STUDY UNIT TWELVE IT SOFTWARE, DATA, AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING Flashcards
The hierarchical, or tree, structure of file organization has records strung out one after the other.
True.
False.
False.
Your answer is correct.
Under the hierarchical, or tree, structure of file organization, records form “branches” and “leaves” extending from a “root.” The tree structure cuts down on data redundancy but retains the necessity of searching every record to find a particular one.
Which of the following should be reviewed before designing any system elements in a top-down approach to new systems development?
A Controls in place over the current system.
B Information needs of managers for planning and control.
C Computer equipment needed by the system.
D Types of processing systems used by competitors.
B Information needs of managers for planning and control.
This answer is correct.
The functionality that the system will provide to the end users is always the first consideration
View Subunit 12.5 Outline
In an e-commerce environment that requires that the information technology (IT) system be available on a continuous basis, more emphasis will be placed on which of the following aspects of the planning than in a traditional organization?
A Maintain appropriate written source documents so the data can be re-entered if it is lost or compromised.
B Review additional expenses to obtain the required amount of business interruption insurance coverage for the organization.
C Maintain redundant systems for instant availability to assure the flow of transactions.
D Assure that appropriate data backups are stored in an offsite location.
C Maintain redundant systems for instant availability to assure the flow of transactions.
This answer is correct.
An information system that must be continuously available should be paralleled by sufficient redundancy that normal operations can be carried on even if the main system is out of service.
View Subunit 12.6 Outline
XML
A Has become less important as new languages on the Internet are developed.
B Is useful to display highly unstructured data.
C Uses standardized tags.
D Is focused on the content of the data.
D Is focused on the content of the data.
This answer is correct.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is useful for putting structured data into a text file. It can be used to extract and tag structured information from a database for transmission and subsequent use in other applications, e.g., display on the Internet or importation into a spreadsheet.
View Subunit 12.1 Outline
A controller is developing a disaster recovery plan for a corporation’s computer systems. In the event of a disaster that makes the company’s facilities unusable, the controller has arranged for the use of an alternate location and the delivery of duplicate computer hardware to this alternate location. Which of the following recovery plans would best describe this arrangement? A Cold site. B Hot spare site agreement. C Hot site. D Back-up site procedures.
A Cold site.
This answer is correct.
An alternate processing facility, or recovery center, is a physical location maintained by an outside contractor for the express purpose of providing processing facilities for customers in case of disaster. Recovery centers can take many forms. Organizations determine which facility is best by calculating the tradeoff between the cost of the contract and the cost of downtime. A cold site is a shell facility lacking most infrastructure but readily available for the quick installation of hardware and software.
View Subunit 12.6 Outline
After reviewing the end-user computing (EUC) policy of an organization, an internal auditor audits the actuarial function and notices that some minimum control requirements are missing. Which of the following is a risk of using potentially incorrect end-user developed files?
A. Management places the same degree of reliance on the files as they do on files generated from mainframe systems.
B. Management is unable to respond to competitive pressures quickly.
C. Management receives limited information for decision making due to a lack of flexibility in EUC files.
D. Management continues to incur additional cost because it takes more hours to do the tasks using EUC.
A. Management places the same degree of reliance on the files as they do on files generated from mainframe systems.
Answer (A) is correct.
End-user developed applications may not be subject to an independent outside review by systems analysts and are not created in the context of a formal development methodology. These applications may lack appropriate standards, controls, quality assurance procedures, and documentation. A risk of end-user applications is that management may rely on them as much as traditional applications.
(12.5.59)
In an e-commerce environment that requires that the information technology (IT) system be available on a continuous basis, more emphasis will be placed on which of the following aspects of the planning than in a traditional organization?
A. Maintain redundant systems for instant availability to assure the flow of transactions.
B. Review additional expenses to obtain the required amount of business interruption insurance coverage for the organization.
C. Maintain appropriate written source documents so the data can be re-entered if it is lost or compromised.
D. Assure that appropriate data backups are stored in an offsite location.
Maintain redundant systems for instant availability to assure the flow of transactions.
Answer (A) is correct.
An information system that must be continuously available should be paralleled by sufficient redundancy that normal operations can be carried on even if the main system is out of service.
(12.6.75)
A company has a significant e-commerce presence and self-hosts its web site. To assure continuity in the event of a natural disaster, the firm should adopt which of the following strategies?
