CMSC 243

Information Technology

Combination of hardware, software, and services that people use to manage, communicate, and share information.

System Analysis and Design

step-by-step process for developing high-quality information systems

information system

combines technology, people, and data to provide support for business functions such as order processing, inventory control, human resources, accounting etc.

Systems Analyst

a valued member of the IT department ream who helps plan, develop, and maintain information systems.

system

a set of related components that produces specific results.

Mission-critical system

one that is vital to a company's operations.

Data

basic facts that are the system’s raw material.

Information

Data that has been transformed into output that is valuable to users.

Hardware

consists of everything in the physical layer of the information system.

Data center

A large concentration of networked computers working together

Moore’s law

the number of transistors on a microchip doubles about every two years with a minimal cost increase.

Software

programs controlling hardware and produce desired information or results.

System software

manages the hardware components, which can include a single computer or a global network with many thousands of clients.

Application software

consists of programs that support day-to-day business functions and provide users with the information they need

Enterprise applications

company-wide applications. Includes order processing systems, payroll systems, and company communications networks.

Processes

the tasks and business functions that users, managers, and IT staff members perform LO achieve specific results.

Stakeholders

the management group responsible for the system, the users (sometimes called end users) inside and outside the company who will interact with the system, and IT sea ff members, such as systems analysts, programmers, and network administrators, who develop and support the system.

e-commerce

electronic commerce. commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.

B2C

business-to-consumer. changing traditional business models and creating

new ones.

B2B

A commercial exchange (e.g., producrs or services) bcn,een businesses, typi· cally enabled by tlw lmernet or electronic means.