Lecture 3-4-5: Information

Technology Infrastructure
hanh.vt@ueh.edu.vn
Study questions 2

Q1 What do business professionals need

to know about computer hardware?
Q2 What do business professionals need
to know about software?
Q3 What do business professionals need
to know about database & database
processing?
Q4 What do business professionals need
to know about data communication?
 3

Q1 What do business
professionals need to know
about computer hardware?
basic hardware categories 4

u hardware consists
of electronic
components and
related gadgetry
that input, process,
output, and store
data according to
instructions
encoded in
computer programs
Source: textbook [1], pg 96
or software
Computer Data 5

u Computers represent data using binary

digits, called bits.
u A bit is either a 0 or a 1
u Bits are grouped into 8-bit chunks
called bytes.
u Computer data, whether numbers,
alphabetic characters or photos, are
simple a string of bits.
Computer Data - Important Storage- 6
Capacity Terminology
Approximate
Term Definition
# of Bytes
Number of bits to represent one
Byte (B)
character
Kilobyte (KB) 210 bytes 1 thousand
Megabyte (MB) 220 or 1,048,576 bytes 1 million
Gigabyte (GB) 230 or 1,073,741,824 bytes 1 billion
240 or 1,099,511,627,776
Terabyte (TB) 1 trillion
bytes
Petabyte (PB) 250 bytes 1 quadrillion
Exabyte (EB) 260 bytes 1 quintillion
Zettabyte (ZB) 270 bytes 1 sextillion
Yottabyte (YB) 280 bytes 1 septillion
How does a computer work? 7

u CPU transfers a program or data from a storage disk to main

memory.
u CPU moves a program instruction from main memory into the CPU
via the data channel, or bus.
u Cache memory, part of CPU, is very fast memory used to store
frequently used instructions in order to speed up processing.
u Main memory contains operating system (OS), a program that
controls computer’s resources, and blocks data and instructions.
u Main memory too small to hold all the program code and data
needed for processing, so operating system loads programs into
memory in chunks. Then, uses memory swapping to move chunks
of instructions and data in and out of main memory.
How does a computer work? 8

Source: textbook [1], pg 99

Why Does a Manager Care How a 9
Computer Works?
u Depending on employee’s tasks and apps needed, you
can:
u Order computers with varying sizes of main memory.
u improve computer performance by adding more memory
u order computers with CPUs of different speeds (E.g. 1.5
Gigahertz)
u Example:
u à for An employee who does only simple tasks
u 1GB RAM, a 32-bit, 1.5 Gigahertz CPU.
u à an employee who processes many programs at the
same time/large files:
u >3GB RAM, a 64-bit, dual processor with >3.5 Gigahertz
What Is the Difference Between a 10
Client and a Server

Source: textbook [1], pg 100

Client and Server 11

u Client computers
u computers used by an individual for word
processing, spreadsheets, database access, etc.
u most client computers have software that
enables them to connect to a private network
at work or school, or to the public Internet.
u Server computers
u provide some service (such as email; serving
pages on a website; processing large, shared
databases; or other functions) to multiple
users.
Client and Server 12

u A typical server:
u must be fast and have multiple CPUs
u needs lots of main memory, at least 4GB
u requires very large disks – often a terabyte or
more

u Because servers are almost always

accessed from another computer via a
network:
u have limited video displays, or no display at all
u many have no keyboard
Client and Server 13

Server farm
u An organised collection of servers
u Servers in a farm coordinate their activities in a sophisticated and
fascinating technology dance.
u Servers receive and process hundreds, possibly thousands, of service
requests per minute:
u in December 2005, Amazon.com processed an average of 41
order items per second for 24 hours straight.
u Servers in a farm hand off partially processed requests to each other
while keeping track of the current status of each request:
u they can pick up the pieces when a computer in the farm fails
u all of this is done in the blink of an eye.
A Server farm 14

