Information Technology Infrastructure 161
Chapter 5 IT Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies 162
◆Opening Case: BART Speeds Up with a New IT Infrastructure 163
5.1 IT Infrastructure 165
Defining IT Infrastructure 165 • Evolution of IT Infrastructure 166 •
Technology Drivers of Infrastructure Evolution 170
5.2 Infrastructure Components 175
Computer Hardware Platforms 175 • Operating System Platforms 177 •
Enterprise Software Applications 177
◆Interactive Session: Technology New to the Touch 178
Data Management and Storage 179 • Networking/Telecommunications
Platforms 180 • Internet Platforms 180 • Consulting and System
Integration Services 181
5.3 Contemporary Hardware Platform Trends 181
The Emerging Mobile Digital Platform 181 • Grid Computing 182 •
Virtualization 182 • Cloud Computing 183 • Green Computing 184 •
Autonomic Computing 185 • High-performance and Power-saving
Processors 185
◆Interactive Session: Organizations Is Green Computing Good for Business? 186
5.4 Contemporary Software Platform Trends 187
Linux and Open Source Software 187 • Software for the Web: Java and Ajax
188 • Web Services and Service-Oriented Architecture 189 • Software
Outsourcing and Cloud Services 191
5.5 Management Issues 194
Dealing with Platform and Infrastructure Change 194 • Management and
Governance 194 • Making Wise Infrastructure Investments 195
5.6 Hands-on MIS Projects 198
Management Decision Problems 198 • Improving Decision Making: Using a
Spreadsheet to Evaluate Hardware and Software Options 198 • Improving
Decision Making: Using Web Research to Budget for a Sales Conference 199
Learning Track Modules: How Computer Hardware and Software Work; Service
Level Agreements; The Open Source Software Initiative; Comparing Stages in IT
Infrastructure Evolution 200
Review Summary 200 • Key Terms 201 • Review Questions 202 • Discussion
Questions 202 • Video Cases 202 • Collaboration and Teamwork: Evaluating Server
Operating Systems 202
◆Case Study: Salesforce.com: Cloud Services Go Mainstream 203
Chapter 6 Foundations of Business Intelligence: Databases and
Information Management 206
◆Opening Case: RR Donnelley Tries to Master Its Data 207
6.1 Organizing Data in a Traditional File Environment 209
File Organization Concepts 209 • Problems with the Traditional File
Environment 210
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6.2 The Database Approach to Data Management 212
Database Management Systems 212 • Capabilities of Database Management
Systems 217 • Designing Databases 219
6.3 Using Databases to Improve Business Performance and Decision
Making 221 • Data Warehouses 222 • Tools for Business Intelligence:
Multidimensional Data Analysis and Data Mining 224
◆Interactive Session: Technology What Can Businesses Learn from Text
Mining? 227
Databases and the Web 228
6.4 Managing Data Resources 230
Establishing an Information Policy 230 • Ensuring Data Quality 230
◆Interactive Session: Organizations Credit Bureau Errors—Big People
Problems 232
6.5 Hands-on MIS Projects 234
Management Decision Problems 234 • Achieving Operational Excellence:
Building a Relational Database for Inventory Management 235 • Improving
Decision Making: Searching Online Databases for Overseas Business
Resources 236
Learning Track Modules: Database Design, Normalization, and EntityRelationship Diagramming; Introduction to SQL; Hierarchical and Network Data
Models 236
Review Summary 237 • Key Terms 238 • Review Questions 239 • Discussion
Questions 239 • Video Cases 239 • Collaboration and Teamwork: Identifying
Entities and Attributes in an Online Database 239
◆Case Study: The Terror Watch List Database’s Troubles Continue