QUESTION ONE

a) Identify six major components of a computer system.

b) Describe the following with reference to systems development.

1. Structured analysis

2. Structured design

c) The current trend in database systems development include the growth in distributed database systems and the emergence of object oriented and hypermedia database systems.

Required:

Distinguish between object oriented and hypermedia database systems.

QUESTION TWO

a) Risk assessment is a process that involves evaluation of the impact of risk and its probability of occurring.

Required:

Using suitable examples, explain what is involved in the following risk assessment issues

1. Preventive risk measures.

2. Mitigation risk measures.

b) Highlight the difference between business continuity planning and disaster recovery.

c) State the meaning of the term "system integrity" and describe the moral issues which a systems developer should consider in order to maintain the integrity of an information system.

QUESTION THREE

a) Define the term "information systems strategy"

b) The business information technology (IT) planning process focuses on discovering innovative approaches to satisfying an organization's customer and business value goals.

Required:

Examine the three components of business/IT planning process.

c) Describe the four components of information technology architecture which are created by the strategic business/IT planning process.

QUESTION FOUR

a) Suggest the network devices which would be suitable for the following tasks:

1. Connecting a local area network to another local area network using the same protocol.

2. Allowing several users to send information over a network at the same time without slowing each other down.

3. Determining the next network point to which a data packet should be forwarded.

4. Allowing data convergence from one or more directions and forwarding it out in one or more directions.

b) Explain the function of an interface message processor (IMP) in a network protocol

c) In a network, the host computer may need extra processors in order to increase the efficiency of the network.

Required:

Name and briefly describe the two types of subordinate processors which may be configured with the host computer.

d) Briefly examine three electronic payment systems which are used to settle e-commerce transactions.