D075 WGU Study Guide IT Infrastructure Components &
Organizational Effectiveness .
Unit 2: Module 01
Components of IT Infrastructure
Describe the major components of IT infrastructure that support organizational effectiveness. Lesson 1
How does it support organizational Main Idea:
Term Description
effectiveness? business, e
Is the backbone that a business is built on By the utilization and maintaning of the
1. Infrastructure and is the underlying foundation or basic computers, monitors, printers, software
framework for something. and shared networks.
2. What are the 6 components of Information Technology? Describe each component.
Component Description Provide Example of the Component
Microprocessor chip called the CPU. A
The physical and tangible parts of a
1. Hardware monitor, keyboard and mouse. Disc drives,
computer
RAM drive and the motherboard.
Application software such as Microsoft
A set of computer instructions that tell the Excel, word and Adobe. Utility software
2. Software computer how to work and actually such as printer drivers and virus protection.
perform computer tasks. System software such as Microsoft
windows, MacOS and Linux.
Network nodes include laptops, smart
A computer network consists of two or
phones, servers, routers, smart TVs, and
more devices called network nodes,
3. Networks desktop computers. Networks are
communication media to connect those
sometimes known as the backbone of the IT
devices, and software.
infrastructure.
, Sales data for trend analysis, projections of
Is a very valuable asset that a company can sales revenue, and many other applications
4. Data
acquire. of viewing and massaging the data such as
making budgets and taxes.
IT gurus who know how to install, manage,
and fix IT hardware and software, but also
5. People People are key to an IT infrastructure.
those who use the systems to perform their
daily functions.
These are the functions that the end users
define and work with daily such as web
The applications that a business uses in its
6. Processes purchases, payments, issuing drivers
daily operations.
license, banking transactions and medical
records.
Define Computer Competentency. Why is IT competency important?
It is, imperative to understand that IT Competency is the knowledge that enables Main Idea:
enables business operations. Information Gaining computer competency in business a person to understand something—in this an IT exper
technology is a core competency in is paramount to success. case a computing system and its
business. relationship to business.
Describe IT Best Practices.
Describe a best practice use in your home
Term Description
or office Attitudes t
, Is a management process, technique, or Main Idea:
When starting a new position, as well as
method that is most effective at arriving at achieve de
school work, taking notes to familiar
1. Best practice a desired outcome or a better outcome outcomes.
yourself with the information youre
than any other process, technique, or
learning.
method.
How can IT “leverage” a business to gain competitive advantage?
Term Description Describe its effective on business
For example if a business purchases a
Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel
microcomputer today, in about 18 months
1. Moore's law came up with computing power doubles
there will be a microcomputer available
every 18 months.
with twice as much processing power.
Distinguish the features and functions of hardware, software, and data.
Hardware Lesson 2
Component Description Provide Example of Use
Typically used by very large organizations Main Idea:
Are massive, room-sized computers that
like credit card processors who employ is the tangi
1. Mainframe process and store enormous amounts of
them for transaction processing and vital enhance its
bulk data and information.
applications.
Small- to medium-sized businesses that
(Sometimes called minicomputers) are less cannot afford mainframes can leverage
2. Midrange Computer powerful and smaller in physical size than midrange computers in the exact same way
mainframe computers. large organizations leverage mainframe
computers.
, Are smaller than mainframes and midrange
These computers are the least powerful in
computers and are so common that they
terms of processing power and come in
3. Micro Computer are most commonly referred to simply as
four typical configurations: desktop, laptop,
computers and sometimes just referred to
tablet, and handheld.
as boxes.
Some businesses use desktop computers or
A desktop computer is made to reside on a
4. Desktop smartboxes for their employees in
desk and is not portable.
workstations.
A laptop has the same basic components as
Students use laptops to have the ability to
5. Laptop desktops and is designed specifically for
study anywhere.
portability.
Healthcare professionals use them to track
Handheld computers are compact but far patient care and treatment. Some
6. Handheld
less powerful than desktops or laptops. restaurant employees use these to take
orders.
Intranet is a private network used by organizations to help employees communicate with each other, to store information and help
collaborate.
Categories of Software
Type Description Provide an Example
Application software is responsible for Such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint Main Idea:
1. Application Software completing user-defined tasks as part of and they will not work without an operating the
their job responsibilities. system. physica
perform sp
Utility software is essential for computer
Such as backup software, disk management
2. Utility analysis and maintenance, performing
tools, and antivirus programs.
background tasks.
