Tuesday, May 3, 2011

CHAPTER 7: Networks, Telecommunications

Explain the business benefits of using wireless technology.


Wireless Technology- is any type of electrical or electronic operation that is accomplished without the use of a 'hard wired' connection. 
Benefits:


  • Universal Access to information and applications 
  • The automation of business processes
  • User convenience, timelines and ability to conduct business 24/7, 365 days a year- allowing information to be accessed almost anytime, anywhere. 

Describe the business benefits associated with VoIP

VoIP uses TCP/IP technology to transmit voice calls over internet technology. This includes phone calls, faxes, voice mail, e-mail and Web conferences over digital networks.
TCP/IP-  transmission control protocol/ Internet Protocol- which provides the technical
foundation for the public internet as well as for large numbers of the private internet. 

Benefits:
VoIP offers businesses significant cost savings, productivity gains and service enhancements as it:
Runs over the existing computer network
The calls over the internet do not attract Telecommunications charges.
Customers can port their numbers between carriers

Compare LANs and WANs

Local area networks (LANs) 

Wide area networks (WANs)

Connect computers that reside in a single geographic location on the premises of the company that operates the LAN.

It is used for sharing resources like files, printers, games or other applications. 

A LAN connects to other LANs and to the internet or wide area network,
Connect computers at different geographic sites.

WANs spa a large geographical area, such as state, province or country. 

WANs also often connect multiple smaller networks such as LANs. 



Describe RFID and how it can be used to help make a supply chain more effective.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) 
  • Tags that use radio waves to transmit data
  • RFIDs are heavily used in Inventory tracking, and will eventually replace barcodes
  • Passive RFID
    • No internal power. Can pick up the very faint signal from an antenna, power up just enough to transmit data back to antenna. 
  • RFDI's are used in 
    • Passports
    • Transportation (e-tags)
    • etc
  • Helps supply chains by:
    • cutting costs by requiring fewer workers for scanning items
    • Can supply more and more accurate information for the supply chain 
    • Makes inefficient business processes more transparent 
    • Manufacturers improve supply-chain planning and execution by incorporating RFID technologies. 
    • By placing RFID tags on cases and pallets shipped from manufacturers to distribution centres, companies would be able to keep close tabs on their shipments. In turn, that would allow distribution centres and its suppliers to streamline their supply chains and ultimately ensure shelves were always fully stocked


Identify the advantages and disadvantage of deploying mobile technology


  • Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) - Good upload rates, uses existing telephone lines, but speeds vary depending on distance from telephone company's central office and slower downloads than less expensive alternatives. 
  • Cable - uses existing cable infrastructure, low-cost equipment, but shared connections can overload system, slowing upload times. 
  • TI/T3 Dedicated Line - uses existing phone wiring, but performance drops significantly with range and susceptible to crosstalk. 
  • Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) - fast data speeds, infrastructure has long life expectancy, low maintenance, low power costs, but not widely available and significant deployment cost (for company). 
  • Fixed Wireless - typically inexpensive to install, no underground digging, but weather, topography, buildings, and electronics can cause interference. 
  • Satellite - nearly universal coverage, available in otherwise inaccessible area, but expensive service/equipment and upload/download delays.

Monday, April 18, 2011

CHAPTER 6: Databases





List, describe, and provide an example of each of the five characteristics of high quality information.

    • Accuracy – are all the values correct? For example, is the name spelled correctly? Is the dollar amount recorded properly?
    • Completeness – are any of the values missing? For example, is the address complete, including street, city, state, and zip code?
    • Consistency – is aggregate or summary information in agreement with detailed information? For example, do all total fields equal the true total of the individual fields?
    • Uniqueness – is each transaction, entity, and event represented only once in the information? For example, are there any duplicate customers?
    • Timeliness – is the information current with respect to the business requirements? For example, is information updated weekly, daily, or hourly?






An example of data entry
Define the relationship between a database and a database management system.

Database
Database Management System

Maintains information about various types of objects (inventory), events (transactions), people (employees) and places (warehouses)



Software through which users and application programs interact with a database

Basic functions:
-          Providing user views
-          Creating and modifying the database
-          Storing and retrieving data
-          Manipulating data and generating reports

Common database management systems:
Oracle – very large distributed databases, billions of records, 000’s of users
Microsoft SQL / MySQL
Mid size database, back end to front end apps, millions of records, 00’s of users
Access / Info Path
Small Database, 100k’s of rows, one or few users


Describe the advantages an organisation can gain by using a database.





- Accurately stores records
- Distributes information easily
- Reduces redundancy of information 
- High quality of information/ high integrity 
- Increased information Security- e.g. only the right people have access








Define the fundamental concepts of the relational database model.

A relational database is a collection of tables from which data can be accessed in many different ways without having to reorganize the database tables.
That is, once relationships are created, tables can “talk” to each other.  We can link (relate) the tables to find certain information. 

An example of a relationship database model:





Describe the benefits of a data-driven website.


