Chapter 3: Enterprise Architecture

Enterprise Architecture

- hardware

- software

- telecommunications

Hardware

physical components of information technology

Types of hardware

- central processing unit

- primary storage

- secondary storage

- input devices

- output devices

Central processing unit (CPU)

- serves as the brain of the computer

- executes the instructions of a computer program and handles sorting

- consists of transistors, small electrical circuits made from a semiconductor material such as silicon. Transistors are packed onto integrated circuits

- it handles information processing, calculations, and control tasks for computers

- for laptops and desktops, this is also known as microprocessor!

When we write a program, we write a

statement!

The computer breaks the statement down

into individual instructions

The big giant box associated with a desktop computer is called a

system unit

Things to consider with CPU

- manufacturer (intel, AMD, apple, etc)

- brand

- speed = Ghz (billion cycles/second)

- # cores

- hyper-threading

- CPU generation

When it comes to speed

the higher the Ghz, the better!

# cores

- performance cores (faster; have hyper threading

- efficiency cores (slower, but consume less power)

Dual core

each one can process an instruction at the exact same time, which is called parallel processing

What is an improvement that can be made to cores?

hyper-threading, meaning each core has two threads

CPU generation

example of this would be "MacBook 13th generation". this essentially tells you how old the computer is

CPU specifications tell you

- total amount of cores

- total threads

Primary storage

- random access memory (RAM)

- cache

Random access memory

a temporary storage area as the CPU executes

Random access memory: volatile memory

when you shut down your computer, everything in RAM and Cache is wiped clean

Random access memory contents

1. very first thing that gets loaded is your operating system from your hard drive

2. software gets loaded (web browsers, music, etc)

3. files within your software get loaded

Things to consider with random access memory (RAM)

- capacity

-speed

Capacity (you want to know)

- current is ____ GB

- expendable to ___ GB

Speed

how fast you can store and retrieve data

Cache

- browser cache is NOT the same thing!

- this is memory that resides in your CPU!

- "high speed memory"

Cache volatile memory

when you shut down your computer, everything in RAM and Cache is wiped clean

Cache content

computer starts noticing the most frequently used instructions, which is what it does over and over again, so this moves from RAM to Cache

Things to consider with a Cache (what you want to know)

capacity is ___ MB

Secondary storage

- hard drives

- solid state drives

Secondary storage - hard drive

- permanently store information, meaning that it is there when your computer is off

- non volatile memory

less expensive than SSD

Hard drives are composed of

- platters

- read write arm and head

- sectors

- tracks

The read-write arm reads the platters because

the platters spin

Tracks

- part of the platters that are split up into sectors

- when data is stored on the platters, it goes to a sector and is saved in continuous sectors

- sometimes the data being saved jumps around to different sectors because it cannot be naturally saved in continuous sectors because there might be data that is already there, which can slow your computer

Hard drive issues

- fragmentation

- heat and failure because it has moving parts

Fragmented hard drive

when data cannot be saved in continuous sectors, which can slow performance

Secondary storage - solid state drives

- non volatile memory

- it's a circuit board with flash memory

- quieter, no moving parts

- uses less power

- faster than HD

- more reliable

Capacity

- how much a component can hold

- stated in bytes

Storage devices capacity

- GB

- TB

RAM capacity

- GB (8,16,32,etc)

Cache capacity

in CPU

Input devices

- keyboards (QWERTY)

- mouses

- touchpads

- joysticks

- graphics tablets

- microphones

- scanners

- digital cameras

- sensors

- RFID tags and readers

- touch screen monitors

Output devices

- monitors

- printers

- speakers

- lights

- lawn sprinklers

- appliances

Software

collection of programs that tell a computer what to do

Program

collection of statements that. computer follows to perform a task

Types of software

- system software

- application software

Systems software

controls basic operations and ensures that technology tools all work together

Application Software

- word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, video, email browsers

- business applications, transaction processing, manufacturing CRM, accounting, Human Resources

- databases

Systems software

controls basic operations and ensures that technology tools all work together smoothly

System software consists of

- utilities

- operating system

- hardware

Utilities

- security

- file management

- device control

- communications

- disk cleaners

Operating system

- controls internal operations of the computer's hardware

- handles input and output to devices such as keyboards and monitors

- maintains file structures and allows data to be saved and retrieved from storage devices

- allocates memory for its own activities and the needs of application software

- supports backup and recovery

- supports multitasking operations, meaning that there are multiple processors and applications with concurrent users

Utility software

- performs a specialized task that enhances the computers operations or safeguards data

- virus scanning

- cleanup routines

- logging events

Application software

- software for end users

- supports all the work

- includes desktop, web/mobile apps

- business applications

- productivity tools

- email programs

- web browsers

- educational software

- database management systems

How Is software created?

- programming languages

- integrated development environments (IDE)

Programming languages

- python, java, etc

- source code

- legacy systems

Source code is

what we write

Source code must be

translated into 0 and 1 so that the computer can interpret it

Legacy systems

- still running; too costly to replace

- many written in COBOL

Integrated development environments (IDE)

- a software tool to facilitate programming

- "software that we use to develop software and what tool we are using to write code"

- includes a text editor, color codes (there is meaning behind the color), syntax checker (checks for mistakes early on), debugger (helps you find problems after syntax checker), and other useful programming tools

- visual studio, IDLE, etc

A toolbox in VS

the toolbox writes all of the code for the user interface

Deployment strategies

- custom development

- commercial off-the shelf

- software as a service

- open source software

Idea behind deployment strategy

we have multiple choices to deploy new business ideas

Software as a service

- software is owned, hosted, and managed remotely by a vendor

- cloud based

- pay subscription fee to use

Commercial off the shelf

when it is a common business need such as payroll, we buy it. typically, it is installed on our devices

Custom development

build from the ground up either in house or through finding a software development business to do it for you

Open source software

- free to download and use

- download includes the source code

- free to update

- more expensive to update