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

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

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

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

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.

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
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 2. Other documents: JavaScript, VBScript, ActiveX 3. Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)

Web services: Standards and tools that streamline and simplify communication among web sites * XML: the key to web services

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

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)

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

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