Data Communication and Networking

Implementation of ERP

This document highlights the need for a better intra and inter communication model in an organization for developing an efficient model of communication, thus saving on time and money.

Neha ShokeenSaluja S. TirkeySameer PauriyalShashank Kaushik4/27/2010

INTRODUCTION

This project involves the implementation of ERP (Enterprise resource Planning) in Rajasthan Spinning And Weaving Mills, Banswara. The initial mode of communication was paper and phone. This type of communication led to data redundancy and data loss. Hence we propose the planning and networking through ERP. This will be entirely through computer and all the problems faced earlier will be eradicated. This new mode of communication will be faster and data loss and redundancy will be minimum.

SOLUTION: IMPLEMENTATION OF ERP AND CONNECTION THROUGH WIRELESS LAN

ERP applications are becoming increasingly complex. With an aim to cover all aspects of anenterprise, ERP Vendors are looking at finding solutions for highly niche areas in enterprisemanagement or acquiring products to find solutions. Integration of additional features toimprove enterprise management is also fuelling the complexity. From basic documentpublication solutions to tracking inventory movements using RFID all types of features aregetting embedded into ERP applications.Implementing an ERP product involves huge financial outflow and effort because of theimpact it can have across the Organization. Industry specific and region specific requirementstogether with basic business functions add to the complexity of implementation. Businessprocess changes, increased transparency in executing various business functions and stricttime monitoring of execution of tasks bring in major change in the way employees operate.Often IT professionals confront situations of managing ERP projects either from the

implementation part team or from the Organization’s IT team that is implementing ERPproduct. This document is aimed at providing a high level introduction to a typical ERPimplementation project covering various phases, deliverables of each of the phase and issuesto watch. This may help as a basic guideline to start understanding your role as a projectmanager on either side for an ERP implementation project.

Phases of ImplementationVarious ERP products use different methodologies which are more of variants of a basicmodel. The implementation methodology explained below is a basic model. This covers eachof the phases relevant for ERP implementation. If you are implementing a specific ERPproduct such as SAP or Oracle eBiz, please align this with the prescribed applicationimplementation methodology used for the application.

Project Initiation

During this phase all important structures for the implementation will be built. The strength of these foundations will determine the success of the implementation.

A few of the foundations to be created during this phase includesTeam Building – Very critical activity before starting of an implementation project. This involves different levels of team building.If you are managing the implementation team of a consulting partner then you need to build your team first because people join your project from different teams and you may not have emotional relationships built with all the team members.If you are managing the IT team of the Organization in which ERP Implementation project will kick off then, ensure that your IT team works like a team. You also need to take up team building activity involving your IT team and key users identified by the business.If you are managing the overall program, ensure that all the teams involved in the implementation including the team from

Project Initiation

Business Process Analysis

Solution Design

Development

the implementation partner, IT team to be involved in the implementation project and the key users from the business.

Communication Protocols – Second critical activity for the success of implementation project is setting up communication protocols. During this phase try to identify the influential members in each of the teams involved in the implementation – partner team, IT team and key users team who can exert influence on other members of their teams because of their knowledge, capability or nearness to the top management and channel the formal and information communications from those members.Project Charter – As a project manager it is important for you to publish the rules of the project and publish a list of key stakeholders and key members of the project. Create and publish a project charter covering the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders and members of the project, communication and reporting structures, activity out of scope, high level timelines and major risks with mitigation plans.This activity is critical for the project manager who is in‐charge of the whole project delivery. This may be from the implementation partner team or from the implementing Organization team.

Recasting the Project Plan – Being the project manager, you should take a re‐look at the project plan you have inherited. The first project plan normally created during the evaluation phase and may form part of the pre‐sales cycle when you are choosing the implementation partner. This plan will not be accurate because good amount of facts will not be clear during evaluation/pre‐sales phase and so it has to be reviewed and updated before starting the project.

Hardware and Software Requirements ‐ Since the project plan gets updated, the project impact will be much clearer at this

phase and hence hardware and software requirements arise during the project implementation should be planned and published at this level. This helps the stakeholders to plan their capital outflows appropriately.

Instance Planning ‐ Number of instances of the application required during the implementation cycle should be planned at this level.

Main Activities during the Project Initiation

Making of Project Charter and Reviewing and updating the Project Plan

Building strong implementation team involving all members of the implementation project.

