The information technology architect applies IT resources to meet specific business requirements. The role requires a high degree of technical expertise as well as business understanding, as IT architects determine which information technology investments will yield the best return, both in terms of hard costs and productivity benefits. IT architects strive to bring operational efficiency to an organization through information integration and management. Achieving this ideal requires technical skill in planning, implementing, and managing IT infrastructure and information software.IT architects generally launch their careers with a bachelor's degree in management information systems (MIS) or computer science. Certifications such as the Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA) and IT Architect Certification programs offer specialized training for IT architects.Computer science degrees and IT certifications are widely available online.
Information Technology Degree
An information technology (IT) degree is a degree offered at the associate, bachelor, master and PhD level. The degree focuses on the branch of engineering that pertains to the use of computers to collect, store, and share and protect information.
At the associate's degree level, typical courses include project-based information systems, Website database implementation, introduction to DHTML and Java Script, as well a mathematics based curriculum. The master's level of education in Information Technology typically spans two years and offers a more focused and advanced field study. Courses at this level range from principles of software engineering to advanced algorithms and program language. The PhD in IT is the highest degree level offered, and is often focused on research.
An Information technology degree differs from computer science in that one is expected to understand and explore management and information theory.
Personal Storage Table (PST)
A PST file, or personal storage table (.pst) file, is a Microsoft Outlook Data File that stores a user's Outlook data for POP3, IMAP and web-based mail accounts, including all mail folders and the items within the folders, such as emails, email attachments, to do items and appointments, contacts and more.
Personal storage table files are used by all versions of Microsoft Outlook, from Outlook 2000 up to Outlook 2010. PST files in early versions of Outlook (Outlook 2000 and Outlook 2002) were stored in ANSI format and have a maximum size of 2GB, while later versions save the PST file in Unicode format and have a maximum size of 20GB (Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007) or 50GB (Outlook 2010).
PST files can be compacted using the "Compact Now" option in Outlook's Data File Management area, and corrupted PST files can be repaired using either Microsoft’s ScanPST application or a third-party application.
A similar Outlook data file known as an OST file, or offline storage table (.ost) file, functions as a cache for Microsoft Outlook's Cached Exchange Mode feature. With OST files, Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Hotmail (via the Outlook Hotmail Connector) store archived versions of a user's Outlook or Hotmail data on a local computer instead of on the mail server in order to provide availability to these items when access to the server is unavailable.
Unlike PST files, OST files are tied to the mail account configuration and cannot be opened or backed up individually.