Evolution of

Information Technology
Infrastructure
BA 572 - Week 1
Definitions
Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure:
physical facilities, services and management
that support computing resources
Information Technology
Hardware
Software
Database
Telecommunications & Networks
IT personnel
Definitions
Information Systems (IS) Architecture: the
plan that aligns IT infrastructure with
business needs
Help people effectively fulfill their information
needs
Note that the term Information Architecture is
now being used to describe process of designing
web sites

Performance Metrics
ROI
How does IT add value?
What is purpose of IT applications?
Automate
Facilitate/Informate
Enable

Adapted from "Intranets and Middleware", HBR 397-118.
S1
1960
1980
1990
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2000
PC/LAN
Client/Server
db
db
db
Distributed
db
db
db db db
Web Services
Mainframe
Evolution of Information Technology Infrastructure
Data Processing Era
IT Infrastructure (host-centric processing)
Hardware: Mainframe with text-based terminals
Software: Independent functional applications
Served one purpose
Data Storage: independent files for each
functional application
Telecommunications: Limited support of
distributed operations
IT Personnel: technically oriented
Mainframe
IS Architecture:
Transaction Processing System (TPS)
Emerged in the early days of IS
Collect, store, and process transactions
Source documents are basis for input
Perform routine, repetitive tasks
Found in all functions of an organization
If they fail, the whole organization may suffer
Automate highly structured decision processes
Payroll
Mainframe
IS Architecture:
Management Information System (MIS)
Convert/use TPS data to support monitoring
Alert managers to problems or opportunities
Provide periodic and routine reports
e.g., summary reports, exception reports, comparison
reports
Provide structured information to support decision
making
Resulted in Information overload

Mainframe
IS Architecture:
Centralized Corporate Structure
Executive
Operational
Managerial
Inbound
Logistics
Purchasing
Raw
Materials
Production Finished
Goods
Outbound
Logistics
Sales
Functional Transaction
Processing System
Management
Information System
Mainframe
Micro-Computing Era
IT Infrastructure (PC environment)
Hardware: PCs (low cost compared to mainframe)
Software: Individual PC applications
Data storage: Individual files linked to apps
Telecommunications: low-speed LANs
IT Personnel: technically oriented & mainframe
biased
PC/LAN
IS Architecture:
Decision Support Systems
Proliferation of desktop applications
Why?
TPS/MIS were not providing information needed to
support decisions
End-user development
Undocumented spreadsheet models
Proliferation of localized data storage
PC/LAN
db
db
db
db
IS Architecture
Executive
Operational
Managerial
Inbound
Logistics
Purchasing
Raw
Materials
Production Finished
Goods
Outbound
Logistics
Sales
Functional Transaction
Processing System
Management
Information System
Desktop Decision
Support System
PC/LAN
Client/Server Era
IT Infrastructure (distributed computing
environment)
Hardware: PCs and Specialized Servers
Software: Facilitating
Data storage: Distributed Relational database and
centralized warehouse
Telecommunications: high-speed LANs
Network: Client/Server
IT Personnel: technically skilled, business oriented
Information Systems architecture?
Share applications and data within and across functional
areas
Client/Server
db
Facilitating Software Systems
Office automation
IT for office employees
Document tracking, communication, scheduling, etc.

Client/Server
db
Facilitating Software Systems
(contd)
Decision Support Systems
Provide information to support semi-structured
decision making
Effectiveness focus
Expert Systems
Knowledge-base integrated with DSS
Most are rule-based systems that process facts, not
numbers
Credit evaluation
Cisco/DELL tech support


Client/Server
db
Database Approaches
Centralized
All data in one location
Promotes maintenance and security
Subject to single point of failure

Client/Server
db
Database Approaches
Distributed data management
Get data closer to applications
Replicated
Complete copies in multiple locations
Significant overhead
Partitioned
Each location has portion of database
Data management becomes an issue
Complex Concurrency Control
db
db
db
Distributed
db
db
Transactions used to interact with a relational
client-server database
For each transaction, OLTP typically deals with
a small number of rows from the tables
The transactions are typically highly
structured, repetitive and have predetermined
outcomes
E.g., orders, changing customer address, etc.

