Utility Software

• Utility software


  Generic software that can analyze, configure, and optimize depending on the specific software
• Types of utility software

  • Encryption software
  • Data compression software
  • Backup software
  • Defragmentation software
• Encryption


  1. Scramble data to create ciphertext

  2. Reverse process to decrypt and get plain text
• Encryption software


  Encrypts and decrypts files
• Encryption software use case

  • Encrypt file attachment for email, recipient decrypts using key
• Data compression


  Reduce file size
• Types of data compression

  • Lossy
  • Lossless
• Lossy compression


  Deletes part of file to reduce size, but quality is reduced
• Lossless compression


  Shuffles bits to make more efficient, no quality loss
• Backup software


  Creates copies of data to allow restoration from copies
• Backup types


  • Full backup
  • Incremental backup
• Full backup


  Backs up all data whenever selected
• Incremental backup


  Backs up only data created since previous backup
• Full backup


  Slow to create, fast to restore
• Incremental backup


  Fast to create, slow to restore
• Defragmentation


  Reorganizes data on a hard disk to be stored contiguously
• Storing data contiguously on a hard disk improves access speed