It was a summer evening when my Servant’s son (chotu) who is studying in class 12 came up to me and enquired about the information system engineering and its various types. Here goes the discussion:
Chotu: What is information system engineering? Is it a difficult thing to understand?
I: come on chotu it’s as easy as understanding how to wash clothes in a washing machine. System is a set of interacting or interdependent entity, real or abstract, forming an integrated whole and engineering means to engineer something i.e. to make something happen. So system engineering is nothing but make your system work efficiently and effectively by engineering it.
Chotu: Is there any relationship between Computer science and information system engineering?
I: Well that’s a good question, see in Computer science we use Programs which is nothing but a joint venture between Algorithm and Data structure which describes what is to be processed and how is it processed, same is with Information system engineering the only difference being instead of algorithm and data structure we look for database and applications.
Chotu: Is there any important thing to look out for while designing an Information system?
I: The only important thing to look out for while designing an information system is that the data and application should not be merged i.e. data should not be embedded in the application.
Chotu: How many type of system architecture are there and which one is the best in terms of advantages it provides to the users?
I: There are four types of system architecture, to name them:
1.) Single tier architecture
2.) Two tier architecture
3.) Three tier architecture
4.) Multiple tier architecture
There is no such thing called best in the information system architecture, it all depends on the business need. for example if you find that your data is very small and applications need not be changed very frequently also data is required only to your office people you require single tier architecture, if applications need to be changed frequently you require three tier architecture where business application and user interface are separated from each other.
Chotu: Why is business and user interface separated from each other in three tier architecture and is there any advantage attached to this type of arrangement??
I: yes, kindly understand one thing an application consist of two parts:
- Business application
- User interface
Business application deals with hard business logic and this need change frequently whereas user interface is just used for making things look good, for e.g. Smiley. and this application changes once in a decade so business application and user interface are separated from each other so that changes can only be done at one location without disturbing others.
Chotu: If I want to make my data Web enabled what are the changes I have to make in my architecture?
I: For making your data web enabled you just have to connect your users to the internet and yes important thing is you need to protect your data from intruders. Firewall is the most common type of protection used against intruders.
Chotu: How do we manage complexity in corporate database and where is this so called ERP system employed and why has it become so popular in the whole architecture?
I: There are many types of management systems in use today but the most common and widely used is relational database management system (RDBMS).
About ERP yes it’s the hot topic today and is employed in the database sides its main advantage is it provides you the flexibility to use any of the module you requires and for some special application you require to write your own codes.
Chotu: That’s good
I: I think you might have understood the thing and now there might no such problem regarding system architecture.
Chotu: yes I understood it and tomorrow I will be explaining it in my class as this is our home assignment.
I: good, I think you are turning shrewd now- a -days.
