WEB DEVELOPMENT AND DATABASE

ADMINISTRATION
LEVEL I

Module Title: Install Software Application

Module code: EIS WDDBA1 M04 0522
Nominal duration: 40 Hour
Unit One: Determine software and
upgrade requirements
1.1. Document and report client requirements
1.1.1. Introduction to Computer Software
• Computer software is a collection of computer programs

and related data that provide the instructions for telling a

computer what to do and how to do it.
•In other words software is a set of programs, procedures,

algorithms and its documentation.

•Computer software has facilitated the interaction between

human beings and computers.

 Cont.…
Software refers to the computer programs, procedures and
documentation that perform certain tasks on a computer system.
•What are the different kinds of software? Following is an

extensive list of examples of the different kinds of software.

1. Application Software: Application software is that, which is
designed for the end-users and hence known as end-user
programs.
2. Educational Software: They are used to deliver tests and
track progress. They are used for educational purposes.
Training management and classroom management software
are some examples of educational software.
 Cont..
3. Enterprise Software: It caters to the needs of organization
processes and data flow. Customer relationship management
and supply chain management software are the well-known
examples of enterprise software.
4. Information Worker Software: It caters to the needs of an
individual to manage information pertaining to a project or a
single department.
5. Media Development Software: They are used for the
generation of print and electronic media in the educational and
commercial sector.
• Image organizers and image editing software, animation software
like Flash, audio and video editors as well as the web
development software are some well-known examples of media
development software.
 Cont..
6. Product Engineering Software: This software is used in the
development of hardware and software products. Application
programming interfaces and integrated development
environments are the well-known examples of product
engineering software.
7. Simulation Software: They are used for the simulation of
physical and abstract systems. Computer simulators that are used
for simulating scientific concepts and social ideas, battlefield,
vehicle and flight simulators are some of the popular examples of
simulation software.
 Cont..
8. Programming Software: Programming Languages are used
to write programs that control the functioning of a computer
system. They are the building blocks of computer
applications. Go through the complete list of the different
programming languages.
9. Network Managers: They check computer networks, data transfers and
log events.

10. Virus Scanners: They scan for viruses on a computer

system. They are widely known as antivirus software.

 Cont..
11. Data Recovery Software: Apart from the facilities of

copying of data files, data recovery software supports the user

needs of backing up important computer data. It allows the
user to specify what is to be backed up and when.
A.Types of Computer Software
• The two major types the computer software
I. System Software: It helps in running the computer hardware and the computer
system.
• System software is a collection of operating systems; device drivers, servers,
windowing systems and utilities.
• System software helps an application programmer in abstracting away from
hardware, memory and other internal complexities of a computer.
I. Application Software: It enables the end users to accomplish certain specific
tasks. Business software, databases and educational software are some forms of
application software.
• Different word processors, which are dedicated for specialized tasks to be
performed by the user, are other examples of application software.
Types of Application Software
• What are the different types of application software?
Know it all along with some interesting examples of
application software.
• Different Types of Application Software are:
I. Word Processing Software:
• This software enables the users to create and edit documents.

The most popular examples of this type of software are MS-

Word, WordPad, Notepad and some other text editors.
Cont.…
II. Database Software:
• Database software allows the users to store and retrieve
data from databases. Examples are Oracle, MS Access,
etc.
iii. Spreadsheet Software:
• Spreadsheet software allows users to perform calculations.

They simulate paper worksheets by displaying multiple cells

that make up a grid. Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 and Apple Numbers
are some examples of spreadsheet software.
Cont.…

iv. Multimedia Software:

• They allow the users to create and play audio and video media.

They are capable of playing media files. Audio converters,

players, burners, video encoders and decoders are some forms
of multimedia software. Examples of this type of software
include Real Player and Media Player.
v. Presentation Software:
• The software that is used to display information in the form of

a slide show is known as presentation software. Microsoft

PowerPoint is the best example of presentation software.
1.1.2. System Requirements for Software Installation
• To be used efficiently, all computer software needs certain
hardware components or other software resources to be present
on a computer. These pre-requisites are known as system
requirements.
•Most software defines two sets of system requirements:

minimum and recommended.

i. Minimum specifications are the absolute minimum
requirements for hardware you should have in your system in
order to install and run the OS you have chosen.
ii. Recommended hardware specifications are what you should

have in your system to realize usable performance.

