Information Technology

By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)

md.monowar@gmail.com

CA
Information Technology
Module-02: 02.Information Technology
Information (3) Hardware
Technology (4) Software
(5) Data Resource Management
(6) Telecommunications and Network
Understand and Identify history, trends, Identify the basic features and trends in the major
developments in different computer systems; and types of application software and system software
the major types of technologies used in peripheral used to support enterprise and end-user computing.
devices for computer input, output, and storage.
Understand the management of the data resources Understand the basics of the Internet and other
of computer-using organizations and understand telecommunication networks, business applications,
the key database management concepts and and trends in technical telecommunications
applications in business information systems. alternatives.
In the assessment, candidates may be required to:
✓ Identify the major types and uses of microcomputer, midrange, and mainframe computer systems.
✓ Outline the major technologies and uses of computer peripherals for input, output, and storage.
✓ Identify and illustrate the components and functions of a computer system.
✓ Identify the computer systems and peripherals that would be acquired or recommended for a business and
explain the reasons for selections.
✓ Illustrate several major types of application and system software.
✓ Explain the purpose of several popular software packages for end-user productivity and collaborative
computing.
✓ Describe the main uses of computer programming software, tools, and languages.
✓ Describe the issues associated with open-source software.
✓ Explain the business value of implementing data resource management processes and technologies in an
organization.
✓ Outline the advantages of a database management approach to managing the data resources of a business,
compared with a file processing approach.
✓ Explain how database management software helps business professionals and supports the operations and
management of a business.
✓ Understand the concept of a network and Identify the basic components, functions, and types of
telecommunications networks used in business.
✓ Explain the functions of major components of telecommunications network hardware, software, media, and
services and explain the concept of client/server networking.
✓ Explain the concepts behind TCP/IP and understand the seven layers of the OSI network model.

02.3.01 9Computer hardware includes the

physical, tangible parts or components of a
computer, such as the cabinet, central processing
unit (CPU), monitor, keyboard, computer data
storage, graphic card, sound card, speakers and
motherboard. By contrast, software is instructions
that can be stored and run by hardware.

9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_hardware

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

02.3.02 Computer Systems: End User and Enterprise Computing

All computers are systems of input, processing, output, storage, and control components.

End-user computing (EUC) refers to computer

systems and platforms that are meant to allow
non-programmers to create
working computer applications. It is a compilation
of approaches meant to better involve and
integrate end users and other non-programmers
into the world of computing
systems development.

02.3.03 A Brief History of Computer Hardware

Without computers, many technological achievements would not have been possible:
Counting with fingers/toes
Blaise Pascal, 1642 – invented the first
mechanical adding machine
Herman Hollerith – Hollerith’s Punch Card
system to record census data in late
1880’s; 1911 – merged with competitor to
form IBM
ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and
Calculator), 1946 – the world’s first electronic
digital computer
1950’s – Transistors were invented and
replaced tubes
1958 – Integrated Circuit (“chip”) was
invented
1970’s – 1980’s
• Further miniaturization of circuits
• Apple Computer and IBM PC

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

02.3.04 Types of Computer Systems

Computers come in a
variety of sizes, shapes,
and computing capabilities
–
Mainframes
Midrange (obsolete
due to powerful
microcomputers)
Microcomputers

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

A mainframe computer,
informally called
a mainframe or big iron, is
a computer used primarily
by large organizations for
critical applications, bulk
data processing (such as
the census and industry and
consumer statistics,
enterprise resource
planning, and large-scale
transaction processing)

Microcomputer Systems (Personal Computer)

The most important category for businesses and consumers, exceeds the power of many mainframes
Workstations – support mathematical and graphical demands
Network Servers – support telecommunications and resource sharing
Computer Terminals – any device that allows access to a computer
Network Computers – designed specifically for use with networks and the Internet; low TCO (total
cost of ownership)
Information Appliances – Web-enabled devices for accessing information from anywhere – cell
phones, PDAs, handheld PCs
Examples of recommended features for the three types of PC users. Note: w ww.dell.com and
www. gateway.com are good sources for the latest PC features available.

Corporate PC Criteria
Why laptops instead of desktops?
Why would a change in OS be disruptive?
What are the strengths vs. risks of cabled vs. wireless PCs?

Midrange, Mainframe, and Supercomputer Systems

Midrange Systems – popular as Network Servers; disappearing due to microcomputers

Midrange systems are primarily high-end network servers and

other types of servers that can handle the large-scale processing
of many business applications

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

Mainframe Systems – large, fast, and powerful, used for high transaction processing and
complex computations; used by corporations and government
agencies

Supercomputers – extremely powerful, extremely high speeds and massive numeric

computations

The Next Wave of minisupercomputers; connecting all the power of unused desktops
Computing – in an organization

- Distributed (Grid) Computing – parallel computing over a network

✓ Advantages – purchase nodes as a commodity, economies of scale
✓ Disadvantages – untrustworthy calculations, lack of centralized control

02.3.05 The Computer System Concept

A computer system is a set of integrated devices that input, output, process, and store data
and information. Computer systems are currently built around at least one digital processing
device. There are five main hardware components in a computer system: Input, Processing,
Storage, Output and Communication devices.

02.3.06 A computer is a system of hardware devices organized according to the

following system functions:

✓ Input • The input devices of a computer system include

computer keyboards, touch screens, pens, electronic
mice, and optical scanners. They convert data into

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

electronic form for direct entry or through a

telecommunications network into a computer system.

✓ Processing • The central processing unit (CPU) is the main

processing component of a computer system. (In
microcomputers, it is the main microprocessor).
Conceptually, the circuitry of a CPU can be subdivided
into two major subunits:
- the arithmetic-logic unit and
- the control unit.

