This Document Contains Chapters 4 to 6 Chapter 4 Hardware and Software 1) The ___________ selects instructions, processes them, performs arithmetic and logical comparisons, and stores results of operations in memory. A) central processing unit (CPU) B) random access memory (RAM) C) hard disk D) plotter Answer: A 2) A dual-processor computer has ___________ CPUs. A) eight B) four C) two D) sixteen Answer: C 3) ___________ computers have four central processing units (CPUs). A) Quad-processor B) Dual-processor C) Tri-processor D) Tetra-processor Answer: A 4) Which of the following statements is true of a server? A) It stores the results of computations in the main memory. B) It provides access only for one user at a time. C) It supports processing requests from remote computers. D) It creates a backup of all information within a system. Answer: C 5) A ___________ is used to receive and process thousands of requests from a large number of users. A) cache memory B) stand-alone server C) server farm D) client computer Answer: C 6) Computers represent data using binary digits called ___________. A) dots B) pixels C) tags D) bits Answer: D 7) Bits are grouped into 8-bit chunks called ___________. A) bytes B) kilobytes C) terabytes D) megabytes Answer: A 8) One ___________ is equivalent to 1,024 kilobytes. A) terabyte B) megabyte C) gigabyte D) bit Answer: B 9) One ___________ is equivalent to 1,024 gigabytes. A) petabyte B) terabyte C) megabyte D) kilobyte Answer: B 10) A ___________ is a collection of 1,024 bytes. A) kilobyte B) megabyte C) gigabyte D) terabyte Answer: A 11) The speed of a central processing unit (CPU) is expressed in cycles called ___________. A) hertz B) bits C) bytes D) pixels Answer: A 12) A device's cache and main memory are ___________. A) volatile B) nonvolatile C) stable D) nonperishable Answer: A 13) Which of the following is an example of nonvolatile memory? A) cache memory B) main memory C) magnetic disk D) RAM drive Answer: C 14) The memory of a device is said to be nonvolatile if ___________ when the system is restarted. A) its contents are destroyed B) the memory becomes unusable C) a new memory is replicated D) its contents are retained Answer: D 15) If the contents of a device are lost when the power is turned off, the memory of the device is said to be ___________. A) nonvolatile B) volatile C) random D) discrete Answer: B 16) Computer hardware consists of electronic components that input, process, output, and store data. Answer: True 17) The central processing unit is referred to as the brain of a computer. Answer: True 18) High-end computers can have as many as 16 central processing units. Answer: True 19) The speed and costs of central processing units are the same across multiple hardware vendors. Answer: False 20) Some computers have two or more central processing units (CPUs). Answer: True 21) The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer reads data and instructions only from a read-only memory. Answer: False 22) Optical disks are non-portable storage devices. Answer: False 23) USB flash drives are used to back up data and transfer it from one computer to another. Answer: True 24) Main memory is also called read-only memory. Answer: False 25) A hard drive is much faster than a solid-state storage device. Answer: False 26) A server farm can process only one service request per minute. Answer: False 27) A bit is either a zero or a one. Answer: True 28) A specification that a computing device has 100 million bytes of memory means that the device could hold up to 100 million characters. Answer: True 29) One gigabyte is equivalent to 1,024 terabytes. Answer: False 30) An exabyte is equivalent to 1,024 petabytes. Answer: True 31) A terabyte is a larger unit than a petabyte. Answer: False 32) A computer's performance depends on the speed of its central processing unit (CPU). Answer: True 33) Magnetic and optical disks are examples of nonvolatile memory. Answer: True 34) Saving one's work frequently is advised to tackle the issue of memory volatility. Answer: True 35) Explain the basic constituents and the different types of computer hardware. Answer: Computer hardware consists of electronic components and related gadgetry that input, process, output, and store data according to instructions encoded in computer programs or software. All hardware today has more or less the same components, at least to the level that is important to us. The common types of computer hardware used are: a) Personal computers (PCs): PCs are classic computing devices that are used by individuals. b) Server: It is a computer that is designed to support processing requests from many remote computers and users. c) Clients: PCs, tablets, and smartphones that access servers are called clients. d) Server farm: It is a collection of, typically, thousands of servers. 36) Briefly describe the functions and working of a central processing unit (CPU). Answer: Every computer has a central processing unit (CPU), which is sometimes called "the brain" of the computer. The CPU selects instructions, processes them, performs arithmetic and logical comparisons, and stores results of operations in memory. Some computers have two or more CPUs. A computer with two CPUs is called a dual-processor computer. Quad-processor computers have four CPUs. Some high-end computers have 16 or more CPUs. CPUs vary in speed, function, and cost. The CPU works in conjunction with main memory. The CPU reads data and instructions from memory, and then stores the results of computations in main memory. In addition to random access memory, RAM, and one or more CPUs, all computers also include storage hardware, which is used to save data and programs. 37) Differentiate between client and server computers. Answer: A server is a computer that is designed to support processing requests from many remote computers and users. Personal computers (PCs), tablets, and smartphones that access servers are called clients. A server is essentially a PC on steroids, and it differs from a PC principally because of what it does. The relationship between PCs and servers is similar to the relationship between clients and servers at a typical restaurant: In short, servers take requests from clients and then bring them things. In restaurants, these things are food, drinks, and silverware. Similarly, in computing environments, servers can send webpages, email, files, or data to PCs or other devices. 38) The ___________ refers to the idea in which objects are becoming connected to the Internet so that they can interact with other devices, applications, or services. A) Premium Internet B) Symbian C) Internet of Things D) server farm Answer: C 39) Which of the following is most likely to be an advantage of self-driving cars? A) Fewer cars will be shared by family members. B) More auto loans will be taken. C) More insurance policies will be taken. D) Fewer accidents will occur. Answer: D 40) Which of the following is most likely to be a disadvantage of self-driving cars? A) More accidents will occur. B) More parking lots will have to be built. C) More people will use cars and avoid planes or trains. D) More stress during commute. Answer: C 41) Objects that are connected to the Internet are increasingly being embedded with hardware capable of sensing, processing, and transmitting data. Answer: True 42) Objects connected to a network can share data with any other application, device, or service. Answer: True 43) How can the Internet of Things act as a disruptive force to change the way in which businesses function? Answer: The Internet of Things is the idea that objects are becoming connected to the Internet so that they can interact with other devices, applications, or services. In other words, everyday objects are increasingly being embedded with hardware capable of sensing, processing, and transmitting data. These objects can then connect to a network and share data with any other application, service, or device. Over time, mobile phones became smartphones. by adding more processing power, more memory, Internet access, Wi-Fi connectivity, and the ability to interconnect with other devices and applications. People thus began to use their mobile phones much differently than before. This shift also changed