The document defines Information Technology (IT) and summarizes the development of IT from stand-alone computers to the current trend of cloud computing. It discusses stand-alone computers, mainframes, client-server networks, distributed computing, and cloud computing. The development progressed from individual stand-alone computers to networks of connected computers and servers, and now to cloud-based computing where resources are accessed over the Internet.

1. DC015 Session 2012/2013 Topic 1
1.1 Development of
Information Technology
DC015
Present by :
Amrizah Ahmad Basra
Unit Teknologi Maklumat,
Jabatan Matematik, KMNS
amrizah@kmns.matrik.edu.my
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2.  Define Information Technology.
 Briefly describe the development of
Information Technology.
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3.  Information Technology (IT) is defined as the use of computer
hardware and software to store, retrieve, and manipulate
information.
 http://www.mariosalexandrou.com/definition.asp
 http://ccs.mit.edu/21c/iokey.html
computer hardware store, retrieve & information
and software manipulate
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4.  Information Technology (IT), as defined by the Information
Technology Association of America (ITAA), is “the study,
design, development, implementation, support or
management of computer-based information systems”.
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5.  The development of IT from stand-alone computer,
mainframe, client-server, distributed computing and
the latest trend which is the cloud computing.
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6.  A personal computer that can perform all of its input,
processing, output, and storage activities by itself.
or
 A personal computer that is not connected to any other
computer or network, except possibly through a modem.
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7.  Contains a processor, memory, one or more input, output,
and storage devices. Also often contain a communication
device.
 Two types of personal computers are desktop computers and
notebook computers.
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8.  A mainframe is a large, expensive, powerful computer that
can handle hundreds or thousands of connected users
simultaneously (multi-user).
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9. Mainframe computers are typically:
 Powerful:
• They can process vast amounts of data, very quickly, or in other
words
• They are capable of great processing speed & data storage.
• Example: Insurance company uses mainframes to process
information about millions of policyholders.
 Large:
• Able to store tremendous amounts of data, instructions &
information.
• Physically, they are often kept in special, air-conditioned rooms;
used by large businesses, government offices, or universities.
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10. Mainframe computers are typically:
 Multi-user:
• They allow several users (sometimes hundreds) to use the
computer at the same time, connected via remote
terminals (screens and keyboards), therefore a high-
performance computer used for large-scale computing
purposes.
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11. Example:
 If you used an automated teller machine (ATM) to interact
with your bank account, you used a mainframe.
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12.  Computers connected together to create a network which fall
into two categories: clients (workstations) and servers.
The Client The Server
Computer on a network that requests Computer that controls access to the
resources from the server. Also called hardware, software, and other
a workstation. resources on a network, and provides
a centralized storage area for
programs, data, and information.
Note: Server can be a mainframe
computer used in a network
environment.
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13.  Servers are special, powerful computers that provide ‘services’
to the client computers on the network.
 These services might include:
• Providing a central, common file storage area
• Sharing hardware such as printers
• Controlling who can or can’t have access the network
• Sharing Internet connections
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14.  Client-server network:
Network in which one or more
computers act as a server, and
the other computers (clients)
on the network request
services from the server.
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15.  An architecture in which the user's PC (the client) is the
requesting machine, and the server is the supplying machine,
both of which are connected via a local area network (LAN) or
a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet.
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16. 1. Request sent for:
Client: http://www.yahoo.com Server:
Your computer with
With address
a Web browser such
http://www.yahoo.com
as Google Chrome 2. Web document sent back to
client by server
3. This is what displayed through your Web browser
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17.  Distributed computing is a distributed system consists of
multiple autonomous (independent) computers that
communicate through a computer network.
 The purpose of the distributed system is to coordinate the use
of shared resources or provide communication services to all
users.
 It is used to solve complicated tasks by dividing them into sub
tasks that can run by the collection of computers having
network. Therefore, it is a type of system that divides a
workload to computers connected to a network to achieve a
common target.
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18.  The computers that are in a distributed system can be
connected by local area network (LAN) or wide area network
(WAN). And can consist of any number of possible
configurations, such as mainframes, personal computers,
workstations & minicomputers to make such network as a
single system.
