Deck 13: Application Architecture and Modeling

Question 1

Application architecture is a specification of the technologies to be used to implement information systems.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The logical data flow diagrams specify the technologies to be used to implement information systems.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A physical data flow diagram can be used to communicate the technical implementation characteristics of an information system.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A physical process is either a processor, such as a computer or person, or the technical implementation of specific work to be performed, such as a computer program or manual process.

Question 5

A logical process is either a processor, such as a computer or person, or the technical implementation of specific work to be performed, such as a computer program or manual process.

Question 6

Each logical process must be implemented as one or more physical processes. Some logical processes must be split into multiple physical processes for a variety of reasons.

Question 7

A reason that a logical process might be split into multiple physical processes is because part of the process is performed by people, and part is to be performed by the computer.

Question 8

A reason that a logical process might be split into multiple physical processes is because of the use of multiple different technologies in the same information system.

Question 9

A reason that a logical process might be split into multiple physical processes is to add processes that are necessary to handle exceptions or to implement security requirements and audit trails.

Question 10

A reason that a physical process might be split into multiple logical processes is to add additional data requirements.

Question 11

A reason that a physical process might be split into multiple logical processes is to make the system more understandable to the system owners.

Question 12

The physical processes must meet all the logical process requirements.

Question 13

A physical data flow represents any of the following: (1) the planned implementation of an input to or output from a physical process; (2) a database command or actions such as create, read, update, or delete;
(3) the import of data from or the export of data to another information system across a network; or (4) the flow of data between two modules or subroutines within the same program.

Question 14

A physical data store represents any of the following: (1) the planned implementation of an input to or output from a physical process; (2) a database command or actions such as create, read, update, or delete;
(3) the import of data from or the export of data to another information system across a network; or (4) the flow of data between two modules or subroutines within the same program.

Question 15

A physical data store represents the implementation of one of the following: (1) a database; (2) a table in a database; (3) a computer file; (4) a tape or media backup of anything important; (5) any temporary file or batch as needed by a program; or (6) any type of non-computerized file.

Question 16

A distributed system is one in which the components of an information system are distributed across multiple locations and computer networks.

Question 17

A centralized system is one in which the components of an information system are located on multiple locations and computer networks.

Question 18

In distributed systems, a central multiuser computer hosts all components.

Question 19

Another name for Internet-based computing is network computing.

Question 20

There are five types of distributed systems architecture: file server computing; client/server computing; internet-based computing; mainframe computing; and legacy computing.

Question 21

A local area network (LAN) is a set of client computers connected to one or more servers through either cable or wireless connections over a relatively short distance.

Question 22

A wide area network (WAN) is a set of client computers connected to one or more servers through either cable or wireless connections over a relatively short distance.

Question 23

A file server system is a LAN-based solution in which a server computer hosts only the data layer. All other layers of the information system applications are implemented on the client PC.

Question 24

File server architectures are practical for large database applications to be shared by a relatively large number of users.

Question 25

In file server architectures, if the application wants to examine only one record in the database, the entire file or table of records must be first downloaded to the client PC where the data manipulation logic will be executed to read the desired record.

Question 26

Microsoft Access uses a file server architecture.

Question 27

With file server architectures, the client PC must be fat.

Question 28

A client/server system is a solution in which the presentation, presentation logic, application logic, data manipulation and data layers are distributed between client PCs and one or more servers.

Question 29

A thin client is a personal computer that does not have to be very powerful (or expensive) in terms of processor speed and memory because it only presents the interface (screens) to the user.

Question 30

A fat client is a personal computer, notebook computer or workstation that is typically more powerful (and expensive. in terms of processor speed, memory, and storage capacity.

Question 31

Almost all PCs can act as fat clients.

Question 32

A file server hosts one or more shared databases (like a database server) but also executes all database commands and services from files for information servers (unlike a database server).

Question 33

A server in the client/server model must be more powerful and capable than a server in the file server model.

Question 34

A server in the file server model must be more powerful and capable than a server in the client/server model.

Question 35

Most database servers host an SQL database engine such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, or IBM DB2 Universal Database.

Question 36

A transaction server hosts services that ultimately ensure that all database updates for a single business transaction succeed or fail as a whole.

Question 37

An application server hosts application logic and services for an information system. It must communicate on the front end with the clients (for presentation) and on the back end with database servers for data access and update.

Question 38

A messaging server hosts services for e-mail, calendaring, and other work group functionality.

Question 39

A web server hosts Internet or intranet web sites. It communicates with fat and thin clients by returning documents and data to them.