Defining and establishing the project infrastructure such as hardware and software

Planning and establishing the application environments to be used by the project teams

Main Deliverables during this Phases

Project Charter covering the team structure, responsibility charters and communication protocols

Project Plan duly updated considering the new conditions and risks

Infrastructure requirements document Application Environments

Key Challenges

Establishing a communication protocol that is acceptable for all stakeholders in the project – user community, IT team members and implementation team.

Planning and establishing application instances to be used by different project team members. Striking consensus here is a bit challenging considering the balancing to be dong between budget availability and team requirements.

Business Process Analysis

Business Process Analysis is the first critical phase of the implementation project. During this phase the implementation team will document the current business process which is very critical to map the business process with the ERP delivered processes.This phase often overlaps with the Project Initiation phase because when the stakeholdersare busy establishing the infrastructure etc. the users and the implementation team members will work on documenting the business processes.

Current business processes

It is important to bring up all possible scenarios for discussion during this phase and findrequired answers relating to all questions the implementation team bring up for each of the business process. Any error in documenting a specific process may lead to huge rework during later phases which can be very expensive from the project perspective.While recording the current business process, it is important to document the business process flows covering all possible scenarios. Appropriate examples to describe each of the scenarios

will help improving the fitment with the delivered business process.In addition to building a strong foundation for the project by establishing all requirements in detail, this phase also is very critical from the perspective of establishing the relationship between the implementation and user teams. The amount of business knowledge and flexibility to understand industry specific practices displayed by the implementation team is a key factor for success during this phase.

Main Activities during the Business Process Analysis Phase

Making the implementation and business user teams working together

Studying each of the business process and documenting the critical flows

Making business process diagrams with appropriate examples

Main Deliverables during this Phase

Business Process Diagrams Current Business Practices or As‐Is process document

Key Challenges

Making the teams to think through all possible scenarios Building the business process diagrams covering all

possibilities and exceptions Makin the business and implementations strike a balance to

build a strong relationship which will be critical during next phases of implementation project

Solution Design

During solution design phase, the implementation team together with the user team will establish the required business processes to be configured in the ERP product. These processes might be existing business processes or changed business processes defined after a brainstorm between the implementation and user teams considering the features offered by the ERP product.During this phase all those features not covered by the delivered features of the ERP product will be identified and documented. Solution for all the requirements that can be configured within the ERP product will be created and workarounds of customizations for all those requirements which are identified as gaps considering the delivered features of the ERP product.Interface designs, security architecture and initial configuration of the application will be planned and documented.

To Be Business Processes

During an ERP implementation, implementing organizations always attempt to utilize the best practices to streamline the existing business process. This exercise will lead to a new business process from existing process which will lead to the final solution design for the organization.Though the attempt is not to lead towards a complete re‐engineering of the business process, certain amount of process corrections and streamlining the processes will be attempted.

Final Solution DesignDuring this phase a complete solution of the finalized business processes the implementing organization attempts to create for running their business operations will be created. The solution maps will drive the configuration of the initial set up data and conversion of data for reaching a desired state of the system.While making the solution maps from business processes mapped into the ERP application, the implementation team should attempt to find a near complete solution fitment within the application for all business processes.All the scenarios for which a direct solution is not available within the ERP application should be recorded as gaps before attempting the workarounds. If workaround solutions are attempted at the time of initial solution mapping the completeness of solution will suffer.

Conference Room PilotDuring this activity, all the agreed business processes and their respective mapping into the ERP applications will be discussed in detail by the implementation and the user’s teams. The implementation team will present each of the business process maps in the ERP application and bring up the clear gaps of the business requirements discussed and agreed upon.

The implementation team can bring up the alternate/workaround solutions for discussion during this phase.

Conversion PlanWhile designing the solutions, data from existing application should be planned.

Main Activities during the Solution Design phase

Defining the future business process or To Be scenarios for the business

Creation of detailed design books covering mapping of existing business processes with the delivered business processes of ERP product

Writing of functional specifications for all the features found to be not mapped with the delivered business processes.

