Element 3 Identify information technology equipment LEARNING OUTCOMES

Element 3 Identify information technology equipment

LEARNING OUTCOMES • 1. Clearly identify the information technology equipment/software and operating system supported by the organization. • 2. Accurately identify equipment, location and service requirements according to organizational requirements.

IDENTIFY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT/SOFTWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM • As an employee of an IT organization it is important to be aware of the type of equipment and software that are in use as these will be your ‘tools of the trade’. Computer - a programmable electronic machine that: • takes in data and instructions (input) • works with the data (processing) • puts out information (output)

Equipment IT equipment may include but is not limited to: • Personal computer - A small, relatively inexpensive computer • Network systems designed for an individual user. • Attached Peripherals Businesses use personal computers for word processing, accounting, desktop publishing and for running spreadsheets and database management applications.

Network systems There are many types of computer networks, including: Local-area networks (LANs) - The computers are geographically close together (that is, in the same building) Wide-area networks (WANs) - The computers are relatively far apart and are connected by telephone lines or radio waves. Campus-area networks (CANs) - The computers are within a limited geographic area, such as a campus or military base. Network Systems - A group of two or more computer systems linked together.

Attached Peripherals are devices, such as a CD -ROM drive printer, mouse, keyboard, printer, monitor, external Zip drive and scanner, fax machines that are attached to the computer and are used either for input or output.

Specialized equipment • Certain organizations may require specialized computer equipment that you should be aware of and be able to identify, for instance: Type of Organization Specialized Equipment Sales and Service Point of Sale machine Call Centre Routers, Switches

Software • Software is the collective term used to describe computer programs. A program uses a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do. Software is often divided into two categories: • Systems software • Applications software

System Software • This describes the computer programs that control the hardware device and ensures that they work together effectively and efficiently. • It includes the operating system and all the utilities that enable the computer to function.

Application Software This describes the programs that allow the computer to be used, so that it can perform a specific function. For example, an accounting application allows the computer to be used to record accounts receivable and accounts payable transactions. Examples of applications software include word processing,

Software can also be highly specialized and be specific to certain types of organization such as: Type of Organization Specialized Software Accounting Peachtree Accounting, Acc. Pac Web development Dream weaver, Microsoft Front. Page Educational Timetabling software, Online Educational Software

Operating System • Operating System – is the most important program that runs on the computer. • Every general purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. • Operating systems perform basic tasks such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.

• For large systems, such as those found in an IT organization, the operating system has even greater responsibilities, functioning somewhat like a traffic cop by ensuring that different programs and users running at the same time do not interfere with each other. • The operating system is also responsible for security, ensuring that unauthorized users do not access the system.

The table below describes two types of operating systems: Command Line Operating Systems Graphical User Interface Operating Systems Unix, MSDOS Windows (98 – XP), Macintosh OS NOTE: Although they all look alike, there are some differences between operating systems. You should be aware of which operating system is running on your computer. It is also very important to distinguish between the Operating System and Applications Software.

IDENTIFY EQUIPMENT, LOCATION AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS • Organizations may have standardized on certain computing solutions, depending on their type of workflow. • There will very likely be a computer network installed across the organization's site or sites. • Therefore there will be a location for Servers that is usually off-limits to anybody except for IT personnel. • As a member of the IT team, it is your responsibility to know not only where these sites are, but also where each piece of equipment is located. • The organization’s fixed asset register will contain these details.

• Your company may have established guidelines and schedules for servicing equipment or it may simply follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. • Whichever documentation is available; you must refer to it and put the necessary procedures in place to make it work. • If no guidelines exist, you may want to take the initiative and develop your own which you should get vetted before implementing.

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS Why is it necessary to service equipment? What are the service requirements for a PC? What is a peripheral? What is a computer? What is a network system? State and define the different categories of software. l Give 3 examples for the different categories of software. l What is a personal computer? l l l