the way businesses operate. This shift away from "dumb" devices to interconnected smart devices is not lost on businesses. Consumers like smart devices and are willing to pay more for them. Accordingly, businesses want to improve the existing devices they manufacture into smart devices, and then sell them for twice as much. 44) A(n) ___________ is a program that controls a computer's resources. A) cache B) operating system C) central processing unit D) data bus Answer: B 45) Which of the following statements is true of an operating system? A) It does a lot of application-specific work. B) It comes in particular versions that are written for particular types of hardware. C) It does only little or no memory management. D) It has to be the same across all computers in a network in order to process application programs. Answer: B 46) ___________ are programs that are written to use a particular operating system. A) Web applications B) Thin-client applications C) Native applications D) Vertical-market applications Answer: C 47) Application programs that run within a browser, without the need to be preinstalled on client computers, are referred to as ___________. A) thin-client applications B) native applications C) desktop programs D) thick-client applications Answer: A 48) Which of the following statements is true of thick-client applications? A) They are application programs that need not be preinstalled on the client computer. B) They mostly run on a single operating system. C) They do not need a server connection to run. D) They require nothing more than a browser to function. Answer: B 49) Which of the following is an open-source operating system? A) Unisys B) Windows C) Linux D) Mac OS Answer: C 50) Which of the following is the most widely used operating system in business? A) Linux B) Windows C) Unix D) Mac OS Answer: B 51) Host operating systems that run one or more operating systems as applications are referred to as ___________. A) application programs B) server farms C) server operating systems D) virtual machines Answer: D 52) ___________ is the process by which one physical computer hosts many different virtual computers within it. A) Machine coding B) Virtualization C) License sharing D) Cloud computing Answer: B 53) When individuals buy a computer program, they buy a license to ___________. A) convert the program into open source software B) modify the features of the program C) use the program D) sell the program Answer: C 54) ___________ software provides capabilities that are common across all organizations and industries. A) Vertical-market application B) Custom-developed C) Horizontal-market application D) Off-the-shelf with alterations Answer: C 55) McCann Systems, a leading IT firm, develops a customized billing software to meet the needs of its individual customers. In this case, the software developed by the firm is referred to as a(n) ___________. A) vertical-market application software B) horizontal-market application software C) open source software D) application simulation software Answer: A 56) Which of the following refers to software that is developed for a specific and unique need? A) simulation software B) horizontal-market application software C) one-of-a-kind application software D) open source software Answer: C 57) Which of the following is an advantage of custom-developed software? A) They are less expensive than off-the-shelf software. B) They can be tailored according to an organization's requirements. C) They are easier to develop than using horizontal applications. D) They need not be adapted to changing needs. Answer: B 58) ___________ is a type of computer software that is installed into devices such as printers, print servers, and various types of communication devices. A) Firmware B) Freeware C) Slate D) Server farm Answer: A 59) Although an operating system does a lot of application-specific work, it does little to make the computer usable. Answer: False 60) Both client and server computers must use the same operating system. Answer: False 61) Application programs can be processed by both clients and servers. Answer: True 62) Microsoft Access and Microsoft Word are examples of thin-client applications. Answer: False 63) Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Internet Explorer are examples of thick-client applications. Answer: False 64) A virtual machine does not have a disk space. Answer: False 65) A host operating system controls the activities of the virtual machines it hosts. Answer: True 66) Modifying an existing firmware requires knowledge of special programs and techniques. Answer: True 67) What is an operating system? How is it different from an application program? Answer: Every computer has an operating system, which is a program that controls that computer's resources. The functions of an operating system are to read and write data, allocate main memory, perform memory swapping, start and stop programs, respond to error conditions, and facilitate backup and recovery. In addition, the operating system creates and manages the user interface, including the display, keyboard, mouse, and other devices. Although the operating system makes the computer usable, it does little application-specific work. An application program is any program designed to perform a specific function for a user or for another application program. Both clients and servers can process application programs and the application's design determines whether the client, the server, or both, process it. If one wants to check the weather or access a database, he or she needs application programs such as an iPad weather application or Oracle's customer relationship management (CRM) software. Some application programs are general purpose, such as Microsoft Excel or Word. Other application programs provide specific functions. 68) What are the two important software constraints? Explain with suitable examples. Answer: First, remember that particular versions of an operating system are written for particular types of hardware. For example, Microsoft Windows works only on processors from Intel and from companies that make processors that conform to the Intel instruction set (i.e., the commands that a CPU can process). With other operating systems, such as Linux, many versions exist for many different instruction sets. Second, be aware that two types of application programs exist: native and Web. Native applications are programs that are written to use a particular operating system, while Web applications run within a computer browser and can therefore run on any type of computer. 69) Explain the four major nonmobile client operating systems and their functions. Answer: The four major nonmobile client operating systems are Windows, Mac OS, Unix, and Linux. 1. The most popular operating system is Microsoft Windows. Some version of Windows resides on more than 85 percent of the world's desktops, and when considering just business users, the figure is more than 95 percent. The most recent client version of Windows is Windows 8, a major rewrite of prior versions. 2. Apple Computer, Inc. developed its own operating system for the Macintosh, Mac OS. The current version is Mac OS X Mavericks. Macintosh computers are used primarily by graphic artists and workers in the arts community. 3. Unix is an operating system that was developed at Bell Labs in the 1970s. It has been the workhorse of the scientific and engineering communities since then. 4. Linux is a version of Unix that was developed by the open source community. This community is a loosely coupled group of programmers who mostly volunteer their time to contribute code to develop and maintain Linux. The open source community owns Linux, and there is no fee to use it. Linux can run on client computers, but is by far most popular as a server OS. 70) What is unique about Linux as an operating system? Answer: Linux is a version of Unix that was developed by the open source community. This community is a loosely coupled group of programmers who mostly volunteer their time to contribute code to develop and maintain Linux. The open source community owns Linux, and there is no fee to use it. Linux can run on client computers, but usually only when budget is of paramount concern. By far, Linux is most popular as a server OS. According to DistroWatch.com, the five most popular versions of Linux as of 2014 were Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Debian GNU/Linux, Mageia, and Fedora. 