A. Backup the server database daily.
B. Purchase and implement RAID technology.
C. Store records off-site.
D. Establish off-site mirrored web server.
D. Establish off-site mirrored web server.
Answer (D) is correct.
An off-site mirrored web server is a duplicate of the company’s operational server. In the event of a natural disaster, the company will be able to quickly switch to the mirrored server and continue operations. Disadvantages to a mirrored web server include the costs to maintain it.
(12.6.74)
Management of a company has a lack of segregation of duties within the application environment, with programmers having access to development and production. The programmers have the ability to implement application code changes into production without monitoring or a quality assurance function. This is considered a deficiency in which of the following areas?
A. Management override.
B. Computer operations.
C. Change control.
D. Data integrity.
C. Change control.
Answer (C) is correct.
Over the life of an application, users are constantly asking for changes. The process of managing these changes is systems maintenance, and the relevant controls are program change controls. Thus, if programmers can implement application code changes into production without monitoring or a quality assurance function, program change controls are deficient.
(12.5.41)
The process of developing specifications for hardware, software, manpower, data resources, and information products required to develop a system is referred to as
A. Systems feasibility study.
B. Systems maintenance.
C. Systems analysis.
D. Systems design.
D. Systems design.
Answer (D) is correct.
Detailed systems design involves developing specifications regarding input, processing, internal controls and security measures, programs, procedures, output, and databases.
(12.5.46)
Which of the following is a false statement about a database management system application environment?
A. Data definition is independent of any one program.
B. The physical structure of the data is independent of user needs.
C. Data are shared by passing files between programs or systems.
D. Data are used concurrently by multiple users.
C. Data are shared by passing files between programs or systems.
Answer (C) is correct.
In this kind of system, applications use the same database. There is no need to pass files between applications.
(12.4.26)
The increased use of database processing systems makes managing data and information a major information service function. Because the databases of an organization are used for many different applications, they are coordinated and controlled by a database administrator. The functions of a database administrator are
A. Data input preparation, database design, and database operations.
B. Database design, database operation, and database security.
C. Database design, software support, and database security.
D. Database design, database operation, and equipment operations.
B. Database design, database operation, and database security.
Answer (B) is correct.
A database administrator (DBA) is the person who has overall responsibility for developing, designing, controlling, and maintaining the database. The DBA manages all database functions including design and maintenance of the schema that describes the structure of the database. The DBA also assigns user passwords and establishes other security measures. Control of changes in data items and in the programs that use the database is another responsibility of the DBA.
(12.4.31)
A database is
A. A network of computer terminals.
B. A collection of related files.
C. A real-time system.
D. Essential for the storage of large data sets.
B. A collection of related files.
Answer (B) is correct.
The use of a database system significantly reduces redundancy of stored data in a system. Data in a standardized form are ideally entered once into integrated files and then used for any and all related applications. The database is usually built to serve multiple applications. Consequently, the data are independent of particular applications and greater flexibility in meeting unanticipated demands is possible. The database approach also allows for better access by users and for more rapid updating of information.
(12.3.21)
CASE (computer-aided software engineering) is the use of the computer to aid in the development of computer-based information systems. Which of the following could not be automatically generated with CASE tools and techniques?
A. Program logic design.
B. Computer program code.
C. Information requirements determination.
D. Program documentation.
C. Information requirements determination.
Answer (C) is correct.
CASE applies the computer to software design and development. It maintains on the computer a library of standard program modules and all of the system documentation, e.g., data flow diagrams, data dictionaries, and pseudocode (structured English); permits development of executable input and output screens; and generates program code in at least skeletal form. Thus, CASE facilitates the creation, organization, and maintenance of documentation and permits some automation of the coding process. However, information requirements must be determined prior to using CASE.
(12.5.55)
After using the report writer for several months, the marketing analysts gained confidence in using it, but the marketing department manager became concerned. Whenever analysts revised reports they had written earlier, the coding errors kept reappearing in their command sequences. The manager was sure that all the analysts knew what the errors were and how to avoid them. The most likely cause of the reappearance of the same coding errors is inadequate A. Testing. B. Access control. C. Backups. D. Change control.
D. Change control.
Answer (D) is correct.
Change control manages changes in information system resources and procedures. It includes a formal change request procedure; assessments of change requests on technical and business grounds; scheduling changes; testing, installing, and monitoring changes; and reporting the status of recorded changes. The analysts were reusing erroneous code that should have been but was not corrected.
(12.5.33)