Source: textbook [1], pg 101

Grid 15

Grid computing
u A network of computers that operates as an integrated
whole; the grid appears to be a single computer.
u Grid may support a server farm, or some other
computing need.
u Organisations lease time on a grid from other
organisations that create, support and manage that
grid, e.g.
u IBM leases time on a grid for applications that
require intensive arithmetic computing
u alsoleases time on a special-purpose grid to
archive medical records.
Cloud computing 16

Cloud computing
u Refers to a computing network on the
Internet.
u When you access a video from a site, such as
Facebook, you are accessing computing
services in the cloud:
u you don’t know which server is processing
your Facebook requests or which server is
playing the video
u you just know that somewhere in the cloud
one or more servers is causing the video to
be downloaded to your computer.
 17

Q2 What do business
professionals need to know
about software?
Basic categories of software 18

Source: textbook [1], pg 104

Important software constraints 19

u A particular version of an operating

system is written for a particular type
of hardware.
For example:
u Microsoft Windows works only on processors from Intel
and companies that make processors that conform to
the Intel instruction set (the commands that a CPU can
process)
u 32-bit version of Windows run only on Intel computers
with 32-bit CPUs and the 64-bit version of Windows
runs only on Intel computers with 64-bit CPUs
u Linux has different versions for different instructions
sets and for both 32- and 64-bit computers
Important software constraints 20

u Application programs are written to use

a particular operating system

For example:
u Microsoft Access runs only on Windows
operating systems
u some applications come in multiple versions,
e.g.
u Windows and Macintosh versions of
Microsoft Word.
Four major operating systems 21

Source: textbook [1], pg 105

Own versus license 22

u License
u right to use a program, but not own it

u Site licence
– Flat fee to install software product on all
company computers or all computers at a
specific site.
u Open Source
– No license fee.
Virtualization 23

u Virtualization: the process by which one computer hosts

the appearance of many computers
u One operating system, called the host operating system
runs one or more operating systems as applications.
u Those hosted operating systems are called virtual
machines (vm)
u Each VM has disk space and other resources allocated to it
u Host operating system controls activities of virtual machines to
prevent them from interfering with one another.
u Three types of virtualization exist:
u • PC virtualization
• Server virtualization
• Desktop virtualization
How Virtual Machine Example 24

Source: textbook [1], pg 107

What Types of Applications Exist, 25
and How Do Organizations Obtain
Them?
Application software
u performs a service or function

u some are general purpose, such as Microsoft

Excel, Access or Word

u others provide specific functions, e.g.

QuickBooks provides general ledger and other
accounting functions.
What Types of Applications Exist, 26
and How Do Organizations Obtain
Them?

Source: textbook [1], pg 109

categories of application programs 27

Horizontal-market application software

u provides capabilities common across all organisations and
industries
u used in a wide variety of businesses, across all industries
u purchased off-the-shelf, and little customisation of
features is necessary (or possible).
Vertical-market application software
u serves needs of a specific industry
u usually can be altered or customised
One-of-a-kind application software
u developed for a specific, unique need.
How do organisations acquire 28
application software?
u Off-the-shelf-software

u Off-the-shelf with alterations software

u Tailor-made or custom-developed software

Open Source Software 29

u GNU (stands for ‘GNU Not Unix’)

u GNU general public license (GPL) agreement
u oneof the standard license agreements for
open source software
u Successful open source projects:
u OpenOffice (a Microsoft Office look-alike)
u FireFox (a browser)
u MySQL (a DBMS)
u Apache (a web server)
u Ubuntu (a Windows-like desktop operating system)
u Android (a mobile-device operating system)
How Does Open Source Work? 30

Closed-source or
proprietary
Source Machine software source
code: Source code is not
code: code is
Human available to users or
compiled into public. Only
readable instructions
available to trusted
computer executed
employees and
code directly by
a computer’s carefully vetted
CPU contractors.

