Management Information Systems

Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

ADMINISTRATION OF THE
HARDWARE ASSETS AND
SOFTWARE
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

GOALS

OBJECTIVES (I)

• What processing and storage capacity does our

organization need to carry out its information and
business transactions?

• What would be the best way to organize the computers

and processes in our organization?

• What kind of software and software tools would we need

to run our business? What criteria should we apply to
select our software technology?
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

GOALS

OBJECTIVES (II)

What new technologies should we be aware of? How

would they benefit our organization?

How should we acquire and manage our company's

software and hardware assets?
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

BUSINESS CHALLENGES

•Centralization versus decentralization.

•Delay in the development of applications.

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

HARDWARE COMPONENTS OF A
COMPUTER SYSTEM

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

THE COMPUTER SYSTEM

Bit:

• Binary Digit.

• Represents the smallest unit of data in the form 0 or 1.

Byte:

• String of bits, usually eight.

Stores a number or character.

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

BITS AND BYTES

1 One bit
Characters are represented
for one byte for each letter

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 One byte for the letter A

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

THE CPU AND PRIMARY STORAGE

Central Processing Unit (CPU):

• Manage symbols, numbers and letters.

Controls other parts of the computer system.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

THE CPU AND PRIMARY STORAGE

Primary Storage:

• Temporarily stores program instructions.

Stores data used by instructions.

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

THE CPU AND PRIMARY STORAGE

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PRIMARY STORAGE

Storages:

• A program running.

• Operating System Programs.

• Data used by the program.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE CPU

•Arithmetic-logical unit (ALU): Performs the main

arithmetic-logical operations of the computer.

•Control Unit: coordinates and controls other parts

of the computer system.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PRIMARY STORAGE
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

•RAM: Random access to any memory address in

the same amount of time.

•ROM: Semiconductor memory chips that contain

program instructions. These chips cannot be
written, only read.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PROSECUTION

Microprocessors and processing capacity:

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

• Integrated circuit technology.

It integrates computer memory, logic and control on a

single chip.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PROSECUTION

Parallel Processing:

• The problem is broken down into smaller parts.

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

Multiple instructions processed simultaneously with

multiple processors.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

SEQUENTIAL PROCESSING AND

PARALLEL PROCESSING
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES
SECONDARY

• Magnetic Disk: Floppy Disk, Hard Drive.

• Optical Discs: CD-ROM, DVD.

• Magnetic Tape: cheap, older secondary storage medium.

• New storage alternatives: Storage area networks (SANs),

PenDrive.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

STORAGE AREA NETWORK (SAN)

Tape —
Library

RAID

SAIN RAID
T
RA
ID

serv server
er HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

BATCH AND INPUT PROCESSING

ONLINE
Batch processing:
• Transactions accumulated and stored until processing.

Online processing:
• Transactions entered directly into the computer and
processed immediately.
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

COMPARISON BETWEEN PROCESSING

BATCH AND ONLINE
Batch processing
Entry by
keyboa
Transactions
old master
grouped into
file
batches

Validate
update
New
Reports
Master
of errors Reports File

Transactions Online processing

Processing and

They enter update Archive

from the file
directly teacher
teacher
Immediate entry Immediate processing Update file immediately
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA

• Integrates two or more types of media into a computer-

based application.

• Used in interactive Web pages with graphics, sounds,

animation and video.
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

COMPUTER CLASSIFICATION

• Mainframes: The largest computers, massive

memory, extremely fast processing.

• Mid-range computer: Less powerful, less expensive,

and smaller than mainframes.

• Server: Provides software and other resources for

computers over networks.

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

COMPUTER CLASSIFICATION

• Minicomputers: Mid-range computers, used in

universities, factories or research laboratories.

• Server farms: Large groups of servers maintained by

commercial providers, and available for e-commerce
and other activities.

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

COMPUTER CLASSIFICATION

• Personal Computer (PC): Small desktop or laptop

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

computer.

• Workstations: Desktop computers with powerful

graphics and mathematics capabilities.

• Supercomputer: High and powerful sophistication,

ability to perform very complex computations.

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

COMPUTER NETWORKS AND COMPUTING

CLIENT/SERVER

• Distributed processing: Distribution of processing

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

among multiple computers.

• Centralized processing: Processing carried out by a

single central computer.

Client/server computing: Processing is divided

between “clients” and “servers” over a network.
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

CLIENT/SERVER COMPUTING

Custo
mer
Requests

Data and
Services Illllllllllllllllll
lllllllllllllllllll
lllllllllllllllllll
lllllll

• Data management

Server
• User interface • Application function
• Network resources
• Application function
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

TYPES OF CLIENT/SERVER COMPUTING

SERVER
Data Data Data Data

Logic Logic Logic

Interfac
e

Data

Logic Logic Logic

Interfac Interfac Interfac

CUSTOMER e e e
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

CATEGORIES OF COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

NETWORK AND COMPUTING COMPUTERS

POINT BY POINT
• Network Computers (NC): Simplified desktop
computer, does not store data permanently.
• Peer-to-peer computing: Distributed processing that
links computers over the Internet or private
networks.
• Grid Computing: It applies computing resources
from many networked computers to solve large and
complex problems.
TYPES OF SOFTWARE
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

MAIN TYPES OF SOFTWARE (I)

• Program: A series of instructions for the computer.

• System software: Generic programs that allow you

to manage computer resources.

