Information system – Data, Networks, Storage
A well-designed information system rests on a coherent foundation that supports responsive change—and, thus, the organization’s agility—as new business or administrative initiatives arise. Known as the information system infrastructure, the foundation consists of core telecommunications networks, databases and data warehouses, software, hardware, and procedures managed by various specialists. With business globalization, an organization’s infrastructure often crosses many national boundaries. Establishing and maintaining such a complex infrastructure requires extensive planning and consistent implementation to handle strategic corporate initiatives, transformations, mergers, and acquisitions. Information system infrastructure should be established in order to create meaningful options for future corporate development.
When organized into a coherent whole, the specific information systems that support operations, management, and knowledge work constitute the system architecture of an organization. Clearly, an organization’s long-term general strategic plans must be considered when designing an information system infrastructure and architecture.
Organization of information services
Information services of an organization are delivered by an outside firm, by an internal unit, or by a combination of the two. Outsourcing of information services helps with such objectives as cost savings, access to superior personnel, and focusing on core competencies.
An information services unit is typically in charge of an organization’s information systems. When the systems are largely outsourced, this unit is of a limited size and concentrates on aligning the systems with the corporate competitive strategy and on supervising the outside company’s services. When information services are provided in-house and centralized, this unit is responsible for planning, acquiring, operating, and maintaining information systems for the entire organization. In decentralized structures, however, the central unit is responsible only for planning and maintaining the infrastructure, while business and administrative specialists supervise systems and services for their own units. A variety of intermediate organizational forms are possible.
In many organizations, information systems are headed by a chief information officer (CIO) or a chief technology officer (CTO). The activities of information services are usually supervised by a steering committee consisting of the executives representing various functional units of the organization. Steering committees set the priorities for the development of future systems. In the organizations where information systems play a strategic role, boards of directors need to be involved in their governance. As described below, a vital responsibility of an information services unit is to ensure uninterrupted service and integrity of the systems and information in the face of many security threats.
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