Data-driven websites – an interactive website kept constantly updated and relevant to the needs of its customers through the use of a database. The customer enters search criteria in the website. The database runs a query on the search criteria


ADVANTAGES:

Development
Content management
Future expandability
Minimising human error
Cutting production and update costs
More efficient
Improved stability
Real time info like stock levels & price changes




CHAPTER 5: Enterprise Architects

To be updated...

CHAPTER 4 Ethics and Information Security


Explain the ethical issues surrounding information technology
- Intellectual property- the collection of rights that protect creative and intellectual effort 
- Copy right- The exclusive right to do, or omit to do, certain acts with intangible property such as sonf, video game and some types of proprietary documents
- Fair use doctrine- In certain situations, it is legal to use copyrighted material 
- Pirated software- The unauthorised use, duplication, distribution, or sale of copyrighted softwae
- Counterfeit software- Software that is manufactured to look like the real thing and sold as such 

Describe and explain one of the computer use policies that a company might employee

Ethical computer use policy


- Contains general principles to guide computer user behaviour
- Is an essential step in creating an ethical corporate culture. 
- Ensures that users know how to behave at work and the organisation has a published standard by which to deal with user infractions
- Organisations should ensure all users are aware of the policy through formal training and other means 
- For example the guidelines as to what is appropriate and what is not appropriate at work- see below for when this is breached 


What are the 5 main technology security risks?


Outline one way to reduce each risk.
- Human errors- Change passwords regularly 
- Natural Disasters- Make sure the organisation has a contingency plan in place for when a natural disaster occurs, eg location of backup data
- Technical Failures- Backup data
- Deliberate acts- Secure passwords
- Management failure-implement appropriate training
What is a disaster recovery plan, what strategies might a firm employ?

- The process of regainning access to computer systems and data after a disaster has taken place 
- All firms should have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place
- All firms must have business continuity plans that outline exactly what happens in a disaster 
- Off Site Data kept in date order
- Well documented procedures
- Regular recovery testing 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

CHAPTER 3: e-BUSINESS





Why has the web grown so dramatically?



  • The microcomputer revolution made it possible for an average person to own a computer
  • Advancements in networking hardware, software and media made it possible for business PCs to be inexpensively connected to larger networks 
  • Browser software such as Microsoft's Internet explorer and Netscape Navigator gave computer users an easy-to-use graphical interface to find, download and display webpages  
  • The speed, convenience, and low cost of email have made it an indispensable tool for business and personal communications 
  • Basic web pages are easy to create and extremely flexible 
What is Web 2.0, how does it differ from 1.0?
Web 2.0
Web 1.0
A set of economic, social and technology trends that collectively form the bases for the next generation of the Internet
'Read write web'
Changes to sotware can be done by end users- using the web platforms
eg Facebook, Blogs, Wiki's etc
'Read only data'
Updated only by software developers


How could a web 2.0 technology be used in business?
Click here for an example of a business advertising on facebook
- Advertising companies have facebook sites
- Blogs for press releases
- Wiki's- companies have internal wiki's to obtain data


What is eBusiness, how does it differ from eCommerce?




E- Commerce
     E-Business
     Online transactions- The buying and selling of goods over the internet
      The conducting of business on the internet, not only buying and selling, but also serving customers and collaborating with business partners








What is pure and partial eCommerce

- Pure eCommerce- 
    is only online business- everything is done digitally eg itunes- No physical goods and services









- Partial eCommerce- 
   when you pay for something online, but the production and distribution of items still occur. Eg Dell.
List and describe the various eBusiness models





Business Term
      Definition
        Business to business 
       (B2B)
      Businesses buying from and selling to each other over the internet
       Business to consumer 
       (B2C)
      Any business that sells its products or services to   consumers over the internet
       Consumer to business  (B2C)
      Any consumer that sells a product or service to a business over the internet
       Consumer to consumer 
       (C2C)
      Applies to sites primarily offering goods and services to assist consumers interacting with each other over the internet. Eg E-Bay
Another important and rapidly emerging e-business model is business to Government (eg rates paid online)

List and describe the major B2B models?
- Electronic Auction (or e-auction) - Sellers and buyers solicit consecutive bids from each other and prices are determined dynamically
Forward auction- An auction that sellers use as a selling channel to may buyers. The highest bid wins - for example 'ebay'
Forward Auction: ebay 
- Reverse auction- An auction that buyers use to purchase a product or service, selecting the seller with the lowest bid
Outline 2 opportunities and 2 challenges faced by companies doing business online?

2 Opportunities: 
- Highly accessible: Businesses can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 265 days a year 
- Increased customer loyalty: Additional channels for contacting, responding to and accessing customers helps contribute to customer loyalty 

2 Challenges:
- Increasing liability: E-business exposes suppliers to unknown liabilities because Internet commerce law is vaguely defined and differs from country to country. The internet and its use in e-business have raised many ethical, social and political issues, such as identity theft and information manipulation 
- Providing security: companies must protect their assets against accidental or malicious misuse. Whilst doing this, system security also must not reduce flexibility