Application Configuration for Conference Room Pilot Planning and designing interfaces and reports Designing application and user security matrix Identifying the qualified flows and planning Batch Schedules

for auto execution


Required or To Be Business Process Document Design Books showing the solution plans and sample

configurations Functional Specification Documents for Customizations,

Interfaces and Reports Application and User Security Matrix Batch Schedule Plan

Key Challenges

Key and feasible mapping acceptable to all stakeholders is very critical

It is important to cover all possible scenarios including exceptions. Any wrong mapping at this level can be found only during the UAT phase which can lead to project delays

All business process fitments in the ERP application should be showed to the users and allow them to check and get a signoff at this level

Any workaround solutions to be agreed during Conference Room Pilot for finding solution to any to be business process should be documented clearly and signed off to avoid conflicts during later phases.

Development

During the Development phase, most critical activities of the project will take place. Creating configurations to map the fit business processes, development of customizations and interfaces, creation of conversion scripts are the critical activities.During configuration the master configurations should be created to make the organization structure and other set ups. All required data relating to countries, currencies, chart of accounts, budgets, invoice types, voucher types and so on should be created in the configuration instance.A copy of the finally configured instance should be archived before progressing for the next phase.

Data ConversionDuring this phase the existing customer’s transaction data will be converted into the ERPapplication. The best practice for conversion is to convert the opening balances of the year and the open items up to the date of conversion using the data conversion scripts. The data should be provided by the user teams in a required format which can be used as input for the data conversion scripts.

Main Activities during the Development Phase

Creation of master and transaction configurations Development of Customizations, Interfaces and Reports Unit testing of all newly developed components Creation of conversion data and conversion scripts


Configurations Developed Components/Objects for Customizations,

Interfaces and Reports Data Conversion Files Data Conversion Scripts

Key Challenges

While creating Configurations it is important to explore optimum solutions else the solutions will not be convincing for the users.

It is important to execute functional unit test carefully to confirm the developed feature is confirming to the functional design.

If huge amount of data has to be converted, few important aspects should be considered

The users should be aware of the impact of huge amount of data conversion on their involvement for creation of data files and verification of data after conversion

If the more than one year finance data as to be converted important risk is to convert one full year data and have the finance books tallying in the financial year to populate the correct opening balances.

Testing

During the testing phase complete system testing with new customizations, interfaces and reports and User Acceptance Testing will have to be executed.

System and Integration TestingIf your implementation project have good amount of customizations it is important to test entire business flow

including the customized piece to ensure that the customization is not impacting the overall business process.Once all customizations tested, then the integrations among different modules and applications should be tested.If the implementation involves any modules that will be used by a huge number of users then load testing should also be performed. If the application should be accessed remotely or though a network then it is important to perform the network testing as well.User Acceptance TestingDuring this phase the finally configured system with converted data should be copied into a new instance to create the Test Environment.The test environment represents the possible live scenario and the testing by users on this instance can bring up the actual issues that need resolution to reach the Go Live phase.The users’ team should provide a list of scenarios they believe to be very critical and complex for their business and the implementation team should bring up the test cases to facilitate the testing of these scenarios. The test cases show a systematic flow showing which screen after which screen to be used, what data to be inserted and what is the expected outcome.This helps the users to navigate through the ERP system for testing the focused scenariosfaster and the results will be reliable as well because this can reduce the knowledge issues to a large extent.

Main Activities during the Testing Phase Functional Unit Testing Stress and Network Testing Creation of Test Scripts for User Acceptance Testing Execution of User Acceptance Testing


Test Scripts for User Acceptance TestingProduction

This is the preparation for Going Live. Production Instance should be created and initial configurations should be created in the system. The configured Production System should be used for configuring the Security as per the agreed Security Matrix. Opening Balances should be populated and the data conversion should be executed.

Main Activities during the Production Phase

Creation of Production Instance Execution of Security matrix Final Data conversion Main Deliverables during this Phase Final Production instance with configurations, security and

data

Key Challenges Security should be planned and executed considering all

constraints and compliance requirements such as SOX

Transition

During this phase the users’ team will be prepared to take over the fully configured ERPsystem to run for their business. The final configurations created in the production system will be documented for the purpose of user reference.The users will be trained on the application to understand and execute their business transactions comfortably. Training documentation including presentations and user guides will be created for the purpose of current and future users.

