Category: Education

Education Technology

Financial Institutions Handle Privacy

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to analyze why many financial institutions assess privacy as a compliance issue as opposed to a risk management issue. Included within this document are two different current regulations to help consumers protect their privacy. Also included within this document is an example of the primary causes of network threats to an individual’s privacy. An assessment of organizations or governments should do to prevent these threats is included. Finally, a difficult single privacy threat is identified and a proposal to how organizations can counter it.

[Content]
Many financial institutions view safeguarding personal information as a compliance issue as opposed to a risk management issue. Government regulations, like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, dictate how financial institutions safeguard consumer’s private information (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2002). Many federal regulations do not supersede state laws, but rather work in conjunction with them. Financial institutions have strict directives from both state and federal levels of government that they have to adhere to when handing consumer’s nonpublic information. The structured human activities that follow how uncertainty towards a threat is managed are exactly what risk management is. Risk management is a slower process that may require more personnel or resources. In the business world time is money so many companies may take a government compliance approach as opposed to a proactive risk management approach.

Two different active regulations that are currently being used to ensure personal non-public information is being safeguarded are the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Privacy Act of 1974. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is meant to ensure that financial institutions do not release consumer’s personal information without notifying the consumer first. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also governs how financial institutions’ handle consumer’s information and prevents financial institutions from reusing or redisplaying consumer’s information to a 3rd party (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2002). The Privacy Act of 1974 states that no personal information in part or in whole will be released to any persons or organizations without written consent. There is an exception to the Privacy Act that states that the consensus bureau can use personal information for statistical uses, routine government uses within an agency, law enforcement purposes, and other administrative purposes are all allowable uses of personal information without consent (United States Department of Justice, 2003). The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 have been put in place to protect people or consumers from having their information disseminated intentionally or unintentionally by unauthorized people or organizations.

The primary cause of network threats, as they pertain to privacy, ironically does not come from the network, but rather is a human error from improper configuration of devices. A major privacy concern for users on any network is ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to private or personal information. Improper configuration of a user account or a group account can unintentionally give unauthorized users access to personal information. Improperly configured file permissions can give unauthorized access to private information. Improper configuration of networking devices, both wired or wireless, can allow unauthorized hosts on a network in which they can gain access to nonpublic information. Firewalls that are not properly configured can allow unauthorized access to network resources and information from threats that reside on different networks. System and network administrators making improper configurations of hosts or devices on a network poses a primary cause of network threats.

Organizations and governments can ensure the primary cause of network threats are minimized by ensuring accountability. In order to ensure accountability organizations or governments need to first put a policy in place to ensure everybody is aware that they are responsible for their actions and misconfigurations are not acceptable. Next organizations and governments should ensure all necessary personnel are properly trained. Organizations or governments can ensure accountability by withholding access to computer system log files and periodically reviewing the files to ensure all policies and procedures are being met. Log files should also be reviewed for any and all networking devices like routers or switches. Finally when an incident is found and traced back to an individual, that individual needs to be held accountable by either being terminated or handed over to the proper authorities based upon the severity of the incident.

One of the most difficult privacy threats that exists, is how others who are not in your control handle your private information, however there are ways to minimize the risk. Working with only trusted people, organizations, or governments ensures that private information is going to be handled in the correct manner. In the event that an e-mail that contains private information is sent to a 3rd party, encrypting or digitally signing the e-mail ensures that only authorized access is granted to that information. Maintaining physical control of any computers or digital media ensures no unauthorized access is allowed. In the event that physical control cannot be maintained, digitally encrypting private information on that computer or digital media can help ensure only authorized access is allowed to that information. Something as simple as securing any documentation, media, or computers can keep private data out of the reach of 3rd party people, like janitors, who may have access to an office, but do not need access to the information. By working with trusted sources, securing any and all private data, and ensuring encryption is being used on physical or electronic media are ways that companies or governments can counter privacy threats.

References
1. (2002, June). Small-Entity Compliance Guide. Regulation P: Privacy of Consumer Financial Information, Retrieved January 7th, 2008, from http://www.federalreserve.gov/regulations/cg/reg_p_cg.pdf
2. (2003, September 26th). THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974, 5 U.S.C. ¬ß 552a — As Amended. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974, 5 U.S.C. ¬ß 552a — As Amended Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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Network Testing Programs

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to explain different types of testing programs that can be used to identify network latency issues when planning a network upgrade. Also included within this document are naming conventions for networking devices and hosts. Lastly this document will outline and explain different types of equipment and their roles as they pertain to network security based upon a provided scenario.

[Introduction and background]
Mr. Smith is the Director of IT at a law firm located in downtown Chicago. He needs to plan for a network upgrade. He has decided that he would like to have a network analysis done before the upgrade so that he can find out which systems would require upgrades and to create a strategy to present to the senior partners that will include return on investment.

The law offices occupy four floors of a high-rise building. The customer is experiencing network latency, especially in the Accounting department and in Human Resources, which both reside on the 32nd floor. The director of the Accounting department has expressed concerns about the security of his files. The Research, IT, and Corporate Administration departments all share the 33rd floor. The senior and junior partners and their support staff occupy the 35th floor, and the 36th floor is used for reception and conference rooms. The firm has decided that video conferencing is an essential component of its business and is looking to implement video conferencing as soon as possible so it can communicate with two new satellite offices that will be occupied in six months.

