Systems Analysis and Designfor the Small Enterprise

Chapter 13

Networking

Chapter Objectives

When you complete this chapter you will be able to:• Describe the key hardware issues relating to the system

under development• Describe the key software issues relating to the system

under development• Install an information system that complies with the

computer’s hardware and system software environment• Describe how networking technology influences small-

enterprise information systems• Describe how Internet and intranet technologies influence

small-enterprise information systems

The PC Solution

Inherent in the small-enterprise project is the assumption that a desktop computer could function as the hardware platform for the information system. This assumption includes the possibility, perhaps inevitability, that the system will include several desktop computers networked together.

Regardless of the number of computers employed in the system, there are several fundamental desktop-related issues the analyst must consider.

Figure 13-1: Evolution of the PC Microprocessor

Figure 13-2: PC Hardware Diagram

Figure 13-3: Critical Hardware Performance Issues and Acronyms

Figure 13-4: PC Operating System Diagram

Figure 13-5: Critical System Software Issues

Figure 13-6: System Environment

Users

InformationSystems

4GL Products

System Software

System Hardware

Networking Solutions

Networking is fast becoming the accepted baseline standard for information systems of all sizes.

The small enterprise can begin with a simple modem connection to the Internet and a peer-to-peer network, and then progress to a local or even wide area network.

The analyst working on a small-enterprise’s first-time information system should be alert to the future networking requirements of the enterprise, even if the present design does not include a network.

Figure 13-10: Network Diagram

Figure 13-11: Wireless LAN Diagram

Figure 13-12: File Server Diagram

Figure 13-13: Database Server Diagram

Figure 13-14: Network Productivity Products

Internet, Intranet, and Extranet Solutions

Peer-to-peer and local area networks are confined to relatively small geographic areas. Internet, intranet, and extranet provide the potential for limitless extension of the enterprise network.

Until fairly recently, these networking extensions merely provided a transporting medium for information products. Now there are powerful tools and languages that permit the analyst to distribute both data and computer processing to multiple network resources (e.g., clients, database servers), thus relieving the server’s processor of workload and reducing the volume of data transmission traffic on the network.

Figure 13-18: Extranet Diagram

Figure 13-19: Data-Driven Web Page Scenario

Figure 13-20: Client/Server Database Model

N-tier Service Architecture

Figure 13-21: Web-Accessible Database Options

Chapter Summary

•The analyst must address diverse hardware and software issues:

•Hardware: speedmemorystorage

•Software: user interfacingresource managementresource sharing

•Networking hardware and software decisions complicate this process.