Online Transaction
Processing
db
db
db
Distributed
db
db
Client/Server Systems
Executive
Operational
Managerial
Inbound
Logistics
Purchasing
Raw
Materials
Production Finished
Goods
Outbound
Logistics
Sales
Functional Transaction
Processing System
Client/Server
System
db db db db db
db
Network Era
(Distributed Computing)
IT Infrastructure (distributed computing
environment)
Hardware: PCs and high-end Servers
Software: Enabling, enterprise-wide
Data storage: Distributed Relational Database
Telecommunications: high-speed WAN
Network: Middleware
IT Personnel: still technical, but business
awareness

db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Introduction of
Middleware
Software that makes it possible for systems on
different platforms to communicate with each
other.
Allows applications to talk to each other
Consistent Application Program Interface (API)
Code application to talk to middleware, not underlying
resources
Upgrade/modify underlying resources without needing
to modify applications
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Object Request Broker
(ORB)
ORB involves synchronous communication
and location/platform transparency.
ORB uses object-oriented programming
methods.
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
ORB (contd)
ORB architecture:
ORB
Client
Remote Service
locate
service
activate
service
establish connection
communicate
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
File Sharing
Napster:
ORB
Request
Stored Files
locate
service
activate
service
establish connection
communicate
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Peer-to-Peer
File Sharing
Kazaa:
Request
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Advantages of ORB
Middleware
Anonymous interaction among applications
Integrate new client/server applications with
existing legacy, mission-critical applications
Easier development environment
Reduce cost
Improve time-to-market of applications
Enables distributed data environment
Enables dynamic web applications
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Disadvantages of ORB
Middleware
Switching costs are high
Upgrade from previous Middleware solutions
Requires high technical expertise
Tend to outsource
Lengthy deployment time

db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Unresolved Issues
with ORB
Security
Scalability
Related to network capacity
Rapidly changing technologies


db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
DBMS Applications
With advent of high-speed, distributed
architectures, expanded our use of database
beyond capturing and storing transaction data
Knowledge Discovery
Process of extracting useful knowledge from volumes
of data
Supported by:
Massive data collection (Data Warehouse/Data Marts)
Multiprocessor computing
On-line Analytical Processing (OLAP)/Data mining


db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Data Warehouse
Collection of data in support of decision making
process that is:
Subject-oriented: organized by entity, not application
Integrated: stored in one place, even though it originated
from a variety of sources
Crosses functional boundaries of an organization
Time-variant: represents a snapshot at one point in time
Nonvolatile: data is read-only
Typically very large

db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Multidimensional
Database
OLTP not good when doing analysis of
data poor performance
OLAP on-line analytical processing
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Slice and Dice an OLAP Cube
Advantages of OLAP
All hierarchical or aggregated values can be
pre-calculated in the cube rather than
accessing the Warehouse
Major reduction in query time
Each cube makes business sense
Not normalized data structures
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Multidimensional
Database (contd)
Data marts
Scaled-down version of a data warehouse that
focuses on a specific area
e.g., a department, a business process
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Massive Data Analysis
Data mining
Provides a means to extract patterns and
relationships
Example: Analyze sales data to identify products that
may be attractive to a customer
Amazon.com buyer suggestions
Two capabilities
Automated prediction of trends and behaviors
Automated discovery of previously unknown patterns
Example: Shopping cart analysis
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
Network Enabling Software
Supplier Customer
Enterprise
Wide Systems
Enterprise
Wide Systems
Enterprise
Wide Systems
Supply Chain
Management
Customer
Relationship
Management
db db db db
Distributed Computing
Middleware
IT Infrastructure (Web-enabled)
Hardware: Low-end PC with Browser, high-end
Servers
Software: Web extensions
Database: Distributed Relational
Network: Use IP-based standards
Telecommunications: broadband
IT Personnel: Business analysts, technical
specialties
Internet Era
Business use of the Internet:
Electronic Commerce
E-business:
Subset of e-commerce
Transactions between
business partners
Individual
Enterprise
Supplier/
Customer
Internet
Intranet
Extranet
B2C: Internet
B2B: Extranet
B2E: Intranet
Web-based Solutions
Early attempts to incorporate WWW into
inter-organizational systems
Static, state-less web pages
Complicated navigation
Not connected to underlying data
Page not dynamically updated when data changes



Hurdles for web services
Standards are evolving, not set
Security
Web services do not 'solve' interoperability
between applications
Hence need ERP
db db db
Web Services