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Information TechnologyInfrastructure & Management

Overview

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Information Engineering w/Global Perspectives

Design & Engineering of Systems

to Process & Manage & Support Use

Of Information in a Global

Environment

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Topic Agenda

• What is Information Technology (IT)?

• Information Technology Components

• What are the Key Challenges?

• How is IT Changing?

• What is Information Technology?

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Basic Definition

Information Technology is a term that encompasses

all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange

and use information in its various forms (business data,

voice conversations, still images, etc.)

www.whatis.com

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IT is the Backbone to Providing Information

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Topic Agenda

• What is Information Technology (IT)?

• Information Technology Components

• What are the Key Challenges?

• How is IT Changing?

• Information Technology Components

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Hardware Component

• Physical Layer of computers, telecom and other information technology devices

• Implies permanence & invariability

• Collective term– Includes computer proper, cables, connectors,

power supply units, keyboard, mouse, speakers, printers, etc.

– Includes telephony & telecom network infrastructure

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Software Component

• System Software– Controls hardware & software– Includes operating system, communications

software, utility functions (I.e., archiving, disaster recovery)

– Allows users to access LANs, WANs & nets

• Application Software– Programs that process data to produce information

needed by users

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Major Types of Application Systems

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Latest Way to Look at Applications..

SupplierRelationshipManagement

(SRM)

CustomerRelationshipManagement

(CRM)

SupplyChain

Management(SCM)

ProductLifecycle

Management(PLM)

EmployeeRelationshipManagement

(ERM)

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DATA Part of Data & Storage Technology

• Database: Collection of data organized & centralized to serve many applications

• Database Management System: Programs for creating, storing, searching, and manipulating an organized collection of data (I.e., Microsoft Access or Oracle or DB2)

• Data Manipulation Language: Specialized language to manipulate data in a database (I.e., SQL structured query language)

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STORAGE Part of Data & Storage Technology

• Where do you store your information/data?

• What medium stores your information/data?

• How will your information/data get to the

storage media?

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Network Component

• Wide Area Networks – across states & national boundaries via telephone lines, microwave or satellite communications

• Local Area Networks – within limited distances via cabling (fiber optic, coaxial, or twisted wire) or wireless

• Client-Server Networks – Server provides services shared by multiple network users or clients

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Topic Agenda

• What is Information Technology (IT)?

• Information Technology Components

• What are the Key Challenges?

• How is IT Changing?

• What are the Key Challenges?

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Key Influences on IT Progress & Success

• Speed of technology evolution (I.e., wireless)

• Strategic relevance (I.e, impact to firm’s profit)

• Corporate culture (I.e., change tolerance level)

• Coordination between business & IT groups

• Application integration

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Topic Agenda

• What is Information Technology (IT)?

• Information Technology Components

• What are the Key Challenges?

• How is IT Changing?• How is IT Changing?

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Basic Information Technology Trends

• Migration of Computing into New Devices• Migration of Information to Digital Form• Explosion of Networking

– Single Optical Fiber• 1990: Transmits 1 billion bits/sec• 2000: Transmits 1 trillion bits/sec

– Computers Connected to Internet• 1998: 30 Million• 2000: 100 Million

• Increasing Variety of Software Applications– Examples: Instant Messaging & Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

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Additional IT Trend: Outsourcing

• EDS: $21 Billion Sales, 143K Employees– Systems Integration– Network & systems operations– Data center management– Application development– Outsourcing

• CSC: $11 Billion Sales, 67K Employees– Offers services in enterprise application development,

network design, and systems integration– 50% revenue from providing IT outsourcing services of

application hosting, data center management, and network operations & management

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Schedule Reminder..

Project Kickoff on Monday!!!