SOLUTIONS MANUAL FOR

SOLUTIONS MANUAL FOR

by

Information Technology:

An Introduction for Today’s Digital World Richard Fox NOTE: For Complete File, Download link at the end of this File 1 / 4

Chapter 1

Review questions.

• What are the skills expected of an IT specialist? Troubleshooting/problems solving,

knowledge of technology (hardware, software, operating systems), programming skills, knowledge of computer security.

• What does administration mean in reference to IT? The person (people) responsible for

maintaining the computer system(s). This includes but is not limited to installing software and hardware, creating accounts, ensuring efficiency and security, and troubleshooting any problems that arise.

• What does training mean in reference to IT? Training takes on two meanings. First, one

role of IT is to train the end-users in how to use the technology. Training may include learning the operating system and proper usage such as how to protect one’s account with strong passwords, learning specific applications software, and learning how to use the computer hardware from an ergonomic point of view. As IT continues to change all the time, the IT person needs to keep up with these changes and learn new things. So training also means keeping abreast of the field.

• How does the study of IT differ from a two-year technical degree in computers?

Typically, technical schools limit their coverage to hardware, Windows-based operating system and software, network hardware and introductory programming. The full IT degree will go well beyond these, for instance, including Linux, web and database server administration, network troubleshooting, computer forensics, shell scripting, object- oriented programming, and courses that introduce students to management and soft skills.

• To what extent should an IT specialist be able to write computer programs? It is unlikely

that an IT specialist will be involved in any form of software engineering but will have to write shell scripts and other forms of scripts. For instance, operating system level scripts to automate tasks will almost certainly be part of the IT specialist’s job. If the IT specialist is hired in support of web development, the specialist may be required to write server-side scripts as well.

• What is a system administrator? What is a network administrator? How do the two jobs

differ? The main difference between the two jobs is the system they are administering.The system administrator is in charge of the computers themselves, installing and configuring the operating system, application software and hardware. In addition, the system administrator will be in charge of the management of user accounts and troubleshooting individual computer problems. The network administrator is in charge of installing, configuring, maintaining and troubleshooting the network hardware and software. The two jobs intersect when it comes to the network software and the physical connections between the network and the computers.

• Define a computer. A computer is an electronic device which is programmable, digital

(operates on binary values using electronic circuits) and is general-purpose.Additionally, all computers perform the IPOS cycle. Other aspects of a computer are optional such as secondary storage, network communication and peripheral devices.

• What is the IPOS cycle? Input, processing, output and storage. All computers will

perform these four functions. 2 / 4

• Should a cell phone be considered a computer? If the cell phone can run applications,

then yes, it is more than a special purpose device. Cell phones contain at least some amount of memory to store information such as telephone numbers, and they all use microprocessors.

• How does a computer system differ from a computer? The computer system is the

collection of the computer, the resources that surround the computer (network, storage, I/O devices), the software run on the computer and the user(s).

• How do short-term and long-term storage differ? Short-term storage is really memory,

and in most cases, it is volatile – the contents only remain in memory while power is available. Once power is shut off, memory loses all of its contents. Long-term storage is really secondary storage (primarily disk) and is used for permanent storage. Short-term storage is more expensive for the amount available but is far faster to access. For instance, typical main memory (DRAM) is 4GB to 8GB at a cost of $100-$200 while hard disk storage can offer 1-2TB for the same cost.

Discussion questions points:

• Ask the students how many of them are interested in IT because of computer games. You

might find as many as half of your class found their way into IT because of gaming. Find out why the remainder of the students are interested. It used to be that most students were interested in IT because they were already involved in computer programming. Ask your students how many of them have ever written a computer program.

• Organize the IT skills listed in table 1.3 in order of most important to least important for

a system administrator. Defend your listing based on the types of tasks that a system administrator will be required to undertake. Certainly the system administrator will have to understand the operating system as the most important thing. Without this knowledge, none of the other skills will be of use. Next, troubleshooting/problem solving skills are essential because the system administrator will often be faced with problems whose solutions are not readily available or known. The system administrator will have to search for clues for the cause of the problem and from those clues, determine how to solve the problem. System security is also very important in today’s computer systems especially if the organization retains files and records that should be held in confidence.Finally, programming and hardware skills are necessary. The extent to which a system administrator should have the skills related to these two categories might be based on the size of the IT workforce. For instance, if there are hardware specialists available, understanding hardware is less critical. Or, if there are other system administrators who can program, then shell scripting may not be as necessary.

• Table 1.2 did not include “soft skills” such as the ability to communicate with others, the

ability to work in groups, and the ability to manage projects. Are these types of skills taught or are they learned in other ways? Should a 4-year IT program include courses that cover such skills? They are taught, learned and developed. For instance, a good work ethic is not something that a 4-year degree program will teach, but one that a successful student will adapt to if the student does not already have it upon entering school. Spoken and written communication skills on the other hand are taught via composition, technical report writing and speech classes.

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• How does a 4-year IT degree differ from a 2-year IT degree or a degree earned at an IT

technical school? The 2-year associates degrees and technical degrees in IT may emphasize one aspect of IT rather than all aspects. For instance, the 2-year program might revolve solely around Windows operating systems or web development.Additionally, many 2-year programs cover far more hardware (e.g., repair, assembly) than 4-year programs who want to emphasize computing fundamentals as well as specialized IT knowledge. Soft skills are often not a part of a 2-year program at all.

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• In your lifetime, what changes have you seen in computers and other information

technology (particularly hand-held devices)? What changes do you expect to see in the next 10-15 years? Between 1996 and today (16 years at the time this is being written), Internet access has gone from primarily dial-up and somewhat limited available to a part of everyone’s life, whether by broadband access from home or through cell phone access.Additionally, in the past 10 years, we’ve gone from cell phones to smart phones and tablets. In essence, today, the Internet, including streaming audio and video, texting, email and news is at our fingertips 24/7. This was not the case 15 years ago for most people.

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