Unit 3: IT Infrastructure and Business Intelligence

Here are the answers to all the ques ons from Unit 3.

Q1: Discuss Hardware and So ware pla orm trends in IT infrastructure. (Marks: 8)

Answer:

Hardware and so ware pla orms are essen al components of IT infrastructure. Over the years, several
trends have emerged, shaping modern IT systems.

1. Hardware Trends:

 Cloud Compu ng: Shi from on-premise hardware to cloud infrastructure (like AWS, Azure, GCP)
for scalability, flexibility, and cost reduc on.

 Edge Compu ng: Devices process data at the edge of the network to reduce latency and
enhance response mes (e.g., IoT devices, smart sensors).

 Virtualiza on: Use of virtual machines to run mul ple opera ng systems on a single physical
server, enabling be er resource u liza on.

 Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI): Combines storage, compu ng, and networking into a
single system to simplify deployment and management.

 AI-Driven Hardware: Specialized hardware like GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) and TPUs
(Tensor Processing Units) for machine learning and AI-based applica ons.

2. So ware Trends:

 Open-Source So ware: Growing reliance on open-source pla orms like Linux, MySQL, and
Apache for cost-efficiency and community-driven development.

 Ar ficial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI tools are being embedded into IT
infrastructure for predic ve maintenance, automa on, and intelligent data analysis.

 Containeriza on: Use of Docker and Kubernetes to create lightweight, portable so ware
environments.

 So ware as a Service (SaaS): Cloud-based subscrip on so ware like Microso 365, Salesforce,
and Google Workspace are widely used.

 Cybersecurity Tools: Increased investment in threat detec on so ware, firewalls, and

Q2: Explain system vulnerability, business value of security, and control. (Marks: 9)

Answer:
1. System Vulnerability: System vulnerability refers to weaknesses in hardware, so ware, or network
systems that a ackers can exploit. Common vulnerabili es include:

 So ware Bugs: Errors in so ware code that allow unauthorized access.

 Unpatched Systems: Outdated so ware with known security loopholes.

 Weak Passwords: Simple passwords that are easy to guess.

 Phishing A acks: Social engineering to trick users into revealing creden als.

2. Business Value of Security: Inves ng in security provides several business benefits, such as:

 Protects Data and Privacy: Safeguards sensi ve data like customer informa on, financial
records, and intellectual property.

 Reduces Financial Loss: Prevents costs associated with data breaches, ransomware, and
regulatory fines.

 Increases Customer Trust: Builds customer confidence, leading to be er brand reputa on and
customer loyalty.

 Ensures Regulatory Compliance: Adheres to data protec on laws like GDPR and HIPAA to avoid
legal penal es.

 Improves Opera onal Con nuity: Reduces the risk of opera onal down me caused by
cybera acks.

3. Business Value of Control: Control mechanisms like access controls, user authen ca on, and
encryp on help ensure:

 Access Management: Ensuring only authorized personnel have access to specific data or
systems.

 Audit Trails: Maintaining logs of system ac vi es for audit and inves ga on purposes.

 Data Integrity: Preven ng unauthorized modifica ons to sensi ve data.

 Incident Response: Enables quick response and recovery during security incidents.

Q3: What is Business Intelligence? Explain its founda ons: database and informa on management.
(Marks: 9)

Answer:

1. Defini on of Business Intelligence (BI): Business Intelligence (BI) refers to the tools, processes, and
technologies that transform raw data into ac onable insights for decision-making. It helps organiza ons
analyze historical data and make data-driven decisions.

2. Founda ons of BI:

 Database:
 o Data Warehousing: A centralized repository where large volumes of data are stored
from mul ple sources for analysis.

o Data Extrac on, Transforma on, and Loading (ETL): Process of extrac ng raw data,
transforming it into a usable format, and loading it into the data warehouse.

o Database Management Systems (DBMS): Tools like MySQL, Oracle, and SQL Server that
manage data storage, retrieval, and manipula on.