Open-source
Software software available
to users in source
code form.
Source code sample 31

Source: textbook [1], pg 113

How Can You Use This Knowledge? 32

u to make some decisions about which

products you use
u As a manager, you will be involved in
creating or approving hardware budgets
What buying decisions do you make? 33

u Business managers play a role in the

specification of client hardware and
software for employees they manage.
u The particular role depends on the policy
of the manager’s organisation.
u Goal: to select the hardware and
software that will meet requirements
at the minimum total system cost.
What buying decisions do you make? 34

Sources of System Costs

Source: textbook [1], pg 114
What buying decisions do you make? 35

A Business Manager’s Role in Hardware and Software Specifications

Source: textbook [1], pg 115
What Process Should You Use to 36
Establish a Computer Budget?

A Process for Preparing a

Departmental IT Budget
Source: textbook [1], pg 116
 37

Q3 What do business
professionals need to know
about database & database
processing?
What Is the Purpose of a Database? 38

u It keeps track of things.

u A spreadsheets can do it also, but they
still have disadvantages
spreadsheets 39

Spreadsheets
combine
• Storage
• Logic
• Processing
• Display
Spreadsheets 40

u They also keep track of things.

u They are mostly associated with single
user applications, as soon as you need
to share data the possibility of error
increases
Spreadsheets - Problems 41

Spreadsheet Used
for Assignment of
Sheet Music

Source: textbook
[1], pg 164

Data redundancy A lot of data is duplicated.

Inefficiency Searching records, changing
Inconsistency Different values in same field
Integrity Data can disappear.
Data Shown from a Database 42

Student Data has

multiple themes:
• student grades
• student emails
• student office
visits

Source: textbook [1], pg 133

General Rule 43

u Lists of data involving a single theme

can be stored in a spreadsheet
u lists that involve data with multiple
themes require a database

the purpose of a database is to

keep track of things that involve
more than one theme.
What is a Database? 44

u Database:
§ A self-describing collection of integrated
records
§ In databases, bytes are grouped into
columns, such as Student Number and
Student Name. Columns are also called
fields. Columns or fields, in turn, are
grouped into rows, which are also called
records.
Characters, Fields, and Records 45

Source: textbook [1], pg 133

Hierarchy of Data Elements 46

Source: textbook [1], pg 134

Structure of a Database 47

Source: textbook [1], pg 134

Metadata describes the structure of the Database, what

values are allowed, who can access it, what can be deleted
Relationships Among Rows 48

Source: textbook [1], pg 135

Relationship Special Terms 49

u Key
§ A column or group of columns that identifies a
unique row in a table.
§ Student Number is the key of the Student table.
§ Every table must have a key.
§ Sometimes more than one column is needed to
form a unique identifier. In a table called City,
for example, the key would consist of
combination of columns (City, State).
Relationship Special Terms 50

u Foreign keys
§ These are keys of a different (foreign)
table than the table in which they reside.
u Relational databases
§ Relationships among tables are created by
using foreign keys.
u Relation
§ Formal name for a table
What Is a Database Management 51
System (DBMS)?
u Program used to create, process, and
administer a database.
u Licensed from vendors such as IBM
(DB2), Microsoft (Access and SQL
Server), Oracle (Oracle Database), and
others.
u MySQL - open source.
Processing the Database 52

Four DBMS operations

1. Read
2. Insert
3. Modify
4. Delete data
Processing the Database 53

• Structured Query Language - SQL

(see-quell)
– International standard
– Used by most popular DBMS

INSERT INTO Student

([Student Number], [Student Name], HW1,
HW2, MidTerm)
VALUES (1000, ‘Franklin, Benjamin’, 90,
95, 100)
Administering the Database 54

u Used to set up a security system involving

user accounts, passwords, permissions,
and limits for processing.
u Permissions can be limited in very specific
ways.
u Backing up database data, adding
structures to improve performance of
database applications, removing unwanted
data.
u most organizations dedicate one or more
employees to the role of database
administration
Database Administration Tasks 55