The electronic circuits (known as registers ) of the

arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) perform the arithmetic
and logic functions required to execute software
instructions.

✓ Output • The output devices of a computer system include video

display units, printers, and audio response units. They
convert electronic information produced by the
computer system into human-intelligible form for
presentation to end users

✓ Storage • The storage function of a computer system takes place

in the storage circuits of the computer’s primary
storage unit, or memory , supported by
secondary storage devices such as magnetic disk
and optical disk drives. These devices store data and
software instructions needed for processing. Computer
processors may also include storage circuitry called
cache memory for high speed, temporary storage of
instruction and data elements.

✓ Control • The control unit of a CPU is the control component of a

computer system. Its registers and other circuits
interpret software instructions and transmit directions
that control the activities of the other components of
the computer system.

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

Moore’s Law

Moore’s Law 1965 – the number of

transistors on a chip will double
every months – essentially, the
power or speed of a computer will
double every 18-24 months

• The Price would halve in

that same time, which has
also proven to be true
• Recent statistics indicate
this time has decreased to
12 months

02.3.07 A peripheral device is generally defined as any auxiliary device such

Computer as a computer mouse or keyboard, that connects to and works with
Peripherals: the computer in some way. Other examples of peripherals are
Input, expansion cards, graphics cards, image scanners, tape drives,
Output, and microphones, loudspeakers, webcams, and digital cameras.
Storage
Peripheral – a generic name for all
Technologies
• input,
• output, and
• secondary storage devices not part of the CPU (basically, what is
connected to the outside of the computer)

Input : keyboards, mice, light pens, trackballs, touch screens

Devices

Input : Speech Recognition Systems – understands spoken commands/words

Technologies
• Discrete Speech Recognition – speak each word separately
• Continuous Speech Recognition – recognizes conversationally-
paced speech

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

• Speaker-Independent Voice Recognition – understands speech

from a voice it has never heard before
: Optical Scanning – converts text or graphics to digital input for direct
entry of source documents

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

02.3.08 Other Input Technologies

• Magnetic Stripe – on credit cards
• Smart Cards – contain an embedded chip
• Digital Cameras
• Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) – used in banking industry

02.3.09 Output Technologies

Computers provide information in a variety of forms. Video displays and printed
documents have been, and still are, the most common forms of output from
computer systems. Yet other natural and attractive output technologies, such
as voice response systems and multimedia output, are increasingly found
along with video displays in business applications.

- Video Output
Video displays are the most common type of computer output. Many
desktop computers still rely on video monitors that use a cathode ray
tube (CRT) technology similar to the picture tubes used in home television
sets.
The biggest use of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) has been to provide a
visual display capability for portable microcomputers and PDAs.
- Printed Output
Printing information on paper is still the most common form of output after
video displays.

02.3.10 Data and information must be stored until needed using a variety
Storage Tradeoffs of storage methods.
Storage media cost,
speed, and capacity
trade-offs. Note how
cost increases with
faster access speeds
but decreases with
the increased
capacity of storage
media.

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

02.3.11 Direct Access and Random Access are the same concept; locate
Direct and an address on the storage device and go directly to that location
Sequential Access for data access

Sequential Access – All tape devices are accessed serially –

device must be read one record at a time from the data until the
desired data is found

02.3.12 • RAM (Random Access Memory) – volatile, may be read

Semiconductor and over-written
Memory
• ROM (Read Only Memory) – non-volatile, may be read
but not over-written or erased;

- PROM and EPROM may be reprogrammed

• Flash (Jump) Drives – solid-state memory

02.3.13 • Binary Representation – Two-state, on/off, +/-, 0/1

Computer Storage • Bit – Binary digit, 0/1
Fundamentals • Byte – Grouping of bits (typically 8 bits/byte),
represents a single character
• ASCII – formalized code determining what byte values
represent which character
• Storage capacities – kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB),
gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB)

02.3.14 – Hard drives are the

Magnetic Disks most common form of
secondary storage
RAID (Redundant Arrays
of Independent Disks)
Storage – interconnected
groups of hard drives -
fast speeds and fault
tolerant (redundant
backups)

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

02.3.15
Representing
characters in bytes

02.3.16 Magnetic Tape – slow speeds, but inexpensive for large

Magnetic Tape & amounts of backups
Optical Disks Optical Disks – CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD-R (cannot be
erased or re-written); CD-RW, DVD-RW (may be erased
or re-written)

02.3.17 RFID – for tagging and identifying mobile objects (store

Radio Frequency merchandise, postal objects, sometimes living organisms);
Identification provides information to a reader when requested
(RFID) Passive – no power source, derives power from the reader
signal
Active – self-powered, do not need to be close to the
reader
RFID Privacy Issues – may be used as spychips; gathers
sensitive information about an individual without consent

The Computer
Systems Concept.

A computer is a system
of information processing
components that perform
input, processing, output,
storage, and control
functions. Its hardware
components include input
and output devices, a
central processing unit
(CPU), and primary and
secondary storage
devices.

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 Information Technology
By Md. Monowar Hossain, FCA,CISA, CPA,CPFA(UK)
md.monowar@gmail.com

02.3.18 Computer Systems - Microcomputers are used as personal computers, network

computers, personal digital assistants, technical workstations, and information appliances.
Midrange systems are increasingly used as powerful network servers and for many multiuser
businesses data processing and scientific applications. Mainframe computers are larger and
more powerful than most midsize systems. They are usually faster, have more memory
capacity, and can support more network users and peripheral devices. They are designed to
handle the information processing needs of large organizations with high volumes of transaction
processing or with complex computational problems. Supercomputers are a special category of
extremely powerful mainframe computer systems designed for massive computational
assignments.

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