System Fundementals

What is the System Life Cycle (and all stages)

The stages through which the development of a new system passes: analysis, implementation, operation, and maintenance.;

What is a Feasibility Study

Evaluates and analyzes a project and its potential to determine whether the proposed project should be pursued.;

What is TELOS

The steps of analyzing a project to see if it should be pursued: technical, economic, legal, operation, and schedule feasibility.;

What is Change Management

The process of shifting individuals, teams, departments, and organizations from the present state to the desired state.;

What is Compatibility

The ability for different systems or components to function together without harmful side effects.;

What is a Legacy System

An old technology, hardware, computer system, or applications program that is still in use.;

What is a Business Merger

The combining of two or more business entities.;

What is Integration

The process of combining different systems. The four strategies are: keep both systems, replace both and get one new system, select the best aspects from both systems and integrate them, and pick the best one and drop the other.;

What is Software Incompatibility

A situation where different software entities cannot operate cooperatively on the same computer or network.;

What is SaaS – Software as a Service

A delivery method that allows software to be hosted and managed centrally on a remote data center.;

What is On-Premise Software

Software that is hosted by the company that uses it.;

What is Implementation / Conversion / Changeover

The process of putting the new system online and retiring the old one.;

What is Parallel Changeover

Both the old and new systems work in parallel for a short period of time.;

What is Big Bang or Direct Changeover

The old system is turned off and the new system is started immediately. This approach requires minimal time and effort, but offers no backup plan.;

What is a Pilot Changeover

The new system is tested in one part of the business first and then, if it is successful, it is implemented across the organization.;

What is Phased Conversion

The new system is introduced in stages or modules, one part at a time.;

What is Data Migration

The transfer of data between different formats, storage types, and computer systems.;

What is Incompleteness in data migration

An error in the data transfer where some data is lost.;

What is Testing

The process of trying out a system or component to ensure that it is working correctly.;

What is Functional Testing

Testing individual commands, text input, and menu functions.;

What is Normal Data

Data that is within the expected range and format.;

What is Data at the Limits

Data that is at the very edge of the valid range.;

What is Extreme Data

Data that is outside the valid range but is of the same type.;

What is Abnormal Data

Data that is of a completely different type than what is expected.;

What is Alpha Testing

Completed by the development team before the software is available to the public.;

What is Beta Testing

Completed using comments and feedback from a selected group of real users before the public release.;

What is Dry-Run Testing

Mentally running through an algorithm or program with paper and pencil to determine the expected output.;

What is Unit Testing

Testing individual parts of a system separately to ensure each part works correctly on its own.;

What is Integration Testing

Testing the entire system at the same time to ensure that all the parts work together.;

What is User Acceptance Testing

Used to determine if the customer is satisfied with the system and if it meets their needs.;

What is Debugging

The process of finding and fixing errors in code.;

What is Validation

Evaluating whether the data follows a set of specifications or rules.;

What is Verification

Evaluating data to determine if it is the same as the original source data.;

What is User Documentation

Notes and guides created to help users understand and use a system.;

What is Internal Documentation

The code comprehension features and details provided as part of the source code itself.;

What is External Documentation

A separate document from the program itself, such as a user's guide.;

What are Manuals

Written instructions for a system or a program.;

What is Email Support

Helping a user by responding to their inquiries via email.;

What is Embedded Assistance or Integrated User Assistance

Help systems that are built directly into the software.;

What are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A list of common questions and their answers.;

What are Live Chat Sessions

Real-time support for users via an instant messaging platform.;

What are Online Portals or Web Portals

Websites that provide access to updated manuals, FAQs, and other support information.;

What are Remote Desktop Connections

A function that allows a person to connect to a user's computer from another location to provide assistance.;

What is User Training

The process of teaching users how to use a new system.;

What is Self-Instruction or Self-Study

A training method that allows users to learn at their own pace.;

What are Formal Classes

An interactive class setting where a teacher can train multiple students at once.;

What is Remote/Distance Learning/Online Training

A method of training that allows users to participate from anywhere with a computer and internet access.;

What is Data Loss

An error condition where data is permanently deleted or corrupted.;

What are Failover Systems

A standby system that can automatically switch to a spare computer system if the primary system fails.;

What is Redundancy

The duplication of storage devices and data to prevent data loss.;

What is Removable Media

Non-volatile, portable data storage/backup devices such as CDs, Blu-rays, and USBs.;

What is Offsite Storage

Storing data at two or more physical locations to protect against local disasters.;

What is Online Storage

Automatic data storage via a remote server, such as Dropbox or the Cloud.;

What are Updates

Software releases that contain minor new functionalities and fix bugs.;

What are Patches

Small software updates specifically designed to fix bugs and vulnerabilities.;

What are Upgrades

Major software releases that contain cumulative new functionalities and bug fixes, often representing a significant change to the software.;

What are Releases

The final, working versions of software applications.;

What is the Automatic Update Process

A process where software updates are installed automatically without user intervention.