...leisure travel, and hospitality industries. The IT division, Carlson Shared Services, acts as a service provider to its internal clients. They support a wide variety of user applications and services. The IT division uses a centralized data processing model to meet business operational requirements. The central computing environment includes an IBM mainframe and over 50 networked HP and Sun servers. The mainframe supports a wide range of applications, including Oracle financial database, e-mail, Microsoft Exchange, Web, PeopleSoft, and a data warehouse application. This paper examines the case study in the textbook regarding Carlson Companies. I will assess how the Carlson SAN approach would be implemented in today’s environment, compare the pros and cons of consolidating data on a SAN central data facility versus the dispersed arrangement it replaces, and evaluate the issues raised from the Carlson SAN mixing equipment from a number of vendors and determine the management options for dealing with this type of situation. I will also justify the reduction of administration and management of storage networking through Carlson’s IP SAN, and assess how cloud computing could be used by Carlson instead of a SAN. Assess how the Carlson SAN approach would be implemented in today’s environment. SAN (Storage Area Network) is a high-speed network of storage devices that also connects those storage devices with servers. It provides block-level storage that can be accessed by the applications...
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...Cloud Computing Reginald L. Butler Dr. Jim Marion CIS 109 September 10, 2013 Cloud Computing History and Origns This quarter at Strayer University I took a course called Intro Management Information Systems online. There were many concepts and technologies we studied, but the one I was most fascinated about was Cloud Computing. Cloud technology has become very popular among consumers over the past decade. The tech is used in a wide variety of electronic devices such as PC’s, smart phones, tablets, streaming devices, etc. Even more important is the impact of cloud computing on the business market. They ways in which a company can use the cloud are limitless if they so choose to invest in the technology. Recently, both Sony and Microsoft stated that cloud technology will play a pivotal role with their next generation consoles coming out this fall. With all the talk of cloud computing going on today one has to wonder how did it become so popular? What are the origins of this new found tech and what will cloud computing evolve to in the future? Cloud computing is a technology that the world is just becoming familiar with, but the tech is not new. According to Wallace (2013), cloud computing was once referred to as “on-demand infrastructure” and has been around since the mid 90’s. Latter in 1995, the on-demand infrastructure was known as “Shared Web Hosting” which features included multi-tenant, automated provisioning, and an easy-to-use interface or (UI) as it’s known...
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...Smith’s Information Services, Inc. BPO and Cloud Computing Analysis Version 0.1: January 26, 2014 Presented by: Renee Bonds Client approval: Pending Note whether your case study needs to be ready in time for a specific event: Date: 1/26/2014 Event: Executive Monthly Meeting My Company Information Branch | Smith’s Information System | Address | 125 South Main Street | City, state, ZIP Code | Lexington, Massachusetts | Phone number | 339-555-2300 | Fax number | 339-555-2323 | Contact name | Bob Smith | Title | CEO | Phone number | 339-505-2600 | Fax number | 339-505-2501 | E-mail address | bobsmith@smithserv.com | Solution group | Under Investigation | Solution offering | Data Center | Project name or title | Present potential vendor choice | Customer Profile Industry | Marketing | Annual revenue | $2 Billion | Contact name | Renee Bonds | Title | CIO | Phone number | 832-505-2600 | Fax number | 832-505-2501 | E-mail address | reneebonds@hotmail.com | Analysis Analysis prepared for Smith’s Information Services, Inc. Company Profile Smith’s Information Services, Inc. is among the leaders in data collection of consumer information. Headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts – Smith’s has as impeccable record in providing the stabilization of consumer data. * Annual Sales: $2 billion * Primary Line of Business: Sales in Consumer Information * * Management Directory: * Bob...
