IT ARCHITECTURES

Systems InfrastructureSystems Infrastructure

IT ARCHITECTURES

Systems InfrastructureSystems Infrastructure

Ref. IS Today (Valacich & Schneider) Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Published as Prentice Hall 04/21/23

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

• List essential information systems infrastructure components and describe why they are necessary for satisfying an organization's informational needs

• Describe the components of an organization's hardware infrastructure and highlight current trends.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Describe the components of an organization's software infrastructure and highlight current trends.

• Describe the components of an organization's communication and collaboration infrastructure and highlight current trends.

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Infrastructure4-4

• Interconnection of basic facilities and services enabling an area to function properly

– Streets– Power, telephone, water, and sewage lines– Schools– Retail stores– Law enforcement

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The IS Infrastructure4-5

Google’s Data center—The Dalles, OR

• Why there?– Fiber-optic network

connectivity – Access to water for

cooling needs – Cheap, uninterrupted

power from a nearby hydroelectric dam

Rf. 7 in U.S. 2 in Asia 3 in Europe

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Components of an IS Infrastructure4-6

Businesses rely on a functioning information systems infrastructure

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Key Elements of Information Systems Hardware

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• Input Devices– Used to enter

information into a computer

• Processing Devices– Transform inputs into

outputs.

• Output Devices– Deliver information to

users in a usable format

Input: Mouse and Keyboard Output: Monitor Processing: CPU

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Input Technologies4-8

• Entering text and numbers: keyboard• Selecting and pointing: mouse, touch

screen, touch pad• Entering batch data: scanner, bar

code reader• Entering audio and video: microphone,

digital camera

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Processing Technologies4-9

• Binary Code– Machine Language—the language computers

understand

– Binary or base-2 math (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and so on)• Bits• Bytes

– ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)

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Central Processing Unit (CPU)4-10

• System unit: houses all components• CPU: Microprocessor, processor, chip

– Responsible for performing all of the operations of the computerArithmetic logic unit (ALU):

Perform math and logical operations

Control unit: Fetch program instructions Decode instructions Retrieve data Store results

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Moore’s Law4-11

• In the 1970s Dr. Gordon Moore from Intel hypothesized that processing performance would double every eighteen months• Reduction of

feature size• 1960s:

20 microns• Today:

.032 micronRef : Hwang’s Law

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Primary Storage4-12

• For temporary storage to support computer processing

• Registers and cache (volatile)– Store data for immediate use by the CPU

• Random-access memory (RAM) (volatile)– Store programs and data currently in use

• Read-only memory (ROM) (nonvolatile)– Store programs and data automatically loaded

when the computer is turned on– Basis input/output system (BIOS)

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Secondary Storage4-13

• Nonvolatile storage for permanently storing data– Large capacity– Example: Hard disk, CD-ROM disk, SSD(Solid State

Drive

– EEPROM: Electrically erasable programmable memory - Flash memory

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Output Devices: Video Output4-14

• Used to display information from a computer– Monitors– Projectors

• Video card (graphics card)– Tells monitor which dots to activate

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Printers and Plotters4-15

• Plotter– Uses pens to transfer engineering designs to

drafting paper• Dot Matrix

– Used for voluminous information • Ink-jet

– Sprays ink onto paper• Laser

– Uses electrostatic process to force ink onto paper

• 3D printers

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Audio Output4-16

• Sound card and speakers–Sound card translates digits into sound –Also used to capture sound

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Types of Computers4-17

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Hardware Infrastructure Trends

• Supercomputers

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On-Demand Computing4-19

• Dealing with fluctuating computing needs• Available resources allocated based on user

needs• Utility computing

– On-demand computing rented from external provider

– Paid on as-neededbasis

– Storage service provider

• Scalability

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Grid Computing4-20

• Combines computing power of a large number of smaller, independent, networked computers– Tasks broken down

into smaller chunks– BOINC

• Dedicated vs. heterogeneous grids– Acquisition vs.

management costs

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Edge Computing4-21

• Multiple small servers located closer to individual users

• Save bandwidth• Decreased

access time

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Green Computing4-22

• Use computers more efficiently

• Large organizations with significant computing needs– Save money using:

• Virtualization• Virtual machines can be configured to run on

a single computer

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Systems Software/Operating System4-23

• Coordinates:– hardware– peripherals– application software– users

• Also used in embedded devices

• Written in assembly language

• Performs day-to-day operations

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The OS Acts as a Manager4-24

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Interfaces: Command vs. GUI4-25

• Provided by operating system

• Interface types:– Command line interface

• Requires typing text commands– Graphical user interface (GUI)

• Windows Vista• Mac OS X• Linux (KDE or GNOME)

