What is referred to as the physical layer of an information system?

The physical layer of an information system refers to the hardware components that make up the system. This includes all the tangible pieces of equipment, such as servers, computers, network devices, and other physical infrastructure that are essential for the system to operate. The hardware is responsible for processing, storing, and transmitting data, which serves as the foundation for the software applications and data that utilize this physical infrastructure.

The other elements listed, such as software applications, represent the logical layer that runs on top of the hardware, people operating the system focus on the human aspect, and data stored within the system pertains to the information processed and generated by the system. While these components are crucial for the complete functioning of an information system, they are not considered part of the physical layer.