Source: textbook
[1], pg 142
Elements of Database Applications 56

Elements Functions
View data;, insert new, update existing,
Forms
and delete existing data
Structured presentation of data using
Reports sorting, grouping, filtering, and other
operations
Search based upon data values
Queries
provided by the user
Provide security, data consistency, and
Application
special purpose processing, e.g., handle
Programs
out-of-stock situations
How do applications make databases 57
more useful? Source: textbook
[1], pg 143
 58

Example of a Student Report

Sample Query
Form Used to Enter
Phrase for Search Sample Query
Results of Query
Operation
 59

How Are Data Models Used for

Database Development?
Components of the Entity- 60
Relationship Data Model
••Something users want to track
Entities ••Order, customer, salesperson, item,
volunteer, donation

••Describe characteristics of an entity

Attributes ••OrderNumber, CustomerNumber,
VolunteerName, PhoneNumber

••Uniquely identifies one entity instance

Identifier from other instances
••Student_ID_Number
Student Data Model Entities 61

Source: textbook [1], pg 148

Example of Department, Adviser, and 62

Student Entities and Relationships

Source: textbook [1], pg 148

 Sample of Relationships―Version 1 63

Crow’s
Feet

1:N N:M
Source:
One department can An Adviser ma
textbook [1],
pg 149 have many advisers, have many
but an adviser may be students, and one
in only one student may many
department advisers
 Sample of Relationships─Version 2 64

“Crow’s
Foot”

Source:
N:M 1:N
textbook [1], A department has A student has
pg 149 many advisors, and only one advisor,
an advisor may but an adviser
advise for more than may advise many
one department students
 Crow’s-Foot Diagram Version 65

Maximum cardinality─maximum number of

entities involved in a relationship. Vertical bar on
a line means that at least one entity is required.

Source:
textbook [1],
pg 150 Minimum cardinality—minimum number of
entities in a relationship. Small oval means entity
is optional; relationship need not have an entity
of that type.
How Is a Data Model Transformed 66
into a Database Design?
• Normalization
u Convertingpoorly structured tables into two
or more well-structured tables.
• Goal
u Constructtables with data about a single
theme or entity.
• Purpose
u To minimize data integrity problems.
Data Integrity Problems 67

• Data integrity problems produce incorrect

and inconsistent information, users lose
confidence in information, and the
system gets a poor reputation.
• Can only occur if data are duplicated.
Poorly Designed Employee Table 68
Causes Data Integrity Problem

Source: textbook [1], pg 151

Two Normalized Tables 69

Single
Themes

Source: textbook [1], pg 151

Summary of Normalization 70

Source: textbook [1], pg 152

Representing 1:N Relationships 71

Source: textbook [1], pg 153

Representing an N:M Relationship: 72
Strategy for Foreign Keys

Source: textbook [1], pg 154

the Users’ Role in the Development 73
of Databases?
u Users are the final judges of:
u What data database should contain.
u How tables should be related.
u Users review data model to ensure it
accurately reflects users’ view of the
business.
u Mistakes will come back to haunt them.
 74

Q4 What do business
professionals need to know
about data communication?
What do business professionals need 75
to know about data communication?
u What Is a Computer Network?
u What Are the Components of a LAN?
u What Are the Alternatives for Connecting
to a WAN?
u What Are the Fundamental Concepts You
Should Know About the Internet?
u What Processing Occurs on a Typical Web
Server?
u How Do Organizations Benefit from Virtual
Private Networks (VPNs) and Firewalls?
Computer Network 76

u A computer network: collection of

computers that communicate with one
another over transmission lines or
wirelessly.
u Basic types:

