ISM

Question 1

What is a distributed system?

Answer 1

A network of computers that are connected using a distribution middleware.

Question 2

Why a distributed system?

Answer 2

Help in sharing resources and capabilities to provide users with a single and integrated coherent network.

Question 3

What determines the degree to which a system is distributed?

Answer 3

1. Where the processing is done
2. How processors and other devices are interconnected
3. Where the information is stored
4. What rules or standards are used.

Question 4

Name the different types of distributed systems

Answer 4

Host-based, Decentralised, Peer-to-peer, Hybrid

Question 5

Benefit of processing and storing data near the user

Answer 5

Reduces bandwidth – Ideally have more than one communication route between nodes

Question 6

What is client server?

Answer 6

Client/server is a program relationship in which one program (the client) requests a service or resource from another program (the server). (Example logging into an online banking service)

Question 7

What are the benefits of client server?

Answer 7

• Distribute computing, data storage and workload.
• Increased flexibility
• System scalability
• Costumisable GUIs for users

Question 8

What are the drawbacks of client server?

Answer 8

1. No cost differential (with regard to mainframe systems)

2. IS job more complex (e.g distributed software)

Question 9

Name the 3 Web Service Standards (software)

Answer 9

1. XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
2. WSDL (Web Services Definition Language)
3. UDDI (Universal Discovery, Description and Integration)

Question 10

Name the 3 Web Service Standards (communication)

Answer 10

1. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)
2. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
3. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

Question 11

The Three Level Database Model

Answer 11

1. External, conceptual or local level
2. Logical or enterprise data level
3. Physical or storage level

Question 12

Three main data models

Answer 12

1. Hierarchial
2. Network
3. Relational

Question 13

What is a prerequisite to installing an ERP system?

Answer 13

Data quality

Question 14

What defines data quality?

Answer 14

– Data is consistent
– Data definitions are cleaned up and consistent
– Shared data controlled
– Data distribution managed

Question 15

What is a content management system?

Answer 15

A system that is interactive, content deployment and presentation, managing content creation and safeguarding, content is not static, asset management, can handle multiple formats. (Blackboard is a good example)

Question 16

What is big data?

Answer 16

Big data is a term that describes the large volume of data – both structured and unstructured – that inundates a business on a day-to-day basis. But it’s not the amount of data that’s important. It’s what organizations do with the data that matters. Big data can be analysed for insights that lead to better decisions and strategic business moves.

Question 17

What are the sources/causes for Big Data?

Answer 17

Cameras, social media, online gaming, monitoring devices, IoT, CCTV, Prism, targeted marketing and crime detection.

Question 18

What are the 5 Vs of Big Data?

Answer 18

Volume, Velocity, Variety, Veracity and Value

Question 19

What is data analytics?

Answer 19

The process of collecting, processing and analysing data to generate insights that inform decision making.

Question 20

Why is data analytics not an automatic process?

Answer 20

Because a highly skilled analyst uses DA software tools to interact with the data and tease out useful insights.

Question 21

SLA - What are Service Level Agreements?

Answer 21

A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and its internal or external customers that documents what services the provider will furnish and defines the performance standards the provider is obligated to meet.

Question 22

SLA – What should we measure, name the two different measures.

Answer 22

External Measures and Internal Measures

Question 23

SLA – External Measures

Answer 23

What costumers and users see such as: System uptime, system response time and user issues

Question 24

SLA – Internal Measures

Answer 24

What is happening internally such as: Resource utilisation, job queue length and number of unresolved problems.

Question 25

SLA – How can external problems often be explained?

Answer 25

By deviations in internal operations

Question 26

OS – Various versions of the outsourcing concept?

Answer 26

1. Time Share, 60s and 70s 2. Monolithic 80s 3. Transitional 90s 4. Best of Breed, Collaborative, 2000s

Question 27

OS – Name the current types of outsourcing

Answer 27

1. Business Process 2. E-Business 3. Cloud Computing (Offshoring & Inshoring)

Question 28

OS – E-business

Answer 28

Quickly get selling on-line

Question 29

OS – Cloud Computing

Answer 29

On demand pricing model (Pay for what you use) Virtual datacenter

Question 30

OS – Why Offshoring?

Answer 30

Companies turn to offshoring to access an ample supply of qualified people, lower labour cost. Meaning higher qualified individuals for lower costs.

Question 31

DSS - What are the eight-step rational decision making process?

Answer 31

1. Identify the problem 2. Establish decision criteria 3. Weight decision criteria 4. Generate alternatives 5. Evaluate each alternative 6. Calculate the optimal decision 7. Implement the decision 8. Evaluate decision’s effectiveness

Question 32

DSS - What makes up a good decision?

