Kenneth J.

Sousa Effy Oz

MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
Seventh Edition

Chapter 4

Business Hardware

Cengage Learning 2015

 Objectives

List major hardware components of computers

and explain their functions
Classify computers into major categories, and
identify their strengths and weaknesses
Identify and evaluate key criteria for deciding
what computers or related devices to purchase
Discuss the possible health hazards of computer
use

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 Computer Hardware Components

Hardware: physical components of computers

and related electronic devices
Consider software before hardware
Computer must handle four operations:
Accept data
Store data and instructions
Process data
Output data and/or information

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 Computer Hardware Components
(cont'd.)
In general, every computer has the following
components:
Input devices
Central processing unit (CPU)
Internal memory
Storage
Output devices
Input devices: receive signals from outside of
computer and transfer them into the computer

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Figure 4.1 Most computer systems have the same basic components Cengage Learning 2015

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 Computer Hardware Components
(cont'd.)
Central processing unit (CPU)
Accepts instructions and data
Decodes and executes instructions
Stores results (output) in memory
Internal memory (or primary memory): stores
data and instructions before and after CPU
processes them
RAM: random access memory
ROM: read-only memory

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 Computer Hardware Components
(cont'd.)
Motherboard: circuit board containing the CPU
and primary memory
Storage: magnetic disks, magnetic tapes,
optical discs, DVDs, and flash memory
Allows permanent storage
Output devices: deliver information from the
computer to the user
Monitors and printers are the most common
output devices
Audio devices also deliver output
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 Computer Hardware Components
(cont'd.)
Bit: Binary digit
0 or 1
Byte: a combination of eight bits
Computer memory and storage capacity are
measured in megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB),
terabytes (TB), etc.

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Figure 4.2 Measuring amounts of digital data Cengage Learning 2015

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 Classification of Computers

Computers vary in size and power

Classified by power
Power is determined mainly by processing speed
and memory size
More powerful computers are more expensive

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 Supercomputers

Supercomputers: most powerful computers at

any given time
Largest in physical size and most expensive
Designed for complex arithmetic calculations
Generally impractical for business purposes
Parallel processing: multiple processors
running simultaneously
Also known as multiprocessing
Clustering uses the CPU power of multiple
computers
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 Mainframe Computers

Mainframe computers: store large amounts of

data and business transactions
Less expensive and less powerful than
supercomputers
Often used by banks, universities, and insurance
companies as a central computer
Significant amount of worlds business data
resides on mainframes
Use multiple processors

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 Servers

Midrange category of computers

Smaller and less powerful than mainframes
Serve hundreds of users that connect from
desktops, laptops, and other servers
Use multiple processors

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 Personal Computers (PCs)

PCs: collective name for several types of

computers
Notebook, computers, desktops, netbooks, and
handheld computers
Workstation: more powerful PCs used for CAD,
CAM, complex simulation, graphical rendering,
and scientific applications
Power of PCs doubles about every two years

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 Computers on the Go: Notebooks,
Tablets, and Smartphones
Notebook computer (or laptop): compact, light
PC powered by rechargeable battery
Current models include wireless technology
Personal digital assistant (PDA): handheld
computer
Stylus: pen-like device used to enter data
through a touch screen
Smartphone: PDA that is also a mobile phone

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 Computers on the Go: Notebooks,
Tablets, and Smartphones (contd.)
Tablet computer: mobile computing device that
uses a touch screen to execute commands
Traditional monitor mode or slate mode
Wide range of applications
Examples: Apple iPad, Microsoft Surface, and
Kindle Fire

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 Converging Technologies

Technology convergence: building several

technologies into a single piece of hardware
Prominent in handheld units
Smartphone is a prime example
Brings together cellular telephone, data and
networking, media, and cloud storage

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 A Peek Inside the Computer

Professionals must know about computer

components to understand their power and
capabilities
They use this knowledge to make good decisions
in purchasing or recommending a computer

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 The Central Processing Unit

CPU has two units to store and process data

Control unit and arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
CPU is a silicon chip with multiple circuits
Also known as microprocessor
Multicore processors: processors that combine
two or more CPUs or cores on a single chip
Multithreading: processing more than one
program, or several parts of a program, at the
same time

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 The Central Processing Unit (cont'd.)

