Distributed data processing ino!es reorganizing the centra! "# $unction into s%a!! "# units that are p!aced under the contro! o$ end users. #he "# units %a& be distributed according to business $unction' geographic !ocation' or both. A!! or an& o$ the "# $unctions %a& be distributed. #he degree to (hich the& are distributed (i!! ar& depending upon the phi!osoph& and ob)ecties o$ the organization*s o rganization*s %anage%ent.
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages disadvantages of data processing? #he adantages o$ DDP are+ a. cost reductions b. i%proed i%proed cost contro! responsibi!it& responsibi!it& c. i%proed user satis$action d. bac, up -eibi!it& #he disadantages /ris,s0 are+ are+ a. ine1cient use o$ resources resources b. destruction o$ audit audit trai!s c. inade2uate segregation o$ duties duties d. di1cu!t& ac2uiring 2ua!i3ed pro$essiona!s pro$essiona!s e. !ac, o$ standards
2. What What types types of tasks tasks become become redund redundant ant in a distr distrib ibute uted d data data processing system? Autono%ous Autono%ous s&ste%s s&ste%s dee!op%e dee!op%ent nt initiatie initiaties s distributed distributed throughou throughoutt the 3r% can resu! resu!tt in each each user user area area reinen einentin ting g the (hee! rather rather than than bene3t bene3ting ing $ro% $ro% the (or, (or, o$ others others.. or or ea%p ea%p!e !e'' app!ic app!icati ation on progr progra%s a%s created b& one user' (hich cou!d be used (ith !itt!e or no change b& others' (i!! be redesigned $ro% scratch rather than shared. i,e(ise' data co%%on to %an& users %a& be recreated $or each' resu!ting in a high !ee! o$ data redundanc&. #his situation has i%p!ications $or data accurac& and consistenc&. consistenc&. Explain n why certai certain n dutie duties s that that are deemed deemed incom incompat patibl ible e in a 6. Explai manual nual sys system may be com omb bined ined in a C!" C!" com omp puter uter##base based d information system environment. $ive an example. #he "# /CB"S0 eniron%ent eniron%ent tends to conso!idate actiities. A sing!e app!ication %a& authorize' process' and record a!! aspects o$ a transaction. #hus' the $ocus o$ segregation contro! shi$ts $ro% the operationa! !ee! /transaction processing tas,s that co%puters no( per$or%0 to higher7!ee! organizationa! re!ationships re!ationships (ithin the co%puter serices $unction.
4. What are the three primary C!" functions that must be separated? #he three pri%ar& CB"S $unctions that %ust be separated are as $o!!o(s+ a. separate s&ste%s dee!op%ent $ro% co%puter operations' b. separate the database ad%inistrator $ro% other $unctions' and c. separate ne( s&ste%s dee!op%ent $ro% %aintenance. 5. What exposures do data consolidation in a C!" environment pose? "n a CB"S eniron%ent' data conso!idation eposes the data to !osses $ro% natura! and %an7%ade disasters. Conso!idation creates a sing!e point o$ $ai!ure. #he on!& (a& to bac, up a centra! co%puter site against disasters is to proide a second co%puter $aci!it&.
%. What problems may occur as a result of combining applications programming and maintenance tasks into one position? One prob!e% that %a& occur is inade2uate docu%entation. Docu%enting is not considered as interesting a tas, as designing' testing' and i%p!e%enting a ne( s&ste%' thus a s&ste%s pro$essiona! %a& %oe on to a ne( pro)ect rather than spend ti%e docu%enting an a!%ost co%p!ete pro)ect. 8ob securit& %a& be another reason a progra%%er %a& not $u!!& docu%ent his or her (or,. Another prob!e% that %a& occur is the increased potentia! $or progra% $raud. "$ the origina! progra%%er generates $raudu!ent code during dee!op%ent' then this progra%%er' through %aintenance procedures' %a& disab!e the code prior to audits. #hus' the progra%%er can continue to coer his or her trac,s. &. Why is poor#'uality systems documentation a prevalent problem? Poor72ua!it& s&ste%s docu%entation is a chronic "# prob!e% and a signi3cant cha!!enge $or %an& organizations see,ing SO9 co%p!iance. At !east t(o ep!anations are possib!e $or this pheno%enon. irst' docu%enting s&ste%s is not as interesting as designing' testing' and i%p!e%enting the%. S&ste%s pro$essiona!s %uch pre$er to %oe on to an eciting ne( pro)ect rather than docu%ent one )ust co%p!eted. #he second possib!e reason $or poor docu%entation is )ob securit&. :hen a s&ste% is poor!& docu%ented' it is di1cu!t to interpret' test' and debug. #here$ore' the progra%%er (ho understands the s&ste% /the one (ho coded it0 %aintains bargaining po(er and beco%es re!atie!& indispensab!e. :hen the progra%%er !eaes the 3r%' ho(eer' a ne( progra%%er inherits %aintenance responsibi!it& $or the undocu%ented s&ste%. Depending on its co%p!eit&' the transition period %a& be !ong and cost!&.
