Supercomputers and Mainframe Usage

Introduction

Information Technology is used for storage, manipulation, retrieval and transmission of data for communication in context to business and various other purposes.

In this assignment, classification of computers, importance of internet and use of social media in business are to be discussed.

Information Technology (IT) is referred to the use of computers for storing, retrieving, transmitting and manipulating the data or information in context to any enterprise for facilitating the communication process. The data stored in the IT are in various forms such as text, voice messages, images and others. In the current state, IT has become a part and parcel of everyday life which continues to proliferate into new realms. In this assignment, a brief knowledge about IT is to be provided by focusing on the classification of computers being used. Later, the importance of internet in the IT is to be analysed and the way use of social media has changed the business operation is to be discussed.

Classification of Computers

Supercomputer:

Highly expensive and required increased amount of space for storage

Used for weather forecasting, space shuttle launching, etc

Computer performance counted in FLOPS (Fu et al. 2016)

Mainframe Computer:

Used by government and larger organisation for critical application, storing and processing bulk data such as industry statistics, census, resource planning for enterprises and others (Walton et al. 2016)

Examples: Hitachi Z8000 and Fujitsu ICL VME

Minicomputer:

Used by smaller organisation such as bank, Insurance and others (Hussien and Erçelebi, 2017)

Example: K-202, SDS-92, IBM Midrange computers and others

Microcomputers:

Used for personal purpose

Less expensive and requires small space for storage

Example: laptop, desktop, tablet and others

Computers can be classified into four key types that include:

Supercomputer: The Supercomputers are those which have a high level of performance when compared to any computer used for general purpose. The performance of this type of computer is seen to be measured in floating point/second (FLOPS) as of 2017 the supercomputers are able to show performance up to hundred quadrillion FLOPS (). The supercomputers are used for specific tasks used by large organisation such as NASA (for space shuttle launching, controlling space exploration devices), Google, Microsoft and others. These types of computers are highly expensive in nature and require effective temperature control for their cooling (Fu et al. 2016).

Mainframe Computer: The Mainframe computers are being used by larger organisations and government for critical application, storing and processing bulk data such as industry statistics, census, resource planning for enterprises and others. These types of computers are seen to be highly available as they have increased longevity because they are typically used in places where the downtime would be catastrophic or costly. The institutions such as Bank and Insurance companies, Business Organisation and others use mainframe computers (Walton et al. 2016).

Minicomputer: The Minicomputers are being used by smaller organisations and they are smaller machines which are able to be accommodated on disk without requirement of processing as well as data storage capabilities like the mainframe and supercomputer. For instance, Minicomputer is being used by the production department of the organisation to monitor certain process of production (Hussien and Erçelebi, 2017).

Microcomputers: The Microcomputers are smaller in size, less expensive and comes with Central Processing Unit (CPU) as its microprocessor. They are generally used for personal purposes such as education, entertainment, working and others. The desktop, laptops, tablets and others are known as microcomputers (Glenn and O’Brien, 2018).

Importance of Internet

The internet is important for business because:

To execute Digital marketing, Internet banking, promote eCommerce business and others

Develop updated information about market trends and customer preferences

The Internet refers to the global system of interconnected computer network which is used for linking devices worldwide. The internet is important in business activities as it helps to create connection with client worldwide without facing any form of geographic barriers by the organisation. It is also important in business to receive direct orders from the customers and deliver products as per the orders at the doorstep of the customers (Infante-Moro et al. 2016). The use of internet in business has helped to effectively understand consumer changing buying habits and preferences with time which has led organisation to make changes in their products accordingly to deliver products as per the needs and demands of the customers. Moreover, internet has helped the organisations in the business to measure their performance on a daily basis in the market which helps them to develop changes in their infrastructure accordingly to avoid loss (Dijkman et al. 2015).

The internet is important for personal use because:

It helps to communicate with individuals in no time reducing the geographic barriers

It improves knowledge of individuals by keeping them updated about happening around the world

The internet is important for individual users because it helps to communicate with friends, family and others with no time through social media, emails, messages and others. The use of internet has resulted to help individuals remain updated about everyday happenings in and around the world which in turn increases their knowledge. The internet is also important for individuals as it reduces boredom by giving them opportunity to remain entertained by playing games, watching movies, making funny videos and others. It has also helped individuals to easily search and apply for job through job recruitment websites allowing one to develop career in their choice of occupation (Büchi et al. 2017).

Social Media

Social media has changed the business operation by helping organisation to increase their brand awareness through advertisement of their products by using social media platforms (Niedermeier et al. 2016)

The Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platform are being used by different organisation to offer visual treats of the products and services developed by the organisation to the consumers. For example, Absolute Vodka recently ran an Instagram campaign for promotion of their limited edition Spark bottle for which they achieve 5 points in brand awareness (Niedermeier et al. 2016).

Social media can help to create trust of the customers by humanising the product or brand (Jussila et al. 2014)

Social media helps to create effective communication with customers

The organisations using social media are able to directly communicate with their target customers to receive feedback about their existing products. This has helped the company to understand the preferences of the customers and the changes they require to make in their existing products to show value towards their customers (Jussila et al. 2014).

Social media helps to generate leads for the products of the organisation

The famous Renault automobile in Europe generated Facebook lead advertisement which allowed individuals to be interested in learning more about their new model of automobile to book a test drive directly through Facebook (Trainor et al. 2014).

Social media helps to boosts sales by attracting consumers global (Tiago and Veríssimo, 2014)

The traditional marketing limits the geographic boundaries of the organisation to target customers as they are unable to communicate with people in remote places. However, social media has resolved the issue by leading the organisation to communicate with consumers at remote places through the use of internet for promoting their products to be bought by them (Tiago and Veríssimo, 2014).

Easy promotion of content

The social media has led business to easily promote their content by creating attractive visual treats for the consumers (Dijkmans et al. 2015).

Conclusion

The computer is classified into four types that are Supercomputer, mainframe computer, Minicomputer and Microcomputer

Internet is important for business to create globalisation, easily reach consumers, promote eCommerce business and others whereas internet is used individual for entertainment, education and other purposes

Social media in business has helped to increased brand awareness, increases communication with customers, easy promotion of content and others

References

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Glenn, S.M. and O’Brien, Y., 2018. Microcomputers: do they have a part to play in the education of children with PMLDs?. In Educating children with profound and multiple learning difficulties (pp. 99-109). Routledge.

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Tiago, M.T.P.M.B. and Veríssimo, J.M.C., 2014. Digital marketing and social media: Why bother?. Business Horizons, 57(6), pp.703-708.

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