Information technology

Information technology, or IT,  describes any technology that powers or enables the storage, processing and information flow within an organization. Anything involved with computers, software, networks, intranets, Web sites, servers, databases and telecommunications falls under the IT umbrella.Most modern businesses depend heavily on information systems, from employee e-mail to database management to e-commerce Web sites. Hospitals have large patient databases to maintain. Universities have sprawling networks to administer. Even a small, home-based cookie business needs an order-tracking system. The Information Technology Association of America reports that 92 percent of IT professionals work for non-IT companies .Four of the ten most in-demand jobs right now in the United States are IT jobs. IT is everywhere. For that reason, IT professionals are in high demand. From 2004 to 2014, it's estimated that there will be 1.3 million  job openings in the IT sector. That's a 31 percent growth in the IT job market. And the average starting salary for graduating computer science, electrical engineering and information science majors is $50,000 .But who are these IT professionals, and what do they do?Some IT folks work behind the scenes to make sure that all the information systems we take for granted run smoothly. These are database, network and systems administrators.Others help design these information systems according to an organization's needs. These are database, network and systems analysts.Others help develop hardware and software to make these systems more robust, reliable and secure. These are hardware and software engineers.Still others make sure that this information is presented to the user in a clear, useful, dynamic way. These are Web developers and designers.In this HowStuffWorks article, we'll tackle the broad subject of IT by first looking at IT education -- the undergraduate, graduate and professional certification programs that train IT professionals. Then we'll look at the most popular IT job titles in detail, describing what that person does and how they do it. We'll finish with a look at salary expectations and the overall job outlook for IT careers.Let's start with undergraduate IT programs and majors.

“CSU-Global Campus offers a variety of bachelor's and master's degrees. Online education allows me to study when I want, work forty plus hours a week, and still have time for my hobbies.”- Kelly Kruyshoop, B.S. in Accounting

The Information Technology Sector is central to the nation's security, economy, and public health and safety. Businesses, governments, academia, and private citizens are increasingly dependent upon Information Technology Sector functions. These virtual and distributed functions produce and provide hardware, software, and information technology systems and services, and - in collaboration with the Communications Sector - the Internet. The sector's complex and dynamic environment makes identifying threats and assessing vulnerabilities difficult and requires that these tasks be addressed in a collaborative and creative fashion.Information Technology Sector functions are operated by a combination of entities - often owners and operators and their respective associations - that maintain and reconstitute the network, including the Internet. Although information technology infrastructure has a certain level of inherent resilience, its interdependent and interconnected structure presents challenges as well as opportunities for coordinating public and private sector preparedness and protection activities.Sector-Specific PlanThe Information Technology Sector-Specific Plan details how the National Infrastructure Protection Plan risk management framework is implemented within the context of the unique characteristics and risk landscape of the sector. Each Sector-Specific Agency develops a sector-specific plan through a coordinated effort involving its public and private sector partners. The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the Sector-Specific Agency for the Information Technology Sector.Sector ResourcesFor resources available to Information Technology Sector partners, check out the links on the right hand sidebar.DRAFT Security Tenets for Life Critical Embedded SystemsThe Draft Security Tenets for Life Critical Embedded Systems provides core technical principles that serve as a starting point for industry-specific consortia and government groups to consider in developing standards and norms and for system developers to use in building or updating life critical embedded systems.Comments are welcome and should focus on the completeness and correctness of the proposed security tenets, as well as how the document should be used to have the greatest impact in raising the security benchmark of life critical embedded systems.Please submit any comments on Draft Security Tenets for Life Critical Embedded Systems by October 16, 2015.

Upon completion of initial 7–9 week Recruit Training (known as Boot Camp), those pursuing an Information Systems Technician position receive formal Navy schooling at “A” School in Pensacola, Fla. For approximately 24 weeks, they develop the working knowledge it takes to be Navy IT specialists in preparation for their first assignment on a ship or at a shore station.

But why two desktop computers? Actually, one of those could be a laptop for travel. But you need two because of that inevitable day when your hard drive crashes or your computer gets a virus or there's some inscrutable problem with your PC's on/off button--whatever. Your PC is likely to become the heart and soul of your operation, and while computer equipment is very durable, all equipment fails.

Information Systems Technicians serve in versatile roles both afloat and ashore – on ships or at communications stations in the United States or overseas. Typical work involves mental analysis and problem solving and takes place in clean, air-conditioned electronic equipment space or computer rooms. Duties may be performed individually or as part of a team. Learn more about the different disciplines that make up the Information Dominance Corps and how their expertise affects every part of the Navy, including the Department of Defense, and more.

The Information Technology Sector is central to the nation's security, economy, and public health and safety. Businesses, governments, academia, and private citizens are increasingly dependent upon Information Technology Sector functions. These virtual and distributed functions produce and provide hardware, software, and information technology systems and services, and - in collaboration with the Communications Sector - the Internet. The sector's complex and dynamic environment makes identifying threats and assessing vulnerabilities difficult and requires that these tasks be addressed in a collaborative and creative fashion.

Business applications include databases like SQL Server, transactional systems such as real-time order entry, email servers like Exchange, Web servers like Apache, customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning systems. These applications execute programmed instructions to manipulate, consolidate, disperse or otherwise affect data for a business purpose.

Overview If you're a "techie" who enjoys analyzing data and working in a hands-on environment, whether through software engineering or network analysis, there is a perfect position waiting for you in the exciting field of information technology. Our online Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology program prepares you for real-life situations so you can actively apply your extensive knowledge of computers, programming, and all IT-related tasks to the professional world. Information technology involves the use of computers, storage, and networking devices. If you have a natural aptitude for working with electronics, this may be your ticket to a career that you love. Fill out the form to the right to speak with an Enrollment Counselor, and get started on the path to the job you want. We are proud to have partnered with CompTIA to bring students discounted rates when registering for any CompTIA exam. Contact us today to learn more about these reduced exam fees and how they apply to you.

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