Download
1 / 31
310 likes | 332 Views
Understanding Internetworking Infrastructure. Announcements. Business Analysis Paper proposal due today Business Plan Project given today. Quiz 2 results. Key trends. More reliance on IT infrastructure New services Distributed Processing New business models. Challenges.
E N D
Announcements • Business Analysis Paper proposal due today • Business Plan Project given today
Key trends • More reliance on IT infrastructure • New services • Distributed Processing • New business models
Challenges • Poor IT decisions lead to • Products with insufficient support • Relying on outdated protocols/systems • Technology / management divide • Who makes decisions?
1980’s • PC released • People moved jobs to computers • No longer needed staff for computing/data processing • LANs allowed people to share files, printers etc. • IT services provided over distributed servers
1990’s • Internet boom • TCP/IP provided robust standard for messages between all computers on web • Network resources available to individuals
Fig 5.3 Metcalfe’s Law “The usefulness of a network increases with the square of the number of users connected to the network”
Fig 5.4 Bandwidth Explosion Growth faster than computer chips
Components of Internetworking Infrastructure • Network • Hardware/software that permit exchange of information between processing units and organizations • Processing Systems • Hardware/software providing ability to handle business transactions • Facilities • Physical systems that house and protect devices • Trend: Increasing freedom to manage resources • See table 5.1
Networks • Local Area Networks (LANs) • Hubs, switches, wireless access points, network adapters • Wide Area networks (WANs) • Routers • Firewalls, Security Systems • Caching, Content Acceleration
Processing Systems • Client Devices and Systems • Server Devices and Systems • Mainframe Devices and Systems • Middleware • Infrastructure Management Systems • Business Applications
Facilities • Buildings, physical space • Network Conduits, connections • Power • Environmental Controls • Security
Operational Characteristics if Internetworking • Internetworking Technologies are Based on Open Standards • Internetworking Technologies operate asynchronously • Internetworking communications have inherent latency • Internetworking technologies are naturally decentralized • Internetworking technologies are scalable • See tables 5.2, 5.3
Business Implications • Quicker communications leads to efficiency • More data leads to better-informed decisions • Progress of processes become transparent • Processes more efficient • Make and sell becomes sense and respond
Threats • Automation can lead to chain reaction, cascading failures • Outside attacks • See table 5.4
New service models • Physical location of computers less important • Economies of scale for particular services • New capabilities must be integrated into existing systems • Deal with legacy technology • Reliability must improve • See next week!
Business Plan Project • The objective of this project is to put together a business plan that sets out the strategic direction for a company utilizing information technology. • The two primary objectives are: • To make realistic projections of opportunities and risks • To present these in a compelling way that would attract funding and support from the organization
Options • Option 1: • Cellphone plan • Option 2 • Web-based Education • Option 3 • Choose your own
Option 1: In-flight cell-phone connectivity • You have developed a way to allow people to talk on cellular telephones during airplane flights without disturbing their neighbor. • The technology itself involves enclosing the passenger in a sound-protected device (looking remarkably like a motorcycle helmet!) and connecting to cellular networks through a central airplane system. • The pilot has over-ride capability to block calls and make announcements at her discretion. • Create a business plan of • how you would go about releasing this product, • what market segments you would target, • what the potential revenue and costs would be, and • what risks there are. • Indicate more than one potential fee structure, and which you anticipate would be the most attractive.
Option 2: Web-based Education Development • You have been assigned by the director of IT for UCSC to analyze the option of making classes available live on the web to students outside of the Santa Cruz area. • The idea is to ‘scale up’ the classes that are already being offered, and attract more students. • Create a business plan of how a program like this could be released, including • the technology requirements and • costs. • Pay attention to risks to the existing business of education in Santa Cruz, as well as economic and other potential benefits.
Option 3: Choose your own • Select a startup idea of your own • Create a business plan to present to a venture capitalist
Business Plan should include • Executive Summary • Less than a page overview of the idea • Customer Need and Business Opportunity • An argument for the potential of the product or idea • Business Strategy and Key Milestones • Plan a timeline over about five years • Marketing Plan • Who is the intended customer? • How will you convince them to adopt the product? • Operations Plan • What is needed to pull this off? • Management and Key Personnel • How many people • How will the organization be structured, and what changes are needed? • Give brief profiles of key individuals • Financial Projections Business Plan should include
Estimates • You are not expected to know exact numbers for costs etc. but the estimates should be realistic. For example, if your business plan says you will deploy option 1 on every seat for every domestic flight in USA, your plan should indicate reflect a reasonable estimate of how many that is. Use charts and tables wherever appropriate. Venture capitalists and CEO’s do not like to do more work than they have to in evaluating.
Due date(s) • Project Due date: May 25 • Optional Early Draft: May 16