A. Hardware Requirements
• The most common set of requirements defined by any operating
system or software application is the physical computer
resources, also known as hardware.
• An HCL lists tested, compatible, and sometimes incompatible
hardware devices for a particular operating system or
application.
• The following sub-sections discuss the various aspects of
hardware requirements.
i. Architecture
• All computer operating systems are designed for particular
computer architecture.
• Most software applications are limited to particular operating
systems running on particular architectures.
ii. Processing Power
Cont..
• The power of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is a
fundamental system requirement for any software.
• Most software running on x86 architecture define
processing power as the model and the clock speed of
the CPU
iii. Memory
• All software, when run, resides in the Random Access
Memory (RAM) of a computer.
• Memory requirements are defined after considering
demands of the application, operating system,
supporting software and files, and other running
processes.
 Cont..
iv. Secondary Storage
• Hard-disk requirements vary, depending on the size of software
installation, temporary files created and maintained while
installing or running the software, and possible use of swap
space (if RAM is insufficient).
B. Software Requirements
• Software requirements deal with defining software resource
requirements and pre-requisites that need to be installed on a
computer to provide optimal functioning of an application.
•These requirements or pre-requisites are generally not included

in the software installation package and need to be installed

separately before the software is installed.
I. Platform
•In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework,

either in hardware or software, which allows software to run.

•Typical platforms include a computer's architecture, operating

system, or programming languages and their runtime libraries.

 Cont..
• Operating system is one of the first requirements mentioned
when defining system requirements (software).
• For example, most software designed for Microsoft Windows
XP does not run on Microsoft Windows 8 or 10 although the
converse is not always true.
ii. Web Browser
• Most web applications and software depending heavily on
Internet technologies make use of the default browser
installed on system.
C. Other Requirements
•Some software also has other requirements for proper

performance. Internet connection (type and speed) and resolution

of the display screen are notable examples.
1.2. Act on instructions to meet client requirements

1.2.1. Main participants in the installation of

software
• There are a number of different people involved in the
installation of software, whether it is a new license or
upgrades to existing licenses.
• The degree of their involvement will depend on the
complexity and extent of software applications being
installed.
• The main participants in the installation of new software
include:
 Cont..
i. Clients or End-Users - the people or group of people
for whom the software is being installed. You interview
them in order to find out what software they currently
have, and their information needs.
ii. Supervisor- the person concerned with the overall
management and allocation of support resources, and
of all the technical staff working on the project.
iii. Computer Support Officer -Their role is to install and
thoroughly test the software and hardware before
handing it over to the client.
iv. Staff Trainer - responsible for training all the staff in the
use of the new software and for providing
documentation for users to support them with the
ongoing use of the software
 Cont..
v. Help Desk Staff - their main task is to provide timely
advice (usually over the telephone) to users in the
operation of the hardware and software in use.
vi. Network Specialist - the person involved with
implementing and maintaining the network.
UNIT TWO
Unit Two: Obtain Software or Software upgrade
2.2. Licensing requirements
2.2.1. Verification of licensing requirements
• Whenever you install a piece of software on a computer
you must ensure that you comply with the legal obligations
outlined in its license agreement.
• Since a particular piece of software can be installed in
many different environments and used by several users,
licensing rules may also vary to accommodate each
environment.
A. Software Licensing
• Is a legal instrument (by way of contract law) governing
the usage or redistribution of software.
 Cont..
• Allowing an individual or group to use a piece of software.
Nearly all applications are licensed.
B. License Key
• A software license key is a pattern of numbers and/or
letters provided to licensed users of a software program.
• License keys are typically created and delivered via a
license generator once a software user has paid for the
software and has agreed to the conditions of use and
distribution as legally specified in the software license.
C. Software Privacy
• The illegal copying of software.
• Refers to ways of obtaining software without the
permission of the software holder.
 Cont..
Illegal copying of software is done in order to:
• Use more copies on more computers
• Make the software available on a network
• Use a copy for personal use
• Distribute copies to friends
• Sell copies to others
• Use parts of the program in another program
Copies are made legally for the following reasons:
• One backup copy to be used only if the original gets
damaged
• Targets – Games & Application packages
 Cont..
D. Copyright and Intellectual Property
• Copyright – the exclusive right given by law for a certain
number of years to people (authors) to print, publishes,
and sells copies of their original work. This original work is
their intellectual property.
Types of Software License
Registerware:
• Refers to computer software which requires the user to
give personal information through registration in order to
download or use the program.
 Cont..
Shareware/Demoware
• Refers to copyrighted commercial software that is
distributed without payment on a trial basis and is limited
by any combination of functionality, availability, or
convenience.
Freeware
• Computer software that is available for use with no cost or
for an optional fee.
• Freeware is different from shareware, where the user is
obliged to pay.
 Cont..
Open Source Software (OSS)
• OSS is also free software.
• OSS can be defined as computer software for which the
human-readable source code is made available under a
copyright license (or arrangement such as the public
domain) that meets the Open Source Definition.
• This permits users to use, change, and improve the
software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified
form.
• Abandonware
• It refers to software that is no longer available for
purchase or that is at least a certain amount of years old.
2.2.2. Documenting Licensing Details

