You have just gone to work for a small business that needs new computers and pos

Question

You have just gone to work for a small business that needs new computers and possibly a network upgrade as well (You will choose the area of the nation impacting ISPs). The owner has asked you to create a report to list the new computer design and what network infrastructure they would need to support growth in the company. The owner and managers are not computer professionals, so explanations must be understandable by all parties. The funds for this upgrade will require, at a minimum a cost/benefit analysis, to ensure the owner can obtain the funds for the upgrade. Be mindful of reoccurring costs. There are no limitations on the budget for the upgrade, but you should use smart decisions involving costs (copper not fiber to the desktop, etc.)

Currently there are 12 computers within the company. They work using a peer-to-peer network with the office manager’s computer as the database machine that everyone logs onto for use of the database. Each of the computers are running Microsoft Windows XP and have Microsoft Office 2003.

Current hardware for the majority of the computers is a dual core processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 130GB hard drive, and a 100mbs LAN adapter. The Office manager’s machine has a 320GB hard drive and 4GB RAM.

The network is currently running a 100mbs and is managed with a 16-port switch. Current network cabling is CAT 5 and may not support higher bandwidth. There is a possibility of expansion, so there needs to be more connections available for future Ethernet drops. Internet access and DHCP are handled by a ISDN router supplied by the internet service provider (ISP). The ISP does have several different types of connectivity available:

DSL up to 10mbs

Cable up to 100mbs

Wireless (to the company) up to 5mbs

Issue brought to management by the staff include:

The staff have been complaining about computer slowdowns and some of the computers locking up during normal use.

They have requested access to multiple printers attached to individual computers. Currently they only have access to print to their local printer (connected to their computer).

The database has gotten quite large and may need to be moved to a stand-alone server and possibly upgraded from Microsoft Office Access to something more robust.

They currently have internet access via an ISDN digital line which does not allow more that 3-4 users at a time.

They have requested the network and internet bandwidth be improved. Users have requested the ability to use high definition streaming video to the desktop.

The following will be the required deliverables (what you turn in) and will consist of a couple of files:

1. What computer software would you use. Please explain

Explanation / Answer

Business software or a business application is any software or set of computer programs used by business users to perform various business functions. These business applications are used to increase productivity, to measure productivity and to perform other business functions accurately.

By and large, business software is likely to be developed to meet the needs of a specific business, and therefore is not easily transferable to a different business environment, unless its nature and operation is identical. Due to the unique requirements of each business, off-the-shelf software is unlikely to completely address a company's needs. However, where an on-the-shelf solution is necessary, due to time or monetary considerations, some level of customization is likely to be required. Exceptions do exist, depending on the business in question, and thorough research is always required before committing to bespoke or off-the-shelf solutions.

Some business applications are interactive, i.e., they have a graphical user interface or user interface and users can query/modify/input data and view results instantaneously. They can also run reports instantaneously. Some business applications run in batch mode: they are set up to run based on a predetermined event/time and a business user does not need to initiate them or monitor them.

Some business applications are built in-house and some are bought from vendors (off the shelf software products). These business applications are installed on either desktops or big servers. Prior to the introduction of COBOL (a universal compiler) in 1965, businesses developed their own unique machine language. RCA's language consisted of a 12-position instruction. For example, to read a record into memory, the first two digits would be the instruction (action) code. The next four positions of the instruction (an 'A' address) would be the exact leftmost memory location where you want the readable character to be placed. Four positions (a 'B' address) of the instruction would note the very rightmost memory location where you want the last character of the record to be located. A two digit 'B' address also allows a modification of any instruction. Instruction codes and memory designations excluded the use of 8's or 9's. The first RCA business application was implemented in 1962 on a 4k RCA 301. The RCA 301, mid frame 501, and large frame 601 began their marketing in early 1960.

Many kinds of users are found within the business environment, and can be categorized by using a small, medium and large matrix:

Technologies that previously only existed in peer-to-peer software applications, like Kazaa and Napster, are starting to appear within business applications.

Application support

Business applications are built based on the requirements from the business users. Also, these business applications are built to use certain kind of Business transactions or data items. These business applications run flawlessly until there are no new business requirements or there is no change in underlying Business transactions. Also, the business applications run flawlessly if there are no issues with computer hardware, computer networks (Intenet/intranet), computer disks, power supplies, and various software components (middleware, database, computer programs, etc.).

Business applications can fail when an unexpected error occurs. This error could occur due to a data error (an unexpected data input or a wrong data input), an environment error (an in frastructure related error), a programming error, a human error or a work flow error. When a business application fails one needs to fix the business application error as soon as possible so that the business users can resume their work. This work of resolving business application errors is known as business application support.

Reporting errors

The Business User calls the business application support team phone number or sends an e-mail to the business application support team. The business application support team gets all the details of the error from the business user on the phone or from the e-mail. These details are then entered in a tracking software. The tracking software creates a request number and this request number is given to the business user. This request number is used to track the progress on the support issue. The request is assigned to a support team member.

Notification of errors

For critical business application errors (such as an application not available or an application not working correctly), an e-mail is sent to the entire organization or impacted teams so that they are aware of the issue. They are also provided with an estimated time for application availability.

Investigation or analysis of application errors

The business application support team member collects all the necessary information about the business software error. This information is then recorded in the support request. All of the data used by the business user is also used in the investigation. The application program is reviewed for any possible programming errors.

Error resolution

If any similar business application errors occurred in the past then the issue resolution steps are retrieved from the support knowledge base and the error is resolved using those steps. If it is a new support error, then new issue resolution steps are created and the error is resolved. The new support error resolution steps are recorded in the knowledge base for future use. For major business application errors (critical infrastructure or application failures), a phone conference call is initiated and all required support persons/teams join the call and they all work together to resolve the error.

Code correction

If the business application error occurred due to programming errors, then a request is created for the application development team to correct programming errors. If the business user needs new features or functions in the business application, then the required analysis/design/programming/testing/release is planned and a new version of the business software is deployed.

Business process correction

If the business application error occurred due to a work flow issue or human errors during data input, then the business users are notified. Business users then review their work flow and revise it if necessary. They also modify the user guide or user instructions to avoid such an error in the future.

Infrastructure issue correction

If the business application error occurred due to infrastructure issues, then the specific infrastructure team is notified. The infrastructure team then implements permanent fixes for the issue and monitors the infrastructure to avoid the re-occurrence of the same error.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse Y
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.