Main Activities during the Transition Phase

User Training Training Documentation Final configuration documentation for future reference


Final production configuration document Training Documentation

Key Challenges

User Training should cover practical scenarios to make the users understand and follow the training Training documentation should be simple and exhaustive

TECHNOLOGY USED: WIRELESS LAN

1.INTRODUCTION

A wireless LAN(WLAN) is a flexible data communication system implemented as an aextenction to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN within a building or campus using electromagnetic waves. WLAN transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections. Thus, WLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility, and, through simplified configuration, enable movable LANs.

Wireless LAN provide a new layer of flexibility and serves to environments and to users that cannot served by the traditional LAN. For users who are becoming highly mobile within their building environments, the wireless LAN could be the most effective way to couple them to their information and communication services .In wireless LAN the user must stay with in contact space provided by the wireless communication system.

2.NEED FOR WIRELESS LAN

Over the past few years , wired LANs have lost their need and interest to wireless LANs due to fact that some applications could not implement LANs. For instance, consider a warehouse where there is a need to track vehicles, movements of goods, locations etc..in support of logistics and distribution activity. Wiring LANs, the roving users can be in direct two-way contact with the full resources of the enterprises information systems . Similarly, situation in which people have to move around to various locations to perform their work are candidates for wireless LANs.

Such situations would include manufacturing stations, researchers, testers, health care providers. Wireless LANs can also move to higher power plateaus which will extend their distances from hundreds of feet to several tens of thousands of feet. Infact, with multiple capability of some of the wireless networks, this technology may be more far reaching than the wired wold. Adding wireless satellite broadcasting, would give you a global capability. These alternatives can make the wireless LAN world more flexible and support longer distances than the other options.

3.WLAN CONFIGURATION

The simplest WLAN configuration is an independent WLAN that connects a set of PCs with wireless adapters. Any time two or more wireless adapters are within range of each other, they can

set up an independent network. These on-demand networks typically require no administration or preconfiguration.Access points can extend the range of independent WLANs by acting as a repeater.Infrastructure WLANs, multiple access points link the WLAN to the wired network and allow users to efficiently share network resources. The access points not only provide communication with the wired network but also mediate wireless network traffic in the immediate neighborhood. Multiple access points can provide wireless coverage for an entire building or campus.

4.HOW WLAN WORKS

In wireless LANs the users or clients access the data or information from the server through the Access Point. This access point is working as a bridge between Ethernet LAN and wireless LAN.The media between client and access point is space.The data is to be transferred in the form of Micro waves or Spread Spectrum of Infraredtechnique. In all this the transmitters and receivers handle the data transfer between client and server.

1.SPREAD SPECTRUMM TECHNOLOGYMost wireless LAN systems use spread-spectrum technology, a wide band radio frequency technique developed by the military for use in reliable, secure, mission-critical communications systems. Spread-spectrum is designed to trade off bandwidth efficiency for reliability, integrity, and security. There are two types of spread spectrum radio:

2.INFRARED TECHNOLOGYInfrared (IR) systems use very high frequencies, just below visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum, to carry data.Like light, IR

cannot penetrate opaque objects; it is either directed of diffuse technology.

3.MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGYMicrowave WLANs use the frequencies in the 18 GHz to 24 GHz range to encapsulate and transfer the LAN data packets. They are capable of a multiplexed trafic load and can be used beyond building limits.

The distance from microwave LANs depends on the number of hops between transceivers. Long distance microwave towers can send their waves to around 30 miles, depending upon the size of the tower.

5. WIRELESS LANs VS WIRED LANsThe major difference between wireless LANs and wired LANs is they are not connected to the wire or cable. It is important that the wireless connections be reasonably transparent to the user. Wireless LAN didn't follow any type of topology, but where as in wired LAN there are so many arrangements like Bus topology, Ring topology, Star topology etc..

ADVANTAGES OF WIRELESS LANS

ROAMING:The user cannot design the boundaries of the wireless LAN world, which required some form of notice be given when they reach the limits, or the system must support some type of roaming that allows user to move from one area to another area and still retain services from the LANs environment.

Speed:As compared to wired LAN, wireless LAN services are found in the slower speeds of information transfer, the problems of security of

transmission, and possibly error to noise factor.By using Spread Spectrum techniques the speed is increased.

Cost :Wireless LAN products are very low cost.For exampleDell computer wireless LAN card cost is $139.Macintosh wireless LAN PC card costs only $99.In wireless LANs the Access Points are used as bridges to existing LANs.

