What do information systems primarily integrate to manage data?

Information systems primarily integrate hardware, software, and networks to effectively manage data. This integration is essential because hardware provides the physical infrastructure needed to store and process data, software applications enable data manipulation and analysis, and networks facilitate the communication and exchange of data between different systems and users.

An information system without any of these components would be inadequate. For instance, software applications alone cannot function without the underlying hardware on which they operate, nor can data be effectively shared without a network. The interplay between these components allows organizations to collect, store, manage, and analyze large volumes of data, leading to informed decision-making and optimized operations.

In contrast, other options focus on singular elements like only software applications, data analytics tools, or cloud storage systems, which do not encompass the full range of resources needed for a comprehensive information system. Each of these elements plays a role, but they cannot function optimally in isolation without the hardware and networking infrastructure that support them.