in order to process it more effectively. So giving aquestionnaire with set opinions, like how good is this s hit? 1,2,3,4,5? RING THE RI GHTONE?!

Encoding Encoding is used by all computers to convert the data into machine-readableform.

Text=ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange

BAR CODES read from different angles, upside down, automatic check for data entryerrors, using validation.

What is processing?Processing is the work done by computers to convert it to information.

What is information?Examination results in a bar chart, formulated from a schools database of its pupils.

What makes information valuable?ACCURACY Decisions, often important ones, are made when certain information isconsidered, so inaccurate information will mean key decisions may be made wrongly.Imperative that information is accurate.

UP-TO-DATE Share prices can change several times in a minute, so buying recommendedshares from a year ago is stupid.

COMPLETE If a house is to be evaluated for insurance purposes, and a bit gets missing,then it will not be insured properly, due to missing information.

RELIABLE SOURCE - This means that the information one can gain is all -of-the-above

RELEVANT No use having shit that ain't valuable to you is it? When a brer can t put it togood use, what s the point blud!!!

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

3/14

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

4/14

Command line interfaces used by expert users, because they are more difficult to learnthan other types of interfaces. Relies on text based commands being inputted into thesystem. Do not make a heavy demand on system resources or memory.

Interface design for effective communication Having a natural way of interfacing with computer system allows individuals to betteroperate computer systems.

Touch - simulators used for training can have sensitive gloves that respond to touch

Sight and hearing multimedia tools such as sound and video can be sued to demonstratefeatures of software

H elp and supportSoftware training packages build on user s responses. Search facility or context sensitivehelp may be provided.

P ositives and negatives of user interfacesGUI USER FRIENDLY MAKING SOFTWARE MORE INTUTITIVE May be frustrating for experienced users who need to access a command quickly but has togo through numerous levels of menus to get there.Uses a lot of system memory and resources usually

CLI Considerable a lot of expert knowledge to operateFar less demanding in terms of system resources

Menu-driver interface Restrict the options selectable by a user - good for a public ICTsystem as it gives only strict options. Used effectively with touch screen systems.

Working in ICTSkills required for jobs - Good written communication skills must have the ability to write technical

documentation and end user guides.- Good oral communication skills can communicate effectively with users or colleagues.

The ability to ask appropriate questions and respond to the needs of the end user,taking account of the skill level of the user to ensure the professional has a fullunderstanding of the prob lem.

- Problem solving skills analyse and solve problems is useful in many ICT jobs andworking on a help desk and solving users problems is an obvious example. Logic is

essential for programmers and system designers so that interaction between acomputer and a systems designer is effective.

- Patience patience and approachability will allow ICT professionals to better allow theirend user to understand the workings of their system, not getting them flustered oranxious about what is being produced

- Work flexible hours seeing a task through to the end of time so that sit gets done, andworking extra hard when shits get urgent.

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

5/14

- Teamwork teamwork skills are vital share shit with each other, support and love eachother

Characteristics of an effective ICT teamy Team leader must ensure that the team members work together in an organised and

effective manner to ensure deadlines are met. Encouragement=motivation.y Tasks are allocated to individuals who have the necessary skills to complete themy Structure in place so that the practices of the organisation are followed protocol is

followed and documentation produced specification, design, test plans, user guides.y Monitoring of the task is being done to ensure the project is completed to schedule.

Monitoring will ensure everyone is working at the same pacey Costs are monitored to ensure project is to budgety Focus should be on goals and user s requirementsy Balance should be made between those with the same according skills programmers,

analysts, designersy Good communication skills with everyone

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

6/14

12 Transfer of data in ICT systemsWhat is an ICT network?

Networks are made up of thousands of different computing devices and transmissionmedia. These include LANs and WANs, those that could reach people in a set ar ea or overcountries, respectively.

Intranets and ExtranetsInternal within a school or business where individuals can send shit to each other withoutsending it to everyone in an organisation. Internal e -mail within the intranet allows users tosend messages quickly. A private computer network that only does connected to it canaccess.

An extranet is a part of an organisation s network that can be made available to outsideusers; however, this has obvious security implications.

Characteristics of a net workP2P A network is a simple connection between two computers linked together. More than twocomputers I a network produce a hub, where a peer-to-peer network could be made. Apeer-to-peer network can use all the computers in a network, connected to it asworkstations, and so is cheaper than a client-server network.