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...[pic] Cloud computing in general isn’t a term that can be defined with one specific definition as different people from all over the world each have a different understanding of the term cloud computing. Hence the best way to effectively explain the term is to explain it using different examples. Some people believe the term to mean another way of describing IT (information technology), others use it to mean any computing service provided over the Internet or a similar network; and some define it as any bought-in computer service you use that sits outside your firewall. As you can seem, there is no straightforward definition for the term and therefore best way to understand it is to learn about how it works. The main point of cloud computing can be summed up with this one short sentence: “Access your data anytime and anywhere” What is the difference between cloud computing and old fashioned personal computing? An important thing that differentiates cloud computing to the now old fashioned and declining personal computing is the location where all the data is stored. In cloud computing the data is stored on a remote database operated by a third party which can be accessed from most places, as the main requirement to access this cloud storage is only an Internet connection. In personal computing, all data is stored on a hard drive or another form of data storage device such as a usb drive, and once the data storage limit is reached a bigger hard drive...
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...data processing for extensive data tasks. That’s approximately three billion calculates per second on just your average household computer. (Tymann 2008). This is all accomplished by programmable chip sets known as central processing units. Programmable codes within the central processing units are known as complex instruction set computing and reduced instruction set computing. Technologies in the present and the future depend on these architectures for expedited growth, without them society will halt in technological advances. These computing architectures provide the foundations of computer processing, although each having their specific advantages, disadvantages, pros, and cons. Information technology is rapidly growing, providing users and businesses a means to share digital data. Businesses gear towards investing money in all aspects of information technology systems to provide services for their customers. Users use computers as a means to communicate with family or watch the latest movie over the internet. As more digital data is generated annually, hardware and software manufacturers need to enhance their products (Stair 2010). Computing systems, telecommunications networks and information databases essentially need to keep up with incremental growth of data for the future. A computer simply processes what a user tells it to do, so how does that underlying process really work? Simple, the...
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...revenue-wise, as it is a niche player in a very crowded field. On the other hand, the unit does allow for some level of halo effect as the leader in high-capacity, fast access drives which are used for high end engineering workstations and network servers. The unit provided high profits for the division. The division is getting more important, at least from the case readings, as the company wishes to gain traction in the Hard Drive market, where competitors have 10x more revenue. HP was looking at the unit’s profitability and technical expertise that would allow it to compete with Seagate and IBM, wondering why “don’t we have 20% market share.” The organization believed in innovation fueling growth, as it was able to do with RISC based processors in the UNIX market while other companies preferred the status quo. Despite overall rising corporate and DMD revenues, DMD represented a decreasing percentage of HP sales (see linear trend line). [please note that DMD and corporate sales are scaled logarithmically , and the % DMD/Corporate is depicted on its own linear scale] [pic] Question 2. The Kittyhawk drive turned out to be a commercial failure. Never-the-less, HP did many things right in its planning and development. List and discuss what HP did right with Kittyhawk. HP did a number of things correctly in its planning and...
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...Review Questions Chapter 3 1. What is a virtual tape system and what is it used for? Virtual tape: a storage device for less frequently needed data so that it appears to be stored entirely on tape cartridges, although some parts of it might actually be located on faster hard disks. Virtual tap can be used with a sophisticated storage-management system that moves data to slower but less costly forms of storage media as people use the data less often. 2. How does the role of primary storage differ from secondary storage? - Primary storage: the part of the computer that holds program instructions and data. - Secondary storage: devices that store large amounts of data, instructions, and information more permanently than allowed with main memory. 3. Identify and briefly discuss the fundamental characteristic that distinguishes RAM from ROM memory. RAM differs from ROM memory by that RAM is a volatile storage devices but ROM is a nonvolatile form of memory. 4. What is RFID technology? Identify three practical uses for this technology. -RFID technology: a technology that employs a microchip with an antenna to broadcast its unique identifier and location to receivers. 5. What is a fuel cell? What advantages do fuel cells offer over batteries for use in Portable electronic devices? Do they have any disadvantages? Fuel cell: is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent...
