IS 483 Information Systems Management James Nowotarski 17 April 2003

IS 483Information Systems Management

James Nowotarski

17 April 2003

• Recap the IT-Human Resources Management function

• Build awareness of distributed architectures/infrastructures

• Build awareness of network management• Review logistics for Assignments 1, 2, and 3

Today’s Objectives

Topic Duration

• Recap and update IT HRM 20 minutes

• Distributed architectures 55 minutes

*** Break 15 minutes

• Distributed architectures (cont.) 50 minutes

• Quiz 25 minutes

• Assignments 2,3 15 minutes

Today’s agenda

Topic Duration





• Quiz 25 minutes


Today’s agenda

Centralized vs. Decentralized organizational models

Unresponsive

No BU ownership

Doesn’t meet every BU’s needs

Lacks content depth

Redundant functions/costs

Proliferation of assets, delivery vehicles, rollouts

Variable quality

Lack of synergy and integration

Economiesof scale

Sharedstandards &infrastructure

Critical massof skills

Speed

Access to MU content experts

Responsive to BU’s needs

Shared vision &

leadership

Consistent quality

Synergy

&Integration

Mutual trust & commitment

Purely centralized Purely decentralized

Federal model

The Federal model results in the optimal balance between centralized and decentralized

Source: MIT

Flamholtz Leadership Effectiveness Framework

Effectiveness

Style

Task

Work

People

Situational Factors

Situation determines the style that will most likely be effective

Optimal leadership style depends on degree of job autonomy and task programmability

Factors Affecting Optimal Leadership Style

Potential for Job Autonomy

Low High

Low

High

Task Programmability

Directive

Interactive

Interactive

Nondirective

IT Human Resource Management Components

1. Hiring

2. Turnover and Retention

3. Career Development/Path

4. Training

5. Compensation

6. Performance Appraisal

Role of Advanced Automation in HR

• Cross-functional services are possible- such as merging payroll, pension, and benefits information for a single employee

• Training and employee self-service can become a part of the Human Resource system

• Expert Systems available that answer questions typically answered by Human Resource professionals (e.g., HR policy questions)

• Use of Internet for recruiting, benchmarking, and anywhere/anytime access

Source: Groe, Gerald M; Pyle, William; Jamrog, Jay J. “Information Technology and HR.” Human Resource Planning. 1996. Vol. 19, number 1.http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/nsutcliffe/483readings/Groe-IT%20and%20HR-session3.htm

Topic Duration





• Quiz 25 minutes


Today’s agenda

Solution “Stack”

Applications and Data

Reusable Technical Architecture

Hardware/Network

System Software

Examples

Dell, HP, Sun, EMC, CiscoAT&T, Sprint, WorldComPublic Internet

MiddlewareWebSphere, CICS TSApacheJ2EEDB2, Oracle, SQL Server Linux, Unix, Windows, z/OS

Claims, Payroll, CRM, ERP

Component-Based Architecture for Microsoft (Accenture)

IT Architecture and IT Infrastructure



Hardware/Network

System SoftwareIT Architecture

IT Infrastructure

IT Architecture vs. IT Infrastructure

IT Architecture IT Infrastructure

Level of Abstraction

Scope• Tech architecture• System software• Hardware/Network

IT Architecture + IT roles, organization+ IT processes

• Blueprint• Policies, rules

Implemented capabilities

IT Infrastructure

in·fra·struc·ture n. 1. An underlying base or foundation, especially for an organization or a system.

2. The basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communication systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons.

Source: IBM

IT Architecture

arch·i·tec·ture n. 1. A formal specification for how a computer solution will be organized and how its parts inter-relate2. An integrated set of technology choices used to guide the organization

Sources: Gartner Group, MIT

Benefits of Architecture

• Productivity• Consistency• Quality• Rapid delivery• Maintainability• Interoperability• Reduces complexity• Leverages scarce skills




Hardware/Network

System Software

• Presentation logic• Application logic• Data management

What is Distributed Computing?

More than 1 interconnected processor operating at the same time

Five Types of Distributed Computing

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

Presentation

Presentation

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

DataManagement

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

Network

DistributedPresentation

RemotePresentation

DistributedFunction

Remote DataManagement

DistributedDatabase

Source: Gartner Group

Apps &Data

Where Does Internet Fit?

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

Presentation

Presentation

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

DataManagement

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

DataManagement

ApplicationLogic

Presentation

Network

DistributedPresentation

RemotePresentation

DistributedFunction

Remote DataManagement

DistributedDatabase

Thickness of Client

Thin Thick

Distributed vs. Internet

Internet = Distributed + Reach + Content(Netcentric) (Client/Server)

Other differences:• Internet applications are more dynamic, less static (thin vs. thick client)• Internet applications offer more standard user interface

2-Tier Distributed Architecture

WorkstationEnterpriseServer

Wide areanetwork (WAN)

• Presentation• Application logic

• Application logic• Data management

“Tiers” are different types or groupings of computers used to perform different functions1

1 Above definition focuses on hardware, but tiers may also refer to software

3-Tier Distributed Architecture

WorkstationEnterpriseServer

WAN

WorkgroupServer

LAN

• Presentation • Application logic • Data management

Comparison of 3-tier relative to 2-tier

Advantages• Better load balancing on different servers• More scalable

Disadvantages• Potentially greater load on network • More complex to implement• More hardware and network components ($$$)

Why is it more complex?

