Mgt 20600: Mgt 20600: IT Management & ApplicationsIT Management & Applications

SoftwareSoftware

TuesdayTuesday

February 14, 2006February 14, 2006

RemindersReminders

ReadingReadingFundamentals text, Chapter Two, Software Fundamentals text, Chapter Two, Software

sectionsection

HomeworkHomework– Homework Two due Friday, 2/24 by 5pmHomework Two due Friday, 2/24 by 5pm

Next week’s class session: Next week’s class session: Application SoftwareApplication Software

Computers connected to a server in a network Computers connected to a server in a network and have no hard drivesand have no hard drives

Thin-client sales grew 46% from 2004 to 2005Thin-client sales grew 46% from 2004 to 2005 AdvantagesAdvantages

– Support telecommutingSupport telecommuting– Better securityBetter security– Easier administrationEasier administration

Faster and easier backupsFaster and easier backups Efficient disaster recoveryEfficient disaster recovery

– Less expensiveLess expensive Can cut costs up to 70%Can cut costs up to 70% Thin client model has 35% to 40% lower TCO overallThin client model has 35% to 40% lower TCO overall

– Centralized dataCentralized data

Thin ClientsThin Clients

Thin Client OutlookThin Client Outlook

THIN OUTLOOK

Projected growth in worldwide unit shipments of thin-client devices between last year and 2009

2004: 1.6 million2009: 5.3 million

COMPOUND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE: 17.3%

Source: IDC, Framingham, Mass.

Thin Client ComputingThin Client Computing

What is the most compelling business value case for thin client computing?

(16%) Better security

(5%) Ease of use

(32%) Reduced cost of ownership

(38%) Ease of management

(9%) None of the above

Personal ComputersPersonal Computers Demise of the Desktop?Demise of the Desktop?

– Laptop to Desktop ratio in corporationsLaptop to Desktop ratio in corporations 1 in 5 in 19991 in 5 in 1999 1 in 3 in 20051 in 3 in 2005 1 in 2 in next few years1 in 2 in next few years

Why?Why?– Mobility!Mobility!

Outside and inside of workplaceOutside and inside of workplace– Changes in work habitsChanges in work habits

Used on the road, in the home, into meetingsUsed on the road, in the home, into meetings Facilitate collaboration as well as email accessFacilitate collaboration as well as email access

– Wireless connectivity improvementsWireless connectivity improvements– Battery life improvementsBattery life improvements– Price/Performance gap between laptops and desktops has narrowed considerablyPrice/Performance gap between laptops and desktops has narrowed considerably– Availability of workstation-class laptops for computing intensive tasks like Availability of workstation-class laptops for computing intensive tasks like

software development and computer-aided designsoftware development and computer-aided design– Laptop reliability has improvedLaptop reliability has improved

Laptop concernsLaptop concerns– Security!Security!

PC VirtualizationPC Virtualization

PC hardware moved into data center PC hardware moved into data center as part of PC bladesas part of PC blades– Fit into a chassis that can be centrally Fit into a chassis that can be centrally

managedmanaged– Several users can share a single bladeSeveral users can share a single blade– Simplifies PC managementSimplifies PC management

Thin client on desktop that functions Thin client on desktop that functions as an extended keyboard, monitor, as an extended keyboard, monitor, and mouseand mouse

ServersServers Midrange computers in data center that Midrange computers in data center that

provide applications, web services, and provide applications, web services, and storage to client devicesstorage to client devices

Defining featuresDefining features– Use faster, multi-core processors than pc’sUse faster, multi-core processors than pc’s

64 bit processors64 bit processors– Often run Unix or Linux as their operating Often run Unix or Linux as their operating

systemssystems– Often deployed in server farms or blades for Often deployed in server farms or blades for

easy management and flexibilityeasy management and flexibility– Less costly than mainframesLess costly than mainframes– Ability to load balanceAbility to load balance

