INFORMATION SYSTEMS
“An Information System (IS) is the combination of information technology, data, and procedures for processing data, and people who collect and use the data. Information systems also include automation systems, which perform tasks that had been done manually; transaction processing systems, which process and record business activities; management systems, which supply information to managers; and strategic systems, which support the implementation of organizational theory. The term information system is normally used in a narrower sense to refer to an automated system; it then refers to the applications in combination with the IT infrastructure.” (Thompson, 2004) The four distinct components that make up every information system infrastructure are: hardware, software, networks & Internet, and databases and database management.
The Hardware Component
Hardware is defined by Thompson Learning as “the physical equipment used to process information.”(2004) The physical equipment that make up the hardware component can take on a variety of responsibilities and tasks that include data input, data manipulation and management, printing, scanning, data storage, network communications and much more. These responsibilities alone make the hardware component an essential component within the Information System and most certainly for most IS related projects. Lets breakdown some of these responsibilities and tasks in order to better understand the role that hardware will play within the company information system.
The role that the hardware component will play within the Company information system is simple; it acts as the interface between the user and the other components of the information system. For instance, the user cannot access the data, network or software without the use of a Personal Computer, Laptop or Handheld device. For this reason alone, the hardware component is normally the first component a user will need to purchase or obtain before...