Download Internet

Network Computing –
The Web Revolution
Network Computing
O The vast web of electronic networks, referred to
as the information superhighway or Internet.
O Internet is a global network of computer
networks.
O It links the computing resources of businesses,
government, and educational institutions using a
common computer communication protocol,
TCP/IP.
O The World Wide Web---the Web--is the most
widely used application on the Internet.
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Evolution - Network
Computing
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Internet Application
Categories
O Discovery: Discovery involves browsing and
information retrieval.
O Communication: The Internet provides fast and
inexpensive communication channels that range
from messages posted on online bulletin boards
to complex information exchanges among many
organizations.
O Collaboration: Due to improved communication,
electronic collaboration between individuals
and/or groups ranging from screen sharing and
teleconferencing to group support systems.
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The Net is also used for:
O Education
O Entertainment: People can access the
content of newspapers, magazines, and
books. Correspond with friends and family,
play games, listen to music, view movies and
other cultural events.
O Work: They can download documents, do
research.
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The Network Computing
Infrastructure
O Intranet: a network designed to serve the
internal informational needs of a company, using
Internet concepts and tools.
O Browsing and Search capabilities.
O Support communication and collaboration.
O Extranet: An extranet is an infrastructure that
allows secure communications (connects the
intranets of different organizations) among
business partners over the Internet.
O Enables business-to-business (B2B) transactions
O Provides an interface to exchange of business
forms
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Discovery - Internet
Application Categories
Through the discovery capability users can access information located
in databases all over the world. It facilitates education, government
services, entertainment, and commerce. Discovery is done by browsing
and searching static or dynamic data sources on the Web.
O Internet Software Agents
O Internet-Based Web Mining
O Other Discovery Aids
O Toolbars
O Material in Foreign Languages
O Information and Corporate Portals
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Discovery - Internet Software
Agents
Software agents are computer programs that carry out a set of
routine computer tasks on behalf of the user and in so doing
employ some sort of knowledge of the user’s goals
O Search engines, directories, software and intelligent
agents
O Web-Browsing-Assisting Agents
O Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Agents
O Search Engines and Intelligent Indexing Agents
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Discovery - Internet-Based
Web Mining
Data mining refers to sophisticated analysis techniques for
sifting through large amounts of information to discover new
patterns and relationships.
O Predictive Tools
O Classification (Predefined Groups)
O Regression
O Time series
O Descriptive Tools
O Clustering (No Predefined Groups)
O Summarization
O Association
O Sequencing
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Discovery - Other Discovery
Aids
Hundreds of other search engines and discovery aids are
available
O Webopedia.com
O What Is? (whatis.com)
O eBizSearch (gunther.smeal.psu.edu)
O HighBeam (highbeam.com)
O Howstuffworks.com.
O Findarticles.com
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Discovery - Toolbars
To get the most out of search engines, you may use addon toolbars and special software.
O Google Toolbar (toolbar.google.com)
O Copernic Agent Basic (copernic.com)
O KartOO (kartoo.com)
O Yahoo Companion (companion.yahoo.com)
O Grokker (groxis.com)
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Discovery - Information in
Foreign Languages
There is a huge amount of information on the Internet in languages
that you may not know. Automatic translation of Web pages is an
application offered by many vendors. However, not all automatic
translations are equally good, so evaluation of these products is needed.
O Google Translate
O Babel Fish Translation (world.altavista.com)
O trados.com
O translationzone.com
O WorldPoint Passport (worldpoint.com)
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Discovery - Information &
Corporate Portals
A portal is a Web-based personalized gateway to information and
knowledge in network computing. It attempts to address
information overload by providing one screen from which we do all
our work on the Web. Thus eliminating retrieval time spent on
integrating disparate IT systems.
O Commercial (public) portals offer content for diverse
communities and are the most popular portals on the Internet.
Examples are:
O
O
O
yahoo.com
lycos.com
msn.com
O Publishing portals are intended for communities with specific
interests. Examples are:
O
O
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techweb.com
zdnet.com
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Discovery - Information &
Corporate Portals (continued)
O Personal portals target specific filtered information
for individuals.
O Affinity portals support communities such as hobby
groups or a political party
O Mobile portals are portals accessible from mobile
devices.