MainframesMainframes

Large, very fast computers that Large, very fast computers that support the enterprisesupport the enterprise– Many legacy systems run on Many legacy systems run on

mainframesmainframes– Known for reliability and scalabilityKnown for reliability and scalability– Can replace many midrange servers and Can replace many midrange servers and

can cut IT staff costs as a resultcan cut IT staff costs as a result

What a Mainframe Looks LikeWhat a Mainframe Looks Like

AARP Mainframe ExampleAARP Mainframe Example MembersMembers

– 35 million members35 million members– 76 million baby-boomers preparing for retirement76 million baby-boomers preparing for retirement

Central customer databaseCentral customer database– Can be accessed byCan be accessed by

MembersMembers Trading partnersTrading partners

– Insurance providersInsurance providers– Retirement communitiesRetirement communities

TechnologyTechnology– Mainframe used for customer databaseMainframe used for customer database

CentralizedCentralized– Member information can be maintained and secured independently of the Member information can be maintained and secured independently of the

numerous IT applications that use it numerous IT applications that use it ReliableReliable ScalableScalable

– Will support increasing numbers of transactions as membership growsWill support increasing numbers of transactions as membership grows Continuously updatedContinuously updated

– Makes it easier to market products and services to its membersMakes it easier to market products and services to its members Application-independentApplication-independent

– Common interface to the database for suppliersCommon interface to the database for suppliers– Standard method for integrating applications with the databaseStandard method for integrating applications with the database

What a SuperComputer Looks LikeWhat a SuperComputer Looks Like

Terabyte: A thousand billion bytes or a thousand gigabytes

Gigaflop: One billion floating point operations per second

Corporate SupercomputingCorporate Supercomputing Ping Inc., golf club makerPing Inc., golf club maker

– Uses supercomputer to run simulations of golf club Uses supercomputer to run simulations of golf club designsdesigns

– Has drastically reduced development timeHas drastically reduced development time Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

– Uses supercomputing for tire simulationsUses supercomputing for tire simulations– Reduces amount of money spent on building physical Reduces amount of money spent on building physical

tire prototypes, from 40% to 15% of the research and tire prototypes, from 40% to 15% of the research and development budgetdevelopment budget

Supercomputing also supportsSupercomputing also supports– Digital animationDigital animation– BioinformaticsBioinformatics– RFID chips and the huge databases they createRFID chips and the huge databases they create

Overview of SoftwareOverview of Software

Computer programs: Computer programs: sequences sequences of instructionsof instructions

Two TypesTwo Types– Systems software:Systems software: coordinates the coordinates the

activities of hardware and programsactivities of hardware and programs– Application software: Application software: helps users helps users

solve particular problemssolve particular problems

Supporting Individual, Group, Supporting Individual, Group, and Organizational Goalsand Organizational Goals

Sphere of influence: Sphere of influence: the scope of problems and the scope of problems and opportunities addressed by a particular software applicationopportunities addressed by a particular software application– PersonalPersonal– WorkgroupWorkgroup– EnterpriseEnterprise

Software: Operating SystemSoftware: Operating System

When selecting an operating system, When selecting an operating system, you must consider the current and you must consider the current and future requirements for application future requirements for application software to meet the needs of the software to meet the needs of the organization. In addition, your choice organization. In addition, your choice of a particular operating system of a particular operating system must be consistent with your choice must be consistent with your choice of hardware.of hardware.

Systems Software: Systems Software: Operating SystemsOperating Systems

Operating system (OS): Operating system (OS): set ofset of programs that control the hardware and programs that control the hardware and act as an interface with applicationsact as an interface with applications

Common hardware functionsCommon hardware functions– Get input (e.g., keyboard)Get input (e.g., keyboard)– Retrieve data from disks and store data on Retrieve data from disks and store data on

disksdisks– Display information on a monitor or printerDisplay information on a monitor or printer

Operating SystemsOperating Systems

Operating SystemsOperating Systems

User interfaceUser interface– Allows individuals to access and Allows individuals to access and

command the computer systemcommand the computer system– Command-based user interface: Command-based user interface:

uses text commandsuses text commands– Graphical user interface (GUI): Graphical user interface (GUI): uses uses

icons and menus to send commands to icons and menus to send commands to the computer systemthe computer system

