IT Software, Data, and Contingency Planning

Question 1

Systems Software

Answer 1

performs the fundamental tasks needed to manage computer resources (operating system, utility programs, device driver programs)

Question 2

Operating System

Answer 2

negotiates the conversation between the computer’s hardware, the application the user is running, and the data that the application is working with (Linux, OS X, Windows)

Question 3

Utility Programs

Answer 3

perform basic functions that are not particular to a certain application (anti-virus, file management, network utilities)

Question 4

Device Driver Programs

Answer 4

operate/control a type of device attached to the computer

Question 5

Application Software

Answer 5

programs designed to help people perform an activity that can manipulate text, numbers and graphics (word processors, spreadsheets, payroll, accounts payable, general ledger)

Question 6

First-Generation Language

Answer 6

machine languages; written in binary code, understood directly by the computer

Question 7

Second-Generation Languages

Answer 7

assembly languages; grouping of programming languages that can be written symbolically (English) and are converted into machine language

Question 8

Third-Generation Languages

Answer 8

procedural/programming languages; consist of English -like words and phrases that represent multiple machine language instructions (COBOL, BASIC, C and C++, Java)

Question 9

Fourth-Generation Languages

Answer 9

problem-oriented or non-procedural languages; interactive English-like languages permitting users to describe the problem to, and receive guidance from, the computer instead of specifying a procedures (GAS, CAAT, HTML, XML, XBRL)

Question 10

Fifth-Generation Languages

Answer 10

constraint-based programming; programming languages built on the premise that a problem can be solved, and an application built to solve it, by providing constraints to the program, rather than specifying algorithmically how the problem is to be solved (PROLOG)

Question 11

Bit

Answer 11

either 0 or 1

Question 12

Byte

Answer 12

group of bits, usually 8; signifies a character (number, letter of the alphabet, symbol)

Question 13

Field

Answer 13

data item; group of bytes; contains a unit of data (name)

Question 14

Record

Answer 14

group of fields; can be designated as a key

Question 15

File

Answer 15

group of records

Question 16

Types of File Organization and Databases

Answer 16

flat files, hierarchical databases, relational databases, non-relational databases, object-oriented databases

Question 17

Normalization

Answer 17

reduction in data redundancy

Question 18

Cardinality

Answer 18

how close a given data element is to being unique

Question 19

Referential Integrity

Answer 19

for a record to be entered in a given table, there must already be a record in some other table

Question 20

Schema

Answer 20

a particular database’s design consisting of the layouts of the tables and the constraints on entering new records

Question 21

Data Definition Language

Answer 21

allows the user to specify how the tables will look and what kinds of data elements they will hold

Question 22

Data Manipulation Language

Answer 22

DBMS retrieves, adds, deletes, or modifies records and data elements

Question 23

Data Dictionary

Answer 23

contains the physical and logical characteristics of every data element in a database; contains the size, format, usage, meaning, and ownership of every data element as well as what persons, programs, reports, and functions use the data element

Question 24

Distributed Database

Answer 24

one that is stored in two or more physical sites (replication and fragmentation)

Question 25

Replication

Answer 25

snapshot; the DBMS duplicates the entire database and sends it to multiple locations

Question 26

Fragmentation

Answer 26

partitioning; specific records are stored where they are most needed

Question 27

Organizational Needs Assessment

Answer 27

detailed process of study and evaluation of how information systems can be deployed to help the organization meet its goals

1. Determine whether current systems support organizational goals.
2. Determine needs unmet by current systems.
3. Determine capacity of current systems to accommodate projected growth.
4. Propose path for information systems deployment to achieve organizational goals within budgetary constraints.

Question 28

Systems Development Life Cycle

Answer 28

1. initiation, feasibility, and planning
2. requirements analysis and definition
3. system design
4. build and development
5. testing and quality control
6. acceptance, installation, and implementation
7. operations and maintenance

Question 29

Prototyping

Answer 29

creating a working model of the system requested, demonstrating it for the user, obtaining feedback, and making changes to the underlying code

Question 30

Disaster Recovery

Answer 30

the process of resuming normal information processing operations after the occurrence of a major interruption

Question 31

Business Continuity

Answer 31

the continuation of business by other means during the period in which computer processing is unavailable or less than normal

Question 32

Risk Assessment Steps

Answer 32

1. identify and prioritize the organization’s critical applications
2. determine the minimum recovery time frames and minimum hardware requirements
3. develop a recovery plan

Question 33

Alternate Processing Favility

Answer 33

a physical location maintained by an outside contractor for the purpose of providing processing facilities for customers in case of disaster

Question 34

Business Impact Analysis

Answer 34

identifies business processes necessary to functioning in a disaster and determines how soon they should be recovered