Wireless securities make transmission of data insecure if incorrect encryption like W EP orWPA is not present.

Client-server networksIn bigger organisations, servers are used for people to access resources required to their

job. In this type of network, the server is connected to a network switch that joins multiplecomputers together at the data link network protocol layer. Each client s workstation willneed the according operating system. The application software is either installed on theservers or on the workstations themselves. Client-server networks have some advantageover P2P. They can be managed and backed up centrally and it is easier to concentrateresources such as security and maintenance on one main computer.

Use of communication technologiesThe Internet large group of interconnected computers around the world that allow thesending and retrieval of information from one computer to another.

The World Wide Web a collection of multimedia resources accessible via the Internet.

S tandardsDe facto no formal agreement, law or provision put in place for a particular hardware orsoftware, but is the one that has become common practice to use. E.g. the GIF format forimages on the web, or the use of Windows OS is de facto standards for some businesses.

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

7/14

De jure Legally binding industry standard that all manufacturers must adhere to. Wirelessstandard of Wi-Fi, developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (I EEE).Minimises compatibility issues.

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

8/14

13 S afety and S ecurity of ICT systems

It is more important in today s 21 st century to protect the digital and online information wesave about ourselves. Data stored by organisations is binded by the laws of the DataProtection Act of 1998. The introduction of the computer for data processing has increasedthe need for automated tools for protecting data stored on computers.

Threats to ICT systemsInternal threatsEmployees Over 50% of threats caused to ICT systems are caused by employees within thebusiness. Bradley Manning and SIP RNet when working for army and gave files to Wikileaks.

Human errorHaving passwords stuck to monitors to remind peeps about the passcode to get in.Employees with malpractice and crime. November 2007, misplacement of D VDs with childbenefits data on it.

VirusesExternal and internal as those with removable media can infect a system, or externally,through the Internet.

SpywareData that is stored on internal computer systems is sent to an external source without youeven knowing and certainly without your permission. Passwords for internet banking mightbe stolen, perhaps by the monitoring of keystrokes. Networked computers can spreadinfection quickly and easily by hackers.

Reasonsy Satisfactiony Personal gainy Financial gainy Sabotage

Types Data access gain control of data during transmission-Service threats stop the data being used by the organisation it belongs to by

disrupting the normal running of the software.

M eans of control of threatsData encryption scrambling data and then re-scrambling at the intended destination

How are ICT system protected?Hardware simply locking doors, securing computers to surfaces

Software setting access rights, installing network security software, logging peoplesaccount activity, data encryption, anti-virus, firewalls

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

9/14

Procedures Should be made clear in induction training what employee responsibilities arein regards to data security. Having penalties and tapped wrists when people are bad-boysand girls. Company s ICT code of practice. Change password regularly.

LegislationD ata P rotection Act 1 998 companies must first register with Information Commissionabout what data is to be held. Data subjects have the rights to:

y See what data is being held about themy To have any errors correctedy To refuse to allow data to be processed for third partiesy To refuse to allow sensitive data to be processedy to complain to the data commissioner about abuse of datay To claim compensation if damage has been caused by misuse of the act.

Data Protection Commissioner must:y Enforce and oversee the Acty

Raise awareness of the Acty Investigate complaints

Computer M isuse Act 1 99 0 The unauthorised entry into a computer system is punishableas it is a criminal offence.1) Unauthorised access to simply nose about2)unauthorised access with the intent to commit shit3) Unauthorised modification of computer material

Level 1 maximum prison of 6 months or 2000 or bothLevel 2 & 3 prison sentence of at the most, five years

Action to deal with misusePreventive measures

y Training employees about their responsibilities as workers of a companyy Including user names and passwordsy Firewallsy Anti-virus software

Copyright, D esigns and P atents 1 988The actual creation of the software, rather than the idea. The coding of a piece of softwareis protected and bound by the laws of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

10/14

14 P rocedures for backup and recoveryVery important in the business world because if data get corrupted, then there is somethingto fall back on.

Backup strategiesy What needs to be backed up?y How often needs back up?y When does the backup happen?y Which back up media to use?y Who will be responsible?y Where will the data be stored?

What needing to be backed up is dictated by the size of the organisation and the value of the data.

What type? - 3 different types of back up available

F ull backup literally, all shit in one basket, at the same time. Good if there is not enoughtime to do back-up quickly and you have limited resources. Can take a while to do though soa full back-up is done weekly or monthly. If the backup media were to be stolen, that s it. Allhell breaks loose on this world.