– Bringing Vista to life Bringing Vista to life

Operating SystemsOperating Systems

Hardware independenceHardware independence– Application program interface (API): Application program interface (API):

allows applications to make use of the allows applications to make use of the operating systemoperating system

Memory managementMemory management– Control how memory is accessed and Control how memory is accessed and

maximize available memory and storagemaximize available memory and storage

Processing tasksProcessing tasks– Multitasking: Multitasking: more than one program more than one program

running at the same timerunning at the same time– Time-sharing: Time-sharing: more than one person using a more than one person using a

computer system at the same timecomputer system at the same time– Scalability:Scalability: ability to handle an increasing ability to handle an increasing

number of concurrent users smoothlynumber of concurrent users smoothly Networking capability: features that aid users in Networking capability: features that aid users in

connecting to a computer networkconnecting to a computer network

Operating SystemsOperating Systems

Operating SystemsOperating Systems

Access to system resourcesAccess to system resources– Protection against unauthorized accessProtection against unauthorized access– Logons and passwordsLogons and passwords

File managementFile management– Ensures that files in secondary storage Ensures that files in secondary storage

are are Available when neededAvailable when neededProtected from access by unauthorized Protected from access by unauthorized

usersusers

Current Operating SystemsCurrent Operating Systems

Linux: Personal Operating SystemLinux: Personal Operating System

Novell’s Linux Desktop 10Novell’s Linux Desktop 10– Designed to go head-to-head against WindowsDesigned to go head-to-head against Windows– IncludesIncludes

Desktop operating systemDesktop operating system– Desktop search featureDesktop search feature– Desktop note-taking technologyDesktop note-taking technology

OpenOffice.org office productivity suiteOpenOffice.org office productivity suite Mozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox Instant-messaging clientInstant-messaging client Open-source collaboration clientOpen-source collaboration client F-Spot personal photo management applicationF-Spot personal photo management application Technical supportTechnical support

– Working with software vendors to develop more Working with software vendors to develop more applications for Linuxapplications for Linux

HP delivers Linux laptopHP delivers Linux laptop

Linux: Workgroup and Enterprise Linux: Workgroup and Enterprise Operating SystemOperating System

Open source operating systems (Linux)Open source operating systems (Linux)– Increasing comfort level with this alternativeIncreasing comfort level with this alternative– Dominates as server operating systemDominates as server operating system– Why?Why?

Lower total cost of ownershipLower total cost of ownership Lower capital investmentLower capital investment Greater reliability and uptime compared to Greater reliability and uptime compared to

commercial alternativescommercial alternatives Greater flexibility and controlGreater flexibility and control Faster, cheaper application developmentFaster, cheaper application development

Linux ExampleLinux Example Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)

– China’s biggest bankChina’s biggest bank– $640 billion in total assets$640 billion in total assets– 100 million individuals as customers100 million individuals as customers– 8.1 million corporate accounts8.1 million corporate accounts

Linux deploymentLinux deployment– Plans to deploy Linux on servers across its network of 20,000 national Plans to deploy Linux on servers across its network of 20,000 national

branchesbranches– Will use Turbolinux Inc.’s Turbolinux 7 DataServer operating systemWill use Turbolinux Inc.’s Turbolinux 7 DataServer operating system– Will support front-end banking operationsWill support front-end banking operations– 390,000 employees will be using terminals to access applications 390,000 employees will be using terminals to access applications

hosted on Linux servers on a daily basishosted on Linux servers on a daily basis Why Linux?Why Linux?

– Chosen because existing applications (developed in-house) run on UnixChosen because existing applications (developed in-house) run on Unix– Easier to migrate applications to Linux than WindowsEasier to migrate applications to Linux than Windows– Need better software performanceNeed better software performance– Need better vendor supportNeed better vendor support– Lower operating costsLower operating costs