CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Information
systems have become the backbone of most organizations. Banks could not process
payments, governments could not collect taxes, hospitals could not treat
patients, and supermarkets could not stock their shelves without the support of
information systems. In almost every sector—education, finance, government,
health care, manufacturing, and businesses large and small—information systems
play a prominent role. Every day work, communication, information gathering,
and decision making all rely on information technology (IT). When we visit a
travel agency to book a trip, a collection of interconnected information
systems is used for checking the availability of flights and hotels and for
booking them. When we make an electronic payment, we interact with the bank’s
information system rather than with personnel of the bank.
Modern supermarkets use IT to track the stock based
on incoming shipments and the sales that are recorded at cash registers. Most
companies and institutions rely heavily on their information systems.
Organizations such as banks, online travel agencies, tax authorities, and
electronic bookshops can be seen as IT companies given the central role of
their information systems.
Information
Management System (IMS) is a general term for software designed to facilitate
the storage, organization and retrieval of information.
IMS is also the name of IBM’s mammoth software
program developed in the 1960s to support NASA's Apollo space program. This IMS
version was the precursor to IBM's premier hierarchical database management
system (DBMS).
Electronic document and records management system
(EDRMS) is a type of content management system and refers to the combined
technologies of document management and records management systems as an
integrated system.
Unlike DB2 (IBM’s relational database software), an
IMS database uses segments, or data blocks, as building blocks of the
hierarchical model. Within each segment are multiple data pieces, which are
known as fields. At the top of the hierarchy, the segment is known as the root
segment. Segments of a specific segment are known as child segments. The child
segment order represents the order in which each entry is entered in a
database.
Hierarchical IMS databases generally come in three
forms:
1. Full function database: Derived from the Data Language Interface (DL/I),
this database form may have more than one single access method. Overflow
Sequential Access Method (OSAM) or Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) may be
used to store and access database fields.
2. Fast path database: Designed to facilitate an optimum transaction rate.
Examples are data entry databases (DEDB) and main storage databases (MSDB).
3. High availability large databases (HALDB): Handles large volumes of data and
provides reliable availability for each piece of data in the database.
IMS (Information Management System) is a database
and transaction management system that was first introduced by IBM in 1968.
Since then, IMS has gone through many changes in adapting to new programming
tools and environments. IMS is one of two major legacy database and transaction
management subsystems from IBM that run on mainframe MVS (now z/OS) systems.
The other is CICS. It is claimed that, historically, application programs that
use either (or both) IMS or CICS services have handled and continue to handle
most of the world's banking, insurance, and order entry transactions.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Paper-based
Information management system are rapidly becoming outdated. They are easily
lost, are subject to wear and tear, are costly to handle, cannot be transferred
electronically, may be difficult to interpret, and are inefficient. These
fundamental drawbacks are driving a transition across the globe towards Electronic
Health Records (EHRs).
This research work offers a practical solution using
cryptography to protect these sensitive electronic records of students in
Federal Polytechnic Gboko, Benue State and gives them privacy control over who
views their records, details and every other sensitive information in other
units of the school.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Computer
science department of Fidei poly is to an extent manually operated and manage
records and data. The recording of students admitted and their activities are
done manually in a book, which looks/appears rough. Thus, the books or files
are exposed to physical damage by ants and pests, accumulation of dust
particles; this makes the contents to be lost, misplaced or even altered.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE
STUDY
The purpose of this study is to develop software that can be used in information
management system students received with its activities. Also to promote
efficient and quality of services to individuals
1. Capture the basic data in the departmental unit of Federal Polytechnic Gboko:
where students can view their file.
2. Protect sensitive information at the various department using user login
security and triple DES encryption method there by assigning unique decryption
key for each user which works when.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY
This study is primarily aimed at computerizing the manual system of information
management system as used in the departments of Fidei poly. It will help in a
good number of ways to ease the process of retrieving data and records in the
system.
This study will also highlight the importance
information management system to an organization and business centers too.
1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE
STUDY
The major objectives of this study is aimed at developing a system for
the management of information others include
i.
To save time (fast inputting and accessing of
records)
ii.
To enable the management to plan ahead
iii.
To reduce fatigue of the staff
iv.
To ensure accuracy in the records of information
v.
To ensure safety of the documents/records/data/information,
because the system will be password aid to reduce access.
vi.
To ensure integrity of the records
vii.
To ensure consistency of accounts and reduction of
error due to damage of information
viii.
To reduce forgery and loss of information by theft
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the polytechnic as a whole and only the
management staffs and students of the institution
Though, the scope is in such a way that the study
can be carried out in one and only way that is computerizing the student
information. This will help to modernized the inherent problems encountered by
the managements of this organization
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE
STUDY
This research work thou is on information management
system but it is dependent on human operation and manipulation in other to
perform its work effectively.
Also this research work is limited to power supply
as it happens to be the only source of energy therefore without power holding
the system cannot work.
Finally this research work is constrain and limited
to computer literate those who can operate a computer system effectively and
its operation therefore a computer illiterate cannot make use of this research
work as expected.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Automation: This is the use of
control system such as computer to control and process data, reducing the need
for human intervention
Database: This refers to a large
store of related data on a computer that can be access and modified by the
user.
Password: This is a secret code
that a user must type into a computer to enable him access it or its
applications. This is made up of numbers, letter, special character or a
combination of any of the above categories.
Record System: The act of using a
computer system to store and update information/data sequentially in order to
keep file security.
Computerized: To convert a based system
to start using a computer system to control, organize and automate something.
Data Entry: This is the standard
input device through which the system gets more of the instructions and
commands
Research: A careful study of
something, especially to discover new facts or information about it.
System: Set of computer
component (that is, the assembling of hardware, software and peripherals to
function together.)
IMS (Information
Management System) is a database and transaction/record management system that
was first introduced by IBM in 1968. Since then.
Information: Information
(shortened as info or info.) is that which informs, i.e. an answer to a
question, as well as that from which knowledge and data can be derived (as data
represents values attributed to parameters, and knowledge signifies
understanding of real things or abstract concepts)
Information system: A computer
Information System (IS) is a system composed of people and computers that processes
or interprets information. The term is also sometimes used in more restricted
senses to refer to only the software used to run a computerized database or to
refer to only a computer system.