Information Systems Today

Eighth Edition, Global Edition

Chapter # 3
Managing the Information
Systems Infrastructure and
Services

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The IS Infrastructure (2 of 2)
• Businesses rely on an
information systems
infrastructure
– Hardware
– System software
– Storage
– Networking
– Data centers

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Applications and Databases Supporting
Business Process
• Application Software
• Databases
– Collections of data
– Organized to facilitate data searches

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IS Infrastructure Components: Hardware-
Computer Types (Table 3.1)
Type of Number of Physical Size Typical Use Random Typical
Computer Simultaneo Access Cost
us Users Memory (in US$)
Supercomputer One to many Like an automobile Scientific research 5,000+ GB Up to $100
to as large as million
multiple rooms
Mainframe 1,000+ Like a refrigerator Transaction Up to 3,000 GB Up to $10
processing, million
enterprise-wide
applications
Server 10,000+ Like a DVD player Providing websites Up to 512 GB Up to $50,000
and mounted in a or access to
rack to fitting on a databases,
desktop applications or files
Workstation Typically one Fitting on a desk- Engineering, Up to 512 GB Up to
top to the size of a medical, graphic $100,000
file cabinet design
Personal One Fitting on a desk- Personal 512 MB to Up to $5,000
computer top productivity 32 GB
Mobile device One Handheld Personal 512 MB to Up to $750
productivity 2 GB

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IS Infrastructure Components: Data
Centers
• Large amounts of data to be managed
• Dedicated space for infrastructure components
such as data centers
• Data center centralization facilitates
– Management
– Repairs
– Upgrades
– Security

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Issues Associated with Managing the IS
Infrastructure

• Rapid Obsolescence and Shorter IT Cycles

• Big Data and Rapidly Increasing Storage Needs
• Demand Fluctuations
• Increasing Energy Needs

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Moore’s Law
• Dr. Gordon Moore
– Theorized (correctly) that the number of
transistors on a chip would double every two
years
– Transistors predicted computer power
▪ First CPU had 2,200 transistors
▪ Current CPUs have over 5 billion

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IT Cycles and Obsolescence
• Powerful computers
enable new applications
• New applications drive
efficiencies
• New applications often
make old hardware
obsolete
• Obsolete hardware
requires replacement

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Big Data and Rapidly Increasing Storage
Needs
• Firms collect unprecedented levels of data
• Unprecedented levels of data require
unprecedented infrastructure capabilities
– More storage space, powerful hardware, and database
management
– Ever-increasing Internet bandwidth
– Vicious cycle: enhanced capacity drives new
applications, requiring even more capacity

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Demand Fluctuations
• Many companies face demand fluctuations
• Demand fluctuations create inefficiencies
– IS infrastructure is typically not readily scalable
▪ Changing internal capacity takes time
▪ Cloud computing may be the answer

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Increasing Energy Needs
• Computing can require a lot of power
– Hardware draws power, which generates heat
– Heat requires cooling, which requires more power
• Data centers can use large amounts of power

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What Is Cloud Computing?
• Cloud Computing is a way to allocate resources
much like a utility sells power
• Resources are used “on-
demand,” as needed
• Customers only pay for what
they consume
• Resources can be rapidly
allocated and reallocated

• Consumption becomes an operating expense

• % utilization and efficiency increase dramatically

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Why Cloud Computing

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Cloud Computing Characteristics
• On-Demand Self Service • Resource Pooling
• Rapid Elasticity • Measured Service
• Broad Network Access

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Cloud Computing Service Models
• Infrastructure
as a Service
(IaaS)
• Platform as a
Service
(PaaS)
• Software as a
Service
(SaaS)

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Public and Private Clouds

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Managing the Cloud
• Availability/Reliability
• Scalability
• Viability
• Security, Privacy, and Compliance
• Diversity of Offerings
• Openness
• Costs

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Advanced Cloud Applications:
Grid Computing (1 of 2)
• Extremely complex problems need heavy
computing power

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Advanced Cloud Applications:
Grid Computing (2 of 2)
• Traditionally handled by
supercomputers, but
– Supercomputers are very
expensive
– Even supercomputers may not
be able to handle the demand
• Grid computing—combine
many small, networked
computers
– Decompose and distribute
large complex problems
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Advanced Cloud Applications:
Content Delivery Networks

Content delivery networks

store copies of content
closer to the end user.

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