Info 2

Info 2

1. ICT systems and their components

   • ICT
     • Information and Communications Technology
       • Input, processing, storage and transfer of data and the output of information
   • Systems
     • IPO
       • Input Process Output
       • Input - Keyboard
       • Process - Calculations
       • Output - Monitor
     • ICT system = where output from the system goes directly to a human being or into another system
       • Components
         • People
         • Data
         • Procedures
         • Software
         • Hardware
         • Information

2. Data and information

   • Data = raw facts and figures or a set of values
     • Types
       • Text
       • Numbers
       • Sound
       • Still images
       • Moving images
   • Bits and bytes
     • Bit = 1 single binary unit
     • Byte = Computer memory
   • Encoding and coding
     • Coding = M (Male) & F (Female)
     • Encoding = convert data into machine readable form
   • Information = data that has been processed into something meaningful
   • Processing = work the computer does on the data to convert it into information
   • What makes information valuable?
     • Accuracy
     • Up to date
     • Complete
     • From a reliable source
     • Relevant

3. People and ICT systems

   • Interaction may be affected because:
     • Experience
     • Physical characteristics
     • Age
     • Task to be undertaken
     • Environment of use
   • GUIs
     • 4 basic features
       • Meus
       • Windows
       • Pointers
       • Icons
     • Command line interface
       • Limitations
         • Users need to know demands before use
         • Demands considerable knowledge
       • Benefits
         • Less demanding of system resources than other interfaces
       • Menu-driven interfaces
         • Benefits
           • Often combined with graphics and can be used very effectively with touch-screen systems
         • Limitations
           • Restrict options users can select
     • Benefits
       • User-friendly
     • Limitations
       • Fustrating for more experienced users
       • Demanding of systems resoruces

4. Backup and recovery

   • Causes of lost data
     • 2% Natural Disasters
     • 6% sobotage
     • 13% Hardware Error
     • 22% Virus Attack
     • 25% Software Corruption
     • 32% Human Error
   • Backup strategies
     • Details of strategy will depend on the answer to the questions
       • What data needs to be backed up? How often does the data need to be backed up? When does the data need to be backed up? Who will be responsible? Where will the data be stored?
     • Types of backup
       • Full backup
         • All data stored in files and folders will be saved
       • Differential backup
         • Data that is different since the last full backup will be saved.
       • Incremental backup
         • Saves all the files that have changed since the last backup, whether that was full or, differential or incremental
     • Types of media used in backup
       • Magnetic tape
       • Hard disks
       • Optical disc
       • Remote backup service
   • Recovery
     • Who is resonsible?
     • Where is the valuable data stored?

5. Transfer of data in ICT systems

   • WAN/LAN/MAN
     • LAN = Large Area Network
       • In areas such as schools such as Trinity as it has two buildings that need WiFi access for computers, Ipads, laptops etc
     • MAN = Metropolitan Area Network
     • WAN = Wide Area Network
       • In places like town
   • Intranets and extranets
   • Use of communication technologies
     • Internet
     • World Wide Web = WWW
   • Standards
     • De facto standard
       • No formal agreement is in place, but a particular standard has become the one that is most commonly used in practice
     • De jure standard
       • Legally binding industry standards that all manufacturers have to agree to work to

6. Safety and security of data in ICT systems

   • Threats to ICT systems
     • Employees
     • Human error
     • Viruses
     • Spyware
     • Types of threat
       • Data access threat
         • Stop the data being used by the organisation it belongs to
           • Disrupts normal running of the software being used
       • Service threats
         • Data being accessed while being communicated across a network illegally
           • Gets changed by individuals or organisatins that should not have access
   • Reasons for security breaches
     • Satisfaction
     • Personal gain
     • Financial gain
     • Sabotage
   • Data encryption
     • Scrambling data so that it cannot be understood unless encrypted
       • Key is used in conjunction with the transformation to scramble the message before transmitting and unscramble it when it arrives at the destination
   • How are ICT systems protected?
     • Hardware measures
     • Software measures
     • Procedures
     • Combanation of all three
     • Legislations to protect
       • Data Protection Act 1998
         • Role of the Data Protection Commissioner
           • Enforcing and overseeing the Act Raising awareness of the act and its complications Investigating complaints
       • Computer Misuse Act
         • Identifies three specific offences - unauthorised access to computer material  - unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of futher offences - unauthorised modification of computer material
       • Actions to deal with misuse
         • Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
           • Current UK copyright law

7. Uses of ICT systems

   • What ICT can provide
     • Fast, repetitive processing
     • Vast storage capacity
     • Improved search facilities
     • Improved presentation of information
     • Improved accessibility of information and services
     • Improved security of data and processes
   • Is the use always appropriate?
     • Limitations in what the system can be used for
     • Limitations in the information that they produce
     • Appropriateness of solutions
   • Types of processing
     • Batch
       • - Data is collected together in a group or batch before processing takes place.
     • Interactive
       • - Interaction between the ICT system and the user - The user reacts to prompts from the computer and the computer uses these prompts to process data
     • Transaction
       • - Allows many users to access and update a system at apparently the same time. - Each transaction must be completed before the next is begun

8. Factors and consequences of ICT

   • Factors
     • Cultural
     • Economic
     • Environmental
     • Ethical
     • Legal
     • Social
   • Consequences
     • For individuals
       • Changing employment
       • Changing face of computer use in society
       • E-learning
       • E-government
       • E-commerce
       • Access to information
     • For society
       • Over-dependence on computers