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Application Software4-26

• For performing specific user tasks– Writing a business letter

– Processing payroll

• Application software interacts with systems software

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Software Infrastructure Trends4-27

• Open-source software– Open-source movement aided by the advent

of the Internet

• Source code is freely available for use and/or modification– Open-source operating

system• Linux

– Used in embedded systems to personal computers to supercomputers

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Open-Source Application Software4-28

• Open-source application software– Apache Web server– Firefox Web browser– OpenOffice

• Drawback:– Obtaining customer

support may be

difficult

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Application Service Providers4-29

• ASPs provide on-demand software access over the Web– Specific software located on the ASP’s server– Accessed using Web-enabled interfaces– Software as a service (SaaS)

• Benefits:– Reduced need to maintain or upgrade software– Fixed monthly fee for services– Reliability

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Service Oriented Architecture4-30

• Used to integrate business processes across organizations

• Business processes are broken down into distinct services– Enables rapid reaction to changing business

conditions– Reusable nature of services reduces cost of

developing new applications

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Evolution of Computer Networking4-31

• Computer networking– Sharing of information or services

– Comparable to human communication

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Messages, Senders, and Receivers4-32

• Components of communication:– Senders and receivers with something to share

– A transmission medium to send the message

– Protocols (rules) dictating communication

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Computer Networks4-33

• Digitizing: converting information into bits

• Bandwidth: transmission capacity

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Bandwidth Requirements for Different Types of Information4-34

McGraw-Hill/Irwin ©2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved

Enterprise ArchitectureEnterprise Architecture

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

– Explain the three components of an enterprise architecture

– Describe how an organization can implement a solid information architecture

– List and describe the ‘4 ilities and performance’ of an infrastructure architecture

– Compare Web services and open systems

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ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURES

• Enterprise architecture - includes the plans for how an organization will build, deploy, use, and share its data, processes, and IT assets

• Enterprise architect (EA) - a person grounded in technology, fluent in business, a patient diplomat, and provides the important bridge between IT and the business

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ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURES

• Primary goals of enterprise architectures

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ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURES

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INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

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Backup and Recovery

• Backup - an exact copy of a system’s information

• Recovery - the ability to get a system up and running in the event of a system crash or failure and includes restoring the information backup– Fault tolerance – Failover

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Disaster Recovery plan

• Disaster recovery best practices include:– Mind the enterprise architectures– Monitor the quality of computer networks that

provide data on power suppliers and demand– Make sure the networks can be restored quickly

in the case of downtime– Set up disaster recovery detail steps– Provide adequate staff training, including verbal

communication protocols “so that operators are aware of any IT-related problems

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Disaster Recovery

Financial Institutions Worldwide Spending on Disaster Recovery

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Disaster Recovery

• Disaster recovery plan - a detailed process for recovering information or an IT system in the event of a catastrophic disaster such as a fire or flood

• Disaster recovery cost curve - charts (1) the cost to the organization of the unavailability of information and technology and (2) the cost to the organization of recovering from a disaster over time – Hot site – Cold site

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Disaster Recovery Cost Curve

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Information Security

• A good information architecture includes:– A strong information security plan– Managing user access– Up-to-date antivirus software and patches

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INFRASTRUCTURE ARCHITECTURE

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INFRASTRUCTURE ARCHITECTURE

• Five primary characteristics of a solid infrastructure architecture:

1. Flexibility

2. Scalability

3. Reliability

4. Availability

5. Performance

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APPLICATION ARCHITECTURE

• Application architecture - determines how applications integrate and relate to each other

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Web Services

• Web service - contains a repertoire of Web-based data and procedural resources that use shared protocols and standards permitting different applications to share data and services

• Interoperability - the capability of two or more computer systems to share data and resources, even though they are made by different manufacturers

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Web Services

• Event - detect threats and opportunities and alert those who can act on the information

• Service - more like software products than they are coding projects, and must appeal to a broad audience, and they need to be reusable if they are going to have an impact on productivity

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Open Systems

• Open system - a broad, general term that describes nonproprietary IT hardware and software made available by the standards and procedures by which their products work, making it easier to integrate them– Allow systems to seamlessly share information– Capitalize on enterprise architectures– Eliminate proprietary systems and promote

competitive pricing

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CLOSING CASE THREEFear the Penguin

1. How does Linux differ from traditional software?

2. Should Microsoft consider Linux a threat? Why or why not?

3. How is open source software a potential trend shaping organizations?

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CLOSING CASE THREE Fear the Penguin

4. How can you use Linux as an emerging technology to gain a competitive advantage?

5. Research the Internet and discover potential ways that Linux might revolutionize business in the future