- 1. Chap 4:Hardware & Software Discussion from a Business
Managers Perspective
2.
- Hardware includes electronic components and related gadgetry
that input, process, output, and store data according to
instructions encoded in computer programs or software.
Five-Component Framework: Components of a Generic Computer
3.
- First step : CPU transfers a program or data from a storage
disk to main memory.
- Second step:CPU moves a program instruction from main memory
into the CPU via thedata channel , orbus.
-
- Cache memory , part of CPU, is very fast memory used to store
frequently used instructions in order to speed up processing.
-
- Main memory contains operating system (OS), a program
thatcontrols computers resources, and blocks data and
instructions.
-
- 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, usesmemory swappingto move chunks of
instructions and data in and out of main memory.
How Does a Computer Work? 4.
- Managers need to match computers to employee tasks and
requirements to reduce employee frustration and improve
productivity.
-
- Employees who process many programs (Word, Excel, Firefox,
Access, Acrobat, and other programs) at same time, or process very
large files (pictures, movies, or sound files) need lots of main
memory, because too little memory will make the computer slow due
to constant memory swapping.
Why Does a Manager Care How a Computer Works? 5.
-
- Slow personal computers have speed of 1.5 Gigahertz, fast ones
have speed of 3+ Gigahertz, with dual processing (2009).
- CPUs classified as 32-bit or 64-bit
-
- 64-bit CPU can address more main memory.
-
- Effectively utilize more than 4 GB of memory.
-
- More expensive than 32-bit processors.
Why Does a Manager Care How a Computer Works? 6.
-
- Simple tasks, such as word processing, do not need fast CPU; a
32-bit, 1.5 Gigahertz CPU will be fine.
-
- Employee who processes large, complicated spreadsheets or
manipulates large database files or edits large picture, sound, or
movie files needs a fast computer like a 64-bit, dual processor
with 3.5 Gigahertz or more.
-
- Cache and main memory arevolatilemeaning their contents are
lost when power is off.
-
- Magnetic and optical disks arenonvolatile , meaning their
contents survive when power is off.
Why Does a Manager Care How a Computer Works? 7. Computing
Environment of the Typical User 8.
-
- Computers used by an individual for word processing,
spreadsheets, database access, and so forth.
-
- Most client computers have software that enables them to
connect to a private network at work or school, or public
Internet.
-
- Provide some service (such as email; serving pages on a Web
site; processing large, shared databases; or other functions) to
multiple users.
Clients and Servers 9.
-
- Must be fast and have multiple CPUs
-
- Need lots of main memory, at least 4GB
-
- Require very large disksoften a terabyte or more. Because
servers are almost always accessed from another computer via a
network
-
- Have limited video displays, or no display at all
Clients and Servers 10.
-
- An organized collection of servers
-
- Servers in a farm coordinate their activities in a
sophisticated and fascinating technology dance.
-
- They receive and process hundreds, possibly thousands, of
service requests per minute.
-
-
- In December 2005, Amazon.com processed an average of 41 order
items per second for 24 hours straight.
-
- Farm servers hand off partially processed requests to each
other while keeping track of the current status of each
request.
-
- They can pick up the pieces when a computer in the farm
fails.
-
- All of this is done in the blink of an eye.
Clients and Servers 11. Thin Clients vs. Thick Clients Why would
some organizations prefer thin clients over thick clients?Hmmm.
12.
-
- A network of computers that operates as an integrated whole;
the grid appears to be a single computer.
-
- It may support a server farm, or some other computing
need.
-
- Organizations lease time on a grid from other organizations
that create, support, and manage that grid.
Grids 13.
-
- Refers to a computing network on the Internet
-
- Anyone have any examples that they are aware of that is Cloud
computing?
Clouds Facebook!!! Our Class Bog page!!! 14.
- A particular version of an operating system is written for a
particular type of hardware.
-
- For example, 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).
-
- 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.
-
- Linux has different versions for different instructions sets
and for both 32- and 64-bit computers.
Important Software Constraints 15.
- Application programs are written to use a particular operating
system .
-
- Microsoft Access runs only on Windows operating systems.
-
- Some applications come in multiple versions.
-
-
- Windows and Macintosh versions of Microsoft Word.
-
- Unless informed otherwise, assume that a particular application
runs on just one operating system.
Important Software Constraints 16. Windows
-
- Most important operating system for business users
-
- Some version of Windows resides on more than85 percentof worlds
desktops, and95 percentof business users computers.
- Different versions of Windows
- Windows 7 (many versions)
- Windows Server 2003 & 2008
17. Other types of O/S
- Unix Open sourcenot as popular today with standard users
- Linuxgaining in popularity around the world, free OS.
18.
-
- Performs a service or function
-
- Some are general purpose, such as Microsoft Excel or Word
-
- Others provide specific functions, such as QuickBooks which
provides general ledger and other accounting functions
What Types of Applications Exist, and How Do Organizations
Obtain Them? 19. What Categories of Application Programs Exist?
- Horizontal-market application software
-
- Provides capabilities common across all organizations and
industries. Word processors, graphics programs, spreadsheets, and
presentation programs are all horizontal-market application
software.
-
- Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Adobe Acrobat,
Photoshop, and PageMaker
-
- Used in a wide variety of businesses, across all
industries
-
- Purchased off-the-shelf, and little customization of features
is necessary (or possible)
20. What Categories of Application Programs Exist?
- Vertical-market application software
-
- Serves needs of a specific industry
-
-
- Programs used by dental offices to schedule appointments and
bill patients; auto mechanics to keep track of customer data and
customers automobile repairs; and programs used by parts warehouses
to track inventory, purchases, and sales
- One-of-a-kind application software
-
- Developed for a specific, unique need
-
- Firmware : read-only instructions hard-coded into devices like
printers, print-serves, (our smart-phones)
21. Open-Source Software
-
- Question really is about is free better than paying for
support?
22. Purchases you as a manager may be responsible for Category
Hardware Software Client CPU speed Amount of main memory Size of
HDCD or DVD type Monitor type and size
- Windows, Mac, Unix, or Linux
- Need for thick client or thin client
Server Really not a responsibility of the business manager
(Except for possibly budget role) Specify requirements for
client/server applications Work w/ IT to test and accept software
23. What will Business managers have to do with Hardware and
Software?
- Determine base requirements
-
- What type of HW and SW will employees need
- Forecast Requirements during budget Period
-
- Plan for changes in # of employees, workload, and mandatory
changes in HW /SW
24. You Decide
- Its important again then from a business perspective to
understand your system requirements for example;
- Users need computers that will allow then to work with word
processing, accounting software, and have constant access to a
customer database.
- They will also be communicating via MS Outlook with co-workers
and business partners..
25.
- QuickBooks Enterprise requires at least 1.8 GHz processor and
512 MB RAM for a multiuser environment
- MS Office requires at least 500 megahertz (MHz) processor or
higher Memory 512 MB RAM
- CRM is handled by the QuickBooks software..
- Outlook part of MS Office Suite.
-
- Intel Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8 GHz with 533MHz Data Bus and
512K cache, 256MB RAM
-
- Intel Pentium 4 Processor at 2.8 GHz with 533MHz Data Bus and
512K cache, 512 MB RAM
-
-
- Intel Pentium 4 Processor at 3.6 GHz with 533MHz Data Bus and
1MB cache, 512 MB RAM