System Backup
Identify a range of causes of data loss
Causes of data loss
Power out during storm
Defect hard drives
System crashes
Malicious activities by employees or outsiders/intruders
Describe a range of methods that can be used to prevent data loss
Regular back ups
Copying all sensitive information on to a different medium than the one used in the system (e.g.
second hard disk, CDs) = chance of information loss & due to malicious activities is reduced
significantly
Making hard copies
Information printed out to be archived (e.g books, texts, important contracts, scientific papers
Disadvantages = expensive, take up a large amount of space, liable to data loss (e.g printouts
getting burned in fire)
Methods to prevent data loss
Fail over systems
Redundancy
Removable media
Offsite/online storage
Physical security
Software Deployment
Describe strategies for managing releases and updates
Automatic Updates
The system checks automatically for updates over the Internet from time to time. If
updates are available, they are downloaded and installed automatically.
Advantages
Updates get installed automatically =
inexperienced users have an easy chance
to get the updates
No need for software manufacturer to
contact every user about the new update
Disadvantages
Users miss updates if they are not connected to
the Internet
If updates bring a major change of system
functions, users might not be informed about it
Manual Updates
The software manufacturer contacts every user about the new update and supplies the
installation package to them to be installed
Advantages
Users have more control what updates they want
Users might
Users might
to
install
Users get to know if an update brings major
Users might
changes
update
Users might
to how the system works
Disadvantages
miss an update fixing security issues
not know how to install the update
harm the system by wrongly installing
lose medium containing the update
System Design Basics
Define the terms: hardware, software, peripheral, network, human resources
5 Key Concepts:
Hardware anything within a computer you can physically touch
Software collection of programs and instructions that control the computer
Peripheral devices attached to the computer that allow it to interact with its
environment and exchange information (input: keyboard, mouse, microphone, webcam,
scanner | output: screen, speakers, printer)
Network a group of computers connected together in some way to share resources
such as documents or files and printers
Human resources - humans operating the computers
Describe the roles that a computer can take in a networked world
Client vs Server
Client: a computer accessing resources (documents, printer, scanners, etc.) hosted by the
server
Server: a computer hosting resources to be shared across the network (documents, printer,
etc.)
A computer can be both client and server in a network at the same time!
Additional roles for computers
DNS Server: a special type of server mapping web addresses to IP addresses allowing us to
surf the web without having to look up the IP address of every website they want to visit
Router: a computer routing network packages between two networks usually using a different
medium for information transfer, like phone cables or glass fibre connections
Firewall: a computer or software package monitoring and protecting the network traffic of a
computer or computer network. It decides which computers get access to the network or
computer based on a set of rules.
Discuss the social and ethical issues associated with a networked world
Social & Ethical Issues Examples
Loss of jobs due to computers because less secretaries are needed
Through extensive networking many business activities can be outsourced to cheaper
locations (e.g. call centres to India, leading to loss of jobs in home country)
Is it ethical to fire works from a company because a computer system has been implemented
that does the same job cheaper?
Digital divide: those who are confident with computers have higher chances for success than
those who dont
Can an iPad and Facebook replace face-to-face social interaction?
Reliability
Integrity
Inconsistency
Security
Privacy
Anonymity
Digital Divide and Equal
Access
Surveillance
Globalization and Cultural Diversity
IT Policies
Standards and Policies
People and Machines
Digital Citizenship
Multi Factor
Authentication
(MFA)
Knowledge
factors
Possession
factors
Identify the relevant stakeholders when planning a new system
Stakeholder: a person with an interest or concern in something
Parties usually involved in a system
System analyst
End users
Software manufacturer
Client company
Describe methods of obtaining requirements from stakeholders
Observation
Involves system analysts walking around the organization watching how things are
done with his/her own eyes
Advantages
Possibility of gathering first-hand,
unbiased information
Disadvantages
Often people dont work the way they
normally do when being observed (Hawthorne
effect)
Interviews
Involves the systems analyst interviewing key people within the system to find out
how it works
Advantages
Allows a lot of very detailed
information to be gathered
People can be asked about what they
dont like on the system
Disadvantages
Takes a long time
Questionnaires / Surveys
Involves the systems analysts handing out questionnaires for people to fill out
Advantages
Large amount of data from a large
group can be gathered
Takes little time
Simple
Disadvantages
It is hard to ask the right question
Information gathered is limited by
questionnaire
It may not be taken seriously
Collecting documents
Involves the system analysts looking in the documents in the archive to try to find
out how the present system works
Advantages
Detailed information about the present
system can be gathered
It can be seen where the old system
has problems
Disadvantages
Time consuming
Just looking at the forms may be
confusing
Describe appropriate techniques for gathering the information needed to
arrive at a workable solution
Techniques
Examining current systems
Looking at competing products
Organizational capabilities
Literature searches (web/books)
Construct suitable representations to illustrate system requirements
System flow charts
Diagrams representing how different parts of the system are linked together and
how the system should work in general
Data flow diagrams
Diagrams representing how information is moving through the system together with
identifying all relevant inputs and outputs to the system
Structure charts
Diagrams representing the organization of a system, usually with showing the
different parts in hierarchical order
Describe the purpose of prototypes to demonstrate the proposed system to
the client
Prototypes
Prototypes are abstract representation of the system, often focusing on only one or
two key aspects of the system
They are important in testing as each component of the system can be tested
before implementing, and to illustrate the working of the future system to the client
Prototypes in systems development are usually ghost user interfaces illustrating
the position of control elements to the user or little programs developed to explore
the working of a key algorithm in the system
Discuss the importance of iteration during the design process
Design cycle
Designing and creating the system usually happens in 5 stages: Planning, Analysis,
Design, Implementation, Maintenance (PADIM)
Maintenance step is often let out because in maintenance, you plan, analyse,
design, and implement changes, so the circle effectively begins from the start again
The iterative process happens during the entire product life cycle
Explain the possible consequences of failing to involve the end-user in the
design process
User may be unsatisfied with the system
System may be unsuited for users problem, affecting productivity
Off-the-shelf software <-> Tailored software
Discuss the social and ethical issues associated with the introduction of new
IT systems
Digital divide
Firing workers because computer system can do the same job cheaper
Through mobile phones with access to business IT-systems, workers can be reached
even out of work -> dad hangs on phone with colleagues the entire holiday
Less social interaction due to home offices