• Application Software: These are programs written

to perform specific functions for end users.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

MAIN TYPES OF SOFTWARE (II)

SYSTEM SOFTWARE
OS
Schedule computer events
Allocate computer resources
Monitor events

Language translators
Interpreters
Compilers

Utility program
Routine operations (e.g.
Sort, list, print)
Application Software Data management (For example, creating
Programming languages and merge files)
Assembly language
PASCAL
FORTRAN
c
COBOL
BASIC
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

4G Languages and PC Software Tools

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF
SOFTWARE
SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS
PC OPERATIONS (I)

OS:

• System Software.

•Manages and controls computer activities.

TYPES OF SOFTWARE
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS

PC OPERATIONS (II)

Operating system features:

• Locates and allocates system resources.

• Schedule the use of computer resources over time.
• Monitors computer system activities.
• Provides addresses in primary or main memory for
data and programs.
• Control input and output devices.
TYPES OF SOFTWARE
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS

PC OPERATIONS (III)

Multiprogramming:

• Run two or more programs concurrently using the

same computer.

• The CPU usually executes a single program but

provides input/output services to others.

TYPES OF SOFTWARE
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS

PC OPERATIONS (IV)
Multitask:

• Single-user operating system multiprogramming

capability.

Virtual Storage:

• Manage programs more efficiently by dividing

programs into small parts of fixed or variable length.

TYPES OF SOFTWARE
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS

PC OPERATIONS (V)
Shared time:

• Share computing resources among many users

simultaneously.

Multiprocessing:

• Two or more instructions are executed simultaneously

on a computer using multiple central processing units
(CPUs).
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS

PC OPERATIONS (VI)

Translation of languages and utility programs:

•Translation of high-level languages into machine

language
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

PC OPERATING SYSTEMS AND INTERFACES

USER GRAPHICS (GUI)

GUIs in contemporary PC operating systems:

Windows Xp
Microsoft Windows 98 and Me
Windows 2000
Windows .NET Server
UNIX
Linux: open source software
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

APPLICATION SOFTWARE AND LANGUAGES

PROGRAMMING

Programming languages:

• Evolution of machine language to high-level languages

for business and scientific work.

• Important programming languages for today's businesses:

COBOL, C, C++, and Visual Basic.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

FOURTH-GENERATION LANGUAGES

Fourth-generation languages:

• They can help develop programs with little or no help

from computer specialists.

• Natural language: Close to human language.

• Query languages: Provides answers to questions asked

online.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

CONTEMPORARY TOOLS FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING

Object-oriented programming:
• Technique for software development that combines data
and procedures into a single object.

Visual Programming:
• Building programs by selecting and organizing
programming objects.
CONTEMPORARY TOOLS FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

JAVA

• Programming language.

• Provides the programming functionality necessary for

a particular task.

• It runs on any computer and any operating system.

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

CONTEMPORARY TOOLS FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

HYPERTEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE (HTML) AND

XML

• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): Language for

describing Web pages and other hypermedia documents.

• XML (eXtensible Markup Language): Describes the

structure of a document, and supports links to multiple
documents, allowing data manipulation by the computer.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF
SOFTWARE
APPLICATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES AND
PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE

• PC software tools: Word processors, Spreadsheets,

Database programs, Presentation programs.

• Other productivity programs: e-mail, groupware, Web

browsers.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TYPES OF SOFTWARE

BUSINESS INTEGRATION SOFTWARE (I)

Enterprise software:

• Set of integrated modules for main business functions.

• It allows data to be used to multiply business functions

and processes.

TYPES OF SOFTWARE
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

BUSINESS INTEGRATION SOFTWARE (II)

Middleware:
• It allows communication for the exchange of data between
two different applications.

Web server:
•Manages requests for Web pages on the computer where
they are stored.

Enterprise Application Integration Software:

• Link multiple applications for business integration.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRADE

ELECTRONIC AND THE DIGITAL ENTERPRISE

• Capacity planning: compute capacity prediction process.

• Scalability: ability of a computer, product or system to

expand and provide service without incurring
mistakes.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP (TCO) OF

TECHNOLOGICAL ASSETS

• Designates the total cost of ownership of technological

resources.

• Includes initial purchase costs, hardware costs and

software upgrades, maintenance, technical support and
training.

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT

LEASING OR PURCHASE DECISIONS:

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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

USE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS

TECHNOLOGY
Storage Service Providers (SSP):
• Third party providers that rent storage space to
subscribers through the Web.
• They allow their clients to store and access their data.

Application Service Providers (ASP):

• They supply software that can be rented by other
companies.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT
 Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

LEASING OR PURCHASE DECISIONS:

USE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS
TECHNOLOGY
Other types of service providers:
• Providers of administrative and business continuity
services.

Public Service Computing:

• “Pay as you go” model where companies pay only for the
information technology resources that they use during a
specific period.
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Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ASSET MANAGEMENT

AT THE CUSTOMER'S FACILITIES

The portal software OPERATIONS CENTER

provided by the supplier
FROM THE PROVIDER
the client the same view as the center
of supplier operations.

Using the software

owner , employees
monitor and manage the
warehouse
From a client.

Device
hardware
at the site of
supplier

Infrastructure FIREWALL
storage Actual customer data never passes
through the firewall; Instead, the metadata necessary to
(can be a storage
SAN or NAS)
Management Information Systems
Chapter 5: Hardware and Software Asset Management

Manage storage flows over a secure network connection .