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...Global Market Structure of Luxury Watches Economics Project by YSR Raghav(14070) Introduction History and Evolution of Time Keeping Machines Watch is a small time keeping machine, historically worn on the wrist or attached on a chain carried in the pocket or around the neck for convenience. Timekeeping has a history dating back to ancient times. The first watch in the 15th century made was spring powered and was strictly mechanical, but with the technological advances this mechanism was replaced by quartz vibrations or electromagnetic pulses. Figure 1 shows the evolutionary era of the various time keeping machines/watches since 1300 BC from the sundial, water clock, to the mechanical wrist watches. Wrist watches became popular in 1920s, after soldiers came back from the World War I wearing military-issue ‘trench watches’, which were later discontinued as their told only the time. However, in mid 1970s, a novel calculator wrist watch came in the market and was widely used. In subsequent decades, pager watches and phone watches, appeared in the market but did not last for long. Then in 2004, Microsoft produced the SPOT watch, a 300 USD device that conveyed instant messages, stock up dates, weather forecasts and broadcasted FM radio signals. After a few years, this watch died due to marketing strategies. So today, the only surviving wrist watch from this cheerless era is in fact the original calculator watch, which currently retails for about 25 USD. In general...
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...Services, the Information Technology (IT) division, provides services to its internal clients and thus must support a wide range of applications and services. In 2002, the IT division decided to implement a storage area network (SAN) that in turn would meet the six (6) goals established in order to meet the needs of a growing company. In this paper we will take an in depth look at Carlson’s implementation of the SAN by 1) assessing how the Carlson SAN approach would be implemented in today’s environment; 2) comparing the pros and cons of consolidating data on a SAN central data facility versus the dispersed arrangement it replaces; 3) evaluating the issues raised from the Carlson SAN mixture of equipment from a number of vendors and determine the management options for dealing with this type of situation; 4) justifying the reduction of administration and management of storage networking through Carlson’s IP SAN; and 5) assessing how cloud computing could be used by Carlson instead of a SAN. Carlson SAN Approach The Carlson SAN approach in today’s environment can be assessed by the preparation, impact and benefits obtained by Carlson in using such an approach. Carlson established six (6) essential goals reliant on data and applications that would ensure the IT services provided continued to meet the needs of a growing company. In order to meet those goals, implementing a storage area network (SAN) that “provided a reliable, highly scalable facility to accommodate the increasing...
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...present one’s company in a global marketplace and get noticed. In the past, the smallest entrepreneurial companies had to rely on word-of-mouth, costly advertising, and marketing campaigns, and face –to-face networking. Because of social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter virtual worlds can accommodate businesses in the real world. Customer relationships in a virtual world are a delicate matter. The design of a web site is very important for presenting a favorable face to the customer. Similarly, the design of a business in SL is of chief importance. In a world where anything-goes design-wise, how do you want your customer service representatives to appear? The business must present something fantastic, that it could not present in the real world, if it wants to draw visitors into it. Second Life provides a medium for simulating real world interactions online. It has the same benefits as teleconferencing or videoconferences, the ability to assemble many people from all around the world into real-time interactions. NPR’s Science Friday makes great use of this tool, hosting a studio audience in SL that they couldn’t otherwise support. Public speakers also benefit. I once attended a talk by a favorite science fiction author who would not have attracted enough of an audience in any one local, but SL was perfect for finding enough interest from around the globe to come up with a great turn out. Being a virtual world, Second Life is much less about...
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...of this report is to outline the advantages and disadvantages of cloud- based CRM and SCM solutions, how it can enhance a business’ customer relationships and supply chain as well as balancing the risks of the use of this technology with the benefits. This report will firstly illustrate the benefits and disadvantages of implementing a cloud-based CRM and SCM solutions, in comparison to traditional on-site processes to assist Forever 21 in making a decision whether to use these CRM and SCM solutions or not. It will then describe how CRM and SCM solutions can maintain customer relationships and retention through the leveraging of an enhancing the efficiency of supply chain management and tailoring the product range through the use of these technologies. This report will accentuate the security, ethics and privacy issues that are associated with cloud-based CRM and SCM solutions. A recommendation of a specific vendor for cloud-based CRM and SCM solutions will then be provided to assist the CIO of Forever 21 in making a decision which is most suitable to a retail business such Forever 21. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Supply Chain Management 4 Benefits of a cloud-based SCM solutions 4 Drawbacks of a cloud-based SCM Solution 5 Customer Relationship Management 5 Benefits of cloud-based system CRM solutions 6 Drawbacks of cloud-based CRM solutions 6 Leveraging Cloud-based SCM and CRM solutions to Improve Business Strategy 7 Enhancing the efficiency...
