Chapter 5: IT Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies

Chapter 5 examines the components, evolution, and trends in IT infrastructure, which serves as the foundation for an organization's information system capabilities. IT infrastructure includes the hardware, software, data management, networking, and services needed to operate and manage an enterprise’s resources. This chapter also looks into emerging technologies that influence the development and transformation of IT infrastructure.

Key Points

1. Defining IT Infrastructure:
   • IT infrastructure refers to the combined set of physical devices and software required to operate the entire enterprise. It includes hardware (servers, computers, mobile devices), software, storage technologies, networking technologies, and data management services.
   • A strong IT infrastructure supports a firm’s business strategy by enhancing flexibility, efficiency, and connectivity.
2. IT Infrastructure Components:
   • Computer hardware platforms: Includes desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Trends like cloud computing and virtualization reduce the dependency on physical hardware.
   • Operating system platforms: Operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) manage the hardware and software resources of computers.
   • Enterprise software applications: Software like ERP, CRM, and SCM solutions integrate various functions across departments, improving coordination and productivity.
   • Data management and storage: Databases and storage solutions manage and store large amounts of data securely, enabling data retrieval for analysis and reporting.
   • Networking and telecommunications: Networking infrastructure connects the internal IT systems to the Internet and other networks, allowing data sharing and communication.
   • Internet platforms: Includes services such as web hosting and cloud-based platforms that facilitate online services.
   • Consulting and system integration services: These services help firms design and manage their IT infrastructure effectively.
3. The Evolution of IT Infrastructure:
   • IT infrastructure has evolved through five eras, from the mainframe era to the cloud and mobile computing era. Today’s trend is the shift to cloud computing, where data and software are stored on the internet rather than local servers, and mobile computing, allowing access from mobile devices.
4. Emerging Technologies:
   • Cloud computing: Enables businesses to access resources like storage and applications over the Internet, reducing costs and increasing flexibility.
   • Green computing: Focuses on reducing the environmental impact of IT operations, such as by using energy-efficient data centers.
   • Virtualization: Allows multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine, improving resource use.
   • Quantum computing: A rapidly developing field that offers unparalleled computing power, which could revolutionize areas like encryption and complex problem-solving.
   • Edge computing and 5G: Enhance data processing capabilities closer to the source, reducing latency and improving data management for IoT devices.
5. Managing IT Infrastructure:
   • Companies must develop strategies for acquiring and managing IT infrastructure to ensure alignment with business goals. Decisions about outsourcing, cloud adoption, and data security impact an organization’s agility and operational efficiency.

Examples

• Example 1: Amazon Web Services (AWS) for Cloud Computing:

  AWS provides cloud computing solutions to businesses, allowing them to store and access data, run applications, and process complex data workloads on a scalable infrastructure. This enables companies to operate without investing heavily in physical hardware and to scale their resources as needed.

• Example 2: General Electric (GE) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT):

  GE uses edge computing in its industrial operations by deploying sensors on machinery to collect real-time data. This data is processed at the edge (closer to the machinery) to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and optimize performance, illustrating how IT infrastructure can enhance manufacturing processes.

• Example 3: Virtualization at IBM:

  IBM utilizes virtualization technology, allowing one physical server to act as multiple virtual machines. This enables IBM to use its hardware more efficiently, supporting different applications and clients while reducing infrastructure costs and energy consumption.

Explain why standards are so important in information technology. What standards have been important for the growth of Internet technologies? Answer: Standards are important because they result in different manufacturers creating products that can be used either with each other or to communicate with each other. For example, without standards, each light-bulb manufacturer would have to also create specific light-bulb sockets for use with their light bulbs. In the same way, computers and computer technology have been enabled through standards. Standards have allowed many different manufacturers to contribute to the same, standardized definitions of a technological application. For example, the ASCII data standards made it possible for computer machines from different manufacturers to exchange data, and standardized software languages have enabled programmers to write programs that can be used on different machines