Download Misc Ex Sum Apr 18

Executive Summary: Telecommuting
by M.Cao
Telecommuting refers to a form of work arrangement involving the use of computers and
telecommunication technologies, which allows employees to substitute telecommunication for
physical transportation thereby permitting jobs to be performed at a remote work site. The extent
of telecommuting has been on the rise during the 1990’s and it is expected to rise rapidly during
the next few years. Globalization of economic markets, evolving information technologies,
changes in management style, societal trends, business processing reengineering movement, and
the trend of networked organizations and autonomous teams can be considered as drivers of
telecommuting.
Some of the popular ways to organize telecommuting are: working at home, working at a
corporate satellite office, space renting, working from a client’s office, and working from
anywhere. Telecommuters can perform various tasks, such as, sending and receiving work,
accessing corporate networks and databases, conducting discussions with corporate employees,
customers, vendors and others, imitating face-to-face communication, collaborating via screen
sharing, generating idea, making decision in groups, distance negotiations, and managing
telecommuting.
The information infrastructure used to support telecommuting can be categorized into
four interrelated parts: devices, database, telecommunication networks, and software. Devices
include telephone, PC, laptop, notebook, workstation, or other computers, Personal Digital
Assistant, printer, scanner, cellular phone, high speed modem, personal pager, fax machine,
videoconferencing equipment, videophones, typewriter, and copier, to name just a few.
Databases include both the corporate database and telecommuters’ own database kept on their
hard drive. Telecommunication networks include remote access alternatives for telecommuting,
such as, ISDN, ATM, wireless communication, LAN connectivity, and future systems.
Application software interesting to telecommuters are E-mail and messaging systems, Internet,
linkage software, desktop videoconferencing and user interface, user interface software, screen
sharing, idea generation software, group decision support systems software, negotiation software,
workflow systems, and Lotus Notes.
Several notable technological and managerial issues must be considered when a
telecommuting system is established, such as, appropriate controls and data security, cost-benefit
justification, training and ownership and maintenance of the necessary equipment at home. On
the other hand, a study conducted at two Canadian federal government departments suggests
that, with a few important exceptions, part-time telecommuting arrangements have little impact
on intra-organizational communication; specifically, telecommuting does not change the way in
which telecommuters communicate with their superiors, their subordinates, their colleagues and
their clients. Neither does it change the way in which managers communicate with subordinates
who telecommute. Another survey of telecommuters and non-telecommuters conducted in two
large work groups working for a high technology organization proves job category and gender
show a significant difference between telecommuters and non-telecommuters. Age, years with
organization, and computer skills do not show significant difference. Differences are found
between telecommuters and non-telecommuters in their ratings of personal control and
productivity.
Internet Law and Regulations
ISOM 6810
Matt Purkey
Summary of Discussions
Introduction
-
I will cover a brief overview of the Internet, with the Internet being a global,
decentralized network that encompasses everything from communication to
publishing, commerce, and politics. Its expansion and growth create both risks and
opportunities filled with new laws and regulations in the emerging decades to come.
Regulation and Enforcement
-
-
Why must the Web by governed at all?
- Telecommunications Act of 1996.
- Communication Decency Act of 1996.
- Present and future trends of regulations, along with controlling network content of
the Internet.
Four competing models of regulation in the global net.
1. Existing territorial sovereigns.
2. Multi-lateral international agreements.
3. International organizations.
4. De facto rules emerging.
Who owns the Web Site?
-
Developer Vs. Owner
With the rush to create a site on the World Wide Web, many businesses are hiring
outside consultants to develop their web page. This has created a controversy on who
owns the site. Frequently, the owner’s relationship with the developer is not in
writing. The developer is usually a contractor. The main problem is that the U.S.
copyright Act provides that the owner of the web site is the author, which is the
person who has created the web site. In essence, the business is usually not the
owner, because they have contracted an outside person to develop the page.
Internet domain names
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Trademark Law and Domain Name
There are seven top-level domains in the United States. There has recently been a
tremendous problem in trademark law because of second level and beyond domain
names. Because of people registering second-level domain names, The Internet
Information Center can withdraw a name that they feel will interfere or infringe the
rights of a third party. They make it clear that Internet users do not own their domain
names, but merely a license. They can also revoke a license for failure to make
regular use of the assigned name for a period of 90 days or more.
Copyright protection on the Internet
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I will review the five exclusive rights of copyright which are
1) The right to reproduce the work.
2) The right to adapt the work.
3) The right to distribute the work.
4) The right to publicly perform the work.
5) The right to publicly display the work.
The most important limitation of the above rights is the “First Sale” doctrine. This is
an exception to the distribution right. It states that once the copyrighted work is sold,
the buyer may resell it many times.
Frames can also create copyright problems in such things as misleading endorsements
from a third through hyperlinks.
