ICT Infrastructure & Information Security 1

Summary

This video lecture delves into the intricate layers of ICT infrastructures, focusing on hardware, software, and communication systems, while emphasizing the significance of information security in e-business. It outlines the three-tier architecture of client, business, and data tiers, highlighting the role of databases, document management, and ERP systems in backend operations. The lecture also underscores the importance of integrating front-end systems with backend databases for dynamic website content and efficient organizational functioning.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The lecture covers ICT infrastructures, including hardware, software, communication infrastructures, and information security, with a separate focus on the latter.
• 📚 After the lecture, viewers should be able to outline the functionality of backend and front-end ICT infrastructures and describe three-tier client-server architecture.
• 🔒 The importance of data and information security in e-business and e-commerce is highlighted, with approaches to securing information discussed.
• 💻 There are three layers of informatics infrastructures: information infrastructures, information system infrastructures, and ICT infrastructures, which are mutually interdependent.
• 📈 Information system infrastructures act as a high-level map of an information system, representing a composite of systems that emulate standard human activities.
• 🛠️ Critical technologies for back-end ICT infrastructures include database management systems, data warehouses, document management, and enterprise resource planning systems.
• 🗂️ Database management systems (DBMS) are sets of computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and use of databases, facilitating transaction management and application development.
• 🏢 Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems integrate various organizational functions under one umbrella, often feeding from a central database.
• 📑 Document management systems are used for handling unstructured data, such as physical documents, which are not efficiently managed by database systems.
• 🌟 Modern ICT infrastructures often follow a three-tier client-server architecture, with the client tier accessible through web browsers or smartphone apps.
• 🌐 The integration of front-end and back-end systems is crucial for organizational effectiveness, especially with the use of internet and web technologies.

Q & A

What are the three layers of informatics infrastructures mentioned in the lecture?

The three layers of informatics infrastructures are: 1) Information Infrastructures, which consist of definitions of information needs and activities involved; 2) Information System Infrastructures, which consist of information systems needed to support organizational activities; and 3) ICT Infrastructures, which consist of the hardware, software, data, and communication facilities, as well as ICT knowledge and skills available to the organizations.

What is the purpose of an information system infrastructure in a commercial organization?

The purpose of an information system infrastructure in a commercial organization is to represent a composite of the systems that support standard human activities such as sales, accounting, stock control, and procurement. It typically emulates these activities and provides the necessary information inputs for the organization.

How do ICT infrastructures differ from information system infrastructures?

ICT infrastructures go beyond information systems by including not only the systems that support organizational activities but also the hardware, software, data, communication facilities, and the ICT knowledge and skills available to the organizations. They provide a more comprehensive technological foundation for an organization.

What is the role of a database management system (DBMS) in an ICT infrastructure?

A DBMS is a set of computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and use of databases within an organization. It allows for the consolidation of data records into databases that can be accessed by various application programs and facilitates database development, interrogation, maintenance, and application development.

What is the difference between a data warehouse and a data mart?

A data warehouse is a large database that stores data extracted from various operational, external, and other databases across an organization. A data mart, on the other hand, is a database that contains a subset of data from a data warehouse, focusing on specific aspects of a company, such as a department or a business process.

Why is document management important in an organization?

Document management is important because much of the data collected, disseminated, and used within organizations is unstructured or semi-structured. Database systems are not typically good at handling such data, hence a document management system is frequently used to manage this type of data effectively.

How does an ERP system integrate different organizational functions?

An ERP system integrates different organizational functions by providing a series of software modules that feed into a central database of organizational data. It typically consists of packages that were originally developed from manufacturing resource planning systems and aims to streamline and unify business processes across the organization.

What are the three-tier client-server architectures in the context of modern ICT infrastructures?

The three-tier client-server architectures refer to the client tier, the business tier, and the data tier. The client tier is the front-end ICT systems accessed through various devices, the business tier consists of web servers providing electronic services to stakeholders, and the data tier involves large corporate databases storing operational data.

How do internet and web technologies contribute to the integration of front-end and back-end systems in an organization?

Internet and web technologies contribute to integration by enabling dynamic updates from backend databases to the information presented on the front end. They also allow the information entered by customers to update the company's information system effectively, ensuring that both the front-end and back-end systems work seamlessly together.

What is the significance of intranet in an organization's ICT infrastructure?

An intranet is significant as it allows for internal communication and coordination within an organization using web technologies. It can be used for various e-business applications, such as internal websites, database systems, and ERP, providing a platform for collaboration and information sharing within the company.

What challenges do static web pages present for constructing websites, and how can they be addressed?

Static web pages present challenges because any change to the content requires manual amendment and republication, which can be time-consuming and error-prone for large websites. This can be addressed by developing core technologies that create a linkage between corporate databases and the information published on the internet, allowing for dynamic content updates.