IT Infrastructure

1
IT Infrastructure Emerging Technologies

• Prof M Benyoucef
• benyoucef_at_telfer.uottawa.ca
• [phone], 4787
• Office DMS 6144

2
The Computer Systemwhat

• The computer is a physical device that receives
  data as input, processes that data according to
  stored instructions, and outputs the processed
  information

3
The Computer Systemhardware components
Long term storage outside the CPU and RAM
Get data from the outside into the computer
Transmit data control
Connect to a network directly or through a phone
line
Display info
Temporary Storage of data programs
4
The Computer Systemmicroprocessor

• Microprocessor
• CPU on a single chip
• Determines the computers processing power
• Processing power measured by
• Word length number of bits processed at one time
• Bus width amount of data that can be moved
  between the CPU and other devices
• Cycle speed measured in megahertz (MHz)
  determines execution speed

Microprocessor
RAM Chip
ROM Chip
Source http//www.howstuffworks.com
5
IT Infrastructure2 definitions
IT Infrastructure
As a set of services
As a technology
- Computing (desktops, mainframes, ) -
Telecommunications (data networks, ) - Data
management (store, analyze, ) - Application
software (ERP, ) - Physical facilities
management - IT management (IT expenditures, ) -
IT standards (which IT to use, ) - IT
education - IT Research Development
- Hardware - Software
Focus Capacity speed of the infrastructure
Focus Business value of the infrastructure
6
IT Infrastructure Evolutionaccounting machines

• Specialized, large, cumbersome machines
• Controlled by a human operator

7
IT Infrastructure Evolutionmainframes

• Powerful computers that support thousands of
  remote terminals connected through proprietary
  protocols and data lines
• Commercialized by IBM (mainframes) and DEC
  (minicomputers)
• Use an operating system

8
IT Infrastructure Evolutionpersonal computers

• Standalone computer systems
• IBM PC (1981) - operating system Dos, windows
• Led to personal productivity software (e.g., MS
  Office) at home and at work

9
IT Infrastructure Evolutioncentralized vs.
distributed

• Centralized Processing
• All processing accomplished by one large central
  computer
• Distributed Processing
• Distribution of processing among multiple
  computers
• e.g., Client-Server
• processing split between clients and servers
  on the network

Requests
Server
Client
Data services

• Application function
• Data
• - Network resources

• Application function
• User interface

10
IT Infrastructure Evolutionclient-server
Two-tiered client server

• Desktop or laptop computer (called client)
  networked to a server (mainframe or powerful PC)
  that provides services
• Both clients and servers have processing
  capabilities
• The server processes shared data (e.g., your U
  drive on the Telfer Servers), delivers web pages,
  gives access to shared printers,

11
IT Infrastructure Evolutionmulti-tiered client
server
Multi-tiered client server

• Client requests for service are handled by
  several levels of servers
• Web server serves web pages
• Application server gives access to internal
  systems and databases (inventory, prices, )

12
IT Infrastructure Evolutionenterprise network

• Internet became widespread, a tool for doing
  business
• Standards TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol
  / Internet protocol), HTML, XML, Java
  technologies,
• Using Internet standards, the IT infrastructure
  links different computer hardware into an
  enterprise network

13
IT Infrastructure EvolutionMoores law

• Computing power doubles every 18 months
• The price of computing falls by half every 18
  months
• This is due to the increase in the number of
  components (transistors) that can be included on
  a computer chip
• The future?
• RFID (radio frequency identification) Tags will
  be on every consumer good
• Nanotechnology uses individual atoms and
  molecules to create computer chips

14
IT Infrastructure Evolutionother laws

• Amount of digital information produced
• Cost of storing digital information
• Cost of communications
• Size of the Internet
• Acceptance of standards (by business and
  consumers)

15
Hardware Trends grid computing

• Most computers only use their computing power 25
  of the time (75 of the time theyre idle)
• Grid computing connects remote computers to
  create a virtual super computer by combining
  the unused power of all computers on the grid
• Uses the Internet to connect computers to the
  grid
• Used for applications that require heavy
  computing (modeling, simulations, forecasting, )
• Advantages
• cost savings speed

16
Hardware Trends grid computing
Program
Program
Grid software controls allocates resources on
the grid divides the program into smaller tasks
CPU
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Task 4
Task 5
Regular computing
Grid computing
CPU
CPU
CPU
CPU
CPU
17
Hardware Trends on-demand computing

