business driven information system ch.12

Central processing unit

The computer's primary working memory, in which program instructions and data are stored so that they can be accessed directly by the CPU via the processor's high-speed external data bus.

A small unit of ultra-fast memory that is used to store recently accessed or frequently accessed data so that the CPU does not have to retrieve this data from slower memory circuits such as RAM.

The portion of a computer's primary storage that does not lose its contents when one switches off the power.

A special type of rewrite-able read-only memory (ROM) that is compact and portable.

Contain high-capacity storage that holds data such as captured images, music, or text files.

1,024 bytes

1,024 kilobytes
1,048,576 bytes

1,024 MB (10^9 bytes)

1,024 GB

1,024 TB

1,024 PB

A computer system designed that in the event a component fails, a backup component or procedure can immediately take its place with no loss of service.

A backup operational mode in which the functions of a computer component (such as a processor, server, network, or database) are assumed by secondary system components when the primary component becomes unavailable through either failure or scheduled downtime.

A separate and fully equipped facility where the company can move immediately after a disaster and resume business.

A separate facility that does not have any computer equipment, but is a place where employees can move after a disaster.

Contain a repertoire of Web-based data and procedural resources that use shared protocols and standards permitting different applications to share data and services.

The capability of two or more computer systems to share data and resources, even though they are made by different manufacturers.

Determines the future IT infrastructure requirements for new equipment and additional network capacity.

Systems must be flexible enough to meet all types of business changes. For example, a system might be designed to include the ability to handle multiple currencies and languages, even though the company is not currently performing business in other countries.

Refers to how well a system can adapt to increased demands. A number of factors can create organizational growth including market, industry, and economy factors.

Ensures all systems are functioning correctly and providing accurate information.

(an efficiency IT metric) addresses when systems can be accessed by users. High availability refers to a system or component that is continuously operational for a desirably long length of time.

Measure how quickly a system performs a certain process or transaction (in terms of efficiency IT metrics of both speed and throughput).