Investigative Computer Forensics: The Practical Guide for Lawyers, Accountants, Investigators, and Business Executives

CHAPTER 2

A Primer on Computers and Networks

The average attorney or corporate executive spent his or her educational years focused on either the law or the mechanics and fundamentals of business procedure and process. It would be unreasonable to expect that these key decision makers have an in-depth understanding of information technology. There are the exceptions, and we have seen brilliant attorneys who are well steeped in the minutia of the technology world and business executives who make it their business not only to understand but to push forward the information technology landscape. For all of those attorneys who spent their time focused on how to write motions and business executives who spent theirs being able to dissect profit and loss (P&L) statements, this section hopes to alleviate some of the stresses felt when confronted with the topic of computers, software, and other information technology devices.

Although much time could be spent addressing issues of yesteryear's computers and technology, I focus instead on the contemporary landscape as it is faced in today's business world and will pay attention to technologies that I expect will continue to evolve. The notion of what a computer is today has changed dramatically from even 10 years ago. Today's computer (see Exhibit 2.1) can certainly be the obvious laptop or desktop, but it is now also found in a variety of new form factors such as tablets, automobiles, handheld devices, servers, embedded systems, cloud technology, ...