Conclusions
- The Internet has grown rapidly from a research project in the 1960’s into a
phenomenon that involves millions of people worldwide. Much of the Internets usefulness is
shared by users, upon which they depend of each other to provide the information. The
regulations and laws of which I have shown will continue to grow and become more detailed as
time moves on. Much of the laws depend on your behavior and expectations of others.
Hopefully sharing and respect will continue for years to come.
Margaret Vettraino
ISOM 6810
March 23, 2000
Executive Summary
Policy-Based Network Management
Network managers have a tougher job these days due to the constant changes in technology. New
systems are added and upgrades to current systems are imminent. In addition, companies continue to
downsize, especially in the IT area. This means there are not as many people to manage the bigger, more
complex system.
As companies provide Internet access to workers, this creates not only a bigger security issue, but
also a traffic flow issue for the network. The purpose of policy-based network management (PBNM)
software is to actively manage these issues as well as resources throughout the enterprise.
Policy-based networking associates the information about individuals users, groups,
organizational units, entire organizations and events with various network services or classes of services.
To create a standard approach to policy-based network management, the use of directory services is
necessary. Not only can the directory store the information that is used to create the policies, it can also
handle the policies.
Led by Cisco Systems and Microsoft, the concept of DEN (Directory Enabled Networks) was
created to determine a way to store and retrieve information about network policies in a database. It can
describe the mechanisms that will enable equipment, such as switches and routers, to access and use
directory information. Directory services actually implements the concept of policy-based networking.
DEN and policy-based networking meet user and application-specific networking needs while also
streamlining software and network management.
While policy-based networking has been around for a few years, it is becoming increasingly
popular due to voice-over IP. Both voice-over-IP gateways and Ethernet-based telephone systems allow
us to move voice calls directly onto our packet-based backbone data networks. This, however, requires a
strong, manageable, end-to-end quality of service (QoS).
There are many factors to consider when choosing policy-based networking management
software. It is important to pick a vendor who has considered not only integrating with legacy tools for
network management, but also with multiple operating systems from other vendors for user-based
policies. Active network monitoring is essential, as is the standards-based protocol the vendor has chosen
to follow.
Margaret Vettraino
Executive Summary
Page 2
Some of the vendors of policy-based network management software include Cisco Systems,
Lucent Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, Nortel Networks, Allot Communications, Orchestream, Extreme
Networks and Spectrum Management.
Choosing the correct PBNM software is important. However, for a policy-based management
system to do what it should, an excellent network-policy strategy must also be in place.
Executive Summary
To,
Dr. Anand Kunnatur
ISOM 6810
By,
Sridevi Venugopal
Dated: 03-16-00
Hardware and Operating System Network : B2B
In an Business-to-Business company the base is High-CPU-density hardware, distribution
through IBM, and maintenance processor and software to increase the security and
processing efficiency. Network Web Engines are used extensively in B2B companies for this
purpose. Web Engines is the main focus of this study.
System density: Web Engines are strong in two key areas: system density; and
maintenance software. The Web Engine sets the new CPU density standard, at two CPUs per
one rack height unit (1U). In a market where compute density is the Holy Grail, this sets a
new standard. The next-densest current products are the eight-CPU servers (Compaq, Dell,
HP) packaged in a 7U chassis - the WebEngine increases that density by 75%.
Maintenance Processor Software: On the software side, their maintenance
processor/software is designed to allow remote monitoring and control of their servers, and
will provide status even when the server is not powered up.
Clustering: Network Web Engines' clustering software will support up to 255 systems (plus
one for administration of the cluster). This is in contrast to Windows NT 4.0, which supports
a maximum of two servers. One caveat: the load balancing and replication "modules" are
reasonable, but not best in class.
Performance: One of the key benchmarks for web servers is requests per second. Although
product literature publishes figures which would indicate good performance (1400
hits/second for a single-processor model), Network Engines cannot provide an audited
report, similar to the Web Polygraph report by Data Communications magazine. In addition,
although Network Engines can theoretically cluster up to 256 Web Engines, they have no
data on the scalability "percentage factor". [Definition of "percentage factor": if one
WebEngine can handle "Z" requests per second, then "N" servers should be able to handle a
total of P x N x Z requests, where "P" is the percentage factor. A perfectly scalable cluster not possible in the "real world" - would have P = 1.00.]
System serviceability: We believe the system should be made more serviceable, both in
user access and ability to change components. Although thin web server vendors (including
Network Engines) generally operate from the "box upgrade" point of view, there are times
when customers would prefer not having to swap out a $5000 FRU (Field Replaceable Unit),
but instead just deal with a power supply or hard disk drive. Additionally, customers may
want the hard drive hot-swappability that TruSOLUTIONS (a manufacturer of a 1U-high
general-purpose server, as differentiated from a web server or server appliance), a leading
Network Engines competitor provides.