O Voice portals are Web portals with audio interfaces,
which enables them to be accessed by a standard or
cell phone.
O AOLbyPhone
O tellme.com
O bevocal.com
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Discovery - Information &
Corporate Portals (continued)
Corporate portals provide single-point access to specific
enterprise information and applications available on the Internet,
intranets, and extranets to employees, business partners, and
customers. They are also known as enterprise portals or
enterprise information portals.
Suppliers portals: Using corporate portals, suppliers can manage their
own inventories online.
O Customers portals: Customers can use a customer-facing portal for
viewing products and services and placing orders, which they can later
self-track.
O Employees portals: Such portals are used for training, dissemination of
news and information, and workplace discussion groups.
O Supervisors’ portals: These portals, sometimes called workforce
portals, enable managers and supervisors to control the entire
workforce management process– from budgeting to scheduling
workforce.
O
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Group Discussion
O Your educational organization/group has all the
latest information and communication
technologies. Discuss and prepare a list of:
O Main tasks and activities in the organization. How
much your clients, stakeholders and the public
involve in these activities?
O Information you need to support the tasks and
activities.
O Information you need for your corporate portal.
(Be specific, explain which and how much
information do you need to reveal in the portal.)
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WHAT IS
COMMUNICATIONS?
O A process in which two or more computers
or devices transfer data, instructions, and
information
O Sometimes called telecommunications
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WHAT IS
COMMUNICATIONS?
Example of application…
O Electronic mail (e-mail)
O Voice mail
O Fax (facsimile)
O Telecommuting
O Online services
O Videoconferencing
O Internet
O World Wide Web
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WHAT IS
COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORK?
O A communications network is a collection of
computers and other equipment organized
to share data, information, hardware and
software
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COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS
O Basic communications system consists of
O Two computers, one to send and one to
receive data
O Communications devices that send and
receive data - modem
O A communications channel over which data is
sent
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COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS
O Communication software
O Programs that manage the transmission of
data between computers
O Examples:
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COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS
O Communication channel
O Path that data follows as the data is
transmitted from the sending equipment to
the receiving equipment in a communication
system
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A COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM
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COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
O Communications channel
are made up of
transmissions media
O The physical materials or
other means used to
established a
communications channel.
O Twisted-pair cable
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COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS
O Other examples of transmission media:
O Fiber-optic cable - method of transmitting information
from one place to another by sending light through an
optical fiber
O Communications satellites
O Wireless transmissions
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COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS
O Local Area Networks (LAN)
O Covers limited geographical area
O Server manages resources
O Wide Area Networks (WAN)
O Covers large geographical area
O Can consist of several LANs
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NETWORKING THE
CLASSROOM, SCHOOL, AND
DISTRICT
O School network server
O Example classroom
O Three computers
O Printer
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NETWORKING THE
CLASSROOM, SCHOOL, AND
DISTRICT
O Example school network
O Classrooms
O Administration
O Computer lab
O Example school district
O Central office
O Various schools
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SCHOOL’S LOCAL AREA
NETWORK
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DISTRICT’S WIDE AREA
NETWORK
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Communication - Internet
Application Categories
People exchange and share information by sending and receiving messages,
documents, forms and files. This information-processing supports the
organization and the transaction of business. Communications can involve
one or several IT-supported media, such as text, voice, graphics, radio, pictures,
and animation. Using different media increases the effectiveness of a message,
expedites learning, and enhances problem solving.
O Electronic Mail
O Web-Based Call Centers
O Electronic Chat Rooms
O Voice Communication
O Weblogging (Blogging)
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Communication Modes
O People-to-people
O People-to-machine
O People and machine-to-machine
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Communication- Time/Place
Framework
O Same-time/same-place
O Same-time/different-place
O Different-time/same-place
O Different-time/different-place
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Collaboration - Internet
Application Categories
O Virtual collaboration (e-collaboration): the
use of digital technologies that enable
organizations or individuals to collaborative
Collaboration refers to the mutual efforts of two or
more individuals or groups to perform activities in
order to accomplish certain tasks. These tasks range
from designing documents, to teaching, to executing
complementary subtasks, to working with customers,
suppliers, and other business partners. In an effort to
improve productivity and competitiveness collaboration
can be supported electronically.