Microprocessors are embedded with transistors

Transistor: a semiconductor that can represent
binary codes two states
Machine cycle: four operations performed by
the CPU
Fetch, decode, execute and store
CPU clock: special circuitry on the processor
that synchronizes all tasks
Clock rate: number of pulses per second
A machine cycle takes several clock pulses
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Figure 4.3 What happens inside the CPU in one machine cycle Cengage Learning 2015

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Figure 4.4 The timing of computer processing operations Cengage Learning 2015

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 The Central Processing Unit (cont'd.)

Data word (or word): maximum number of bits

that the control unit can fetch from primary
memory in a single machine cycle
Current microcomputers have 32- or 64-bit words
ALU: the part of the CPU that performs
arithmetic and logical operations

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 Computer Power

Depends on processing speed and memory

capacity
Bus: electronic lines or traces used for
communication inside computer
Throughput: number of bits per second that the
bus can accommodate
MIPS (millions of instructions per second): a
common measure of computer speed

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 Input Devices

Computers must receive input to produce output

Input devices include machines and devices
used to enter instructions and data into
computer
Common input devices include:
Keyboard
Mouse
Trackball
Microphone
Scanner
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 Keyboard

An input device that contains keys that users

press to enter data
Includes letters, numbers, punctuation, and
function keys
QWERTY: standard keyboard layout
Dvorak: keyboard layout that allows faster typing
Ergonomics: the study of the comfort and
safety of humans in the workplace
Ergonomic keyboard: fits the natural position of
forearms and prevents injury
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 Mouse, Trackball, and Trackpad

Mouse: input device that controls an on-screen

pointer to facilitate point-and-click approach
Has one to five buttons for clicking, locking,
dragging
Trackball: similar to mouse, but user
manipulates a ball within the device to indicate
movement on the screen
Trackpad: cursor movement is controlled by
moving a finger over a touch-sensitive pad
Mice and similar devices can be wireless units
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 Touch Screen

Both an input and an output device

Often used for public applications, such as
kiosks
Prevalent in handheld devices, GPS devices,
and mobile phones
Allows the user to navigate and select by
touching the screen

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 Source Data Input Devices

Copy data directly from sources such as bar

codes, credit cards, and checks
Optical mark recognition devices detect
positions of marks or characters
Optical character recognition (OCR) devices try
to interpret handwritten and printed text
Radio-frequency identification (RFID): fastest
growing source data technology

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 Source Data Input Devices (cont'd.)

Universal Product Code (UPC): bar code on a

product in a grocery store
Magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR):
automates check processing
Magnetic strips on credit cards and debit cards
Bar codes used on packages received through
shipping companies

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Figure 4.5 Banks use magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR) to automate part of the check clearing
process Cengage Learning 2015

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 Imaging

Converts documents into images

Saves paper
More efficient retrieval and filing
Scanned document images can be:
Indexed and linked to relevant records in
databases
Easily retrieved
Original paper documents can be destroyed
after scanning

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 Speech Recognition

Process of translating human speech into

computer-readable data and instructions
Also called voice recognition
System receives input from microphone or
telephone and processes it with software
Interactive voice recognition (IVR) system:
employed by many companies for customer
service

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 Output Devices

Deliver results of computer processing

Popular output devices include:
Monitors
Printers
Speakers
In the future, digital smell output is possible

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 Monitors

Pixel (picture element): small dots that make up

the images on a monitor
CRT (cathode-ray tube): inner side of screen
has layer of phosphoric dots, i.e., the pixels
Electron gun receives instructions from computer
and sweeps the pixels
Flat-panel monitor: advantages include lower
power use, sharper images, and slim profile
Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor: uses a
liquid crystal filled screen
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 Monitors (cont'd.)

Monitor price depends on:

Size, measured as the diagonal length of the
screen
Brightness brighter is better
Contrast ratio higher is better
Pixel pitch closer pixels are better
Resolution: a measure of picture sharpness
Number of pixels in the width and height of the
screen
Figure 4.3 What happens inside the CPU in one machine cycle Cengage Learning 2015

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 Printers

Nonimpact printer: does not mechanically

impact the paper
Laser printer is most common in business
Others include ink-jet and electrothermal printers
Speed is measured in pages per minute (ppm)
Density measured in dots per inch (DPI)
Impact printer: reproduces image by using
mechanical impact
Dot-matrix printer: tiny pins strike ink ribbon
against paper
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 Storage

Data must be stored on nonvolatile medium

Data is retained even when the storage device is
not connected to electrical power
Storage devices differ in the technology used to
maintain data and physical structure
Evaluate storage devices by comparing:
Cost
Capacity
Access speed
Access mode
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 Modes of Access

