Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Personal
Workgroup
Enterprise
Software to compress
data so that it takes less
hard disk space
Software to provide detailed reports of work-
group computer activity and status of
user accounts
Software to archive contents of a
database by copying data from disk to
tape
Screen saver
Software that manages an uninterruptible power
supply to do a controlled shutdown of the workgroup
computer in the event of a loss of power
Software that compares the content of
one file with another and identifies
any differences
Antivirus and antispyware
software
Software that reports unsuccessful user
logon attempts
Software that reports the status of a
particular computer job
Table 4.3
Virtualization software can make computers simulate other computers. The result is often
called a virtual machine . Using virtualization software, servers and mainframe computers can
run software applications written for different operating systems. For example, you can use
a server or mainframe to test and run a number of PC applications simultaneously, such as
spreadsheets, word processors, and databases. Virtualization software such as VMWare is
being used by businesses to safeguard private data. For example, Kindred Healthcare uses
VMWare on its server to run hundreds of virtual Windows PC desktops that are accessed
by mobile computers throughout the organization. 11 Because the patient data and the soft-
ware tools used to access that data are running on the server, security measures are easy to
implement.
Examples of Utility Programs
Other Utilities
Utility programs are available for almost every conceivable task or function. For example,
you can use Microsoft Windows Rights Management Services with Microsoft Office pro-
grams to manage and protect important corporate documents. ValueIT is a utility that can
help a company verify the value of investments in information systems and technology.
Widgit Software has developed an important software utility that helps people with visual
disabilities use the Internet. The software converts icons and symbols into plain text that can
be easily seen. Another software utility allows a manager to see every keystroke a worker makes
on a computer system. Monitoring software can catalog the Internet sites that employees visit
and the time that employees are working at their computer.
In addition, you can use many search tools to find important files and documents. Most
of these desktop search tools are free and available from a number of popular Internet sites.
Yahoo! Desktop Search, Google Desktop, Mac Spotlight, and Windows Search are examples
(see Figure 4.11).
Middleware
Middleware is software that allows different systems to communicate and exchange data.
Middleware can also be used as an interface between the Internet and older legacy systems.
(Legacy software is a previous, major version that continues to be used.) For example, mid-
dleware can be used to transfer a request for information from a corporate customer on the
corporate Web site to a traditional database on a mainframe computer and return the results
to the customer on the Internet.
The use of middleware to connect disparate systems has evolved into an approach for
developing software and systems called SOA. A service-oriented architecture , or SOA, uses
modular application services to allow users to interact with systems, and systems to interact
with each other. Systems developed with SOA are flexible and ideal for businesses that need
a system to expand and evolve over time. SOA modules can be reused for a variety of purposes,
which reduces development time. Because SOA modules are designed using programming
standards so they can interact with other modules, rigid custom-designed middleware soft-
ware is not needed to connect systems. However, Southside Electric Cooperative, Inc. in
Virginia found SOA to be the perfect solution to eliminating time-consuming paperwork,
reducing response time to customer needs, and doubling the rate that it is able to collect
delinquent payments. 12 The system uses Qualcomm OmniTRACS wireless communications
and IBM's SOA-based WebSphere software.
middleware
Software that allows different sys-
tems to communicate and exchange
data.
service-oriented architecture
(SOA)
A modular method of developing
software and systems that allows
users to interact with systems, and
systems to interact with each other.
 
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