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...Association defines facility management as a profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the buit environment by integrating people, place, process and technology. The facility Management responsibilities are covering a wide range of function and support services likes security, property or building management, engineering services, accounting, postal, computing, information technology system,, staff safety and other supportive duties. Therefore, in business, Facility Management means the management of managing both buildings and services. The services are divided into “hard services” and “soft services”. Hard services including those things like to ensure the building air conditioning is operating in safe and stable mode. For examples, Plumbing and water-works, Spatial planning, Civil and Structural engineering. On the one hand, Soft services including those things like to ensure the building is cleaned and have a regular repair checking with the service contractors says Team-building, Time management. Facility Management is basically a property-based discipline, the objective is to achieve the following operation efficiency. For examples: (i) Property – Maximize the value and minimize risks for those Swire properties (ii) Communications – communication system liked email, fax, internet, postal arrangement (iii) Workplace facilities – How to lower the cost by equipment improvement and motivate the staff, for example, purchase...
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...services: the firm evaluated it as a modified profit center, which they called a “breakeven” center. Budget included all expenses that CS expected to incur for the year, including salaries, supplies, purchased software, and hardware depreciation. Revenue included expectation for internal billings from CS to groups for hardware “rented” by the consulting groups, and for usage charges levied on the groups for disk storage, laptops, and SUN usage. As long as the budget showed a projected break-even position at the end of the year, and the internal billings were realistic it was approved. CS’s expenses could be over budget as long as the internal billings were above expectations by the same amount and the break-even position was maintained Computer service actual revenue was determined by how much the groups used, given CSs billing rates Computer services performance assessment was based on how well actual revenues matched actual costs rather than factor in complaints issues by frustrated consultants Internal billings (transfer prices) from CS to groups were of two types: a monthly rental charge levied at the group level and a usage charge levied at the project level Profit Center A profit center is a part of a business that generates revenue while also taking on its own costs,...
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...This makes it difficult for a potential customer to read them to make an informed decision on whether to purchase the product or not. This paper proposes a novel tool named as Opinion Comparator for analyzing and comparing consumer opinions on competing products. This tool is useful to both potential customers and product manufacturers. A potential customer can see a visual comparison of products, which helps him/her to decide which product to buy. For a product manufacturer, the comparison enables it to easily gather marketing intelligence. This tool shows the features of a product along with their polarity on a bar graph. This tool uses language pattern mining and it extracts product features from the reviews of the format containing Pros and Cons of a particular product. Experimental results show that the technique is highly effective as it summarizes product reviews given by different customers. It visualizes this summarization using bar graphs with opinion polarity which helps user for better decision making. 1. INTRODUCTION The Web has dramatically changed the way that consumer express their opinions. They can now post reviews of products at merchant sites and express their views on almost anything in Internet forums, discussion groups, and blogs. There are also dedicated review sites, e.g., epininons.com. With more and more people using the Web to express opinions, the number of reviews that a product receives grows rapidly. For some popular products, the number of reviews...
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...Amazon case study analysis ---- Jiachuang Sun 1. Review of Amazon’s strategy between 2007 and 2009 Strategic analysis Profiling the business: ➢ Mission: Amazon’s mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible price[1]. ➢ Product/service analysis: Since the establishment of Amazon, new products has been kept adding into the original book category and Amazon has moved further to provide service. There are three product categories in Amazon, media category, electronic and general merchandise category and other category like Amazon web service and Amazon Enterprise Solution. This means you can buy almost everything from Amazon. ➢ Sales and gross profit analysis: The net sales growth of Amazon in year 2007 and 2008 was in average 30% and the total sales in 2008 was $19166m. In the same time, the gross profit grew from $3353m in 2007 to $4270 in 2008. Actually, both the sales and profits grew quickly since 2001 and they seemed to grow at a quicker way. External environment analysis ➢ Opportunities and threats: • Opportunities: to further improve the speed of delivery; international expansion in emerging markets such as China and India; extension of brands into new areas; through acquisitions and partnership to consolidate Amazon’s technological capability...
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