The Fundamental Counting Principle

First event may occur in n1 different ways, the second event may occur in n2 different ways and so on, the total number of ways the compound event may occur is

n1 • n2 • n3 • . . . . • nk

n-Tier Example

BankCustomers

Internet

InternetFirewall

WebServer

ApplicationFirewall

AppServer

DBServer

LegacyMainframe

Comparison of n-tier relative to 3-tier

Advantages• Better load balancing on different servers• More scalable

Disadvantages• Potentially greater load on network• More complex to implement• More hardware and network components ($$$)

Solution “Stack”



Hardware/Network

System Software

Examples

Dell, HP, Sun, EMC, CiscoAT&T, Sprint, WorldComPublic Internet

MiddlewareWebSphere, CICS TSApacheJ2EEDB2, Oracle, SQL Server Linux, Unix, Windows, z/OS

Claims, Payroll, CRM, ERP

Component-Based Architecture for Microsoft (Accenture)

overlap

Middleware

Middleware is a layer of software between applications/technical architecture and systems software/network

Functions

• Typically provides high-level application programming interfaces (APIs) to shields programmers from complex protocols

• Enables disparate components to communicate

Middleware

Example 1

Application

CICS TS

z/OS

Middleware, providing:• logging• security• recovery/restart• 2-phase commit

Middleware

Example 2

ClientObject

PlatformA

ServerObject

PlatformB

Object Request Broker (ORB)

• Client uses ORB to transparently invoke a function on a server object

• ORB provides interoperability• ORB isolates client from location, programming

language, and operating system of server object

Middleware

Types of Middleware

• Network middleware

– Procedure calls over a network

– Example: Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs), ORBs

• Conversational middleware

– Transparent conversion of text, graphics, data

– Example: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

• Transaction Processing

– Transaction management services to support processing of high volumes of transactions

– Example: CICS TS

Middleware

Types of Middleware (cont.)

• SQL and Database Middleware

– Applications can connect to several different databases using one programming interface

– Example: Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)

• GUI Middleware

– Applications can support multiple GUIs across a network

– Example: X Windows

• Messaging Middleware

– Distributing data and control through synchronous or asynchronous messages

– Example: IBM MQSeries

IT Management Issues Associated with Distributed Architectures

• Migrating from legacy (mainframe) to distributed architecture:

3 major business issues

5 typical alternatives

• Support and maintenance issues

Business Issues to Consider

Cost

• Generally lower costs after migration• hardware• software• depreciation (2-3 years vs. 5-7 years for mainframes)• development cycle times are shorter

When migrating a legacy application to a distributed architecture, consider cost, resources, and risk


Resources

• Qualifications of individuals assigned• Time that these individuals spend• Level of system management software available

• Tried and true tested software exists for mainframes but is spotty for a multi-platform environment where some aspects are centralized and others are distributed



Risk

• Risks in terms of reliability, availability, serviceability, and security are managed when the migration is done in 3 phases:

1. Baseline inventory established -- all application elements are inventoried including source code, data files, test data, and test results

2. Migration process can now begin

3. Final system test, parallel runs, and production cutover phase


Migration Alternatives

1. Re-platforming

2. “Screen scraping”

3. Replace legacy with package that is built on distributed architecture

• change management issues

4. Migrate from scratch

5. #4 + Business process reengineering

Support/Maintenance Issues

• Training and standards in more sophisticated design techniques, testing, system operation, etc.

• Robust, fault tolerant components may not be available, may need to prepare to operate in a degraded mode

• Service level monitoring and troubleshooting are more complex and difficult with distributed architectures

Trends in IT Architecture and Infrastructure

• Globalization

• Real-time enterprise

• Mobility

• Open Source

• Application integration and web services

Intra-enterprise

Inter-enterprise

Trends in IT Architecture and Infrastructure

• “[Larry] Ellison [CEO of Oracle] cited the success of the Apache Web server over Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) technology as an example, declaring that the Redmond software giant has been ‘slaughtered, wiped out, taken from market dominance to irrelevance’ by the open-source product. ” (Application Development Trends, 4/14/03)

Competition is fierce

Business Drivers

• Global competition

• Profit pressure

• Market differentiation

• Responsiveness

• Link to increased business value

Delicate balance between stable, yet agile infrastructure

Topic Duration





• Quiz 25 minutes


Today’s agenda

Topic Duration


• Quiz 25 minutes





Today’s agenda

• Network Management

• See web site for reading

• Quiz on Network Management

• Operations Management (start)

Topics for April 24

End of slides - extra slides follow

Network Management

Definition

The set of activities required to plan, install, monitor and maintain all network components in order to achieve specified service levels reliably, at an acceptable and agreed cost

Importance of business focus in network solutions

• Organizations need to view the network as critical to the lifeline of the business and ensure the network is serving the needs of their business

• A complete solution involves managing the network and all its components which includes the business processes and user’s needs

• The solution should also provide a method that shows the business processes, the business units, and who will be impacted by the problem

• Administrators will need to proactively manage the network through policy based procedures instead of reacting to user’s complaints

Network management architecture

Source: Cisco

Documents

IS 483 Information Systems Management James Nowotarski 17 April 2003