Source: textbook [1], pg 170

Components of a LAN? 77

Source: textbook [1], pg 171

Wired Connectivity 78

optical fiber

Gateway

Cables

Switch
Wireless Connections 79

u The wireless computers and printer

have a wireless NIC (WNIC) instead of a
NIC
u the WNIC devices connect to an access
point
u processes
wireless traffic and
communicates with the wired switch
LAN Protocols 80

u Protocol is a set of rules that programs on

two communicating devices follow
u Wired LAN connections use the IEEE 802.3
protocol (Ethernet):
u specifies hardware characteristics (e.g. which
wire carries which signals)
u describes how messages are to be packaged
and processed
u Wireless LAN connections use the IEEE
802.11 protocol
u Bluetooth is another common wireless
protocol
WAN 81

Source: www.diytechfactory.com
WAN 82

u Sites obtain connection capabilities

from another company licensed by the
government to provide communications
(Internet Service Provider – ISP)
u ISP functions:
u Provides a legitimate Internet address
u serves as gateway to the Internet
u pay for the Internet by collecting money
from customers and paying access fees and
other charges to telecoms
Alternatives for Connecting to a WAN 83

1. A DSL (digital subscriber line) line

2. cable TV line
3. a wireless-phone-like connection

How?
u Modem (DSL modem, cable modems):
converts digital data to analog signal
u that analog signal is then sent over the
telephone line, TV cable, or air
Summary of LAN and WAN Networks 84

Source: textbook [1], pg 174

What Are the Fundamental Concepts 85
You Should Know About the Internet?
u Internet: a network of networks
u How does the Internet work?
u The protocols used on the Internet are
arranged according to TCP/IP Protocol
(TCP/IP) architecture
The TCP/IP Protocol Architecture 86

Source:
textbook [1],
pg 179

Note: Another
model of TCP/IP Protocol Architecture:
DARPA model (4 layers : Application, Transport, Internet,
and Network Interface)
The TCP/IP Protocol Architecture 87

u Application-Layer Protocols
u Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP): used
between browsers and Web servers
u HTTPS: secure version of HTTP
u SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol):
used for email transmissions
u FTP (File Transfer Protocol): used to
move files over the Internet
The TCP/IP Protocol Architecture 88

u TCP and IP Protocols

u manage traffic as it passes across an
internet from one network to another.
u TCP (Transmission Control Protocol):
provide reliable internet transport
u IP (Internet Protocol): specifies the
routing of the pieces of your message
through the networks
IP Addressing 89

u Public IP Addresses
u Identifies particular device on public
Internet.
u Public IP addresses unique, worldwide.
u Assignment controlled by ICANN (Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers).
u Private IP Addresses
u Identifies particular device on a private
network.
IP Addressing 90

Major benefits
u Public IP
u Devices on LAN share a public IP address.
u Private IP
u Need not register computer with ICANN-
approved agencies.
u Assignment controlled within the LAN.
Public IP Addresses and Domain Names 91

u IPv4
u Four decimal dotted notation like
165.193.123.253
u Domain name
u Worldwide-unique name affiliated with a public
IP address.
u Affiliation of domain names with IP addresses is
dynamic.
u Example: www.ueh.edu.vn
uURL (Uniform Resource Locator)
uExample: http://www.ueh.edu.vn
Processing Occurs on a Typical Web Server? 92

Three-Tier Architecture
Source: textbook [1], pg 179
How Do Organizations Benefit from Virtual 93
Private Networks (VPNs) and Firewalls?
u Virtual Private Network
u uses the Internet to create the appearance
of of a private connection
u A Typical VPN

Source: textbook [1], pg 189

Firewalls 94

u A firewall is a computing device that

prevents unauthorized network access

Source: textbook [1], pg 191

Summary 95

Q1 What do business professionals need

to know about computer hardware?
Q2 What do business professionals need
to know about software?
Q3 What do business professionals need
to know about database & database
processing?
Q4 What do business professionals need
to know about data communication?
Additional resources 96

u Videos:
u Cloud computing explained on the white
board
u Communication Devices
u How does the Internet work?