2ND TERM IT NOTES

IGNORE THE NUMBERS AND DOTS!

Project Management

•Project management involves applying a process to complete a project on time and within
budget

•Key stages include

◦Initiation: Identifying ideas, setting goals, identifying stakeholders, and creating a feasibility
study A project brief, PID, or SoW is created

◦Planning: Creating a budget, setting milestones, prioritizing tasks, and creating a Gantt chart
Resources are allocated

◦Execution: Following the plan, communicating roles, and setting targets Reviews take place to
note lessons learned

◦Monitoring and Control: Monitoring progress, performance, and expenditure Adjusting the
plan as needed, and holding regular review meetings

◦Close: Terminating contracts, releasing resources, reviewing the project with the client, and
getting the project signed off

•Project management software helps with scheduling tasks, allocating resources, identifying
milestones, and setting company standards It can also assist in communication and
collaboration, decision-making, and cost tracking However, it can be expensive and require
training, and it can overcomplicate simple projects

•Gantt charts show task start and finish dates, dependencies, progress, and the current position
in a project

•Critical Path Method (CPM) identifies critical tasks that must be completed on time for the
project to finish on time It defines the minimum time for project completion

•Performance Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is similar to CPM but uses estimated
times for tasks, making it suitable for non-repetitive projects

•A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of a project to manage

•Timings in project management refer to specific durations of tasks Float is the amount of time
a task can be delayed without affecting the project timeline End points are the completion
points of tasks or phases, while milestones are key achievements
System Life Cycle

•The system life cycle includes these stages: analysis, design, development and testing,
implementation, documentation, and evaluation

◦Analysis: Gathering information about the current system and client requirements Methods
include questionnaires, interviews, observation, and document analysis A user requirements
specification is created

◦Design: Designing a new system, creating a system specification and a design specification This
includes data flow diagrams, system flowcharts, data storage, input forms, and output reports

◦Development and testing: Implementing the design and testing the system Includes test plans
and test data as well as alpha and beta testing and white box and black box testing

◦Implementation: Replacing the old system with the new one Methods include parallel running,
direct changeover, phased implementation, and pilot implementation

◦Documentation: Creating user and technical documentation

◦Evaluation: Reviewing the project and determining if the new system meets requirements

•Maintenance includes perfective, adaptive, preventive, and corrective maintenance

•Prototyping involves creating a mockup of a software solution It includes evolutionary and

•Software development methods include agile, iterative, incremental, RAD and waterfall

Communications Technology

•A network is two or more computers connected to communicate

◦LANs are small, local networks with high speeds and private ownership

◦WANs span large areas with lower speeds and often use third-party infrastructure

◦Client-server networks have a central server providing services to clients

◦Peer-to-peer networks are decentralized, with each computer having equal status

•A VPN encrypts internet connections for privacy and secure remote access

•IPsec is a network protocol that is designed to encrypt and authenticate data packets

•Mobile networks use radio waves for wireless communication 3G, 4G, and 5G offer increasing
speeds and capabilities
•Network components include

◦NICs/WNICs: connect devices to a network

◦Repeaters: amplify network signals

◦Hubs: connect multiple devices but send data to all

◦Switches: direct data to intended devices

◦WAPs: allow wireless devices to connect to a wired network

◦Gateways: connect different networks

◦Routers: connect similar networks and assign IP addresses

◦Firewalls: monitor and control network traffic

•Network servers include file servers, web servers, mail servers, application servers, print
servers, FTP servers, proxy servers, and virtual servers

•Cloud computing provides on-demand access to shared computing resources over the internet
Service models include IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS

•Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can be transferred over a network at a given
time

•Bit rate is the rate at which bits are transferred

•Data streaming can be real-time or on-demand

•Data packets include a header, payload, and trailer

•Packet switching divides messages into smaller units for transmission It can be connection-
oriented or connectionless

•Circuit switching establishes a dedicated path between sender and receiver

•Message switching stores and forwards messages between nodes

•IP addresses identify devices on a network MAC addresses identify devices on a local network

•Network protocols are sets of rules for data transmission Key protocols include TCP, IP, ICMP,
ARP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and SMTP

•Network traffic management includes routing

•The OSI model has seven layers, while the TCP/IP model has four or five
•Data transmission methods include fiber optic, copper cables, free space laser, radio waves,
infrared, and microwave

•Mobile communication systems use cellular networks with base stations and a core network

•Satellite communication systems transmit radio waves from ground stations via satellites GPS
uses satellites to determine locations

•Network security is essential

◦Botnets are networks of infected devices controlled by a third party

◦Malware is malicious software that can harm a computer system

◦Data can be protected by security measures, encryption, and access controls

•Disaster recovery involves risk analysis, testing, and quantifying risks, with methods to detect
threats, prevent disasters, and restore systems after a disaster.