Download 2.3 Managing Data Resources

2.1 Ethics in an Information Society
Did you ever hear the old warning, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should?"
Well, a lot of things are possible on the Internet nowadays, but that doesn't mean you
should do them.
Ethics is easily managed in small groups because the group itself tends to control the
individual's behavior. The larger the group, the harder it is to manage the actions of
individuals. Now stretch that to a huge number of people with many frames of reference
and experiences. Responsibility to the group becomes harder to police and accountability
for an individual's actions is harder to enforce.
Basic Concepts: Responsibility, Accountability, and Liability
Every action causes a reaction. When you're using the Internet, computers on campus, or
your employer's computer, you should be aware of:
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Responsibility: accepting potential costs, duties, and obligations for your
decisions.
Accountability: determining who should take responsibility for decisions and
actions.
Liability: legally placing responsibility with a person or group.
Due Process: ensuring the laws are applied fairly and correctly.
Responsibility, accountability, and liability are all yours when it comes to your actions in
cyberspace. Every Internet Service Provider has a "usage policy," even the so-called
anonymous emailers that hide your real identity. HotMail is a popular Internet email
service that allows you to mask who you really are. You could send out all the, shall we
say, unethical, threatening, nasty, aberrant email you like. You think: "Hey, no one will
really know who I am. This is cool."
And then here comes the message from HotMail to cease and desist. Your free email
account is cancelled because you violated HotMail's usage policy. Then your local
Internet Service Provider contacts you and tells you you're terminated, baby! You
violated its usage policy by your actions. By now you're really mad, not to mention
embarrassed (at least we hope so). It's true. It happens.
Computer crime is one area that has been extremely hard for our society and our
governments to keep up with. Many laws have to be rewritten and many new laws must
be implemented to accommodate the changes. Computer crime and abuse extends to
any wrongdoing involving equipment and Internet usage, as Table 2.1 shows. We spoke
earlier about anonymity not being a license for socially unacceptable behavior. You
should remember that everything you do on a network or the Internet is recorded and can
be tracked. Many people committing computer crimes and abuse have been caught and
prosecuted.
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Other issues affecting our society include job losses and career changes caused by
technology. You can argue the positive or negative effects, but one thing is clear: you'll
be a part of the evolution of technology for the rest of your life. You will have to
continually update your skills and knowledge in order to remain competitive in the job
market. As companies continue to embrace new technology and new methods of using it,
you'll be responsible for ensuring your skills and education remains current.
2.2 IT Infrastructures and Platforms
Three major levels of infrastructure exist particularly:
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Public (kamusal)
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Enterprise (kurumsal)
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Business unit (işletme biriminde)
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Levels of IT Infrastructure
INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS
There are Seven (7) Key Infrastructure Components
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Computer Hardware Platforms(Hadoop Tool)
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Operating System Platforms (Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003)
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Enterprise Software Applications (like Oracle)
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Data Management and Storage (Microsoft SQL Server)
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Networking/Telecommunications Platforms (Enterprise Networking almost
entirely Unix / Linux)
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Internet Platforms (Apache remains Web server software)
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Consulting and System Integration Services (Most firms today, even large firms,
cannot develop their systems without significant outside help. *Danışmanlık ve
Sistem Entegrasyon Servisleri)
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IT Infrastructure - A Multitiered Client/Server Network (N-tier)
2.3 Managing Data Resources
File Organization Terms and Concepts
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Bit: Smallest unit of data; binary digit (0,1)
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Byte: Group of bits that represents a single character
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Field: Group of words or a complete number
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Record: Group of related fields
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File: Group of records of same type
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Database: Group of related files
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Entity: Person, place, thing, event about which information is maintained
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Attribute: Description of a particular entity
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Key field: Identifier field used to retrieve, update, sort a record
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THE DATA HIERARCHY
Entities(Objects) and Attributes (Specializations-Characteristics of the objects)
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Problems with the Traditional File Environment
Data Redundancy and Inconsistency:
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Data redundancy: The presence of duplicate data in multiple data files so that the
same data are stored in more than one place or location
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Data inconsistency: The same attribute may have different values.
Program-data dependence:
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The coupling of data stored in files and the specific programs required to update
and maintain those files such that changes in programs require changes to the data
Lack of flexibility:
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A traditional file system can deliver routine scheduled reports after extensive
programming efforts, but it cannot deliver ad-hoc reports or respond to
unanticipated information requirements in a timely fashion.
Poor security:
• Because there is little control or management of data, management will have no
knowledge of who is accessing or even making changes to the organization’s
data.
Lack of data sharing and availability:
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Information cannot flow freely across different functional areas or different parts
of the organization. Users find different values of the same piece of information in
two different systems, and hence they may not use these systems because they
cannot trust the accuracy of the data.
Traditional File Processing
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THE DATABASE APPROACH TO DATA MANAGEMENT
Database Management System (DBMS)
• Software for creating and maintaining databases
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Permits firms to rationally manage data for the entire firm
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Acts as interface between application programs and physical data files
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Separates logical and design views of data
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Solves many problems of the traditional data file approach
The Contemporary Database Environment
Components of DBMS:
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Data definition language: Specifies content and structure of database and defines
each data element
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Data manipulation language: Used to process data in a database
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Data dictionary: Stores definitions of data elements and data characteristics
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Types of Databases:
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Relational DBMS
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Hierarchical and network DBMS
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Object-oriented databases
The Relational Data Model
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A Hierarchical Database for a Human Resources System
The Network Data Model
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CREATING A DATABASE ENVIRONMENT
Designing Databases:
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Conceptual design: Abstract model of database from a business perspective
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Physical design: Detailed description of business information needs
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Entity-relationship diagram: Methodology for documenting databases illustrating
relationships between database entities
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Normalization: Process of creating small stable data structures from complex
groups of data
An Unnormalized Relation for ORDER
Normalized Tables Created from ORDER
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An Entity-Relationship Diagram
DATABASE TRENDS
Data Warehousing and Data Mining
Data warehouse:
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Supports reporting and query tools
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Stores current and historical data
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Consolidates data for management analysis and decision making
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Components of a Data Warehouse
Data mart:
• Subset of data warehouse
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Contains summarized or highly focused portion of data for a specified function or
group of users
Data mining:
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Tools for analyzing large pools of data
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Find hidden patterns and infer rules to predict trends
Databases and the Web
Database server:
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Computer in a client/server environment runs a DBMS to process SQL statements
and perform database management tasks.
Application server:
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Software handling all application operations
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Management Opportunities:
Business firms have exceptional opportunities to exploit modern relational database
technologies to improve decision making, and to increase the efficiency of their business
processes.
The critical elements for creating a database environment are:
• Data administration
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Data-planning and modeling methodology
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Database technology and management
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Users
Key Organizational Elements in the Database Environment
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