“Information Systems Unraveled: Exploring the Core Concepts”: GoodMan, #1

​​Abstract

"Information Systems Unraveled: Exploring the Core Concepts" is an invaluable resource that delves into the intricate world of Information Systems (IS) through a comprehensive glossary of key terms and concepts. Authored with meticulous attention to detail, this book serves as a compass for both novices and experts in the realm of IS, offering a clear and concise guide to the essential principles that underpin modern information management.

The book acts as a linguistic bridge, connecting readers to the language of Information Systems by providing succinct explanations for a wide array of terms. It is a testament to the authors' expertise in the field, as they curate a diverse collection of concepts that encapsulate the fundamental building blocks of IS.

Notably, the glossary covers a spectrum of topics that span data management, systems architecture, software development, security protocols, and beyond. This wide-ranging scope mirrors the multidisciplinary nature of Information Systems, making the book an invaluable tool for students, professionals, and enthusiasts from various backgrounds.

"Information Systems Unraveled: Exploring the Core Concepts" is not just a glossary; it's a guide that empowers readers to navigate the complex world of IS terminology. Through its comprehensive coverage, user-friendly structure, and real-world relevance, the book is destined to become an essential companion for anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of Information Systems and harness its transformative power.

Dr. Patrick C. Mukosha

August, 2023.   

Copyright Notice

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein.

Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for the errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

Copyright 2002© Patrick Mukosha

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First Published: August 2023

Publisher: Dr. Patrick Mukosha

Trademarks

All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. The Author and the publisher cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

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Warning and Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided in this book is on as is basis. The Author and the Publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage arising from the use the information contained in this book.

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Editorial

Author: Patrick Chisenga Mukosha PhD

Graphics Editor: Satish Kumar Raju

Abend

Abend, which is short for abnormal end, refers to a task or program that ends abruptly. An error message detailing the last operation of the application and the file or memory location where the problem took place is displayed once an ABEND occurs.

Abort

Abort is a term used to denote stopping a process or command in a computer. Usually, an abort is implemented when there has been a mistake or when a task cannot or shouldn't be finished. For instance, you can force a software to close and try opening it again if it stops responding while it is running on your computer.

Absolute Address

An absolute address, often referred to as a direct address, machine address, or actual address, is a precise memory location used by hardware and software. They are used to store data in a certain place so that it can be retrieved more conveniently in the future. The identification of a unique storage location in the computer system (the address) that is permanently assigned by the machine designer. For example, disk drive no. 2, sector no.24, and byte no. 1,650 are absolute addresses. The computer must be given absolute addresses to reference its memory and peripherals.

Absolute Language

A language made up of machine addresses and machine operation codes, i.e., a language using the exact location where the operand is to be found or stored. Synonymous with machine language.

Accelerator

A hardware or software program that aims to boost the computer's overall performance. For instance, a 3D graphics accelerator may do tasks that would otherwise be burdensome for other computer components because it has its own GPU (graphics processing unit) and RAM. A download accelerator is another excellent example that may be installed to aid increase download speeds.

Access Control Systems

Any system intended to limit user access to a computer system in accordance with predetermined criteria is known as an access control system, or ACS. For instance, on the majority of computers, users must enter a proper name and password in order to log in. These users can only access, create, and edit a limited number of files and directories in the file system after they log in. Multiple users can access a single system using access control while still ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of each user's files. It lessens the possibility that the operating system may malfunction by safeguarding crucial system data from being modified or tampered with.

Access Method

The manner in which records are retrieved from a file.

Access time

The time required to begin and complete the read and write function on a specified block of data. Memory access time is the time it takes for a character in memory to be transferred to or from the processor.  Disk access time is an average of the time it takes to position the read/write head over the requested track.

Activate

Generally speaking, the word activate refers to turning something on. For instance, the phrase product activation refers to the process of using a serial number, product key, or other unique ID number to activate a piece of software or a game. Software activation with Microsoft Windows or Windows-compatible programs verifies legal ownership and makes the program usable. Before using a piece of software without restrictions, it must first be enabled. You need a legitimate product key in order to activate Windows or installed applications. Microsoft Windows product keys can be found printed on the side of the machine chassis or on a sticker attached to the installation disk.

