Data systems transform raw data into valuable data that can be used for a variety of industries and applications. They encompass all technologies that are involved in collecting data, processing it, storing it, and then transmitting it. Hardware software, switches storage devices, and interconnection mechanisms comprise all of data systems. Data systems also include middleware software, which allows disparate operating and administrative systems to communicate with one the other.
The Pandemic-Ready Data Modernization Initiative of the CDC is an example. It will improve the data system in local and state departments of health to be able to respond to public health emergencies like COVID-19. This effort is a key component of President Biden’s strategy to prepare the nation for a new pandemic. Colleges are crucial in this endeavor because they play a significant role in the process of developing the necessary elements of a data system.
A data system is essentially any collection of symbols or operations that manipulate symbols. One example is the study of human speech at the phoneme level, or an Incan artifact, known as the khipu. Another is a stored image as pixels.
A satellite in orbit generates an unending stream of data that must be stored, processed and then sent back to Earth. The onboard data handling device is basically a computer, but not the type of computer that we use on our desktops. Spacecraft onboard data systems are specifically designed and constructed to meet the unique requirements of space. Space radiation can cause irreparable damage to microprocessors that are not protected. The onboard data handling systems will handle telecommands to the spacecraft for control purposes and gather housekeeping telemetry, which is needed for downlinking to Earth.
