Week 7: Tech Guide 4 & 5

Question 1. Compare and contrast the main wired communications channels? (Ethernet & Fibre Optic)

Ethernet is a common local area network protocol. Fibre optic cables are thousands of very thin filaments of glass fibres, surrounded by cladding, that transmit information via light pulses generated by lasers.

Question 2. Describe the two technologies that enable users to send high-volume data over any network. (ISDN & ADSL)
Integrated services digital network (ISDN) technology allows users to transfer voice, video, image and data simultaneously at high speed, using existing telephone lines.

Question 3. What are the main business reasons for using networks?

Networked computer systems enable organisations to be more flexible so that they can adapt to rapidly changing business conditions. Networks enable companies to share hardware, computer applications, and data across the organisation and among organisations. Networks also make it possible for geographically dispersed employees and workgroups to share documents, ideas and creative insights.

Question 4. What is the difference between LANs and WANs?
LANs encompass a limited geographic area and are usually composed of one communications medium. In contrast, WANs encompass a broad geographical area and are usually composed of multiple communications media.

Question 5. What is a network protocol?

A network protocols are computing devices that are connected to the network access and share the network to transmit and receive data. These components are often referred to as “nodes” of network. They work together by adhering to a common set of rules that enable them to communicate with one another. This set of rules and procedures that govern transmission across a network is a protocol.

Question 6. Describe TCP/IP protocol. TCP/IP is a file transfer, packet switching protocol that can send large files of information with the assurance that the data will arrive in uncorrupted form.

TCP/IP is the communications protocol of the Internet.

Question 7. Describe the various ways that you can connect to the Internet?

The various ways to connect to the Internet include dial-up, ISDN, DSL, Cable Modem, satellite, wireless and fiber to the home (FTTH).

Question 8. Describe the parts of an Internet address.

Each computer has an assigned address, called the Internet Protocol (IP) address, that distinguishes it from all other computers. The IP address consists of numbers, in four parts, separated by dots. Most computers also have names, which are easier for people to remember than IP addresses. The names are derived from a naming system called the domain name system (DNS). Domain names consist of multiple parts, separated by dots, which are read from right to left.

Question 9. What are the roles of browsers?
Users access the Web primarily through software applications called browsers. Browsers provide a graphical front end that enable users to point and click their way across the Web, a process called surfing. Web browsers became a means of universal access because they deliver the same interface on any operating system under which they run. Leading browsers include Internet Explorer from Microsoft, Firefox from Mozilla and Safar from Apple.

Question 10. Describe the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web?

The Internet is a massive network that connects computer networks of businesses, organisations, government agencies, and schools around the world, quickly, seamlessly and inexpensively. The World Wide Web is a system of universally accepted standards for storing, retrieving, formatting, and displaying information via a client/server architecture while using the transport of the Internet.

Week 6: Chapter 4

Question 1. What are some of the difficulties in managing data?
Managing data in organisations is difficult for various reasons:1. The amount of data increases with time2. Data are stored in various systems, databases, formats, and languages3. Data security, quality and integrity are often compromised

Question 2. What are the various sources for data?

Data sources can be internal, personal, clickstream and external.

Question 3. What is a primary key and a secondary key?

A primary key is the identifier field or attribute that uniquely identifies a record.
A secondary key is an identifier field or attribute that has some identifying information, but typically does not identify the file with complete accuracy.

Question 4. What is an entity and a relationship?

An entity is a person, place, thing or event about which information is maintained in a record.

Question 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of relational databases?

Advantages include: greater flexibility in the variety of queries they can make.
Disadvantages: the overall design can be complex and therefore have slow search and access times.

Question 6. What is knowledge management?
Knowledge management is a process that helps organisations identify, select, organize, disseminate, transfer and apply information and expertise that are part of the organisation’s memory and that typically reside within the organization in an unstructured manner.

Question 7. What is the difference between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge?
Explicit knowledge deals with more objective, rational and technical knowledge. In an organisation explicit knowledge consists of the policies, procedural guides, reports, products, strategies, goals, core competencies of the enterprise, and the IT infrastructure. In contrast a tactic knowledge is the cumulative store of subjective or experiential learning. In an organisation, tactic knowledge consists of an organisation’s experiences, insights, expertise, know-how, trade secrets, skill sets, understanding and learning.

Week 5: Chapter 3

Question 1: Provide an IT example that relates to the ethical issues for the ideas of privacy, accuracy, property, and accessibility.

• Privacy issues: involves collecting, storing, and disseminating information about individuals.


• Accuracy issues: involve the authenticity, fidelity, and accuracy of information that is collected and processed.


• Property issues: involve the ownership and value of information.


• Accessibility issues: revolve arounf who should have access to information and they should have to pay for this access.

Question 2: What are the 5 general types of IT threats? Provide an example for each one

Unintentional acts
Natural disasters
Techinical failures
Management failures
Deliberate acts

Question 3: Describe/discuss three types of software attack and a problem that may result from them

Software attacks include viruses, worms, Trojan horses, logic bombs, back doors, denial of service, alien software and phishing. A growing threat is cybercrime, which often utilizes and phishing attacks. However many problems can also rise from software attack including identity theft, copyright/trademarks, telemarketing, spam, digital contracts, electronic recordings, electronic surveillance, workplace monitoring, email , freedom of speech and libel/slander laws.

Question 4: Describe the four major types of security controls in relation to protecting information systems.

The major types of general controls include physical controls, access controls, administrative controls and communications controls.

Question 5: What is information system auditing?
A detailed internal and external IT audit may involve hundreds of issues and can be supported by both software and checklists. Related to IT auditing is the preparation for disaster recovery, which specifically addresses how to avoid, plan for, and quickly recover from a disaster.

Question 6: What is the difference between authentication and authorization and why are they important to e-Commerce/give an example of their relevance to e-Commerce

Authentication is a process that determines the identity of the person requiring access.

Authorization s a process that determines which actions, rights or privileges the person has, based on verified identity.