The People in Information Systems

In this chapter, you will learn about the "people" component of management information systems. As you read, think about the Decision Support Systems video and the importance that each person plays in the success of an organization, not just the successful implementation of the technology.

Information Systems Operations and Administration

Computer Operator

A computer operator is the person who oversees the mainframe computers and data centers in organizations. Some of their duties include keeping the operating systems up to date, ensuring available memory and disk storage, providing for redundancy (think electricity, connectivity to the Internet, and database backups), and overseeing the physical environment of the computer. Since mainframe computers increasingly have been replaced with servers, storage management systems, and other platforms, computer operators' jobs have grown broader and include working with these specialized systems.