Five Components of an Information System
Data :
Input that the system takes to produce information.
Hardware :
A computer and its peripheral equipment : input, output and storage devices; hardware also included the data communication equipment.
Software :
A set of instructions that tells the computer how to take the data in, how to process it, how to display information, and how to store data and information.
Procedures :
Rules for achieving optimal and secure operations in data processing; procedures include priorities in dispensing software applications and security measures.
People :
People are the most crucial part of an information system. This is because people are involved both in capturing the data and exploiting the information. Every system needs people if it is to be useful. Often the most overlooked element of the system are the people, probably the component that most influence the success or failure of information systems.
System Software
- System Software is a computer software designed to operate the computer hardware, to provide basic functionality, and to provide platform to run application software.
- System software include device drivers, operating systems, servers, utilities, and window systems.
- System software is responsible in managing a variety of independent hardware components, so that they can work together harmoniously.
Basic and Specialized Application Software
- Basic application software also known as general purpose applications and productivity applications. These programs are widely used in nearly every discipline and occupation. Word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, and presentation graphics are the common types of basic application software.
- Specialized application software is a software that is specially designed for an individual or company's specific needs. Application software, or more commonly known as "Apps", are basic programs for everyday use, such as : Office suites, Accounting packages for example; spreadsheets, graphic software, media player, enterprise software.
Different Types of Computer
- Supercomputers – Supercomputers are very expensive, very fast, and the most powerful computers we have in the world. Supercomputers are optimized to execute a few number of programs. This makes it possible for them to execute these few programs at a very high speed.
- Mainframe computers - These are large and expensive computer types capable of supporting hundreds, or even thousands, of users simultaneously. Thus, they are mostly used by governments and large organizations for bulk data processing, critical applications, transaction processing, census, industry and consumer statistics among others.
- Minicomputers - Minicomputers are mid sized computers. In terms of size and power, minicomputers are ranked below mainframes. A minicomputer is a multiprocessing system capable of supporting from 4 to about 200 users simultaneously.
- Microcomputers or Personal computers – A personal computer is a computer designed to be used by one user at a time. The term microcomputer relates to microprocessor which is used with a personal computer for the purpose of processing data and instruction codes.
- Portable or mobile computers - Manufactured with a very important feature; they are portable (are designed for mobility). This means a computer user can be able to move with it from one point to another comfortably. One can also work from any location irrespective of if there is a power source. They are small, compact and light in weight and have their own power in form of a battery but of course it does not last forever, thus they have to be plugged to a source of power once in a while.
Connectivity
Connectivity is the capability of your microcomputer to share information with other computers.
Wireless devices :
- Wireless technology describes electronic devices that communicate without cords using radio frequency signals. Wireless technology is used in a variety of modern device to provide convenience and greater mobility, and wireless devices play an important role in voice and Internet communications.
- A wireless router is a device that accepts an incoming Internet connection and sends data as RF signals to other wireless devices that are near the router. Wireless routers are used to connect wireless-enabled computers and other devices to the Internet. A network set up with a wireless router is sometimes called a wireless local area network (WLAN.). Many routers have built-in security features such as firewalls which help protect devices connected to the router against malicious data, such as computer viruses.
- Wireless adapters are hardware devices installed inside computers that enable wireless connectivity. If a computer does not have a wireless adapter, it will not be able to connect to a router in order to access the Internet. Some computers have wireless adapters built directly into the motherboard while it is also possible to install stand-alone wireless adapters to add wireless capability to a computer that did not come with an adapter built in.
- A wireless repeater is a wireless networking device that is used to extend the range of a router. A repeater receives wireless signals and then re-emits them with increased strength. By placing a repeater between a router and the computer connected to the router, signal strength can be boosted, resulting in faster connection speeds.
- Cellular and cordless phones are two more examples of device that make use of wireless signals. Cordless phones have a limited range, but cell phones typically have a much larger range than local wireless networks, since cell phone providers use large telecommunication towers to provide cell phone coverage.Satellite phones make use of signals from satellites to communicate, similar to Global Positioning System (GSP) devices.
- Anything that uses radio signals to communicate can be considered a wireless device. Common devices, such as garage door openers, baby monitors, certain video game consoles and walkie-talkies, make use of wireless technology.
What is computer network? :
A computer network, or data network, is a digital telecommunications network which allows nodes to share resources.
Internet and Web :
The internet is a massive network of networks, a networking infrastructure. It connects millions of computers together globally, forming a network in which any computer can communicate with any other computer as long as they are both connected to the internet. Information that travels over the internet does so via a variety of languages known as protocols.
The World Wide Web, or simply web, is a way of accessing information over the medium of the internet. It is an information-sharing model that is built on top of the internet. The web uses the HTTP protocol, only one of the languages spoken over the internet, to transmit data. Web services, which use HTTP to allow applications to communicate in order to exchange business logic, use the the web to share information. The web also utilizes browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, to access Web documents called webpages that are linked to each other via hyperlinks. Web documents also contain graphics, sounds, text and video.
Cloud computing :
Cloud computing is shared pools of configurable computer system resources and higher-level services that can be rapidly provisioned with minimal management effort, often over the Internet. Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale, similar to a public utility.