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Introduction to Large ICT Systems

Large ICT Systems are similar to small ICT Systems but differ in the sense that they tend to hold huge amounts of data. They also consist of a large number of terminals and is used by many systems at the same time. Large ICT Systems can not only be used by one large organisation but also across multiple sites or by many smaller organizations that carry out similar operations, this is known as a distributed system. An example of this would be the newspaper industry. Smaller newsagents are not as big as the Larger chains (e.g. WH Smith) but they still need to do order newspapers, magazines etc. This means they still have the same needs as the larger organisations and therefore systems have been created to help them meet their needs.

Advantages

Using a Large ICT System (LIS, this is a made up abbreviation) is beneficial to organisations both small and large in the following ways:

  • It allows smaller organisations to compete with larger organisations

  • It helps to gain management information

  • It automatically sync with the EPoS system

  • They can easily manage their orders.

Disadvantages

  • Large scale systems will usually be mission critical – the organisation cannot function without them.

  • They will often involve more than one site and make heavy demands on infrastructure such as offices, equipment and networks.

  • There will usually be a need for a large number of staff to be trained.

  • The introduction must be planned in such a way that the organisation can continue to function during the changeover period.

Examples

  • NHS Care Records Service - The NHS Care Records Service is an example of a large ICT system that is used nationally and locally in the UK. The personal patient information is kept locally and a less detailed summary nationally. The personal details are compiled locally and can then be transferred when needed. The nationally record can be used in emergencies, for example if a person were to get into an accident on the other side of the country.

  • World Wide Web - A less obvious, but very powerful form of a large ICT system is the World Wide Web (WWW). It is classified as one because it contains a lot of information, it is used by many people at once, including you and it can be accessed through many different terminals.

Scale, Reliabilty and Testing

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