7. Information Systems & Data Semantics

Question 1

Semantics Data (Definition, Example)

Answer 1

= “Semantics data is the information that allows machines to understand the meaning of information.”
-> it describes the technologies and methods that
convey the meaning of the information
-> a single word can be understood/interpreted very
differently

Question 2

Entity Relationship Model (ERM) (3 Components)

Answer 2

Three Components:

• entity
• relationship
• attribute to an entity

-> basically looks like a mind map where the different
entities are linked together. The “arrows” convey the
action that’s made between two entities.

Example: ERP Sales Order

Question 3

Entity Relationships (3 Components)

Answer 3

1. Entity = an object that’s worthy to store information about -> can be identified on its own (e.g. person, cloth, etc.)
2. Attribute = describes certain information of an entity (e.g. hair color, date of entering a project (entity here would be the project itself), etc.)
3. Entity type = specified by a set of attributes -> grouping of a certain similarity

=> semantics will be added along the way (as more entities get added)

Question 4

Old World vs. New World (Definitions, Consequence of Computer evolution)

Answer 4

• Old world = very expensive computers with low
  storage capability
• New world = Cloud services
• > with computer evolution, old ideas become possible and today we have the data capacity to realize such innovations
  (e. g. Napster: Back then, there was not enough data storage and not everyone had a internet supported device)

Question 5

Cloud Services ( 4 Different Kinds)

Answer 5

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) = a service providing access to hardware/technical infrastructure (e.g. compute, storage, network components, other IT)
   -> used to be called hosting, 80% has to be done by
   client
2. Plattform as a Service (PaaS) = platform-based services allowing to develop, run, and manage applications (= it’s a preconfigured environment as the the customer’s basis of digital operations) -> underlying infrastructure is part of the service and managed by the platform provider (IaaS+PaaS)
3. Software as a Service (SaaS) = ready to use software thats provided via the internet (provider holds software license and sells subscriptions) -> the customer accesses the software via a web browser or API based on a subscription model.
4. On Premises = all IT infrastructure is located and managed by the company itself.

Question 6

Advantages of On Premises IT (3)

Answer 6

+ Maximum Control = control of system and application is completely in hands of the owner

+ Unlimited Access = you can access the data and services without internet access

+ Security = all data are stored within the company and are not handed to someone else (access to data is restricted by the owner)

Question 7

Disadvantages of On Premises IT (3)

Answer 7

• Tech savvy = the business needs the people and the competencies in-house to keep a On Premises IT infrastructure running reliably.
• Update & Data back up responsibility = the business itself is responsible for updates but also for responsibly backing up all the company data
• Ongoing Investments = the hardware has to be up to date as well as keeping the software competitive and aligned with latest standards

Question 8

Advantages of Cloud Services (5)

Answer 8

+ Flexibility in Functions = services and functions can be activated and deactivated based on current demands

+ Flexibility in Location = systems can be used all over the world, the provider takes care of syncing data across time zones

+ Flexibility to compute = the amount of computational resources needed for specific processes or points in time can be increased and decreased

+ Back up and data loss = data is regularly backed up and stored across different systems

+ less upfront investment for infrastructure

Question 9

Disadvantages of Cloud Services (2)

Answer 9

• Internet Dependency = without internet access, no data can be accessed
• Data Transparency = people might be concerned with their data being stored with external hyperscalers (e.g. Microsoft, Amazon)