 A common architecture of distributed computing is the client-
server network that involved large scale computing.
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19.  Example of Distributed Computing:
• Logistic System
 For example, a client can provide
a form onto which a user can
enter orders for a product. The Internet
client sends this order
information to the server, which
checks the product database &
perform tasks that are needed
for billing & shipping. Dozens or
hundreds of clients can interact
with a few servers that control
database access.
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20.  Logistic System:
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21.  Logistic System:
• A client can provide a
form onto which a user
can enter orders for a
product. The client
sends this order
information to the
server, which checks
the product database
& perform tasks that
are needed for billing
& shipping.
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22.  Cloud computing is an Internet service that provides
computing needs to computer users, whereby data is stored
at a server on the Internet & available anywhere the Internet
can be accessed.
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23.  Cloud computing is Internet-based computing whereby shared
resources, software & information are provided to computers
& other devices on-demand (i.e. mobile devices).
 Types of mobile devices:
• Smart phone
• PDA Mobile communication device
• Handheld computer
• Portable media player
• Digital camera
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24.  Acts as a new model for computing that frees users from owning,
maintaining & storing software & data.
 Example of Cloud Application:
• Dropbox is a Web-based file hosting service operated by
Dropbox, Inc. that uses cloud computing to enable users to store
& share files & folders with others across the Internet using file
synchronization.
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25. The basic components of cloud computing are clients, the Internet, &
service providers.
 The Client:
• Includes corporations & end
users who want access to
data, programs, & storage
anytime, anywhere through
an Internet connection.
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26.  The Internet:
• Provides the connections
between the clients & the
providers. Two critical
factors determining the
efficiency of cloud
computing are:
1. The speed of the
Internet
2. The Internet’s
capability to provide
safe & reliable
transmission of data &
programs.
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27.  Service providers:
• Organizations that are connected
to the Internet willing to provide
access to software, data, &
storage for a fee or perhaps even
for free.
• An example is Google Apps,
which provides free access to
programs with capabilities
similar to Microsoft’s Word,
Excel & PowerPoint.
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28.  Service providers:
• Top companies such as IBM, Intel, Google, Yahoo are pursuing &
beginning to offer cloud computing.
• Using cloud computing, a computer with less storage, memory, or
processing can run the same applications as a more powerful
computer.
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29. Definition of Information Technology
Information Technology (IT) is defined as the use of computer
hardware and software to store, retrieve, and manipulate
information.
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30.  This table summarizes some of the differences among the categories of computers. This is a general
guideline because of rapid changes in technology.
Categories of Computers
Category Physical Size Users General Characteristics
Stand-alone computer Fits on a desk Usually one (can Able to perform all of its input,
be more if processing, output, and storage
networked) activities by itself.
Mainframes Partial room to a Hundreds to A large, expensive, powerful
full room of thousands computer that can handle hundreds
equipment or thousands of connected users
simultaneously (multi-user).
Clients / Fits on a desk One to hundreds Computer on a network that requests
resources from the server. Also called
a workstation.
Servers Small cabinet Two to Computer that controls access to the
thousands hardware, software, and other
resources on a network, and provides
a centralized storage area for
programs, data, and information.
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31.  This table summarizes some of the differences among the categories of computing. This is a general
guideline because of rapid changes in technology.
Categories of Computing
Category Components Users General Characteristics
Distributed Mainframes, Hundreds to A type of system that divides a
Computing personal thousands workload to computers connected
computers, to a network to achieve a common
workstations & target.
minicomputers
Cloud Computing Clients, the Hundreds to Is an Internet service that provides
Internet, & thousands computing needs to computer
service users, whereby data is stored at a
providers. server on the Internet & available
anywhere the Internet can be
accessed.
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32.  Define Information Technology (IT).
 Describe:
• Stand-alone computer
• Mainframes
• Client-Server
• Distributed Computing
• Cloud Computing
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33. Discussion
1. List three(3) types of mobile communication devices
2. List all stages of Information Technology development.
3. Briefly describe cloud computing.
4. Give one (1) benefit of cloud computing.
5. Give one (1) benefit of cloud computing to small and
medium business organization.
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