71) What is virtualization? Answer: Virtualization is the process by which one physical computer hosts many different virtual (not literal) computers within it. One operating system, called the host operating system, runs one or more operating systems as applications. Those hosted operating systems are called virtual machines (vm). Each virtual machine has disk space and other resources allocated to it. The host operating system controls the activities of the virtual machines it hosts to prevent them from interfering with one another. With virtualization, each vm is able to operate exactly the same as it would if it were operating in a stand-alone, nonvirtual environment. Three types of virtualization exist: • PC virtualization • Server virtualization • Desktop virtualization 72) Explain how computer programs are licensed to individuals and organizations. Answer: When a person buys a computer program, it does not mean actually buying that program. Instead, he is buying a license, which is the right to use that program. Large organizations do not buy a license for each computer user. Instead, they negotiate a site license, which is a flat fee payment for the right to install the product (operating system or application) on all of that company's computers or on all of the computers at a specific site. 73) What are the different categories of application programs? Answer: Application software consists of programs that perform a service or a function. Some application programs are general purpose. Other application programs provide specific functions. 1. Horizontal-market application software provides capabilities common across all organizations and industries. Word processors, graphics programs, spreadsheets, and presentation programs are all horizontal-market application software. Examples of such software are Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 2. Vertical-market application software serves the needs of a specific industry. Examples of such programs are those used by dental offices to schedule appointments and bill patients. Vertical applications usually can be altered or customized. 3. One-of-a-kind application software is developed for a specific, unique need. The U.S. Department of Defense develops such software, for example, because it has needs that no other organization has. 74) What are the drawbacks of developing custom application software for an organization? Answer: Custom development is difficult and risky. Staffing and managing teams of software developers is challenging. Managing software projects can be daunting. Many organizations have embarked on application development projects only to find that the projects take twice as long, or longer, to finish than planned. Cost overruns of 200 and 300 percent are not uncommon while developing custom application software. 75) What is firmware? Answer: Firmware is computer software that is installed into devices such as printers, print servers, and various types of communication devices. The computer software is coded just like other software, but it is installed into special, read-only memory in the printer or other device. In this way, the program becomes part of the device's memory; it is as if the program's logic is designed into the device's circuitry. Users do not need to load firmware into the device's memory. Firmware can be changed or upgraded, but this is normally a task for IS professionals. The task is easy, but it requires knowledge of special programs and techniques that most business users choose not to learn. 76) ___________ is a computer code that is written by humans and understandable by humans. A) Bar code B) Machine code C) Source code D) Overhead code Answer: C 77) Open source software is typically free, modifiable, and its source code is publicly available. Answer: True 78) Any programmer or student can access and alter the source code of a closed source project. Answer: False 79) Modifications to the source code of an open source project cannot be added to the project. Answer: False 80) How do open source projects work? How is it different from closed source projects? Answer: The term open source means that the source code of the program is available to the public. Source code is computer code as written by humans and that is understandable by humans. Source code is compiled into machine code that is processed by a computer. Machine code is, in general, not understandable by humans and cannot be modified. In a closed source project, like Microsoft Office, the source code is highly protected and only available to trusted employees and carefully vetted contractors. The source code is very well protected. Only those trusted programmers can make changes to a closed source project. With open source, anyone can obtain the source code from the open source project's Web site. Programmers alter or add to this code depending on their interests and goals. In most cases, programmers can incorporate open source code into their own projects. They may be able to resell those projects depending on the type of license agreement the project uses. Open source succeeds because of collaboration. A programmer examines the source code and identifies a need or project that seems interesting. He or she then creates a new feature, redesigns or reprograms an existing feature, or fixes a known problem. That code is then sent to others in the open source project to evaluate the quality and merits of the work and to add it to the product, if appropriate. Chapter 5 Database Processing 1) The purpose of a database is to ___________. A) test and troubleshoot newly installed software B) design the source code for computer programs C) describe and build computer architectures D) store lists of data involving multiple themes Answer: D 2) Databases are required to keep track of lists with multiple themes. Answer: True 3) In the context of data storage, explain the difference between a spreadsheet and a database. Answer: The purpose of both a spreadsheet and a database is to keep track of things. However, unlike a spreadsheet, a database offers the solution of being able to keep track of more than one type of data. Lists of data involving a single theme can be stored in a spreadsheet. However, lists that involve multiple themes require a database. 4) A ___________ is a self-describing collection of integrated records. A) datasheet B) dataflow C) database D) dataspace Answer: C 5) Which of the following best describes a byte in a database? A) It is a character of data. B) It is a group of rows. C) It is a collection of data. D) It is a group of columns. Answer: A 6) In a database, bytes are grouped into ___________. A) tables B) columns C) rows D) records Answer: B 7) In a database, columns are also called ___________. A) records B) tables C) files D) fields Answer: D 8) In a database, rows are also called ___________. A) records B) fields C) tables D) files Answer: A 9) In a database, the collection of data for all columns is called a ___________. A) record B) field C) file D) table Answer: A 10) In a database, a group of similar rows is called a ___________. A) table B) record C) field D) matrix Answer: A 11) In a database, a table is also called a ___________. A) record B) matrix C) file D) field Answer: C 12) Which of the following best describes the metadata in a database? A) programs used to create, process, and administer a database B) special data that describes the structure of a database C) data that is stored in a Web site D) special data that is unique to a specific user Answer: B 13) In a database, a column or group of columns that identifies a unique row in a table is known as a ___________. A) field B) record C) file D) key Answer: D 14) In a database, columns that are keys of a different table than the one in which they reside are known as ___________ keys. A) foreign B) alternate C) relational D) candidate Answer: A 15) Databases that carry their data in the form of tables and represent relationships using foreign keys are called ___________ databases. A) hierarchical