Answer 32

Carefully assessing the problem, identifying all relevant criteria, using creativity to identify all possible alternatives, painstakingly evaluate every alternative to find the optimal choice.

Question 33

DSS - What are the downsides to rational decision-making?

Answer 33

Time consuming, expensive, some information might be unavailable. Meaning the delay this causes could be more harmful than making a less optimal decision.

Question 34

DSS – What components exist in a DSS?

Answer 34

- Database Management System (DBMS) - Model Base Management System (MBDS) - Dialog Generation and Management System (DGMS)

Question 35

What is the purpose of data mining?

Answer 35

Examining the contents of a data warehouse. Use of computers to uncover unknown correlations from a large data set. (Classes, clusters, associations, sequential patterns – more in detail in slides) Data mining gives people insight into data.

Question 36

What does Executive Information System (EIS) mean?

Answer 36

An executive information system (EIS) is a decision support system (DSS) used to assist senior executives in the decision-making process. It does this by providing easy access to important data needed to achieve strategic goals in an organization. An EIS normally features graphical displays on an easy-to-use interface.

Question 37

What is the purpose of Executive Information System (EIS)?

Answer 37

To gauge company performance; sales, production, earnings and forecasts. To scan the environment for news on government regulations, competition economic developments etc. To ease information overload.

Question 38

KM - Forms of knowledge

Answer 38

Explicit - information or knowledge that is set out in a concrete form Implicit – information or knowledge that is not set out in tangible form but could be made explicit Tacit – information or knowledge one would have extreme difficulty operationally setting out in a concrete form

Question 39

KM - What does the value of information depend on?

Answer 39

The recipient and the context

Question 40

KM - What are tools to increase the value of information?

Answer 40

- Information maps (Textual charts and diagrammatic maps) - Information guides (People who know where the information is) - Business documents (Where are these kept? Cloud, local server, paper?)

Question 41

SSM - What are the seven stages of a typical SSM project?

Answer 41

1. The problem situation unstructured 2. The problem situation expressed 3. Root definition of relevant systems 4. Conceptual models 5. Comparison of conceptual models with the problem situation expressed 6. Feasible, desirable changes 7. Action to improve problem situation

Question 42

SSM - Explain three of the techniques used in a typical SSM project

Answer 42

1. The problem situation unstructured – take input from everywhere, get it down, consider the input, if everyone else says something is fine and only one person complains maybe it’s the person and not the situation. 3. Root definition of relevant systems – the root definition is often an attempt to explain the essence of the problem, to break down the problem (not solve it) but to make it more understandable and try to see the big picture. 7. Action to improve problem situation – the actions to improve and attempt to solve the problem present, by using the conceptual model already made this should work out just fine.

Question 43

KM - Distinguish between explicit, implicit and tacit knowledge

Answer 43

Explicit - information or knowledge that is set out in a concrete form Implicit – information or knowledge that is not set out in tangible form but could be made explicit Tacit – information or knowledge one would have difficulty setting out in a concrete form

Question 44

KM - The concept of Knowledge Management

Answer 44

The concept of Knowledge Management is about individuals sharing knowledge and recording knowledge in a form accessible to others.

Question 45

KM - Main challenges for successful development sharing culture

Answer 45

- Who gets the glory - What should be Shared - Is the technology good - Legal issues - Broad and deep knowledge - Culture (attitude and behaviour) - Management expectations

Question 46

What actions can a manager take in order to increase the chance of success of sharing culture

Answer 46

A manager should act to have clear rules set, make sure the technology is up to date and continuously work with peoples sharing culture to encourage sharing. As well as being fair to avoid that “glory-stealing” is non-existent.

Question 47

DC - Name three ways that computing services can be distributed

Answer 47

- Remote Presentation - Distributed Database - Distributed Presentation

Question 48

DC - Remote Presentation

Answer 48

Data Management and Application function are run on server side whilst the Presentation is done at the client. This is good because it allows the user to basically have a remote desktop like terminal server or so on. The downside might be if it is not a powerful server and many users running heavy programs on the server.

Question 49

DC - Distributed database

Answer 49

Data Management is done on the server and client side. Client side also does the Application Function and the presentation. The database is run on the server, but the client and presentation is at the client. This is also a good way however it relies more on the clients having sufficient power to run this kind of applications. The server is more like a storage place for the database in this situation

Question 50

DC - Distributed Presentation

Answer 50

Data Management, Application Function and Presentation is done on the server side, the Presentation is also done on client side. This means that people would be able to connect to the server and see the same thing as the other client is working on, which may indeed be very handy in projects.