• Whenever you install any type of software on a client

computer you must record details of the installation
according to organizational policy.
• Depending on the organizational guidelines used,
required details to be recorded may vary, but at least the
following should be included:
Name of the software installed
Version number
Information whether it is up grade or original software
License number
 Cont..
License details
Vendor name and contact phone number
Date of installation
Asset/serial number of the computer on which it is
installed
Name and contact phone number of a person installing
the software
• Licensing details may be recorded in a database or
register on inventory designed for that purpose. Usually it
is stored on a computer (or server) designated to store all
information related to the organization’s IT activity.
 Cont..
Documenting licensing details also provides the following
benefits:
It is evidence that the installation was completed correctly
It simplifies troubleshooting and maintenance tasks
It proves that your customer is a legal user of the software
2.2.3. Role of Software Installation Instructions and
Manuals
• A wizard - is a user friendly interactive program designed
to simplify and control software installation.
• Before you attempt to install any software you must
carefully read the installation instructions provided with the
software.
• Information included in the installation instructions always
lists a detailed description of steps required for correct
installation.
• Knowing what is expected from you during installation
always simplifies and speeds up the actual installation
process.
• Installation instructions now are being replaced by
installation "wizards".
 Cont..
• Dialog boxes demonstrate the type of interactivity
provided by installation wizards.
• It is not a full sequence of an installation wizard but a set
of selected screens with options typically provided by an
installation wizard.
• Readmefile - contains additional information about the
software. (Usually it is saved as Readme or Readme.txt).
• It is recommended that you be familiar with the content of
this file because it usually contains information about
nonstandard features of the software and the latest
information not available when software was developed
UNIT THREE
UNIT THREE: Install or Upgrade Software
3.1. Installing New or Upgrading Software
3.1.1. Upgrading software
 The term upgrade refers to the replacement of a product
with a newer version of the same product.
 Common software upgrades include changing the version
of an operating system, of an office suite, of an anti-virus
program, or of various other tools.
A. Risks of Upgrading
 Upgrades of hardware involve a risk that new hardware
will not be compatible with other pieces of hardware in a
system.
3.2. Installing Software
 Some software is designed to be installed simply by
copying their files to the desired location, and there is no
formal installation process.
 Common operations performed during software
installations include creation or modification of:
Shared and non-shared program files
Folders/directories
Windows registry entries
Configuration file entries
Environment variables
Links or shortcuts
 Cont..
Types of Installations
A. Silent Installation
• Installation that does not display messages or windows
during its progress. "Silent installation" is not the same as
"unattended installation", though it is often improperly
used as such.
B. Unattended Installation
• Installation that is performed without user interaction
during its progress or, in a stricter sense, with no user
present at all, except eventually for the initial launch of the
process
 Cont..
C. Self-Installation
• Unattended installation, without the need of initial launch
of the process (i.e. Vodafone Mobile Connect USB
Modem or Huawei E220's Mobile Partner software that
self-installs from the USB port).
D. Clean Installation
• Given the complexity of a typical installation there are
many factors that may interfere with its successful
completion.
• In particular files that are left over from old installations of
the same program or an unstable situation of the
operating system may all act to prevent a given program
from installing and working correctly.
 Cont..
E. Flat Installation
 An installation of a program performed from a copy (called
a flat copy) of its original media contents (mostly CDs or
DVDs) to a hard drive, rather than directly from the media.
F. Network Installation
 An installation of program from a shared network drive.
This may simply be a copy of the original media (as in a
Flat Installation), but frequently, software publishers which
offer site licenses for institutional customers provide a
version intended for installation over a network.
3.2.2.Test Procedures

• Computer Support Officer – The person who receives a

technology-free statement of the user requirements and
transforms it into a computer system.
Installs and tests the software.
 Once the software has been installed you need to check
out its correct operation. Testing procedures used will
depend on the type of software being installed. However,
for each type of software there are three basic functions
which should be tested:
Starting software
Software operation
Closing software