Week Three Flashcards
1.What is the difference between system software and application software?
System software manages the fundamental operations of a computer system, such as operating systems (e.g., Windows Server, Unix), while application software addresses specific user needs and solves real-world problems, such as enterprise applications from providers like SAP and Oracle.
- What role do networking platforms play in IT infrastructure?
Networking platforms, which include network operating systems and hardware from providers like Cisco and Juniper Networks, are essential for facilitating communication and data exchange over networks, impacting overall IT infrastructure performance.
3.What impact do technology standards have on IT infrastructure evolution?
Technology standards establish compatibility among products, facilitating communication within networks, driving economies of scale, and resulting in lower prices for consumers, which collectively push the evolution of IT infrastructure.
4.What are some examples of computer hardware platforms in IT infrastructure?
Examples include desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones, tablets, servers, and mainframes like IBM Z OS, which is used in banking and telecommunications.
5.How does the NIST define cloud computing?
The NIST defines cloud computing as the delivery of various services through the Internet, which includes data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software, providing scalable and flexible resources on demand.
6.What is IT infrastructure?
IT infrastructure is the combination of hardware, software, network resources, and services essential for the operation and management of an enterprise IT environment.
7.What are the evolution stages of IT infrastructure?
The evolution stages of IT infrastructure include Mainframes, Personal Computers (PCs), Client/Server Systems, Enterprise Computing, and Cloud and Mobile Computing.
8.What does Moore’s Law state and how does it affect IT infrastructure?
Moore’s Law states that the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years, increasing computing power and reductions in costs, which significantly influences IT infrastructure development.
9.What is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model?
The TCO model includes direct costs such as hardware and software, and indirect costs like installation, training, support, maintenance, infrastructure, downtime, space, and energy.
10.What are the benefits of cloud computing?
The benefits of cloud computing include flexibility and cost savings.
11.What is Metcalfe’s Law?
Metcalfe’s Law is the principle that the value of a network is proportional to the square of the number of its users indicating that as more users join a network, its overall value and utility increase significantly.
12.What are the seven components of IT infrastructure?
The seven components include computer hardware platforms, software applications, networking/telecommunications platforms, data management and storage, consulting and system integration services, internet platforms, and management issues.
13.What are the management issues related to IT infrastructure?
Management issues include platform and infrastructure changes, governance, investment decisions, scalability, reliability, and security.
14.What is the Law of Mass Digital Storage?
The Law of Mass Digital Storage is the trend that the amount of digital storage available for the same cost doubles annually, with storage costs decreasing significantly.
15.What are direct costs in the TCO model?
Direct costs in the TCO model include expenses directly related to hardware and software acquisition.
16.What are indirect costs in the TCO model?
Indirect costs include installation, training, support, maintenance, infrastructure, downtime, space, and energy.