B) network C) relational D) object Answer: C 16) In a database, a table is formally referred to as a ___________. A) matrix B) field C) record D) relation Answer: D 17) Data that describe the data contained in a database are called ___________. A) open matrices B) primary data C) metadata D) closed matrices Answer: C 18) A database is a self-describing collection of integrated records. Answer: True 19) Bytes, which are characters of data, are grouped into rows in a database. Answer: False 20) In a database, columns are also called records. Answer: False 21) In a database, the collection of data for all columns is called a file. Answer: False 22) In a database, a group of similar rows or records is called a table. Answer: True 23) In a database, a key is a column or group of columns that identifies a unique row in a table. Answer: True 24) Databases that carry their data in the form of tables and that represent relationships using foreign keys are called discrete databases. Answer: False 25) The format of the metadata in a database depends on the software product that is processing the database. Answer: True 26) To find out what a database contains, one can look at the metadata inside the database. Answer: True 27) Describe the elements in a database. Answer: A database is a self-describing collection of integrated records that is organized based on a hierarchy of data elements. A byte is a character of data. Bytes are grouped into columns. Columns are also called fields. A key is a column or group of columns that identifies a unique row in a table. Columns that are keys of a different table than the one in which they reside are called foreign keys. Columns or fields, in turn, are grouped into rows, which are also called records. Finally, a group of similar rows or records is called a table or a file. A database contains, within itself, a description of its contents called metadata. Metadata are data that describe data. Thus, a database is a collection of tables plus relationships among the rows in those tables, plus special data, called metadata, that describes the structure of the database. 28) What are relational databases? Discuss their drawbacks that led to the development of nonrelational style of database processing. Answer: Databases that carry their data in the form of tables and that represent relationships using foreign keys are called relational databases. Foreign keys are columns that are keys of a different table than the one in which they reside. The relational model was the single, standard way of processing databases for over thirty years. Recently, however, new styles of database processing have started appearing. Part of the reason is that the major principles of the relational model—fixed-sized tables, representing relationships with foreign keys, and the theory of normalization came about because of limited storage space and limited processing speeds back in the 1960s and early 1970s. At some point, maybe the mid-1990s, these limitations were removed by improved storage and processing technology and today they do not exist. In other words, the relational model is not needed today. Other reasons for the development of nonrelational databases include the need to gain faster performance using many servers and to store new types of data such as images, audio, and videos. 29) Describe the merits of metadata. Answer: A database is self-describing in that it contains, within itself, a description of its contents. This is because it contains not only data, but also data about the data in the database. This data is known as metadata. It is the presence of metadata that makes databases much more useful than spreadsheets or data in other lists. Because of metadata, no one needs to guess, remember, or even record what is in a database. To find out what a database contains, we just look at the metadata inside the database. 30) A(n) ___________ is a program that is used to create, process, and administer a collection of self-describing integrated records. A) decision support system (DSS) B) knowledge management system (KMS) C) database management system (DBMS) D) enterprise planning system (EPS) Answer: C 31) Which of the following is a database management system (DBMS) product from Microsoft? A) MySQL B) SQL Server C) DB2 D) Sybase ASE Answer: B 32) ___________ is a popular enterprise database management system (DBMS) product from IBM. A) DB2 B) Access C) SQL Server D) MySQL Answer: A 33) Which of the following is a function of the database management system (DBMS)? A) implementing lean systems in workstations B) eliminating bottlenecks in business processes C) automating workflows in the databases of companies D) processing a database by inserting or modifying data Answer: D 34) The database management system (DBMS) provides applications for processing operations such as ___________. A) sending and receiving emails B) generating software codes C) inserting or deleting information D) automating business processes Answer: C 35) SQL stands for ___________. A) Standard Query Language B) Secondary Query Language C) Structured Query Language D) Simplified Query Language Answer: C 36) ___________ is an international standard language that is used for processing a database. A) HyperText Markup Language B) Dynamic HyperText Markup Language C) Structured Query Language D) Sybase language Answer: C 37) One of the important functions of a database management system (DBMS) is to provide the necessary tools for ___________. A) encrypting emails B) encapsulating data objects C) administering the database D) testing program codes Answer: C 38) Which of the following is considered an administrative function of the database management system (DBMS)? A) adding structures to improve the performance of database applications B) testing program codes in the system for errors C) creating tables, relationships, and other structures in databases D) using international standard languages for processing database applications Answer: A 39) Monitoring the performance of a database after providing solutions for improving its performance is an activity of the DBMS pertaining to ___________. A) creation B) modification C) processing D) administration Answer: D 40) Conducting training to ensure that users and operations personnel know and understand recovery procedures is a task associated with the DBMS ___________. A) processing B) administration C) creation D) modification Answer: B 41) Most organizations develop their own database management systems. Answer: False 42) DB2 is a popular database management system product that is licensed from Microsoft. Answer: False 43) A database management system is also referred to as a database. Answer: False 44) HyperText Markup Language is an international standard language for processing a database. Answer: False 45) Structured query language statements can be issued directly to the database management system (DBMS) by an application program. Answer: True 46) The database management system (DBMS) can be used to set up a security system involving user accounts, passwords, permissions, and limits for processing the database. Answer: True 47) Database management system (DBMS) administrative functions include adding structures to improve the performance of database applications. Answer: True 48) The administrative functions of a database management system (DBMS) include backing up database data. Answer: True 49) What is a database management system (DBMS)? Explain with suitable examples. Answer: A database management system (DBMS) is a program used to create, process, and administer a database. A DBMS is different from a database in that a DBMS is a software program while a database is a collection of tables, relationships, and metadata. Almost no organization develops its own DBMS. Instead, companies license DBMS products from vendors such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and others. Popular DBMS products are DB2 from IBM, Access and SQL Server from Microsoft, and Oracle Database from the Oracle Corporation. Another popular DBMS is MySQL, an open source DBMS product that is license-free for most applications. 50) Describe the functions of a database management system (DBMS). Answer: A database management system (DBMS) is a program used to create, process, and administer a database. 