Flexibility :Flexible connectivity means that the user can choose how and when do they want to be connected to the wireless LAN services. Some will chosen such a contact basis, or an occasional basis.To connect the users to a broad range of services and/or to different networks as the need or location may dictate. Flexible connectivity by providing an automatic recognition of roaming users and the ability to hop across various networks to obtain information and services.Fast setup :The advantage of wireless LAN is the ability to initiate a fast setup or a quick move of the technology and continue to offer connectivity services. The flexibility of wireless LANs to be installed quickly and come up running minimal setup and initiation makes them a logical choice for most emergency or temporary settings example fire , sports, etc..

Security :One of the most important thing in wired LAN or wireless LAN is the security. The network administrator is to be concerned about security, on any type of network. Disgruntled former employees, haskers, viruses, internet-based attacks are an unfortunate fact of life in any form of networking today.

Wireless LAN has all the properties of wired LAN except wire,and thus the security measures that is integrity and security of data in a wired LAN environment are also applicable to the wireless LAN. The only difference between these is at the physical layer, all other network services are same.

PHYSICAL SECURITY

In WIREDLAN LAN trafic can be interpreted and decoded with commonly available software tools once one has physical access to the LAN cabling.The network administrators has to set the proper security levels to their users. In WIRELESS LAN ,eliminating significant amounts of wire form a given installation dramatically reduces the number of places for wire trappers to gain access to the wired physical plant.

6. WIRELESS LAN CONNECTIONS & OPERATIONSIf any client in the wireless LAN want to communicate with other clients or with the server the connection must be established.They are three types of connections, these are1. ONE - TO - ONE OPERATIONS2. ONE -TO - MANY OPERATIONS3. MANY - TO - MANY OPERATIONS

ONE - TO - ONE OPERATIONS :

One-to-one wireless LAN operations can take place when a single portable unit wants tomake data contact with a single fixed server unit. A typical example would be a laptop or notebook computer coupled to fixed desktop computer station.The one-to-one wireless LAN covers limited space and traffic.ONE - TO - MANY OPERATIONS

When wireless LAN users want to acess several servers with in their networked, they arecoupling to one-to-many relationship. One-to-many connections allows the user to have apparent access to a full range of resources via the wireless LAN technology.

MANY - TO - MANY OPERATIONSMany-to-many operations consist of various mobile user clients coupled to a variety of resources over a wireless LAN. The major aspect of many-to-many is the management of the requests and returns of information to and from the mobile end users.

7. APPLICATIONS OF WIRELESS LANHere is a brief description of the various industries and work environments, which can benefit from deploying from wireless LAN solutions. WLAN solutions are permitting into wide range of industries such as Health care, Education, Warehousing and Office environment.

1. healthcare:

Health care institutions exist to help people get well and stay well, but this critical mission is often hamped by all the paperwork for admissions to patient records , from billing to insurance report. The time spent to keep them is not. The WLAN technology can help healthcare professionals such as :

Keep patient records current and accessible. Maintain network connectivity for mobile, roaming staff. Link departmental wired LANs in sepate buildings to central

facilities.

2. Education :

Today ,there is more to delivering education than face-to- face contact. The Internet , distance learning , and computer based

training allow instructors ,students, and resources to be located across a continent.WLAN can help educators and administrators meet a variety of education such as :

Low-cost campus area networks for access to local and internet services.

Flexible,temporary LANs located quickly. Network access to roaming students.

3.Office :Earlier days, working in an office meant that every day you worked in the same location, at the same desk,with the same computer . When you worked at the other end of the building, you left behind everything. today , the picture is fading, and the picture that's coming into nfocus features flexible office configuration and a mobile work force.

With WLAN , people can done their work done and make the office infrastructure moreefficient such as: Reliable connectivity for individual workers and whole workgroups to networked applications and data from any office location.

Sales and services persons spend almost all their time out of the office. It is possible to connect them with officers.

9. CONCLUSION.We conclude that wireless LAN is more flexible and it is low cost than wired LAN. We can access the data form any where in the globe with out connect to the other clients or servers . Now a days it is not used by the most of people , but in the coming future it is sure that this WLAN will occupy entire globe.

Data Communication and Networking

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