Lecture 4- Network and IT Infrastructure

Andre Samuel [email protected] http://samuellearning.org/som.html

Assignment
Assessment Elements
Element Type of assessment Word or % of Total Submission method Final Submission Date
time limit Mark

010 Face to Face delivery: 6-8 minutes 25% Group Leader: NO LATER THAN 2PM ON:

GROUP PRESENTATION video Submit Video to Canvas 29 Mar 2022

HAND-IN AS A VIDEO

Group Presentation focused on IT structure of one Submit Slides to TurnitinUK

of the following:

1) network and security;

2) database design and relationships;

3) querying the database; or

4) database user interface.

011 ASSIGNMENT: 2000 WORDS 2,000 75% NO LATER THAN 2PM ON:

words Submit to TurnitinUK 01 May 2022

Assessment Case Study- EPS
Recap-Porter’s Value Chain Analysis
Value Chain Model
Example-Information Systems in Value Chain Activities

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

Steps to Value Chain Analysis for a Firm

•Step 1 – Identify sub-activities for each primary activity

•Step 2 – Identify sub-activities for each support activity
•Step 3 – Identify links between all value activities identified
•Step 4 – Look for problems to resolve and opportunities to
increase value
•Step 5 – Identify Information Systems that can be used to
increase value
•Self Study- Apply the Value Chain to Hotel Plaza Nouveau
• Analyze Hotel Plaza Nouveau using the value chain, show any
problems and how they can improve processes and use of
information systems

• Download the Value Chain Template and identify:

• What processes take place at Plaza Nouveau?
• Indicate any problems/issues within their value chain
• Indicate how they might improve their value chain?
• Consider processes and information systems
• You need to consider the different parts of the Hotel – reception; restaurant; etc.
• It is best to start with the primary activities first
• Follow the steps to Value Chain Analysis
Value Chain to Hotel Plaza – Support Activities
Value Chain to Hotel Plaza – Primary Activities
Networks and IT Infrastructure
Infrastructure Components

• I Tinfrastructure
• Platform for supporting all information
systems in the business
• Computer hardware
• Computer software
• Data management technology
• Networking and telecommunications
technology
• Technology services
IT Infrastructure Components

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

Types of Computers

• Personal computers and mobile devices

• Workstations
• Servers
• Mainframes
• Supercomputers
• Grid computing
Storage, Input, and Output Technology
• Primary secondary storage technologies
• Magnetic disk
• S SD s
• Storage networking: S A N s
• Input devices
• E.g. keyboard
• Output devices
• E.g. monitor
Contemporary Hardware Trends

• The mobile digital platform

• Tablet computers
• Netbooks
• Consumerization of I T and B Y O D
• Nanotechnology and quantum computing
• Virtualization
• Software-defined storage (S D S)
Contemporary Hardware Trends
• Cloud computing:
• Computing resources obtained
over the Internet
•Infrastructure as a service (I a a
S)
•Software as a service (S a aS)
•Platform as a service (P a aS)
• Public vs. private clouds
• Data storage security is in
hands of provider
Cloud Computing Platform

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

Major Amazon Web Services

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

Contemporary Hardware Trends

• Green computing
• Green I T
• Practices and technologies for minimizing
impact on environment
• High-performance and power-saving
processors
• Multicore processors
• Reduced power consumption
Computer Networks
 Computer Networks
• Two or more connected computers
• Types of Networks:
Network Topologies
• Star topology- all devices on the
network connect to a single hub.

• Bus topology- one station transmits

signals, which travel in both
directions along a single
transmission segment

• Ring topology- connects network

components in a closed loop.
Messages pass from computer to
computer in only one direction
around the loop, and only one
station at a time may transmit
Laudon and Laudon (2013)
Major components in simple network
• Client and server computers
• Network interfaces (N I C s )
• Connection medium- network cables
• Hubs
• Switches
• Routers
• Network Operating System (NOS)
Components of a Simple Computer Network-
LAN

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

Example of Wireless LAN
Large LAN’s

• Larger LANs have many clients and multiple servers, with

separate servers for specific services, such as:
• storing and managing files and databases (file servers or database
servers),
• managing printers (print servers),
• storing and managing e-mail (mail servers), or
• storing and managing Web pages (Web servers).
Types of LANs
• Peer-to-Peer LANs
• A peer-to-peer LAN doesn't have a central server and cannot handle heavy
workloads like a client/server LAN can, and so they're typically smaller.
• On a peer-to-peer LAN, each device shares equally in the functioning of the
network.
• The devices share resources and data through wired or wireless connections to a
switch or router. Most home networks are peer-to-peer.