• Firms purchase additional processing power from
  large computer service firms and have that power
  delivered over a network when needed
• The idea is to
• Invest in an in-house IT infrastructure to handle
  the regular load
• Use on-demand computing only when demand
  increases (e.g., around the Christmas shopping
  season)
• Pay per use
• ? shifts the IT cost from fixed to variable
• ? lowers operation costs

18
Hardware Trends autonomic computing

• Computer systems are complex, hard to manage
• 1/3 to 1/2 of the IT budget is spent on
  recovering from system failures
• 40 of failures caused by human errors
• No company can afford a system crash, especially
  if it sells online (the 24/7 promise)
• Autonomic computing systems configure
  themselves, optimize and tune themselves, heal
  themselves when broken, and protect themselves
  from dangers
• Available today automatic virus protection,
  firewalls, automatic software updates, etc.

19
Hardware Trends edge computing

• Edge computing is a load-balancing scheme for
  Web-based applications
• Processing load distributed closer to the user
  handled by lower-cost servers
• Increased service levels

Firms Web-based Application
Edge Computing Platform (lower cost server)
? closer to the client ? increased
service levels
20
Software Trendsopen source software

• Produced by a community of programmers from
  around the world
• Free, can be modified, usually not restricted to
  a software/hardware platform, but mainly
  developed for UNIX, Linux
• Supposed to be superior in quality as thousands
  of programmers participated in developing and
  perfecting it

21
Software Trendsmiddleware

• Used to integrate enterprise applications in the
  absence of enterprise systems (such as ERP)

Incompatibility ? cant talk
Application 1
Application 2
Enterprise Application Integration
(EAI) Middleware
22
Software Trendsweb services

• A Web Service is a self contained application
  that provides a computation upon request
• A Web Service is an application
• available on the network
• runs when invoked
• returns an answer

23
Software Trendsweb services

• HTML HyperText Markup Language
• XML eXtensible Markup Language
• HTML is about displaying data
• XML is about describing data
• Tags are predefined in HTML
• In XML you define your own tags

Your Company
Browser
Online Data Source (e.g., Statistics Canada)
HTML
Software Application
data
XML
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Software Trendsweb services
Browser
lthtmlgt ltbody bgcolor"yellow"gt ltpgt lth1gt Morad
Benyoucef lt/h1gt lthrgt School of management
ltbrgt University of Ottawa lt/pgt lt/bodygt lt/htmlgt
HTML
lt?xml version"1.0"?gt ltemployeegt ltfirstgt Morad
lt/first gt ltlastgt Benyoucef lt/lastgt ltschoolgt
Management lt/schoolgt ltuniversitygt Ottawa
lt/universitygt lt/employee gt
Software Application
XML
25
Software Trendsweb services
Providers
Company 1
Internet
Requestor
Credit Checking Service
Your Company
request
response
Company 2
Software Application
Verify Shipping Address Service
request
response
Company 3
request
Other Service
The exchange is done in XML
response
26
Software Trendsapplication service providers
(ASP)

• A business delivers manages applications and
  computer services for multiple organizations
  using the Internet or private networks
• Organizations pay for the use of the software on
  a subscription or per-transaction basis
• Clients only need desktop computers and web
  browsers
• Example
• CRM on demand by www.Salesforce.com

27
Software Trendsapplication service providers
(ASP)

• Advantages
• Avoid the expense and complexity of installing,
  operating, and maintaining an IT infrastructure
• The ASP model enables small companies to have
  access to software that they otherwise could not
  afford

28
Exercisediscussion question 2 (page 185)

• Should organizations use application service
  providers (ASP) for all their software needs?
  What factors should be considered when making
  this decision?

29
Exercisediscussion question 2 (page 185)

• Answers

30
Managing the IT infrastructurewhat is expected

• Prices
• Sizes
• Power
• Complexity
• Any platform (laptop, cell phone, PDA, kiosk,
  etc.) gives access to the same applications

31
Managing the IT infrastructureneed to understand

• Capacity Planning process of predicting the
  computing power required for present future
  needs
• Scalability ability of a system to expand
  without breaking down
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) includes initial
  purchase costs, cost of hardware and software
  upgrades, maintenance, technical support, and
  training