Organizational Effectiveness .
Unit 2: Module 01
Components of IT Infrastructure
Describe the major components of IT infrastructure that support organizational effectiveness. Lesson 1
How does it support organizational Main Idea:
Term Description
effectiveness? business, e
Is the backbone that a business is built on By the utilization and maintaning of the
1. Infrastructure and is the underlying foundation or basic computers, monitors, printers, software
framework for something. and shared networks.
2. What are the 6 components of Information Technology? Describe each component.
Component Description Provide Example of the Component
Microprocessor chip called the CPU. A
The physical and tangible parts of a
1. Hardware monitor, keyboard and mouse. Disc drives,
computer
RAM drive and the motherboard.
Application software such as Microsoft
A set of computer instructions that tell the Excel, word and Adobe. Utility software
2. Software computer how to work and actually such as printer drivers and virus protection.
perform computer tasks. System software such as Microsoft
windows, MacOS and Linux.
Network nodes include laptops, smart
A computer network consists of two or
phones, servers, routers, smart TVs, and
more devices called network nodes,
3. Networks desktop computers. Networks are
communication media to connect those
sometimes known as the backbone of the IT
devices, and software.
infrastructure.
, Sales data for trend analysis, projections of
Is a very valuable asset that a company can sales revenue, and many other applications
4. Data
acquire. of viewing and massaging the data such as
making budgets and taxes.
IT gurus who know how to install, manage,
and fix IT hardware and software, but also
5. People People are key to an IT infrastructure.
those who use the systems to perform their
daily functions.
These are the functions that the end users
define and work with daily such as web
The applications that a business uses in its
6. Processes purchases, payments, issuing drivers
daily operations.
license, banking transactions and medical
records.
Define Computer Competentency. Why is IT competency important?
It is, imperative to understand that IT Competency is the knowledge that enables Main Idea:
enables business operations. Information Gaining computer competency in business a person to understand something—in this an IT exper
technology is a core competency in is paramount to success. case a computing system and its
business. relationship to business.
Describe IT Best Practices.
Describe a best practice use in your home
Term Description
or office Attitudes t
, Is a management process, technique, or Main Idea:
When starting a new position, as well as
method that is most effective at arriving at achieve de
school work, taking notes to familiar
1. Best practice a desired outcome or a better outcome outcomes.
yourself with the information youre
than any other process, technique, or
learning.
method.
How can IT “leverage” a business to gain competitive advantage?
Term Description Describe its effective on business
For example if a business purchases a
Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel
microcomputer today, in about 18 months
1. Moore's law came up with computing power doubles
there will be a microcomputer available
every 18 months.
with twice as much processing power.
Distinguish the features and functions of hardware, software, and data.
Hardware Lesson 2
Component Description Provide Example of Use
Typically used by very large organizations Main Idea:
Are massive, room-sized computers that
like credit card processors who employ is the tangi
1. Mainframe process and store enormous amounts of
them for transaction processing and vital enhance its
bulk data and information.
applications.
Small- to medium-sized businesses that
(Sometimes called minicomputers) are less cannot afford mainframes can leverage
2. Midrange Computer powerful and smaller in physical size than midrange computers in the exact same way
mainframe computers. large organizations leverage mainframe
computers.
, Are smaller than mainframes and midrange
These computers are the least powerful in
computers and are so common that they
terms of processing power and come in
3. Micro Computer are most commonly referred to simply as
four typical configurations: desktop, laptop,
computers and sometimes just referred to
tablet, and handheld.
as boxes.
Some businesses use desktop computers or
A desktop computer is made to reside on a
4. Desktop smartboxes for their employees in
desk and is not portable.
workstations.
A laptop has the same basic components as
Students use laptops to have the ability to
5. Laptop desktops and is designed specifically for
study anywhere.
portability.
Healthcare professionals use them to track
Handheld computers are compact but far patient care and treatment. Some
6. Handheld
less powerful than desktops or laptops. restaurant employees use these to take
orders.
Intranet is a private network used by organizations to help employees communicate with each other, to store information and help
collaborate.
Categories of Software
Type Description Provide an Example
Application software is responsible for Such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint Main Idea:
1. Application Software completing user-defined tasks as part of and they will not work without an operating the
their job responsibilities. system. physica
perform sp
Utility software is essential for computer
Such as backup software, disk management
2. Utility analysis and maintenance, performing
tools, and antivirus programs.
background tasks.
