Ch 4. Telecommunications, the Internet, Intranets, and Extranets

  • Supply chain management might use telecommunications and networks the most among all business functions

    • Telecommunications are electronic transmission of signals for communications
    • telecommunications medium: any material substance that carries an electronic signal to support communications between a sending and receiving device
    • Telecommunications devices relay signals between computer systems and transmission media
  • Channel Bandwidth: is the rate at which data is exchanged.

  • Broadband communications are telecommunication systems that can exchange data very quickly

  • Communications Media: are the means of delivering and receiving data or information

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  • Guided transmission media types include:

    • Wireless technologies
    • Microwave transmission
    • 3G/4G wireless communications
    • Worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX)

    Telecommunications devices

  • Wireless technologies: Wireless telecommunications involves the broadcast of communications in one of three frequency ranges → microwave, radio, and infrared

  • Microwave transmission: high frequency (300MHz-300GHz) signal sent through the air

  • 3G wireless communications: supports wireless voice broadband speed data communications in a mobile environment

  • 4G wireless communications: 4G will also provide increased data transmission rates in the 20-40 Mbps range

    • Worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX)
    • Operated like wifi, only over greater distances and at faster transmission speeds

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  • Telecommunications Hardware: Smartphones:

    • Have their own software operating systems
    • Applications are developed by: manufacturers, operators of the communications network on which they operate, third-party software developers
    • Modem, Fax modem, Multiplexer, PBX, Front-end processor, Switch, Bridge, Router

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  • Networks and Distributed Processing

    • Computer network: consists of communications media, devices, and software needed to connect two or more computer systems or devices

    • Can transmit and receive information to improve organisation effectiveness and efficiency

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  • Network types:

    1. Personal area networks (PAN): support interconnection of information technology within a range of about 33 feet
    2. Local area network (LAN): connect computer systems and devices within a small area (office/home)
    3. Metropolitan area networks (MAN): connect users and their devices in a geographical area that spans a campus or city
    4. Wide area networks (WAN): connect large geographic regions
    • In a typical LAN, all network users within an office can connect to each other's devices for rapid communication.

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  1. Distributed Processing:

    • Centralised processing: all processing occurs in a single location or facility
    • Decentralised processing: processing devices are places at various remote locations
    • Distributed processing: processing devices are placed at remote locations but are connected to each other via a network
  2. Client/server systems:

    • Client/server Architecture: multiple computer programs are dedicated to special functions

    • Server: distributes programs and data to other computer (clients) on the network as they request them

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  • Telecommunications software

    1. Network Operating system (NOS): systems software that controls the computer systems and devices on a network
    2. Network management software: protects software from being copied, modified, or downloaded illegally
    • Located telecommunications errors and potential network problems

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  • Use of the Internet/How it works:

    • ARPANET: ancestor of the internet
    • Internet Protocol (IP): enables computers to route communications traffic from one network to another
    • IP Protocol: set of rules to pass packets from one host to another
    • IP Address: 64-bit number that identifies a computer on the internet
    • Uniform Resource Locator (URL): web address that specific the exact location of a web page
    • Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN):
    • Responsible for managing IP addresses and the internet domain names
    • Has authority to resolve domain name disputes

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  • Domain Name ID: The internet routes data packets over the network backbone from route to route to reach their destinations

    • Com → business sites
    • Gov → government sites
    • Net → networking sites
    • Edu → educational sites
    • Org → non-profit organisation sites
    • Mobi → mobile-compatible sites for smartphones

    Computer Web

  • Accessing the Internet: access method determined by the size and capability of your organisation or system

    • Connect via LAN server:  business LAN servers are typically connected to their internet at very fast data rates
    • Connecting via internet service providers: an ISP is any organisation that provides internet access to people

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  • Cloud Computing: Computer environment in which software and storage are provided as an internet service and accessed with a web browser
    • Extremely scalable and often takes advantage of virtualisation technologies
  • Advantages to businesses:
    • Businesses can save on system design, installation, and maintenance
    • Employees can access corporate systems from any internet-connected computer

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  • World Wide Web & How it Works: Originally created as an internal document management system, and has become:
    • Primary source of information and news
    • Indispensable conduit for commerce
    • A popular hub for social interaction, entertainment, and communication

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  • The Internet: made up of computers, network hardware such as routers and fiber-optic cables, software, and the TCP/IP protocol
  • The Web: consists of server and client software, the hypertext transfer protocol (http), and mark-up languages that combine to deliver information and services over the internet

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  • It works using:
    • Hyperlink: highlighted text or graphics in a web document that, when clicked, opens a new web page
    • Web browser: web client software such as internet explorer, firefox, and safari used to view web pages
    • Hypertext markup language (HTML): standard page description language for web pages
    • HTML tags: tell the web browser how to format text
    • Extensible markup language (XML): markup language for web documents containing structured information
    • Cascading style sheet (CSS): markup language that defines the visual appearance of content in a web page

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  • Web Programming Languages:

    1. Java:
    • Object oriented programming language from sun microsystems based on C++
    • Allows small programs (applets) to be embedded within an HTML document
    1. Other documents: JavaScript, VBScript, ActiveX
    2. Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)
  • Web services: Standards and tools that streamline and simplify communication among web sites

    • XML: the key to web services

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  • Developing Web Content:

    • Web publishing tools: .NET, Bubbler, Homestead QuickSites, and JobSpot
    • Mashup: named for the process of mixing two or more hip-hop sings into one song

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  • Popular uses for the Internet and Web:

    • Publishing information
    • Assisting users in finding information
    • Supporting communication and collaboration
    • Building online community
    • Providing software applications
    • Providing a platform for expressing ideas
    • Delivering media of all types
    • Providing a platform for commerce
    • Supporting travel and navigation \n
  • Online Information Sources:

    • Business information: businesses often use internet and web-based systems for knowledge management
    • Search Engines: enable you to find information on the web by specifying keywords (example: google)

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  • Rich Internet Applications: software that has the functionality and complexity of traditional application software but does not require local installation and runs in a web browser
    • Result of continuously improving programming languages and platforms designed for the web

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  • Intranet: internal corporate network built using internet and world wide web standards and technologies

  • Extranet: network that links selected resources of a company’s intranet with its customers, suppliers, or other business partners

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