ABSTRACT
THE TRANSITION FROM SINGLE MAINFRAME COMPUTERS to multitudes of minicomputers, microcomputers, and network environments has significantly altered the manner by which businesses manage their information. Rapidly improving technology, coupled with multiple hardware choices, have contributed to a decentralized processing environment that can benefit or cripple every aspect of an organization. The dramatic increase in desktop computer power and storage capacity, at a decreasing cost, will continue to decentralize functions that previously required central mainframes or minicomputers.