D ifferential backup Only data that has changed since the last back-up gets done. Theback-up file can sometimes get larger than a full backup file if done too many times. Thistype of backup takes longer than incremental.

Incremental backup save all the files that have changed since last backup, be it fullbackup, differential or even incremental. Slow restore method.

How often?How often the data changes and how much the organisation is prepared to lose. There isthe possibility of losing a day s worth of information if a hard drive gets corrupt when thedata changes from the previous night, into the next. Companies use RAID drivers that savedata onto multiple discs in a process called mirroring. The failed drive in the disc arraywould simply be hot-swapped for another, without the network having to shut down. Goodfor mission critical servers as service can remain continuous.

When?Overnight when the data files are not in use. Program and system files rarely change so canbe backed up once they change.

How?Take a couple o copies pg 147

Types of storage media used in back-upMagnetic tape cheap, large volume, fast write speed, slow to find archived shit

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

11/14

Hard disks more affordable, high capacity and easy to use. Low access times

Optical discs data can be accessed directly, leading to quick recovery times. Only 700MBso home backup not industrial. Standard at home for CD writers.

Remote backup service advent of broadband means upload times have gotten smaller, if at risk of natural disaster, data can be transferred quickly off-site . Security risks if information is going through the air.

RecoveryPeople having the responsibility of ensuring data gets backed up administrators and shit.Having a recovery disaster plan in place will make getting data back easier.

Where stored?Having an off-site, safe remote location away from original PC or server. Secure locationthat a thief could not access.

ContinuityThe need to recurrently back up shit somewhere. This makes things worse if this doesn thappen. Back-ups need to have an uninterruptable power supply.

Disaster recovery plan (D RP) should be put in place in order for:y Trading to resume quicklyy Give people confidence in a companyy Retain customer who might change companies

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

12/14

15 Use of ICT systemsWhat can ICT provide:F ast, repetitive processing perform calculations quickly, at high speeds where complexsets of variables are involved.Vast storage capacity much smaller physical space but means of technology providedways of storing shit electronically and in large volumes Census dataImproved search facilities Search and combine data that would otherwise be impossible -doctors looking up patient shit in a database instead of rifling through lots of personal paperdata.Improved presentation of data presented in a greater variety of ways, and through agreater set of output methods. Neater shit.Improved accessibility Shit is available to people in a variety of formats InternetImproved security Data is a lot more secure encryption of data possible

Appropriateness of ICT systems

Limitations it may be cost effective to choose an alternative method of solving a problem,other than using ICT. GA RBAGE IN GARBARGE OUT (GIGO), ICT cannot model opinions .

Types of processingBatch data is collected din groups or batches before processing. There is not that muchinteraction between user and computer, can be done overnight. Usually a periodic thing likeweekly, monthly, even yearly type of process. Scheduled timed processing, involving largequantities of data. Strong error-checking due to increased time constraints. Fewer systemresources used than other ones.

Examples: payroll system pay is calculated, put on wage slips then given out as an output

Power supply bills readings grouped, processed when all have arrived, bills issued.

Interactive when there is interaction between user and computer system user reacts toprompts on computer screen. Real-time processing with data processed at the same time itis input and output is also immediate .

Example: a kid looks up ISBN number of book in library database and sees if it s currentlychecked in or out, on -screen, instantaneously.

Transaction processing allows many users to access and update a system at apparentlythe same time. Work quickly with a large amount of different transaction taking place.

Example: Passengers booking seats at a travel agent and to find out if seat is free, needs tolook up shit in database. Require immediate up-to-date information that is constantlyupdated on screen. Once booked, the flight information must be sent and saved to notallow double-booking .

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

13/14

8/6/2019 INFO2 BLUD

14/14

E-commerce major players now need a high street or physical store AND an onlinerepresentative of their business. Amazon deals with their products directly online, and withpeople like British Airways always constantly updating theirs. Ahead of the game scenario.

Access to infoSpeed of access, reliability of information and wide access of information can make accessthe information available to people endless. Information can be much easier to update.

Consequences of the use of ICTRisk of over-dependency of technology, thinking they will do everything in our lives, butthey cannot. A failure will catch the global community out hardware or software.EXAMPLE Glitch in iPhone 4 software meant that alarm clock did not work on January 1 st and 2 nd of 2011.