• Client/Server LANs
Client/Server Computing
• Splits processing between “clients” and “servers”
• A client/server LAN consists of several devices (the clients)
connected to a central server
• A client can be any connected device that runs or accesses
applications or the Internet. The clients connect to the server
either with cables or through wireless connections.
• The server manages file storage, application access, device
access, and network traffic.
• Server sets rules of communication for network and provides
every client with an address so others can find it on the network
Client/Server Computing

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

A Multi-tiered Client/Server Network (N-Tier)

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

Networks in Large Companies
• Large numbers of local area networks
(LANs) linked to firm-wide corporate
network
• Various powerful servers
• Website, corporate intranet,
extranet
• Backend systems
• Mobile wireless LANs (Wi-Fi
networks)
• Videoconferencing system
• Telephone network, wireless cell
phones
Enterprise Network Architecture
• "Enterprise network" denotes
the IT infrastructure that midsize
and large organizations use to
provide connectivity among
users, devices, and applications.
• What does an enterprise
network comprise?
• LAN’s
• Data Center
• WAN
Corporate Network Infrastructure

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

DESIGN THE IT AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE
TO SUPPORT THE PLAZA HOTEL
• Hotel Plaza Nouveau are unlikely to need multiple servers due to the relative size
of the business.
• They may choose to outsource to an external provider or owned by the Hotel
Network Security
Network Security

•Network security is any activity designed to protect the

usability and integrity of your network and data.
•It includes both hardware and software technologies
•It targets a variety of threats
•It stops them from entering or spreading on your network
•Effective network security manages access to the network
How does network security work?

•Network security combines multiple layers of defenses at

the edge and in the network.
•Each network security layer implements policies and
controls.
•Authorized users gain access to network resources, but
malicious actors are blocked from carrying out exploits and
threats.
Types of network security
• Firewalls:
• Firewalls put up a barrier between
your trusted internal network and
untrusted outside networks, such as
the Internet.
• They use a set of defined rules to
allow or block traffic.
• A firewall can be hardware,
software, or both.

Laudon and Laudon (2013)

• Anti-virus and anti-malware • Access control
software • Not every user should have access
• "Malware," short for "malicious to your network.
software," includes viruses, worms, • To keep out potential attackers, you
Trojans, ransomware, and spyware. need to recognize each user and
• Sometimes malware will infect a each device through User
network but lie dormant for days or Authentication
even weeks • Then you can enforce your Security
• Antivirus software prevents, Policies.
detects, and removes these threats
• Intrusion Prevention Systems • Physically secure your network
• An IPS scans network traffic to hardware
actively block attacks. • Network hardware such as switches
• It feature full-time monitoring tools and routers should not be in the
placed at “hot spots” of corporate open where anybody can access it.
networks to detect and deter • Store hardware in a controlled room
intruders continually. or building
• The system generates an alarm and • An extra precaution would be to
blocks a suspicious activity monitor the hardware using a
manned security camera system.
• Wireless security • Web security
• Wireless networks are not as secure • A web security solution will control
as wired ones. your staff’s web use, block web-
• Should use: based threats, and deny access to
• A virtual private network (VPN) which malicious websites.
encrypts the connection from an endpoint • It will protect your web gateway on
to a network, often over the Internet to
access internal corporate data. site or in the cloud.
• WPA2 encryption which ensures that only • "Web security" also refers to the
authorized users access the network. Since steps you take to protect your own
passwords are encrypted, longer, stronger
and harder to crack website
Next Session
Next Topic: Database Design

Groups Should:
Read Case Study
As a Group discuss and decide on:

Design a Network for EPS

OR
Design a Database
Self Managed Learning

•Read:
• Chapter 4, 6 and 7- Essentials of Information Systems
References
•Lynch, R. L. 2018. Strategic management. Eighth edition. Harlow:
Pearson Education.
•Chaffey, D. 2009. E-business and e-commerce management
strategy, implementation and practice . 4th ed. Harlow: Financial
Times Prentice Hall.
•Laudon, J. & Laudon, K. 2013. Essentials of management
information systems. 10th ed. Boston: Pearson
•Laudon, K. C. & Laudon, J. P. 2014. Management information
systems managing the digital firm. 13th ed. Boston: Pearson.
•Porter, M. 2001. Strategy and the Internet. Harvard Business
Review [online] Available at: < https://hbr.org/2001/03/strategy-
and-the-internet > [Accessed 18 February 2021].