PHYSICAL RESOURCES OF INFORMATION PROCESSES AND TECHNOLOGIES

Subject of study. The paper describes basic information technologies for automating of information processes of data storage, distribution and processing in terms of required physical resources. It is shown that the study of these processes with such traditional objectives of modern computer science, as the ability to transfer knowledge, degree of automation, information security, coding, reliability, and others, is not enough. The reasons are: on the one hand, the increase in the volume and intensity of information exchange in the subject of human activity and, on the other hand, drawing near to the limit of information systems efficiency based on semiconductor technologies. Creation of such technologies, which not only provide support for information interaction, but also consume a rational amount of physical resources, has become an actual problem of modern engineering development. Thus, basic information technologies for storage, distribution and processing of information to support the interaction between people are the object of study, and physical temporal, spatial and energy resources required for implementation of these technologies are the subject of study. Approaches. An attempt is made to enlarge the possibilities of traditional cybernetics methodology, which replaces the consideration of material information component by states search for information objects. It is done by taking explicitly into account the amount of physical resources required for changes in the states of information media. Purpose of study. The paper deals with working out of a common approach to the comparison and subsequent selection of basic information technologies for storage, distribution and processing of data, taking into account not only the requirements for the quality of information exchange in particular subject area and the degree of technology application, but also the amounts of consumed physical resources. Main findings. Classification of resources consumed by the basic information technologies is suggested according to their physical nature. They are: spatial, temporal and energy resources. It is shown that the main spatial resources for basic information technologies are: data recording density, the users’ distribution in the coverage area and size of engineering process; temporal resources are: time of guaranteed saving, data delivery time and the handler efficiency; energy resources include: the barrier and the signal energy levels and power consumption. Key physical resources are highlighted for basic information technologies of data storage, distribution and processing that include, respectively, recording density, delivery time and power consumption. We suggest an approach to the selection of such information technology that meets the users’ needs to the quality of information exchange with the rational consumption of natural resources. An example of data storage technology is given. Practical relevance. The results can be useful for specialists involved in the design and operation of high-performance computing, storage and distribution of data, developing the ways of improvement for the effectiveness of existing communications, including mobile and optical communications, methods and algorithms for collecting, storing and smart analysis of large amounts of data, introduction of new information technologies.