MGS Exam 1 Review Sheet -1 PDF

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Detail summary of the entire material covered for the first exam 1. The material doesn't change for this class with Professor David Murray in his MGS351 course ...

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MGS351: Test # 1 I. Chapter 1 – Part A “To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer”  

Reliance on technology is risky Manage technology, don’t let technology manage you

A. What is MIS?   

Management information system (1) field of study (2) specific type of information system that managers use o e.g. spreadsheet

**Using technology to create business value** **Bridges the gap between business and technical minds** 

Information System (IS) o A set of components that collect, process, store, and distribute information to support decision making and control in an organization o Different for every level of management

Input

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Process

Technology

Output

Feedback

o Hardware, software, database, networks, etc… o Computers and other technologies are used to build information systems o What technology should be used? 

Areas of business IS can serve o Sales/marketing o Manufacturing/service o Finance/accounting o Human resource Vs.

4 functional areas of business

o Cross-sectional B. Data vs. Information  

Data: a collection of unorganized facts Information: data organized into a useful from for decision making

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GIGO – garbage in, garbage out o Information must be accurate

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Characteristics of good information: o Subject value o Relevant o Timely o Accurate o Meaningful format o Complete o Accessible

C. What does it take to succeed in MIS? 

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Soft skills: most important because they cannot be taught they are innate o E.g. communication and teamwork o Better to have if choosing between soft and technical Technical skills: acquired technical curiosity o E.g. programming and networking Business skills

D. IS opportunities vs. challenges 

Opportunities o Increase worker productivity o Enhance decision making o Rapidly changing technology (entrepreneur-minded)

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Challenges o Investment in obsolete technology o Technology is changing to quickly o We can only guess where it is going next o Workforce downsizing o Information overload o Mistrust/fraud/security breaches o Difficult to build (large percent fail)

II. Chapter 1 – Part B

A. Database  



Collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data Hierarchy 1. Database 2. Table (spreadsheet) 3. Records (rows) 4. Fields (columns) Tables o o o o o o

Stores data in a database Similar to a spreadsheet but more organized Contains records (rows) and fields (columns) Datasheet view = sheet of data and records Design view = changes to properties and data types can be made Field properties  Input mask, validation rules, data type, format, primary key, etc… o Primary Key: value is unique for every record

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Queries o Allow you to ask questions about data in the database to extract information o E.g. when have customers placed orders? o Finds the most updated data

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Forms o o o o

Used for entering data, displaying data, and building menu systems Basic form, split forms, multiple items forms, subforms Form = what we see as an end user Layout view = shows data but changes cannot be made  Best of both worlds o Design view = changes to properties and data types can be made

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Reports o Used to format and present the data in a professional, logical, and useful manner o Often intended from printing and distribution o Can be built from tables and queries  Often the starting point – work backwards from here o Dictate what data must be stored o Report = what we actually see as end users o Layout view = shows data but changes cannot be made  Best of both worlds

o Design view = changes to properties and data types can be made o Print Preview = shows page breaks 

Macros o Small programs that can perform advanced operations, making the database more powerful and user-friendly o Creates efficiency – “every click counts” o Often used to open forms and reports or to automate portions of the database o Autoexec: runs automatically when the data base is opened  Opens menus for example

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Wizards o Use form and report o Does 75% of the work and then allows for customization

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Evolution of the Database o Lacked organization, huge files o Hierarchal models o Relational model  Multiple tables with multiple fields  “The real power of access is derived from multiple tables and the relationships between them”

Possible Test Questions: (1) Which view is used to add, edit, and delete records in the table? A. datasheet view (2) Which represents the hierarchy of terms from largest to smallest? A. datasheet  table  records  fields (3) A __________ provides a convenient and attractive way to enter, and/or print out data in a table? A. form (4) Which form and report view allows you to immediately see the design changes you are making? A. layout view

III. Chapter 2 – Part A A. Digital Communication    

The language of computers Computers can only understand 1’s and 0’s Bit o Represents the smallest unit of data in the form of either 1 or 0 Byte o Strings of bits, usually 8 o Stores one number of character  E.g. 01000101 = A

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CPU (processor) o Actual chip o Interprets and carries out basic instructions that operate a computer o Controls other parts of the computer o Rated based on speed:  Gigahertz (3)  Megahertz o Rated based on cores  Up to 4  Up to 16

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Computer Hardware o Physical electronic components that do actual computing work o Tangible features of a computer Computer software o Electronic instructions that tell the computer what to do **Wife (software) directs her husband (hardware) to move furniture around the house** **Hardware and software are useless without one another**

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Memory (Primary Storage) o Temporarily stores software programs being executed, data used by the programs, and other instructions o RAM (random access memory)  Beyond 4 gigahertz (2 is adequate)  If RAM is used up, part of the hardware will be used (very slow)  Increasing RAM is the cheapest way to update a laptop  Buses connect RAM to the rest of the computer o ROM (read only memory) o Volatile

o o

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 Information loses contents when computer is turned off Non-volatile  Information will not be lost if turned off Storage Devices  Getting cheaper as memory increases  Magnetic disk: floppy disk, hard disk  Optical disk: (laser) CD-ROM, DVD  Magnetic tape: inexpensive, older secondary-storage medium (e.g. cassette tape)  USB: electrons  Sequential access  Must go through multiple files to find data (e.g. old tapes must be fast forwarded)  Direct access