1. Database developers use the DBMS to create tables, relationships, and other structures in the database. To create a new table, the developer just fills out a new table's metadata into a form. To modify an existing table—for example, to add a new column—the developer opens the metadata form for that table and adds a new row of metadata. 2. The second function of the DBMS is to process the database. The DBMS provides applications for four processing operations: to read, insert, modify, or delete data. These operations are requested in application calls upon the DBMS. From a form, when the user enters new or changed data, a computer program that processes the form calls the DBMS to make the necessary database changes. From a Web application, a program on the client or on the server application program calls the DBMS directly to make the change. 3. The third DBMS function is to provide tools to assist in the administration of the database. Database administration involves a wide variety of activities. For example, the DBMS can be used to set up a security system involving user accounts, passwords, permissions, and limits for processing the database. In addition to security, DBMS administrative functions include backing up database data, adding structures to improve the performance of database applications, removing data that are no longer wanted or needed and similar tasks. 51) Discuss the creation of a database. Explain its working. Answer: Database developers use the database management system (DBMS) to create tables, relationships, and other structures in the database. A form is used to define a new table or to modify an existing one. To create a new table, the developer just fills the new table's metadata into the form. To modify an existing table, a developer opens the metadata form for that table and adds a new row of metadata. 52) Define Structured Query Language (SQL). Answer: Structured Query Language (SQL) is an international standard language for processing a database. DBMS products like DB2 from IBM, Access and SQL Server from Microsoft, and Oracle Database from the Oracle Corporation accept and process SQL statements. Another popular DBMS that accepts SQL statements is MySQL, an open source DBMS product that is license-free for most applications. One need not understand or remember SQL language syntax. Instead, one needs to just realize that SQL is an international standard for processing a database. Also, SQL can be used to create databases and database structures. 53) A ___________ is a collection of forms, reports, queries, and programs that serves as an intermediary between users and database data. A) database application B) metadata table C) database hierarchy D) dimension table Answer: A 54) Which of the following elements of a database application helps in the insertion of new data and the deletion of existing data? A) reports B) application programs C) queries D) forms Answer: D 55) Which of the following elements of a database application presents data in a structured manner using sorting, grouping, filtering, and other operations? A) queries B) forms C) reports D) application programs Answer: C 56) Which of the following elements of a database application provides security, data consistency, and special-purpose processing? A) query applications B) application programs C) reports D) forms Answer: B 57) Traditional database application programs are written in object-oriented languages like ___________. A) Pascal B) Visual Basic C) Datalog D) Unigraphics Answer: B 58) Which of the following is true of browser-based database applications? A) They are written in object-oriented languages such as Structured Query Language. B) The application, database management system (DBMS), and the database reside on the user's computer. C) They are displayed and processed using html, html5, or css3. D) They use C++ as the standard language for user-side processing. Answer: C 59) Browser-based database applications differ from traditional applications in that they ___________. A) have no security requirements B) are used only by corporates C) are usually open to the public D) fail to support graphical queries Answer: C 60) Which of the following is a major drawback of multi-user processing of a database? A) lack of data integrity B) software redundancy C) lost-update problem D) limited access to data Answer: C 61) A database application serves as an intermediary between users and database data. Answer: True 62) Queries in database applications present data in a structured manner using operations such as sorting, grouping, and filtering. Answer: False 63) Reports in database applications provide security, data consistency, and special-purpose processing. Answer: False 64) All traditional databases require the Internet to transmit traffic between a user's computer and a database management system (DBMS) server computer. Answer: False 65) In single-user databases, the application, the database management system (DBMS), and the database all reside on a user's computer. Answer: True 66) Traditional database application programs are written in object-oriented languages such as C++. Answer: True 67) Browser database application forms, reports, and queries are displayed and processed using HyperText Markup Language (HTML). Answer: True 68) Browser applications are thin-client applications that need not be preinstalled on the users' computers. Answer: True 69) Security requirements are more stringent for traditional applications than for browser-based ones. Answer: False 70) The lost-update problem caused by multi-user processing in databases can be prevented by avoiding all types of database locking. Answer: False 71) What is a database application? Answer: A database application is a collection of forms, reports, queries, and application programs that serves as an intermediary between users and database data. Database applications reformat database table data to make it more informative and more easily updated. Application programs also have features that provide security, maintain data consistency, and handle special cases. The specific purposes of the four elements of a database application are: Forms - View data; insert new, update existing, and delete existing data. Reports - Structured presentation of data using sorting, grouping, filtering, and other operations. Queries - Search based upon data values provided by the user. Application programs - Provide security, data consistency, and special-purpose processing, e.g., handle out-of-stock situations. 72) Which of the following is a drawback of the relational database processing model? A) It utilized an extensive amount of storage space. B) It required powerful processors to function. C) It was never a natural fit with business documents. D) It did not enable document piece-making via normalization. Answer: C 73) Which of the following is true of the relational database processing model? A) It supports very high transaction rates. B) It can efficiently store files with large collections of bits. C) It helps organizations store new data types such as images, audio, and videos. D) It represents relationships with the help of foreign keys. Answer: D 74) One of the reasons for the appearance of new styles of nonrelational database processing is the need for ___________. A) storing data types such as images, audio, and videos in organizations B) gaining faster performance by limiting the number of servers used C) breaking up sales orders via normalization D) limiting the use of open-source document-oriented DBMS Answer: A 75) Which of the following is a nonrelational data store developed by Amazon.com? A) Bigtable B) Dynamo C) Cassandra D) MongoDB Answer: B 76) ___________ refers to software products that support very high transaction rates, processing relatively simple data structures, replicated on many servers in the cloud. A) NoSQL DBMS B) MySQL DBMS C) Traditional DBMS D) Relational DBMS Answer: A 77) The conversion of the existing traditional databases in organizations to NoSQL databases is ___________. A) highly efficient and is being practiced by many organizations B) highly recommended because it is user friendly C) very cost-effective