Active Directory

The service AD (Active Directory), which was formerly known as NTDS, is kept in the NTDS.DIT file. It offers administrators and users a streamlined approach to manage network resources, sites, services, and users. Although it had been demonstrated on Windows NT in 1999, it was first offered in Microsoft Windows 2000. Through the MMC (Microsoft Management Console), the Active Directory functionality is frequently monitored and controlled.

Active Partition

A hard drive partition designated as the bootable partition housing the operating system is known as an active partition. On each hard drive, only one partition can be designated as a bootable or active partition. The active partition, for instance, is the one that contains Windows if you are using Microsoft Windows.

Access Point

An access point is a wireless receiver for connecting wirelessly to a network or the Internet, also known as a base station and wireless router. Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices can be referred to by this phrase. A Linksys wireless access point router is depicted in the image; to boost the signal, it makes use of several antennas.

Administrator

An Administrator, alternatively called an Admin, administrator, and gatekeeper, root is a super-user account on a computer or network and has complete control. Person in charge of controlling computer users and system settings. When referring to a Unix and Linux computer, this user is often known as root. On a Windows computer and on a network, this user is often called an administrator. However, each of these terms is interchangeable. When dealing with computers, there can be many different administrators in a company. Listed below are a few examples of the different administrators a company may employ.

Types of network administrators:

  System Administrator (sysadmin) - Individual responsible for managing the users and system settings of computers.

  DBA (Database Administrator)

  IT, LAN, or Network Administrator

  Linux Administrator - Individual responsible for Linux systems.

Address

A number of a particular memory or peripheral storage location. Like post office boxes, every byte of memory and every sector on a disk have their own unique address. After a program has been written, it is translated into machine language that references actual addresses in the computer.

Address Register

A register in which the address is stored. It is a high-speed circuit that holds the address of data to be processed or of the next instructions to be executed. A section of the computer's memory used to track memory location. A list of various address registers is provided below. Memory address register, or MAR for short, is a parallel load register that holds the following manipulatable memory address. For instance, the address that will be read or entered next. The destination memory address register is called DMAR. The source memory address register is known as SMAR.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APT)

Advanced Persistent Attackers may infiltrate critical data while purposefully avoiding discovery by the organization's security professionals if they get unauthorized access to a network and go unnoticed for a long time. APTs are often launched against nation states, major corporations, or other extremely valuable targets since they require sophisticated attackers and significant effort.

ADSL

The abbreviation ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, also known as asymmetric DSL. Due to its two-way bandwidth being split into a large portion for upstream transfers and a small portion for downstream transfers, ADSL is asymmetric. A larger download transfer rate, frequently up to 6.1 megabits per second, is produced by the smaller upstream.

Affiliate Program

A business or website that refers customers to other establishments or websites in exchange for payment. The payment could come in the form of a bonus or a portion of what the customer spends.

Algorithm

A defined process or set of ordered steps for solving a problem, such as a mathematical formula or the instructions in a program. An algorithm is a solution to a problem that satisfies the requirements listed below. The word algorithm is derived from the name of the mathematician Muhammad ibn-Musa Al-Khowarizmi.

Anything that always succeeds and is functional.

A set of guidelines, steps, or a formula that addresses a challenge.

Can be validated.

Alphabetic Character

An alphabetic character is any character that belongs to the set of letters; ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ and the space (^) character.

Alphanumeric

Pertaining to a character set that contains both letters and numerals, and usually other special characters.

Analog

Pertaining to data in the form of continuously variable physical process or devices that operate on such data. Analog devices monitor conditions, such as movements, temperature and sound, and convert them into analogous or mechanical patterns. For example, an analog watch represents the planet’s rotation with the rotating hands on the watch face.