Input Devices o Keyboard, mouse, touch-screen, etc… o Optical character recognition (OCR): scan documents o Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR): e.g. check processing for banks o Pen based input and audio output o Digital scanner Output Devices o Monitor o Printer o Audio

B. Categories of Computers  Personal computer: what we are used to  Minicomputer: obsolete  Mainframes: expensive, handles large volumes of data  Supercomputers: $ millions C. Software  Program Software o Series of statements or instructions to the computer  System Software o Operating systems o Language translators o Utility programs o Generalized programs, manages a computer’s resources o Often taken for granted and under appreciated  Application Software o Programs written to perform functions specified by end users o Programming language

o Assembly langauge

D. Operating Systems   

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Set of programs that manages the operations of a computer and functions as an interface between the user, the application programs, and the computer hardware Example: Windows 7 Functions o Allocates and assigns resources o Prioritizes/schedules the use of resources o Monitors activities o Provides locations in primary memory for data and programs o Controls the input/output devices Linux o Open source software o Free and customizable o People began fixing the program and then reposting it for download o Downside: no customer service o Best of UNIX o Deployed in mission critical, commercial environments with an excellent pool of testimonials Generation of operating systems

E. Application Software  

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Software designed to perform people-related tasks such as payroll, inventory, and sales analysis Proprietary (build?) o Custom o 100% of what you need o Costly Off-the-shelf (buy?) o Cheaper o Less functionality o COTS: common off the shelf software Programming language o Everything is converted to machine language o Machine language: 1’s and 0’s of binary code o Assembly language: substitutes numeric with mnemonic o 3rd generation: can be made sense of by reading the code  FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, Pascal, and C th o 4 generation: employed directly by end-users, nonprocedural o Natural languages: similar to human language  e.g. ask.com

o Query language: used to retrieve data 

Language translation o Translates high-level language programs into machine language o Compiler: compiles a new file first  Visual basic/exe files o Interpreter: interpreted as the system is run

“We should be impressed by technology, but we shouldn’t be distracted by it or fooled into thinking that technology, undo itself, is the solution to anything.” 

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New technology does not automatically create value o Example: new computers for employees don’t automatically make employees more efficient Reasons for upgrading o Avoid risk* o Reached a dead end o Competition

IV. Chapter 2 – Part B Databases and Decision Making

Input Data

- Input using forms - Stored in tables

Process

- handled by queries

Output Information

- output to reports - supports decision making

GIGO: garbage in = garbage out

Good Data

Good Information

Good Decision

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The design of the database is critical to its success o Must be built from the ground up – structural stability

A. Designing Database Tables  

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Included the necessary data o Determined by reporting needs Stored data in its smallest parts o Allows for easy sorting and searching o Example: split names into first and last categories Avoid calculated fields o Example: GPA o Creates redundancies and inconsistent data o If calculations change everything must change o Example: store birth date or age?  Birth date (fact)! Age (calculation) Avoid redundancy

B. Creating Tables in Access  

Table Wizard (don’t use!) Datasheet and Design View

C. Primary Key  

A field or combination of fields that uniquely identifies records in a table Methods: 1. Use and existing field 2. Use a combination of fields (concatenated key) 3. Create a new field using the autonumber data type (easiest)

D. Field Data Types  Number  Text (most common) o Phone numbers, social security numbers, zip codes, and other meaningful numbers should be stored as text, not number! The reason being that if the record begins with a 0, in a number data type, it will not be recorded o Max 250 characters  Memo o A lot of text  Date/Time  Currency  Yes/No

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o Boolean: true/false, 1/0, on/off o Displayed a check box OLE object/Attachment o Pictures, documents, pdf. files Autonumber o Do not confuse with a counter o Deletion of a number does not change numbers, once a number is deleted it is never used again Hyperlink o Storing website/email information o Interactive Look Up Wizard o Not technically a data type – obscurity o Used to create a drop down list o Helps to prevent bad data from being entered (e.g. typos)

E. Field Properties 

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Field Size o How much data can be entered - # of characters o Should always be a little longer than needed Format o Modify display formats Input masks o Creates patterns o Example: for phone #: (_ _ _) _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ Caption property o Alternate name used for the field Default values o Consistent data o Should be 50% + Validation Rule/Validation Text o Data must adhere to a rule o An error for bad data appears in a text Required o Only if data is 100% necessary o If not needed of accessible, users will enter random/bad data Allow 0 length Indexed

*When building a database you must get into the mind of the person asking for it. Imagine every little detail needed to get a full report. A discussion of what is wanted will help both parties to think of thoroughly. A mock program should be designed to determine flaws or what is missing.*

Possible Test Questions (1) What does GIGO stand for? A. Garbage in, garbage out (2) Which of the following is true about the primary key? A. Values must be unique (3) Which fields are commonly defined by an input mask? A. Social Security Number (4) Which data type appears as a check box in a table? A. Yes/No field (5) The _________ is a field (or combination of fields) that uniquely identifies a record. A. Primary Key