but can be enormously disruptive D) unnecessary when relational databases meet the needs of organizations Answer: D 78) MySQL database management system refers to software systems that support very high transaction rates, processing relatively simple data structures, replicated on many servers in the cloud. Answer: False 79) NoSQL database management system products are very technical and can be used only by those with a deep background in computer science. Answer: True 80) What is a NoSQL database management system? Answer: A few years back, Amazon.com determined that relational database technology wouldn't meet its processing needs, and it developed a nonrelational data store called Dynamo. Google (developed Bigtable) and Facebook (developed Cassandra) also followed suit. Such nonrelational DBMS have come to be called NoSQL DBMS. This term refers to software systems that support very high transaction rates processing relatively simple data structures, replicated on many servers in the cloud. The rise of NoSQL does mean that, for large organizational IS, choosing a relational DBMS is no longer automatic. NoSQL DBMS products are very technical and can be used only by those with a deep background in computer science. Chapter 6 The Cloud 1) Which of the following statements best defines the cloud? A) The cloud is the elastic leasing of pooled computer resources over the Internet. B) The cloud is a peer-to-peer network used to share data between users. C) The cloud is the elastic leasing of in-house computer hardware. D) The cloud is the network of servers hosted in-house by an organization for its own requirements. Answer: A 2) What does the term elastic in the definition of the cloud mean? A) It means that the computing resources leased can be increased or decreased dynamically in cloud-based hosting. B) It means that the operations staff manually allots fresh resources when the traffic increases. C) It means that the customers are provided a consistent bandwidth on the cloud. D) It means that the resources available for cloud-hosting are shared among customers. Answer: A 3) An organization that hires cloud services ___________. A) can accommodate an increase in traffic from only one city B) is allowed to change its computer hardware requirements only once in an hour C) can limit the response time of its Web pages D) is given access only to a single server Answer: C 4) Which of the following statements is true of Web services? A) They are programs designed using the concept of service-oriented architecture. B) They are programs that comply with IEEE 802.3 protocol standard. C) They are programs that comply with Web service standards and can only run as an independent program. D) They are designed in such a way that they cannot be flexibly combined with other programs. Answer: A 5) Which of the following statements is true of cloud-based hosting? A) It makes scaling up to meet the demands of increased traffic difficult. B) It involves the risk of investing in technology that may soon become obsolete. C) It gives greater control over physical location of data. D) It gives little visibility over the security being used to protect data. Answer: D 6) Which of the following is an advantage of in-house hosting? A) It requires very small capital. B) It gives greater control over the location of data. C) It has the ability to adapt to growing or fluctuating demands. D) It eliminates the risk of obsolescence. Answer: B 7) Which of the following factors has contributed to an increase in the popularity of cloud hosting? A) demand for services that can run without the support of the Internet B) development of virtualization technology that allows near-instantaneous creation of new virtual machines C) development of Web services that can be accessed without meeting the service-oriented architecture specifications D) increase in the cost of processors, data communication, and data storage Answer: B 8) Cloud resources are pooled because many different organizations use the same physical hardware. Answer: True 9) Cloud vendors do not benefit from economies of scale. Answer: False 10) Service oriented architecture (SOA) is a way of designing computer programs so that they can be combined flexibly. Answer: True 11) As standard practice, customers are regularly updated by cloud vendors about the location and number of copies made of their data. Answer: False 12) To use cloud-based hosting, an organization will have to construct its own data center. Answer: False 13) Before the creation of personal computers, time-sharing vendors provided slices of computer time on a use-fee basis. Answer: True 14) Cloud-based hosting is preferred by organizations that are required by law to have physical control over their data. Answer: False 15) Organizations that are required by law to have physical control over their data can benefit from cloud computing using private clouds and virtual private clouds. Answer: True 16) Why is the term elastic used to describe the cloud? Answer: The term elastic means that the computing resources leased can be increased or decreased dynamically, programmatically, in a short span of time, and that organizations pay for just the resources that they use. If the traffic for a Web site hosted on the cloud increases, servers can be increased dynamically to restrict the response time of the Web site. 17) Why is the term pooled used to describe the cloud? Answer: Cloud resources are pooled because many different organizations use the same physical hardware, which they share through virtualization. Cloud vendors dynamically allocate virtual machines to physical hardware as customer needs increase or decrease. 18) Why is cloud hosting preferred to in-house hosting? Answer: Cloud hosting allows the number of servers being rented to be increased easily. This means any number of customers can access the Web site hosted on the cloud and have the same response time. Large, reputable organizations provide best-of-breed security and disaster recovery. Clients do not have to take the risk of investing in technology that may soon become obsolete; the cloud vendor takes that risk. For these reasons, cloud hosting is preferred to in-house hosting. 19) What are the disadvantages of cloud-based hosting? Answer: The negatives of cloud computing involve loss of control. Users are dependent on a vendor; changes in the vendor's management, policy, and prices are beyond their control. Further, users don't know where their data, which may be a large part of their organization's value, is located. Nor do the users know how many copies of their data there are or even if they are located in the same country as they are. Finally, users have no visibility into the security and disaster preparedness that is actually in place. Their competitors could be stealing their data and they would not know it. 20) What are the factors that have made cloud-based hosting advantageous? Answer: Three factors have made cloud-based hosting advantageous today. First, processors, data communication, and data storage are so cheap that they are nearly free. At the scale of a Web farm of hundreds of thousands of processors, providing a virtual machine for an hour costs essentially nothing. Because data communication is so cheap, getting the data to and from that processor is also nearly free. Second, virtualization technology enables the near instantaneous creation of a new virtual machine. The customer provides (or creates in the cloud) a disk image of the data and programs of the machine it wants to provision. Virtualization software does the rest. Finally, Internet-based standards enable cloud-hosting vendors to provide processing capabilities in flexible, yet standardized, ways. 21) Explain why cloud-based hosting does not make sense for some organizations. Answer: The only organizations for which cloud hosting may not make sense are those that are required by law or by industry standard practice to have physical control over their data. Such organizations might be forced to create and maintain their own hosting infrastructure. A financial institution, for example, might be legally required to maintain physical control over its data. Even in this circumstance, however, it is possible to gain many of the benefits of cloud computing using private clouds and virtual private clouds. 