Unit V

Information systems administration

Grammar: Non-Finite Forms of the Verb. The Gerund. Revision of ING-forms. Reading. Text A. Information Systems Text B. Information System Administrator Resume Summary Writing. Text C. Information Systems Administration Outsourcing

Topical Vocabulary

I. Read and memorize.

account – 1) учетная (регистрационная) запись, аккаунт; 2) фин. счет

backup – резервная копия, бэкап

benefit – польза, извлекать выгоду

bridge – зд. соединять

client-server system – система клиент-сервер

coherent – слаженный, прочный

configure – настраивать

contemporary – современный

database development – разработка баз данных

data warehouse – хранилище данных

decision support – содействие принятию решений (со стороны компьютера)

decision-making – принятие решений

e-business – сетевой бизнес

encompass – охватывать

human resources – кадровые ресурсы

information-dependent – информационно зависимый

malfunction – работать неисправно

maintenance – обслуживание

oversee – курировать, осуществлять надзор

power outage – отключение э/энергии

range of responsibilities – круг обязанностей

rely on – зд. зависеть от

rest on – основываться на

restore – восстанавливать

server room – серверная

service call – вызов мастера, заявка

set up – установить

spec out – определить конфигурацию

state-of-the-art – современный, по последнему слову техники

streamline – оптимизировать

system performance – производительность системы

system security – безопасность системы

troubleshoot – устранять неисправности

utilize – использовать

web-based technologies – веб-технологии

II. Which terms from the Topical Vocabulary do these definitions refer to?

1. Copies of data made to be used to restore the original after a data loss event. 2. A collection of data that allows a user to get authorization to access system services. 3. A room that houses mainly host computers. 4. A collection of data gathered from a variety of sources and merged into a coherent whole in support of management’s decision making process. 5. A system that is composed of two logical parts: a service provider and a service requester. 6. A process of developing a system intended to organize, store, and retrieve large amounts of data easily. 7. The amount of useful work accomplished by a computer system compared to the time and resources used. 8. Technologies available over the Internet or an intranet.

Reading Section

Pre-reading discussion.

1. Modern society is said to be information-dependent. How can you prove (or disprove) this statement?

2. What types of organizations, to your mind, usually employ information systems?

3. How would you explain what an information system is?

Text A. Information Systems

In contemporary information-dependent society business firms, other organizations, and individuals fully rely on computerized information systems to manage their operations and to stay competitive. For instance, modern corporations rely on information systems to process financial accounts and manage human resources; municipal governments rely on information systems to provide basic services to its citizens; and individuals use information systems to study, shop, bank, and invest. As is seen, the term “Information System” bridges business field and computer science field and is defined by the encyclopedia Britannica as “an integrated set of components for collecting, storing, processing, and communicating information with the help of computers”. A well-designed information system rests on a coherent foundation, consisting of computer hardware and software, databases, telecommunications, networks, and of course people. In a broader sense, an information system is any combination of information technologies and people’s activities for supporting a company’s operations, management, and decision-making.

In order to function effectively information systems should be properly overseen by specially trained professionals. This overseeing usually falls into two major domains – Information Systems Management and Information Systems Administration. Information Systems Management involves application of information technology to organizational and managerial needs. It focuses on integrating computer systems with the aims and objectives on an organization. The strength of information systems managers lies in their ability to combine the understanding of business with the knowledge of information systems and technology to help organization compete more successfully or streamline current operations. Information systems managers utilize their business-based backgrounds to specify technology needs that benefit the organization. They analyze, design, develop, codify, implement, and manage state-of-the-art telecommunications, business, web-based and other computer-based information systems. They are also involved in decision support, e-business, database development and data warehousing, development and use of client server systems, development of web-based technologies for electronic commerce and other business applications, and the design and management of telecommunications systems.

System administration encompasses all the essential aspects of computer maintenance and ensures that the computer system is in proper and usable order. Information systems administrators (or just sysadmins) typically have a broad range of responsibilities related to computer maintenance and repair. Sysadmins are on call when a computer system goes down or malfunctions, and must be able to quickly and correctly diagnose what is wrong and how best to fix it. They respond to the staff service calls and might be asked to set up a network, restore a crashed hard drive, configure a web server, or spec out and order desktop computers. They troubleshoot a slow mail server, bring up a computer lab after a power outage, or mop up a flooded server room. Sysadmins are most frequently called upon to configure hardware, install and update software, set up and manage user accounts, troubleshoot problems for users, schedule backups, maintain system security, and optimize system performance.