V. Chapter 3 – Part A “The Internet is one of the rare, if not unique instances where the ‘hype’ is accompanied with understatement, not overestimate…I don’t think we know what has hit us.” A. What is the Internet? 1. Two or more interconnected networks 2. A world-wide interconnected network that allows public access to information and servers  No central governing body  Estimated 1.1 billion users (16.6% of the world’s population)  Invented for 2 reasons: o For scientific research purposes: share and store data o Keep information system up and running even after a nuclear attack in one part of the nation  1980’s: home computers  1984: 1,000 computers on internet  1987: 10,000  1990  100,000  …  1988: first worm  Early 90’s: PC revolution leads to an Internet explosion o Became cheaper o More user friendly (graphical interface) o Size became portable  Internet = giant umbrella

B. Internet Services       

World Wide Web E – Mail FTP (Archie): way to send a file from one computer to another Telnet: connect to remote machine on the Internet and use it (log in) Chatrooms (IRC) Usernet: news groups, huge discussion boards Gopher (Veronica and Jughead): essentially a menu-based search engine

C. How Does it Work?  

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Clients o Computers we use, request services like browsing websites Servers o Serve the requested services from clients o Example: web servers, mail servers, FTP servers Packets o Pieces of a larger message o Packet switching (TCP/IP)  Protocol of the internet Routers o Sends packets in appropriate directions Backbone o High capacity, high bandwidth areas where most of the data goes o Fastest and most direct access to networks Network Access Points o Where backbones connect o Designed for security reasons

D. Internet Addresses 

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IP (internet protocol) address o All machines have one o Example: 128.205.4.175 o Numbers have meaning Domain Names o Servers have domain names which map to an IP address o You want to know the name of what your connecting to

E. World Wide Web 

Anatomy of a Web Page o Uniform Resource Locator (URL): website title

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o o o URL’s o o o o o

Hypertext protocol: http:// Html: language used to write website code Hyperlinks Protocol Domain name Directory location/path: where is the file stored? Actual file (html) Anchor name: takes you to a specific part of the page

F. Security on the Internet    

CERT – www.cert.org o Directly developed as a result of the 1988 worm Hackers, worms, viruses, social engineering, fraud, identity theft Physhing: looking for personal information Denial of service: flooding/overloading websites so others cannot use them

G. Solutions   

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Authentication o Proper name and password Authorization o Once in, what do you have access to? Firewall o Software/hardware that blocks potential attacks o Prevents or allows access to certain ports o Set through validation rules Intrusion detection o Detects suspicious activity Data encryption o Scrambles data so it cannot be understood by readers SSL: secure socket layer o Https: encryption o False sense of security

H. Intranet (B2E)   

Private corporate network that uses internet technology and is designed to meet the needs of employees Business to employees Tailored for employees

I. Extranets (B2B)

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Focused to external users/customers Example: www.myub.buffalo.edu

J. Internet and Businesses     

Challenge: not connected to customers Electronic commerce o Lower marketing, product display, storage, and sales person costs 24/7 access to customers Global presence Two way connection

K. Future Directions      

Increase in electronic commerce Increase in bandwidth = increase in speed o Tennessee had the fastest internet Increase in “rich media” applications VOIP: interned based phone systems IPv6: allows for IP addresses + additional security Ubiquitous access: wireless/mobile

VII. Chapter 3 – Part B A. Forms   

Designed for displaying data, entering data, or used as part of a menu system Basic forms, multiple item forms, and split forms Based on tables and queries

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Designing forms o Consistent look and feel o Easy to read o Must contain all needed info o Have an intuitive navigation

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Working with forms o Form view: displays data on the form and allows updates and edits of the form data o Layout view: most flexible way to work with and modify a form. Displays data while allowing modifications o Design View: don’t see data but can change all properties and data types (most powerful)

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Form Wizard

o o o o

Use it! Useful starting point Provides you with a framework that you can customize and build on 70-80% of what you need

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Modifying forms o Design view  Field list: allows you to drag fields  Property sheet: property controls  Toolbox: controls anything on the form 1. Bound controls: connected to data or elements 2. Unbound controls: not connected to anything (e.g. a line) 3. Calculated controls: use a function/formula to tie together multiple fields of data  Dropdown/Combo list: created through look up wizard  Tabstops: hitting the tab key will move the cursor in a sequential manner

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Record Source o Is the form based on a table or queries?  Click the box in the uppermost left hand corner!

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Wait until the very end to make it look nice!

Possible Test Questions (1) A(n) _____________ control on a form has its data source as an expression. A. Calculated (2) Using the look up wizard for a field in the table, will result in a __________ _________ displaying on a formed based off that field. A. Dropdown list (3) True/False: Updating data in a form will modify the data in a corresponding table. A. True

Review Terms/Concepts 1. FTP 2. Internet vs. World Wide Web 3. Extranets 4. Domain names / IP addresses 5. Future trends of the Internet 6. Role of an MIS professi...