22) Phobas Inc. offers an online service that stores notes made by customers on the cloud. When a customer enters notes on a device, it gets updated in all the devices he/she owns. Which of the following cloud-based offerings does Phobas Inc. provide to its customers? A) unified communications as a service (UCaaS) B) platform as a service (PaaS) C) software as a service (SaaS) D) infrastructure as a service (IaaS) Answer: C 23) An online service provider provides its users with hosted computers, an operating system, and a database management system (DBMS). This allows customers to add their own applications to the hosted services. Which of the following cloud-based offerings is being provided to the users? A) unified communications as a service (UCaaS) B) platform as a service (PaaS) C) infrastructure as a service (IaaS) D) software as a service (SaaS) Answer: B 24) The cloud-based service that provides the hardware and allows customers to load an operating system of their choice is known as ___________. A) application virtualization B) platform as a service (PaaS) C) infrastructure as a service (IaaS) D) network functions virtualization (NFV) Answer: C 25) A ___________ is an information system that stores user data in many different geographical locations and makes that data available on demand. A) virtual private network B) content delivery network C) wide area network D) local area network Answer: B 26) Which of the following is an advantage of a content delivery network? A) It increases the load time of Web pages for the users. B) It provides protection from denial-of-service (DOS) attacks. C) It increases the reliability by storing the data on a single, large server. D) It increases the load on the original server. Answer: B 27) Which of the following statements is true of content delivery networks (CDNs)? A) They reduce access costs by delivering data faster. B) They distribute data on different servers without any data replication. C) They use geographic proximity as the factor to decide which server should deliver a requested content. D) They use predetermined servers to deliver content to each location irrespective of traffic changes. Answer: A 28) An internal information system built using Web services is said to be using the cloud if it ___________. A) allocates specific servers to each task B) offers elasticity in the usage of servers C) uses the Intranet D) provides platform as a service (PaaS) Answer: B 29) Which of the following is a reason for an internal information system that uses Web services to not be considered a cloud? A) The number of servers is fixed and is not made elastic. B) Idle servers are dynamically re-allocated. C) Data transfer is enabled without dependency on the Internet. D) Web service standards are not followed, as they are confined within the limits of a company. Answer: A 30) Organizations can dynamically reuse servers that use Web services internally by ___________. A) creating a private cloud B) replicating the servers C) allocating different servers for different services D) making the servers elastic Answer: A 31) To use software as a service (SaaS), a user has to just sign up for the service and learn how to use it. Answer: True 32) A content delivery network (CDN) provides a specialized type of platform as a service (PaaS). Answer: True 33) A content delivery network (CDN) services a user's request using the geographically closest server. Answer: False 34) Content delivery networks (CDNs) increase a Web page's load time. Answer: False 35) A routing server determines which content delivery network (CDN) server should respond to a request in real time. Answer: True 36) Content delivery networks (CDNs) are used to store and deliver content that rarely changes. Answer: True 37) A user can receive various pieces of a Web page from different servers on a content delivery network (CDN). Answer: True 38) An elastic load balancer is a feature available in a private cloud that is not available in internal information systems, built using Web services. Answer: True 39) An organization's internal information system that does not provide elasticity is still considered a cloud. Answer: False 40) Explain how software as a service (SaaS) works. Answer: Software as a service (SaaS) is a category of cloud-based service offering. An organization that provides SaaS provides not only hardware infrastructure, but also an operating system and application programs as well. Apple's iCloud is an example of SaaS. Apple uses it to sync all of its customers' iOS devices. When a customer enters an appointment in her iPhone, Apple automatically pushes that appointment into the calendars on all of that customer's iOS devices. Further, customers can share calendars with others that will be synchronized as well. 41) Explain with an example how platform as a service (PaaS) works. Answer: Platform as a service (PaaS) is a category of cloud hosting in which vendors provide hosted computers, an operating system, and possibly a database management system (DBMS). Microsoft Windows Azure, for example, provides servers installed with Windows Server. Customers of Windows Azure then add their own applications on top of the hosted platform. 42) Explain how a content delivery network ensures fast delivery of data on demand. Answer: A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of hardware and software that stores user data in many different geographical locations and makes that data available on demand. An organization can use CDN to store copies of its Web pages or other information. The CDN vendor replicates this information on servers, possibly worldwide, so as to minimize latency. When a user demands this information, a routing server determines which CDN server is likely to service a request the fastest. Because traffic changes rapidly, especially for popular sites, such calculations are made in real-time. A request for content at one moment in time could be served by a computer in, say, San Diego, and a few moments later, that same request from that same user might be served by a computer in Salt Lake City. 43) What are the advantages of building an internal information system using Web services? Answer: Organizations can use Web services to build internal information systems that can be accessed by multiple applications. By doing so, internal applications can use these Web services like building blocks. They can use the services that they need–and no more. Because the Web services are encapsulated, the system can be altered without affecting other applications. In this way, systems development is more flexible, and it will be faster and hence less costly. 44) Sireus Corp. has availed a cloud-based service. As this service provides hardware and operating systems, Sireus Corp. can easily install its software on this cloud product. Which of the following services has the company availed from its cloud vendor? A) unified communications as a service (UCaaS) B) infrastructure as a service (IaaS) C) platform as a service (PaaS) D) software as a service (SaaS) Answer: C 45) If an organization opts for software as a service (SaaS), it will have to ___________. A) install an operating system on the server B) purchase licenses for software replication C) transfer data and develop procedures D) install a database management system Answer: C 46) A vendor providing software as a service (SaaS) usually makes the software available as a thin-client. Answer: True 47) If software licensed from others is to be installed on the cloud, licenses that permit replication must be purchased. Answer: True 48) Database management system (DBMS) products are included in infrastructure as a service (IaaS). Answer: False 49) A small company is likely to choose infrastructure as a service (IaaS) as it does not require much technical expertise to load operating systems on a server. Answer: False 50) What is a virtual private network? A) It is a markup language that fixes several HyperText Markup Language (HTML) deficiencies and is commonly used for program-to-program interaction over the Web. B) It is an add-on to browsers that was developed by Adobe and is useful for providing animation, movies, and