MIS infrastructure
includes the plans for how a firm will build, deploy, use, and share its data, processes, and MIS assets.
consists of the physical devices associated with a computer system
the set of instructions the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks.
a communications system created by linking two or more devices and establishing a standard methodology in which they can communicate.
a computer designed to request information from a server.
a computer dedicated to providing information in response to requests.
enterprise architect
a person grounded in technology, fluent in business, and able to provide the important bridge between MIS and the business.
information MIS infrastructure
identifies where and how important information, such as customer records, is maintained and secured.
agile MIS infrastructure
includes the hardware, software, and telecommunications equipment that, when combined, provide the underlying foundation to support the organization’s goals.
sustainable MIS infrastructure
identifies ways that a company can grow in terms of computing resources while simultaneously becoming less dependent on hardware and energy consumption.
an exact copy of a system’s information.
the ability to get a system up and running in the event of a system crash or failure that includes restoring the information backup.
fault tolerance
the ability for a system to respond to unexpected failures or system crashes as the backup system immediately and automatically takes over with no loss of service.
a specific type of fault tolerance, occurs when a redundant storage server offers an exact replica of the real-time data, and if the primary server crashes, the users are automatically directed to the secondary server or backup server.
occurs when the primary machine recovers and resumes operations, taking over from the secondary server.
disaster recovery plan
a detailed process for recovering information or a system in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
hot site
a separate and fully equipped facility where the company can move immediately after a disaster and resume business.
cold site
a separate facility that does not have any computer equipment but is a place where employees can move after a disaster.
warm site
a separate facility with computer equipment that requires installation and configuration.
disaster recovery cost curve
charts (1) the cost to the company of the unavailability of information and technology and (2) the cost to the company of recovering from a disaster over time.
business continuity planning (BCP)
details how a company recovers and restores critical business operations and systems after a disaster or extended disruption.
emergency notification service
an infrastructure built for notifying people in the event of an emergency.
refers to the varying levels that define what a user can access, view, or perform when operating a system.
administrator access
unrestricted access to the entire system.
refers to the time frames when the system is operational.
when it is not operating and cannot be used.
high availability
occurs when a system is continuously operational at all times.
refers to how quickly a system can transform to support environmental changes.
refers to the ability of an application to operate on different devices or software platforms, such as different operating systems.
ensures a system is functioning correctly and providing accurate information.
describes how well a system can scale up, or adapt to the increased demands of growth.
measures how quickly a system performs a process or transaction.
capacity planning
determines future environmental infrastructure requirements to ensure high-quality system performance.
the degree to which a system is easy to learn and efficient and satisfying to use.
Moore’s law
refers to the computer chip performance per dollar doubling every 18 months.
sustainable MIS
describes the production, management, use, and disposal of technology in a way that minimizes damage to the environment.
corporate social responsibility
companies’ acknowledged responsibility to society.
refers to discarded, obsolete, or broken electronic devices.
sustainable MIS disposal
refers to the safe disposal of MIS assets at the end of their life cycle.
grid computing
a collection of computers, often geographically dispersed, that are coordinated to solve a common problem.
smart grid
delivers electricity using two-way digital technology.
cloud computing
refers to the use of resources and applications hosted remotely on the Internet.
utility computing
offers a pay-per-use revenue model similar to a metered service such as gas or electricity.
infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
a service that delivers hardware networking capabilities, including the use of servers, networking, and storage over the cloud using a pay-per-use revenue model.
dynamic scaling
means the MIS infrastructure can be automatically scaled up or down based on needed requirements.
software as a service (SaaS)
delivers applications over the cloud using a pay-per-use revenue model.
platform as a service (PaaS)
supports the deployment of entire systems including hardware, networking, and applications using a pay-per-use revenue model.
creates multiple “virtual” machines on a single computing device.
data center
a facility used to house management information systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems.