4.4 Summarize basic IT concepts relevant to IT project management

Question 1

How is multitiered architecture different than computing services?

Answer 1

Multitiered architecture is a modular software design that separates software into layers, while computing services is the broad IT infrastructure term that refers to the broad range of IT systems.

Question 2

A newly hired team member needs help distinguishing between content management systems (CMSs) and customer relationship management (CRM). How can the project manager explain the difference between them?

Answer 2

CMSs are user-friendly systems allowing users to create a website without understanding the code and complexity of backend development, while CRMs help companies track and manage customer interactions.

Question 3

How is a database different from a data warehouse?

Answer 3

A database is a collection of data organized for storage, accessibility, and retrieval. A data warehouse is a type of database that integrates data from multiple but separate source systems and provisions them for analytical use.

Question 4

A software vendor has responded to a request for information regarding a full build of a client information system for a retail store. The response includes information about the basic computing resources, such as the server, security, and storage. The response also includes information about the end product’s environment and features. What is missing in the response?

Answer 4

The middleware and tools developers will use in the finished product, or platform as a service (PaaS).

Question 5

An analyst is using a data warehouse to create dashboards to monitor the company’s performance across multiple projects. The analyst is asked to pull information as far back as 20 years for the dashboard. How can a data warehouse serve as a large historical record?

Answer 5

A data warehouse can serve as a large historical record because the warehouse can access massive data sets from multiple sources

Question 6

A newly hired scribe taking notes during an information technology (IT) project meeting does not understand the difference between a database and a data warehouse. So how can the IT architect explain the difference?

Answer 6

Databases are data storage systems that organize electronic information into structured tables, while a data warehouse is an extensive database used for reporting and analytics.

Question 7

A vendor demonstrates a website to a client. During the demonstration, the client first shows the presentation tier of the website or the front-end that the user sees. The client then demonstrates the application tier, which retrieves and processes the front-end data. Finally, the client demonstrates the data tier, which holds the data storage. The vendor is presenting what type of design to the client?

Answer 7

Multitiered architecture