other advanced graphics inside a browser. C) It is the most common language for defining the structure and layout of Web pages. D) It is a connection that uses the Internet to create secure point-to-point connections. Answer: D 51) Which of the following is true of a virtual private network (VPN)? A) It provides a secure connection for information transmitted over the public Internet. B) It does not encrypt messages. C) It is confined to be used within an organization. D) It can be used to store highly sensitive information of an organization. Answer: A 52) Which of the following is an advantage of a virtual private network (VPN)? A) It can be used to physically connect a client and the server. B) It helps to securely access information over the public Internet. C) It facilitates easy access to an organization's data without requiring security access. D) It does not depend on the Internet to function effectively. Answer: B 53) Which of the following statements is true of private clouds? A) Private clouds are easy to build and operate. B) Several organizations pool their resources to form a private cloud. C) Private clouds provide access from outside an organization that it created without requiring a person to connect to a virtual private network. D) Idle servers in a private cloud cannot be repurposed for use by other organizations. Answer: D 54) Which of the following is an advantage of a private cloud in an organization? A) It reduces the complexity involved in using other publicly available cloud services. B) It eliminates the need to use an additional secure network to access this cloud from outside the organization. C) It allows the organization to repurpose its idle servers for use to other organizations. D) It allows the organization to manage its servers with elastic load balancing. Answer: D 55) Which of the following statements is true of a virtual private cloud (VPC)? A) A VPC does not make use of a virtual private network. B) A VPC generally stores an organization's most sensitive data. C) A VPC can be accessed only from within an organization. D) A VPC can be built on a public cloud infrastructure. Answer: D 56) Which of the following is a difference between a virtual private network (VPN) and a virtual private cloud (VPC)? A) A VPC uses encrypted connections between the users and its server, while a VPN does not use such secure connections. B) A VPC can be accessed over the Internet, while a VPN cannot be accessed over the Internet. C) A VPC does not facilitate data storage, while a VPN allows the storage of a user's most important data. D) A VPC provides the advantages of cloud storage, but a VPN by itself cannot provide these advantages. Answer: D 57) Which of the following is an advantage of using a private cloud over a virtual private cloud (VPC)? A) Unlike a VPC, the infrastructure required for a private cloud can be built and operated easily. B) Unlike a VPC, a private cloud can be created and used without the Internet. C) Unlike a VPC, a private cloud can be built on top of a public cloud infrastructure. D) Unlike a VPC, a private cloud does not require permission from regulating bodies to host sensitive data. Answer: D 58) A tunnel is a virtual, private pathway over a public or shared network from the virtual private network (VPN) client to the VPN server. Answer: True 59) A virtual private network uses the Internet to create the appearance of private, secure connections. Answer: True 60) A virtual private network (VPN) uses encryption and decryption to protect VPN communications from snooping. Answer: True 61) A virtual private cloud allows organizations to gain the advantages of cloud storage for the portion of data that need not be physically controlled. Answer: True 62) Explain how a user in a hotel in Los Angeles can connect to a local area network (LAN) at a Michigan site using a virtual private network? Answer: A virtual private network (VPN) uses the Internet to create the appearance of private, secure connections. The remote user is the VPN client. That client first establishes a public connection to the Internet. The connection can be obtained by accessing a local ISP or by using a direct Internet connection. Once the Internet connection is made, VPN software on the remote user's computer establishes a connection with the VPN server in Michigan. The VPN client and VPN server then have a secure connection. 63) How are communications secured from snooping in a virtual private network? Answer: To secure virtual private network (VPN) communications over the public Internet, the VPN client software encrypts, or codes, messages so their contents are protected from snooping. Then the VPN client appends the Internet address of the VPN server to the message and sends that package over the Internet to the VPN server. When the VPN server receives the message, it strips its address off the front of the message, decrypts the coded message, and sends the plain text message to the original address inside the LAN. In this way, secure private messages are delivered over the public Internet. 64) What is a private cloud? What are its limitations? Answer: A private cloud is a cloud that is owned and operated by an organization for its own benefit. Private clouds provide the advantages of elasticity, but to a questionable benefit. Organizations cannot repurpose their idle servers for use by other companies. Even a large conglomerate or major international company that uses the idle servers to balance processing loads across subsidiary business units and across different geographical regions is unlikely to save money or time. It is unimaginable that any non cloud company could build and operate a cloud service facility that competes with those provided by the existing large cloud vendors. Also, most organizations choose not to replicate database servers because of the complexity of managing multiple database servers. 65) What is a virtual private cloud? What are its advantages? Answer: A virtual private cloud (VPC) is a subset of a public cloud that has highly restricted, secure access. An organization can build its own VPC on top of public cloud infrastructure. Using a VPC, an organization can store its most sensitive data on its own infrastructure, and store the less sensitive data on the VPC. In this way, organizations that are required to have physical control over some of their data can place that data on their own servers and locate the rest of their data on the VPC. This is a feature that is not available in a private cloud. 66) Which of the following is likely to be a consequence of cloud computing in the future? A) The preference to set up one's own computing infrastructure will increase among organizations. B) The cost of obtaining elastic resources will decrease. C) The demand for employees who know how to use and manage information systems will reduce. D) The number of technology-based startups will stagnate. Answer: B 67) A(n) ___________ is an information system (IS) that provides computer-based activity at a distance. A) transport driver interface B) content delivery network C) indexing service system D) remote action system Answer: D 68) A remote system designed by Alpha Solutions uses cameras and motion-sensing equipment to issue tickets for traffic violations. This system is an example of ___________. A) telediagnosis B) teleassessment C) tele-law enforcement D) tele-instruction Answer: C 69) Large Web farms are likely to replace in-house servers used by small companies due to the benefits of cloud computing. Answer: True 70) Cloud computing can enable organizations to readily obtain elastic resources at very low costs. Answer: True 71) Cloud computing is likely to lead to an increase in the number of technology-based startups. Answer: True 72) Telediagnosis uses telecommunications to link surgeons to robotic equipment at distant locations. Answer: False 73) Tele-action increases the value of local mediocrity. Answer: False 74) Remote action systems increase time and travel expenses. Answer: False Test Bank for Experiencing MIS David Kroenke, Randall Boyle 9780133939132, 9781292107707, 9780134773636, 9780136509868, 9780136078685, 9781486019281, 9780132157940
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