6 lecture it infrastructure and platforms. objectives define it infrastructure and describe the...

6Lecture

IT Infrastructure and IT Infrastructure and PlatformsPlatforms

IT Infrastructure and IT Infrastructure and PlatformsPlatforms

OBJECTIVES

• Define IT infrastructure and describe the components and levels of IT infrastructure

• Assess contemporary computer hardware platform trends

• Assess contemporary software platform trends

Management Information SystemsManagement Information SystemsLecture 6 Lecture 6 IT Infrastructure and PlatformsIT Infrastructure and Platforms

IT INFRASTRUCTURE

Defining IT Infrastructure


• Includes hardware, software, and services

• A set of physical devices and software applications that are required to operate the entire enterprise

• Your firm is largely dependent on its infrastructure for delivering services to customers, employees, and suppliers.

• You can think of infrastructure as digital plumbing, but its much more than that!

IT INFRASTRUCTURE

The Connection between the Firm, IT Infrastructure, and Business Capabilities


Figure 6-1

IT INFRASTRUCTURE

Levels of IT InfrastructureLevels of IT Infrastructure


Three major levels of infrastructure:

• Public

• Enterprise

• Business unit

IT INFRASTRUCTURE

A Multitiered Client/Server Network (N-tier)


Figure 6-4

IT INFRASTRUCTURE

The Capacity of Hard Disk Drives Grows Exponentially, 1980–2004


Figure 6-8Source: Authors.

IT INFRASTRUCTURE

Exponential Declines in Internet Communications Costs


Figure 6-10Source: Authors.

• Computer Hardware Platforms

• Operating System Platforms

• Enterprise Software Applications

• Data Management and Storage


INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS

Seven Key Infrastructure Components

• Networking/Telecommunications Platforms

• Internet Platforms

• Consulting and System Integration Services



Seven Key Infrastructure Components (Continued)


Computer Hardware Platforms Computer Hardware Platforms

•Dominance of Intel, AMD, and IBM 32-bit processor chips at the client level

•Server market increasingly dominated by inexpensive generic processors from the same manufacturers



• Strong server market growth for 64 bit generic processors from AMD, Intel and IBM

• Blade servers replace box servers

• Mainframes continue as a presence working as very large servers


Computer Hardware Platforms (Continued)


Operating System Platforms

• Continued dominance of Microsoft OS in the client (95%) and handheld market (45%)

• Growing dominance of Linux (UNIX) in the corporate server market (85%)

• Windows 2002 and 2003 Server remains strong in smaller enterprises and workgroup networks



Enterprise Software Applications

• SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft (now Oracle), and Siebel dominate this market.



Data Management and Storage

• Oracle and IBM continue to dominate the database software market.

• Microsoft (SQL Server) and Sybase tend to serve smaller firms.

• Open source Linux MySQL now supported by HP and most consulting firms as an inexpensive, powerful database used mostly in small to mid-size firms.



• Open-source Apache remains the dominant Web server software, followed by Microsoft’s IIS server.

• Sun’s Java grows as the most widely used tool for interactive Web applications.

• Microsoft and Sun settle a long-standing law suit and agree to support a common Java.


Internet Platforms


• Integration services involves integrating data, and applications in a firm.

• Connecting new applications and systems to legacy systems


Consulting and System Integration Services


Grid Computing:

• Involves connecting geographically remote computers into a single network capable of working in parallel on business problems that require short-term access to large computational capacity

• Rather than purchase huge mainframes or super computers, firms can chain together thousands of smaller desktop clients into a single computing grid.

CONTEMPORARY HARDWARE PLATFORM TRENDS


• Most computers in the world are loafing, and at night they are sleeping.

• It is estimated that from 25% - 50% of the computing power in the United States is unused.

• Grid computing saves infrastructure spending, increases speed of computing, and increases the agility of firms.


Grid Computing (Continued)


Autonomic Computing:

• Computer systems (both hardware and software) have become so complex that the cost of managing them has risen.

• Thirty to fifty percent of a company’s IT budget is spent preventing or recovering from system crashes.

• Operator error is the most common cause of crashes.



Autonomic computing is an industry-wide effort to develop systems that can:

• Configure, optimize, and tune themselves• Heal themselves when broken • Protect themselves from outside intruders and

self-destruction

• Example: Windows XP and Max X OS automatically download patches and updates.



• Linux is the most widely used open-source software program. Linux is an operating system derived from Unix.

• Mozilla Firefox browser and Thunderbird mail clients are the most widely used open-source applications. Others include MySQL.

• IBM, HP, Intel, Dell, and Sun have adopted and support Linux. Linux is a major alternative to Windows server and even client operating systems.

CONTEMPORARY SOFTWARE PLATFORM TRENDS

The Rise of Linux and Open-Source Software


Java: • Independent, processor-independent, object-

oriented programming language

• Applications written in Java can run on any hardware for which a Java virtual machine has been defined.

• Java is embedded in PDAs, cell phones, and browsers.

• Java is a leading interactive programming environment for the Web.


Java Is Everywhere


Web Services and Service-Oriented ArchitectureWeb Services and Service-Oriented Architecture

Web Services:

• An alternative to enterprise systems is to use new Web-based standards to create a communication platform allowing older applications to communicate with newer applications.

• Web services refers to a set of loosely coupled software components that exchange information with each other using Web communication standards and languages.



• Web services permit computer programs to communicate with one another and share information without rewriting applications, or disturbing older legacy systems.

• Web services are based on XML, and standards like SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI to create this communication environment.


Web Services and Service-Oriented Architecture Web Services and Service-Oriented Architecture (Continued)(Continued)


Service-Oriented Architecture

• SOA refers to the use of Web services in a firm to achieve integration among disparate applications and platforms.

• A firm might have applications (payroll) running on older AS400 IBM machines, IBM mainframes (customer data and inventory) and newer applications running on client/server networks.



• In SOA, these applications are integrated so that information stored on various systems can be brought together and fed into newer applications running on more contemporary equipment.

• SOA is generally less expensive than rebuilding all the older applications and adopting a new enterprise wide system.


Service-Oriented Architecture (Continued)


Software OutsourcingSoftware Outsourcing

• Today large and small firms purchase most of their software from outside vendors.

Three kinds of outsourcing:

• Purchase of software packages

• Using application service providers

• Custom outsourcing



Application Service Providers:

• A business that delivers and manages applications and computer services from remote computer centers to multiple users using the Internet or a private network



Application Service Providers:

• Rather than purchase hardware and software, firms can

go onto the Internet and find providers who offer the

same functionality over the entertainment, and charge on

a per-user or license basis.

• Example: Salesforce.com provides customer relationship

management and sales force management services to

firms


MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND SOLUTIONS


Management Opportunities:

Because of changes in hardware and software

platforms, firms face significant new opportunities to

obtain hardware and software capabilities

that are more reliable, less costly, and more flexible

than in the past.


• Experiment with new technologies on a smaller scale before taking up a large-scale infrastructure project.


Starting out small:


Total cost of ownership of technology assets: When calculating the costs of systems, be sure to include all the costs:

• Hardware acquisition• Software acquisition• Installation• Training• Support• Maintenance• Infrastructure requirements• Downtime• Space and energy


6 lecture it infrastructure and platforms. objectives define it infrastructure and describe the...

Documents

infrastructure levels

key infrastructure components

major levels of infrastructure

platforms figure

corporate server market

client level server

handheld market

ibm blade servers