Question 40

A web server hosts services for e-mail, calendaring, and other work group functionality.

Question 41

A distributed presentation client/server system is a solution in which the application logic, data manipulation and data layers are shifted from the legacy system to reside on the client. The presentation and presentation logic layers remain on the server (usually a mainframe.

Question 42

A distributed data client/server system is a solution in which the data and data manipulation layers are placed on the server(s), and the application logic, presentation logic, and presentation layers are placed on the clients.

Question 43

It is important to understand the difference between file server systems and distributed data client/server systems. Both store their actual databases on a server. But only client/server systems execute all data manipulation commands to create, read, update and delete records on a server.

Question 44

It is important to understand the difference between file server systems and distributed data client/server systems. Both store their actual databases on a server. But only file server systems execute all data manipulation commands to create, read, update and delete records on a server.

Question 45

A distributed data and application client/server system is a solution in which: (1) the data and data manipulation layers are placed on their own server(s); (2) the application logic is placed on its own server; and (3) only the presentation logic and presentation layers are placed on the clients.

Question 46

The benefit of the distributed data and application client/server system is that by moving the application logic to its own server, that logic need only be maintained on the server instead of all of the clients.

Question 47

A distributed data client/server system is also called two-tiered client/server computing.

Question 48

In a two-tiered system, the clients execute a minimum of the overall system's components. Only the user interface and some relatively stable or personal application logic need to be executed on the clients.

Question 49

Partitioning is the act of determining how to best distribute or duplicate application components (data, processes, and interfaces) across the network.

Question 50

Duplication is the act of determining how to best distribute or duplicate application components (data, processes, and interfaces) across the network.

Question 51

A network computing system is a multi-tiered solution in which the presentation and presentation logic layers are implemented in the client side web browsers using content downloaded from a web server.

Question 52

The same Internet technologies being used to build e-commerce solutions are being used to reshape the internal information systems of most businesses.

Question 53

Network computing is a fundamental shift away from client/server computing.

Question 54

An intranet uses Internet technology to integrate desktop, work group and enterprise computing.

Question 55

In a distributed data client/server system everything runs in (or from) a web browser.

Question 56

The programming language of choice for the application logic in network computing architectures is likely to be COBOL.

Question 57

A distributed relational database distributes or duplicates tables to multiple database servers located in geographically important locations.

Question 58

A distributed relational database distributes or duplicates its database file servers across a number of transaction servers.

Question 59

Data partitioning distributes rows and columns to specific database servers with little or no duplication between servers.

Question 60

When using replication technology the RDBMS must propagate updates from one database server to any other database server where the data is duplicated.

Question 61

Horizontal partitioning is when different rows in a database are assigned to different database servers.

Question 62

Vertical partitioning is when different columns in a database are assigned to different database servers.

Question 63

Data replication duplicates some or all tables (rows and columns) on more than one database server.

Question 64

Vertical replication is when different columns in a database are replicated to different database servers.

Question 65

In batch processing, transactions are accumulated into batches for periodic processing. The batch inputs are processed to update databases and produce appropriate reports.

Question 66

In online processing, a group of transactions are placed in a line for periodic updates to the database at a later point in time.

Question 67

Batch input technologies are obsolete.

Question 68

Contrary to popular belief, batch input technologies are not quite obsolete.

Question 69

The majority of systems have slowly evolved from on-line processing to batch processing.

Question 70

Typically, many businesses must commit to a data format to make EDI feasible.

Question 71

Electronic data interchange (EDI) is the standardized electronic flow of business transactions or data between businesses.

Question 72

Electronic data interchange (EDI) is the latest technique for sharing data between businesses in a flexible, non-standard format to facilitate data sharing and transaction update in a natural language format.

Question 73

Image and document interchange is similar to EDI except that the actual images of forms and data are transmitted and received.

Question 74

Image and document interchange is particularly useful in applications in which the form images or graphics are required.

Question 75

Middleware products allow the programmers to ignore underlying communication protocols.

Question 76

Presentation middleware allows a programmer to build user interface components that can talk to web browsers or desktop GUI.

Question 77

Application middleware enables two programmer-written processes on different processors to communicate with one another in whatever way is best suited to the overall application. It is essential to multi-tier application development.

Question 78

Database middleware allows a programmer to pass SQL commands to a database engine for processing though a standard application program interface (API).

Question 79

Remote procedure calls (RPCs), message queues and object request brokers are examples of presentation middleware.

Question 80

Object database connectivity (ODBC) automatically translates SQL commands for one database server for use on a different database server.