Chapter 2

Reading Review Questions

Question 1:
What are the most important ideas, keywords, and phrases that are stated in the definition of a
system?

Answer:
A system is a collection of components linked together and organized in such a way as to be
recognizable as a single unit.
A set of rules or a set of things grouped together
A group of principles or a group of theories
An arrangements of things or an order of procedures

Question 2:
Explain the relationships among the following words: system, environment, boundary, and interface.

Answer:
Under the meaning of system, consists of the environment, boundary,

and interface. The linked components of a system define the boundary for that

system. Anything outside the boundary is the environment. The interface is

what is between the system and the environment

Question 3:
Explain the following statement about systems: “Decomposition is inherently hierarchical”.

Answer:
IT systems are often complex, and the ability to separate them into components or subsystems
of usable size leads to a simplification of the understanding of the system. The implementation
of IT systems must take place at different levels of detail and frequently require collaboration
among many designers and analysts. This goes along with the statement of decomposition
being inherently hierarchical, as the ability to decompose systems into components allows us to
concentrate at the appropriate levels of detail during each step along the way.
Question 4:
Explain what is meant by the architecture of a system.

Answer:
The architecture of a system can be defined as a representation of a system, it is a model which
describes structure and behavior of a system. The fundamental properties, and the patterns of
relationships, connections, constraints, and linkages among the components and between the
system and its environment are known collectively as the architecture of the system

Example

Internet, Telephone network, e-commerce etc...

Every science & technology based utilities require system architecture

Question 5:
What does the top-down approach allow a system architect to do that might be more difficult
otherwise?

Answer:
The top-down approach allows focus on the specific areas of interest without the
distraction of details that are irrelevant to the current level being studied. This allows a
system architect to both analyze and study the IT system as a whole and focus on the
larger picture: the purpose of each component in a system and the interfaces
requirements that connect and integrate them. We can consider the individual business
functions, computer systems, and networks that will link them together.

Question 6:
What are the principal responsibilities of a system architect?

Answer:
The IT system architect must consider the system from the perspectives of application
architecture, data architecture, network architecture, and computer architecture. Each of these
addresses different aspects of the IT system as a whole.
- Assess the particular needs of an organization and create a system that meets those needs
-Attempt to achieve an optimum balance of computer power, network capability, user
convenience, and budget.
To do so, the architect will consider each aspect of the system: application architecture, network
requirements, specification of computer systems, and data requirements, just as the architect
designing a house considers flow of people through the house, overall use of space and room
layout, individual room layouts, mechanical systems, and aesthetic design as different views of
the overall architecture of the house

Exercises:

Question 1:
The human body is an example of an object that can be represented as a system. Consider the
various ways in which you could represent the human body as a system. Select a representation
and identify the components that constitute the system. Select one component and decompose it to
the next subsystem level. Now consider a completely different system representation of the human
body and repeat this exercise.

Answer:
There are a number of possibilities. Here are two: a functional representation, in which the
components include the digestive system, circulatory system, skeletal system, nervous system,
muscular system, respiratory system, reproductive system, etc. The digestive system can be broken
further into the stomach, intestines, liver, bladder, rectum, and so on. Another system representation
would be physical. System components would consist of head, arms, hands, torso, legs, and feet.
Head components might include forehead, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, and so on. There are
many other possible models that students might come up with.

Question 2
Consider a representation of a work organization or school with which you are
familiar. Identify the major components that characterize the primary operations
within the organization and draw a diagram that represents the system’s organization.
Show and identify the links that connect the various components. Identify the major
environmental factors that impact the organization.

Answer:

School management system:

Question 3:
Consider this textbook. Using the detailed table of contents as a reference, we can represent this
textbook as a hierarchical system. As a first pass, we can define this book by the five component
parts that make up the body of the text. Identify by general name the objects that constitute the next
level of decomposition below the parts components. Continue to do this for at least three more levels
of the hierarchy.

Answer:
Using the detailed table of contents of this text book as a reference,
we can represent this textbook as a hierarchical system. As a first pass, we can define
this book by the five component parts that makeup the body of the text. Identify by
general name the objects that constitute the next level of decomposition below the
parts components. Continue to do this for at least three more levels of the hierarchy.
Part one-an overview of computer systems
Computers and systems
Part two- Data in the computer
Number systems
Part three – computer architecture and hardware operation
The little man computer

Question 4:

Thinking in terms of systems allows us to analyze situations that are too

complicated for us to understand as a whole. What specific characteristics
and features of system thinking make this possible?

Answer:
The key to system analysis is the ability to divide a system into smaller
pieces that can be analyzed more easily and somewhat independently.
Because the system is made up of components and links it becomes
possible to decompose and analyze components individually and to isolate
and study the interactions between components that comprise the links.
Further decomposition allows simplification of the analysis of the more
complex components. Additionally, the clear delineation between a system
and its environment allows analysis of the interaction and impacts between
the system and the various elements of the environment.
Question 5:"Based on the illustration of an iPhone shown in Figure 2.4, draw a
system mode for an iPhone."
Question 6:

It is common to represent network connections in IT systems as a cloud.

(See, for example, Figures 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, and 2.9). The cloud is obviously an
abstraction as we defined abstraction in this chapter. What does the cloud
abstraction actually represent?

Figure 2.6

Answer:

The cloud is an abstraction representing the end-to-end connection

between two communicating computers, including all components required
to implement and support the connection. These components might include
computers, routers, modems, cables, transmitters, receivers, software,
protocols, Wi-Fi access points, etc.