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Collaboration – Tools
(Groupware)
Software products that support groups of people who share a common
task or goal and who collaborate on its accomplishment.
Groupware implies the use of networks to connect people, even if the
people are in the same room.
 Electronic Meeting Systems attempt to improve face-to-face meetings
with their electronic counter-part.
 Electronic Teleconferencing (Teleconferencing) is the use of electronic
communication that allows two or more people at different locations to
have a simultaneous conference.
Video Teleconferencing (videoconference), participants in one location can
see participants at other locations. Data (data conferencing) can also be sent
along with voice and video making it possible to work on documents together.
 Web Conferencing is Videoconferencing solely conducted on the Internet

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Collaboration – Tools
(Groupware) (continued)
Real-time collaboration (RTC) Tools: help companies bridge time
and space to make decisions and to collaborate on projects. RTC tools
support synchronous communication of graphical and text-based
information.
O Interactive Whiteboards work like the “physical world”
whiteboards with markers and erasers, except instead of one
person standing in front of a meeting room drawing on the
whiteboard, all participants can join in.
O Screen Sharing software, allows group members to work on
the same document, which is shown on the PC screen of each
participant.
O Instant video, is a kind of real time chat room that allows you
to see the person you are communicating with.
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Collaboration – Tools (continued)
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E-Learning – Web-based
Application
Distance learning (DL) refers to situations where teachers and students do
not meet face-to-face. It can be done in different ways. E-learning is only one
form of distance learning. It provides a new set of tools that add value to
traditional learning modes. It does not replace the classroom setting, but
enhances it, taking advantage of new content and delivery technologies.
O Blackboard Inc. (blackboard.com) offers a complete suite of
enterprise software products and services that power a total
“e-education infrastructure” for schools, colleges,
universities, and other education providers.
O WebCT (webct.com) provides a similar set of tools, but with a
different vision and strategy. It uses advanced pedagogical
tools to help institutions of higher education make distancelearning courses possible.
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Telecommuting – Web-based
Application
Telecommuting, or teleworking, refers to an
arrangement whereby employees can work at home, at
the customer’s premises, in special work places, or while
traveling, usually using a computer linked to their place of
employment.
O There are numerous non-compensatory benefits and
advantages for employees, employers, and society. The most
important being improved productivity.
O Some disadvantages for the employees are increased feelings
of isolation, loss of fringe benefits, no workplace visibility, and
lack of socialization.
O Disadvantages to employers are difficulties in supervising work,
potential data security problems, training costs, and the high
cost of equipping and maintaining telecommuters’ homes.
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MANAGERIAL ISSUES
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Security of communication. Communication via networks
raises the issue of the integrity, confidentiality, and security
of the data being transferred. The protection of data in
networks across the globe is not simple.
Control of employee time and activities. To control the time
that employees might waste “surfing the Net” during
working hours, some companies limit the information that
employees have access to or use special monitoring
software. Providing guidelines for employee use of the
Internet is a simple but fairly effective approach.
How many portals? A major issue for some companies is
how many portals to have. Should there be separate portals
for customers, suppliers, employees, for example?
Regardless of the answer, it is a good idea to integrate the
separate portals. If you build a separate portal, make sure it
can be easily connected to the others.
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MANAGERIAL ISSUES
Continued
Organizational impacts. Technology-supported communication may have major
organizational impacts. For example, intranets and groupware force people to
cooperate and share information. Therefore, their use can lead to significant
changes in both organizational culture and the execution of business process
reengineering. Further impacts may be felt in corporate structure and the
redistribution of organizational power.
O Telecommuting. Telecommuting is a compelling venture, but management needs
to be careful. Not all jobs are suitable for telecommuting, and allowing only some
employees to telecommute may create jealousy. Likewise, not all employees are
suitable telecommuters; some need the energy and social contact found in an
office setting.
O Cost-benefit justification. The technologies described in this course do not come
free, and many of the benefits are intangible. However, the price of many
networking technologies is decreasing.
O Controlling access to and managing the content of the material on an intranet.
This is becoming a major problem due to the ease of placing material on an
intranet and the huge volume of information. Flohr (1997) suggests tools and
procedures to manage the situation.
O
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Information Technology For Management 5th Edition
Turban, Leidner, McLean, Wetherbe
Lecture Slides by A. Lekacos,
Stony Brook University
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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