databases, telecommunications, people, and procedures that are configured to collect,
manipulate, store, and process data into information.
All these components of CBIS define the business’s technology infrastructure since it forms
the foundation of organization's information systems.
Lets identify these components in detail.
Hardware
Computer equipment used to perform input processing and output activities.
Hardware components can also categorize based on the input, processing and output
activities. Other than the main computer system unit, all other hardware devices
are known as peripherals.
- Input devices
System. They are connected to computers directly to pass data. Most common input
devices are keyboard, mouse, Magnetic ink character readers (MICR), scanners etc.
- Processing devices
inside the system unit.
- Output devices
the information system. These results are known as "output" and the devices which facilitate
distributing of the output is known as output devices. Commonly used output devices are the
monitor and the printer.
Software
Software consists of computer programs that govern the operation of the computer. It can
be described as the digital instruction set to a computer. CPU needs software to control its
functions as well as to process the input data. Without software computers are dead
hardware. Software is the component which gives the computer the power to act as an
intelligent machine.
Software is normally classified into two components called application software and system
software.
Example: MS Windows is a system software which control devices including the CPU. MS
Word is an application software which facilitates users to use computers as word processors.
Application Software
Application Software, also is known as an application package, is a set of programs
designed to carry out operations for a specified purpose or task.
Example:
Microsoft Office (MS Office). It consists of several applications which usually are very
useful to carry out activities in an office environment.
An Accounting Package
It may help an account division to carry out all its activities including payroll of
employees in the organization.
System Software
It generally performs tasks of controlling devices attached to a computer system.
Application software cannot run without having system software. Most important system
software of a computer is its operating system. A computer cannot work without an
operating system. It controls all hardware devices and other system software, plus facilitates
running of application software.
Example: Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix
Databases
A database is an organized collection of data and information in an organization.
Data and information are critical for problem solving and decision-making in an
organization. Hence, most managers and executives consider a database to be the most
valuable and important part of a computer-based information system.
We use special application software to create databases. We call these software as
“Database Management Systems” DBMS. More details are discussed in Lesson 3.
Examples: Access, DBASE.