Sequential storage: data is organized one

record after another
Must read through all records that are stored prior
to the desired record
Direct access: records are organized by
physical address on the device
A record can be accessed directly (randomly)
Flash drive: small storage device that connects
via universal serial bus (USB)

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Figure 4.6 Sequential and direct data access Cengage Learning 2015

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 Magnetic Tapes

Are similar to tapes used in tape recorders and

VCRs, usually as cartridges
Provide lowest cost (bytes per dollar)
Can back up all data
Takes a long time to copy from tape
Are unreliable after long periods of time or
usage

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 Magnetic Disks

Most widely used storage medium

Includes hard disks and floppy disks
Hard disk: stack of several rigid platters
installed in the same box that holds the CPU
Internal hard disk in a desktop computer stores
up to three TB of data
External hard disk connects to computer through
USB port
Storage provisions for data warehouses
Large databases

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 Optical Discs

Recorded by treating the disc surface to reflect

light in different ways
Two basic categories
Compact discs (CDs)
Digital video discs (DVDs)
Compact discs: available as read-only,
recordable, and rewritable
DVDs: store 4.7 GB per side
Optical discs are slower than hard disks

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 Solid-State Storage

Also known as flash memory: rewritable

memory chip that holds content without power
Consumes very little power
Does not need a constant power supply
Fast access times
Relatively immune to shock or vibration
Available as memory card and USB drive
Solid state disk (SSD): storage media that does
not have latency time

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 DAS, NAS, and SAN

Direct-attached storage (DAS): disk or array of

disks or tapes directly connected to server
Easy to deploy and manage; low cost
Data access speed depends on server usage
Network-attached storage (NAS): device
designed for networked storage
Includes both the storage media and the software
to manage it
Relieves the server of handling storage
Highly scalable
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 DAS, NAS, and SAN (cont'd.)

Storage area network (SAN): a network fully

devoted to storage and transfer of data
Managed separately from the rest of the LAN
May combine DAS and NAS devices
Can transfer large data blocks at high speeds
Expensive and complex to manage
RAID: redundant array of independent disks
Used by DAS, NAS, and SAN
Fault-tolerant: systems ability to sustain a disk
failure because the same data is on another disk
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 Cloud Storage

Availability of network-accessible storage from

an off-site computer or technology device
Systems are usually maintained by a third-party
organization through a subscription charge
Storage-as-a-service: cloud storage vendors
Advantages: reduces cost of storing and
managing data; frees internal storage
infrastructure for live and production data
Disadvantages: reliance on networks and their
costs; and risks of security breaches
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 Business Considerations in Evaluating
Storage Media

When purchasing storage devices, managers

must consider:
Purpose of data storage
Amount of data to be stored
Required speed of data storage and retrieval
Unit space and portability of the device
Cost

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Figure 4.7 Characteristics of digital storage media for business purposes Cengage Learning 2015

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Considerations in Purchasing Hardware

Equipments power: speed, memory size, and

capacity
Expansion slots and ports: numbers and types
Ports: sockets that connect external devices to a
computer
Monitor type and resolution
Ergonomics

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Considerations in Purchasing Hardware
(cont'd.)
Compatibility
With existing hardware, software, and networks
Backward compatibility: newer hardware works
with older hardware
Hardware footprint: area that it requires
Reliability of vendor, warranty policy and
post-warranty support
Power consumption and noise
Cost

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Figure 4.8 Example of an evaluation form to assist with the purchase of hardware
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 Scalability and Updating Hardware

Principle of scalability
Resourcesin this case, hardwarecan
accommodate a growing amount of work either
with or without upgrading
Not all hardware is scalable
Hardware replacement is needed to avoid
performance gaps between hardware and
software
Leasing hardware is a valid option to avoid short
useful lifetime of hardware
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 Summary

Understanding hardware is important for

purchasing decisions
Computers are classified according to power
All computers have a CPU to process
instructions
Clock rate measures the speed of a CPU
Data word: the number of bits the computer can
process in a single cycle

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 Summary (cont'd.)

Computer power: measured by its speed,

memory size, and number of processor cores
RAM: volatile memory
ROM is nonvolatile; it does not require power
Imaging devices help process text and graphics
When evaluating external storage, consider
transfer rate, capacity, portability, and form of
data organization supported

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 Summary (cont'd.)

Data is organized sequentially on tapes

Direct access storage devices such as RAM,
magnetic disks, and optical discs allow random
access
Databases require direct access storage devices
When purchasing hardware, professionals
should consider cost, power, scalability,
compatibility, etc.
Information technology may pose health risks
such as carpal tunnel syndrome
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