Any of the following examples of analog can be used:

An analog signal's graph: An electronic communication that uses analog technology sends signals with variable frequencies. Analog signals are best represented as graphs, as opposed to digital signals, which convey a binary value, such as ON or OFF. The equipment can manage information that is constantly changing, such as voltage, current, and waves, thanks to analog methods.

VHS cassette tape: A mechanical or electronic equipment that does not employ digital signals is referred to as an analog device. Analog technologies transmit information like sound or images by storing it on a physical media like film, tape, or vinyl, unlike current computers that share binary, numerical information.

Analog Computer

A computer that accepts and process infinitely varying signals, such as voltage fluctuations or frequencies.  A Thermometer is the best example of an analog computer. A continuously varying change of temperature causes a metal bar to bend correspondingly (contrast with Digital).

Analysis

Breaking something down into its fundamental pieces.

Android

Any of the following may be referred to as Android:

A robot with a striking resemblance to a person is called an android.

Andy Rubin created the company in October 2003, and on August 17, 2005, Google purchased it. An open software stack including an operating system, middleware, and apps, Android is a free Linux-based platform. On November 5, 2007, Google launched the first version of it for mobile platforms. On September 23, 2008, T-Mobile's G1 phone (HTC Dream) became the first phone running Google Android to be made available to the general market. Apple iOS, a proprietary operating system and platform used on the Apple iPhone, is fiercely competitive with Android.

ANSI (American National Standards Institute)

A non-profit, privately funded membership organization, composed of representatives from industrial firms, technical societies, consumer organizations, and government agencies.  Information technology standards pertaining to the analysis, control and distribution of information, which includes programming languages, electronic data interchange (EDI), telecommunications and physical properties of diskettes, cartridges and magnetic tapes.  E.g. ANSI COBOL and ANSI C are the ANSI-endorsed versions of COBOL and C. Such languages conform to the standards (reserved words, syntax, rules) as set forth by ANSI.

Application

A specific use of a computer. E.g. Payroll, inventory and accounts receivable are business applications. Synonymous with application program or software package. Word-processing, spreadsheets and business graphics are applications. Often refers to the running program and the files and databases that are being worked on.

Application Program

Standard and frequently used programs that are tailored to a user’s vocational needs. These may be supplied to the user by the manufacturer, purchased from a software house, or written by the user himself.

Archie

Archie is another type of search engine on the Internet. Archie is a software program, developed at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, that searches the indexes of public-access computers (computers that permit anonymous FTP) for a keyword that you specify. Only file names and computer subdirectory names are searched, not the text of the actual documents. Archie returns to you a list of the matches it finds. If a particular file interests you, you can log onto the computer where it resides and use anonymous FTP to copy it to your PC.

Archie clients query a single database that contains the locations of various files by filename. This is useful when you wish to know the location of a specific file or program so you can retrieve it using FTP. Although the searches are limited to a file's name rather than a file's content, Archie provides the ability to search the largest number of information sources of any of the information access systems.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

The arithmetic logic unit is a major component of the processor and performs all the arithmetic and logic operations in the computer. To carry out its operations, the ALU uses some special and dedicated registers like the accumulator; which holds one of the operands before the operations are carried out and it holds the results of the operations. The arithmetic operations include; division, multiplication, conversions of numbers, addition, and subtraction.  The logical operations include; AND, OR, ROTATIONS and NEGATIONS.

Arm

An access mechanism that supports one or more head assemblies for read/write functions on a disc. An arm may be either stationary or movable.

Array

An ordered arrangement of data elements. A one-dimensional array is called a vector. A two-dimensional array is called a matrix.  Most programming languages have the ability to store and manipulate arrays in one, two or more dimensions.

ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)

Pronounced ask-ee, is a uniform code in which alphabetic, numeric, and special characters plus several special symbols, are represented by 8-bit configurations. A binary code for data that is used in communications, most mini-computers, and all microcomputers.

Assemble

To prepare an object language program from a symbolic language program by substituting machine operation codes for symbolic operation codes and absolute addresses for symbolic addresses.

Assembler

A computer program that operates on symbolic input data to produce machine instructions (machine code). An Assembler generally translates input symbolic codes into machine instructions, item