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OIM 210: Study Guide
Computer Hardware |
The physical components of information technology, which can include the computer itself plus peripherals such as storage devices, input devices like the mouse and keyboard, output devices like monitors and printers, networking equipment, and so on. |
Software |
Refers to a computer program of collection of programs-sets of instructions that tell the hardware what to do. Software gets your computer to behave like a Web browser or word processor, makers your iPod play music, and enables your ATM to spit out cash. |
Operating System |
The software that controls the computer hardware and establishes standards for developing and executing applications |
Applications |
Includes desktop applications, enterprise software, utilities, and other programs that perform specific tasks for users and organizations. |
Layers |
You can think of software as being part of allayer cake, with hardware at the bottom; the operating system controlling the hardware and establishing standards, the application executing one layer up, and the users at the top. |
User Interface (UI) |
The mechanism through which users interact with a computing device. The UI includes elements of the graphical user interface (or GUI) such as windows, scroll bars, buttons, menus, and dialogue boxes; and can also include other forms of interaction, such as touch screens, motion sensing controllers, or tactile devices used by the visually impaired. |
Firmware |
software stored on nonvolatile memory chips (as opposed to being stored on devices such as hard drives or removable discs). Despite the seemingly permanent nature of firmware, many products allow for firmware to be upgraded online or by connecting to another device. |
Embedded Systems |
Special-purpose software designed and included inside physical products (often on firmware). Embedded systems help make devices 'smarter', sharing usage information. Designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions, and are frequently built into conventional products like cars, air conditioners and elevators. |
Platform |
Products and services that allow for the development and integration of software products and other complementary goods. Windows, the iPhone, the Wii, and the standards that allow users to create Facebook apps are all platforms |
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) |
A software package that integrates the many functions (accounting, finance, inventory management, human resources, etc.) of a business |
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) |
System used to support customer-related sales and marketing activities |
Supply Chain Management (SCM) |
Systems that can help a firm manage aspects of its value chain, from the flow of raw materials into the firm, through delivery of finished products and services at the point-of-consumption. |
Business Intelligence Systems (BI) |
Systems that use data created by other systems to provide reporting and analysis for organizational decision making |
Database Management System (DBMS) |
Sometimes referred to as database software; software for creating, maintaining, and manipulating data. |
Server |
A program the fulfills the requests of a client |
Client |
A software program that makes requests of a server program |
Application Server |
Software that houses and serves business logic for use (and reuse) by multiple applications |
Web Services |
Small pieces of code that are accessed via the application server which permit interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network |
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) |
Programming hooks, or guidelines, published by firms that tell other programs how to get a service to perform a task such as send or receive data. For example, Amazon.com provides APIs to let developers write their own applications and websites that can send the firm orders. |
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) |
A set of standards for exchanging messages containing formatted data between computer applications |
Extensible Markup Language (XML) |
A tagging language that can be used to identify data fields made available for use by other applications. Most APIs and web serves send messages where the data exchanged is wrapped in identifying XML tags. |
Programming Language |
Provides the standards, syntax, statements and instructions for writing computer software |
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) |
An application that includes an editor (a sort of programmers word processor) debugger, and comelier, among other tools. Most popular IDE for Windows is Visual Studio, Apples is Xcode |
Why do IT projects fail? |
-Unrealistic project goals
-Poor project leadership and weak executive commitment
-Innacurate estimates of needed resources
-Badly defined system requirements and allowing "feature creep" during development
-Poor reporting of the projects status
-Poor communication among customers, developers, and users
-Use of immature technology
-Unmanaged risks
-Inability to handle the projects complexity
-Sloppy development ante sting practices
-Poor project management
-Stakeholder policies
-Commercial pressures |
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) |
All of the costs associated with the design, development, testing, implementation, documentation, training and maintenance of a software system. |
Marginal Cost |
The cost of producing one more unit of a project |
Open Source Software (OSS) |
Software that is free and where anyone can look at and potentially modify the code |
Cloud Computing |
Replacing computing resources-either an organizations or individuals hardware or software-with services that is delivered online |
Software as a Service (SaaS) |
A form of cloud computing where a firm subscribes to a a third-party software and receives a service that is delivered online. |
Virtualization |
A type of software that allows a single computer (to cluster of connected computers) to function as if it were several different computers, each running its own operating system and software. Virtualization software underpins most cloud computing efforts and can make computing more efficient, cost effective, and scalable. |
Linux |
An open source software operating system |
LAMP |
LINUX, the APPACHE web server software, the MYSQL database, and any of several programing languages that start with P (PERL, PYTHON, PHP) |
Scalability |
Ability to either handle increasing workloads or to be easily expanded to manage workload increases. In a software context, systems that aren't scalable often require significant rewrites or the purchase or development of entirely new systems. |
Open Source Issues |
Competing reports cite cetain open souce products as being difficult to install and maintain (suggesting potentially higher total cost of ownership). Another major concern is legal exposure. Firms adopting OSS may be at risk if they distribute code and aren't aware of the licensing implications. Some commercial software firms have pressed legal action against the users of open source products when there is a perceived violation of software patents of other unauthorized use of their proprietary code. |
Utility Computing |
A form of could computing where a firm develops it's own software, and then runs it over the internet on a service providers computers |
Service Legal Agreement (SLA) |
A negotiated agreement between the customer and the vendor, the SLA may specify the levels of availability, serviceability, performance, operation, or other commitment requirements |