Econ

Juasheena Gilot

Professor Bivins

Man 421

October 7, 2014

Chapter 4

Homework 4

Due October 21, 2014

Read Chapter4

IT Infrastructure: Hardware and Software

Frompage114 to 150

Review Key Page150

Do question s 1, 2,and 3.

Required Text Book:

Laudon, Kenneth and Laudon, Jane

Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, (10e or 11e), Prentice- Hall

1. What are the components of it infrastructure?

* Define information technology (IT) infrastructure and describe each of its components.

A firm’s IT infrastructure provides the foundation, or platform, for supporting all the information systems in the business.

The five major components of an information technology (IT) infrastructure are:

* Computer hardware: technology for computer processing, data storage, input, and output.

* Computer software: includes both system software and application software.

* Data management technology: organizes, manages, and processes business data concerned with inventory, customers, and vendors.

* Networking and telecommunications technologies; provides data, voice, and video connectivity to employees, customers, and suppliers.

* Technology services: external consultants who run and manage infrastructure components.

2. What are the most important contemporary hardware, data storage, input, and output?

Technologies used in business?

* List and describes the various type of computers available to businesses today.

* Personal digital assistants (PDAs): generally used to perform one task at a time by the operator. Most of the processing power is used to draw the screen and handle voice messages.

* Personal computers: generally used when working alone or with a few other people in a small business.

* Servers: specifically optimized to support a computer network, enabling users to share files, software, peripheral devices, or other network resources.

* Mainframes: large-capacity, high performance computers that process...