 Informa on Management:

o Data Cleaning: Ensures data quality by removing duplicates, fixing errors, and filling in
missing values.

o Data Integra on: Merges data from different systems into a unified view.

o Metadata Management: Stores informa on (metadata) about data sources, enabling

3. Role of BI Tools:

 Data Visualiza on: Tools like Power BI, Tableau, and Google Data Studio are used to create visual
dashboards.

 Repor ng and Analysis: Pre-built reports and customizable dashboards help decision-makers
monitor KPIs.

 Predic ve Analy cs: Uses machine learning to predict future trends and outcomes.

Q4: What is IT infrastructure? Explain in brief its components. (Marks: 8)

Answer:

1. Defini on of IT Infrastructure: IT infrastructure refers to the collec on of hardware, so ware,

2. Components of IT Infrastructure:

 Hardware: Physical devices like servers, data centers, computers, storage devices, and network
devices.

 So ware: Applica ons and opera ng systems (OS) required for business opera ons, such as
Windows, Linux, and enterprise applica ons.

 Network: Communica on systems like LAN, WAN, and internet connec vity to enable data
exchange.

 Data Storage: Databases, data warehouses, and cloud storage for saving and retrieving business
data.

 IT Services: Managed services, cloud services (like AWS, Azure), and help desk support.
  Security Systems: Firewalls, an virus, VPNs, and encryp on protocols for protec ng data and
systems.

Q5: Explain how MIS is helpful to Management in their opera ons. (Marks: 8)

Answer:

1. Defini on of MIS: Management Informa on System (MIS) is a system that collects, processes, and
presents data to help management make decisions and manage opera ons.

2. Role of MIS in Management:

 Decision-Making: Provides managers with mely, accurate informa on to make strategic

 Opera onal Efficiency: Automates rou ne tasks like payroll, inventory management, and
financial repor ng.

 Performance Monitoring: Tracks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for opera onal performance.

 Data Analysis and Repor ng: Uses dashboards, visualiza ons, and reports to present cri cal
insights.

 Customer Service: Helps companies track customer queries, complaints, and sa sfac on.

Q6: Explain how to secure informa on systems with system vulnerability. Explain the value of security
and control in Business. (Marks: 9)

Answer:

This ques on overlaps with Q2, so the answer is similar.

1. Securing Informa on Systems:

 Access Control: Limit access based on user roles and permissions.

 Encryp on: Scramble sensi ve data, making it unreadable without a decryp on key.

 Regular Updates and Patching: Keep so ware up to date to close known vulnerabili es.

 Firewalls and Intrusion Detec on: Use firewalls to filter incoming traffic and intrusion detec on
systems to detect a acks.

 User Training: Educate employees about phishing scams, password security, and best prac ces.

2. Business Value of Security:

 Protects Customer Trust: Prevents loss of customer data.

 Prevents Financial Losses: Stops a acks like ransomware and cyber fraud.
  Ensures Regulatory Compliance: Complies with standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.

 Improves Business Con nuity: Reduces the likelihood of system down me.

3. Value of Control:

 Access Controls: Allows only authorized users to access sensi ve data.

 Audit Trails: Logs system ac vi es, helping inves gate system failures and a acks.

 Incident Response: Provides a response plan for data breaches and cybera acks.

Q7: What is IT infrastructure? Explain management issues. (Marks: 8)

Answer:

This ques on overlaps with Q4, so the answer is similar.

1. Management Issues in IT Infrastructure:

 Cost Management: Balancing costs of hardware, so ware, and services.

 Scalability: Ensuring infrastructure can handle growth in users, data, and applica ons.

 Security: Protec ng IT infrastructure from cyber threats.

 Data Management: Handling large amounts of business data effec vely.

 Compliance: Ensuring IT systems follow industry standards like GDPR and HIPAA.

 Technology Upgrades: Keeping systems updated with the latest hardware and so ware.