The firm has one network segment for each floor, but has been experiencing latency. Each floor except the 36th has 10 to 20 printers. Each floor has a 100Mb uplink to the Data Center on the 33rd floor. There are approximately 50 PCs on the 36th floor, 150 PCs on the 35th floor, and 40 PCs on both the 32nd and 33rd floors. The servers for each department reside on their respective floors. Mr. Smith is concerned about network security and wants a recommendation to secure traffic of three specific departments: Human Resources, Accounting, and Corporate Administration.

[Recommended testing program (Prototype or Pilot)]
When testing a network to get a complete understanding of issues the network may be having there is no silver bullet application, but rather a combination of applications that have specific functions. The first thing that is a major concern with understanding possible issues that are happening on a network is possible bottlenecks or bandwidth limitations as they pertain to network performance. One application that performs a secure real-time network monitoring is called “nettest (Agarwal, Boverhof, Jackson).” This open-source application designed to run on Linux platform and it incorporates a few different frameworks to conduct a series of tests as they pertain to network performance. This application is designed to work between a couple different hosts on a network so prior to using it; authorization must be attained in order to install the application between hosts. Once the performance testing is complete, it is important to know what is being sent accrossed the network. To determine what is being sent accrossed a network a packet sniffer can be used. A good useful free network packet sniffer is called “Wireshark (Sharpe, Warnicke, 2008).” Wireshark allows to packets to be captured and dumped into a file where they can be analyzed at a later point in time or for somebody with fast eyes they can analyze the packets in real-time. For both types of tests, it is recommended to perform the tests over a period of time such as over a 24-hour period. This will help to understand the demands placed on the network during peak hours as well as non-peak hours of operation. The use of multiple programs to analyze network performance and breakdown of the types of network traffic will help to identify any issues.

[Naming Structure]
When naming network devices it is important to give a device a name that can identify whom the device serves and the devices location. To identify whom the device serves there is not enough space within the devices name space to allow for complete names, so abbreviations are going to have to be used (Morris, 2008). For example the human resources department has a 3 letter designator HUM, accounting ACC, administration ADM, sales SAL, information technology INF, shipping SHI, corporate COR, and so on. To identify a devices location a building number, floor number, and room number can be used. Finally if it is desired a device can be identified by the device and if it is an internal or external device by using the identifiers SW for switch, R for router, B for bridge, W for workstation, or SE for server. When all of these abbreviations are put together a possible name for a device can look like this: ACC-115-32-J-SWI. This methodology tells somebody that this device is found in the accounting department of building 115, located on the 32nd floor in room J, and it is an internal switch. Following naming structure helps identify devices, their functions, and where they are located.

[Adequacy of security for the data in each department]
No matter which company, which organization, or which department somebody works for; there is always a need to keep data secure. Even though people work for the same company doesn’t mean they need access to the same data. One method to keep different departments from accessing each other’s data is by logically separating the network via the use of virtual LANS otherwise known as VLANs. Using VLANs keeps each department segmented so that only personnel within a particular department can access only that department’s data. Another way to keep data secured is for data that is stored in a centralized location, like a file server, is by the use of file permissions. Personnel without the correct permissions will not be able to access a particular file. It is also important to ensure data is being transported securely acrossed a network. To ensure data is being transmitted securely on the network, IPSec can be used. IPSec encrypts packets of information so that it can reach the intended destination securely. Finally it is important to ensure no outside access is allowed on the network. To prevent unauthorized access to a network, a firewall can be used. A network firewall inspects every packet it receives by checking the source and destination of each packet, and then it checks an access control list (ACL) to verify access is allowed before the packet is forwarded onto the destination.

[Functions of each network device]
Different networking devices function at different layers of the OSI model and therefore each can do their own part in ensuring a network is secure. Starting at the lowest level of the OSI model and working toward the top we can see what each device does and what added security it can provide. Physical security plays an important part of ensuring the physical connectivity is secured within a controlled area. Switches function at the data-link layer of the OSI model and their responsibility is to transport data quickly and efficiently. Switches also provide network security by allowing a network to be segmented into different VLANs. Routers function at the network layer of the OSI model and their function are to transport data from one network to another. Routers can provide a little security by providing an ACL to ensure network traffic from one network is authorized to access another network. Network firewalls also function at the network layer and their main purpose is to ensure both that traffic is authorized from one network segment to another, but also a firewall blocks any unused network ports from being accessed. Networked servers can function at the session, presentation, and application layers of the OSI model. A properly configured network server can provide security be ensuring packets are encrypted, authorized users are allowed to access a network by authenticating users, and files are secured with the correct file permissions. Each device on a network plays it own role to ensuring access to a network is authorized and data within the network is secured.

[How needs of key departments change with the network design]
Even though different departments work for the same company their specific needs may influence the design of a network. The most obvious specific need for a department is the amount of users the department has. Since the senior and junior staff of the law firm occupies the 35th floor with 150 different computers, they may have a higher demand for bandwidth than the accounting and human resources departments, which occupy the 32nd and 33rd floors with only 40 computers. The IT and research departments may both have specific needs of having the need to put their own networking devices on the network to allow for them to create a test network. The corporate department may want to use voice over IP services and therefore have a specific need of having a voice VLAN configured on their networking devices. No matter what the specific need of a department is, a good network design must incorporate all of the departments needs for both today and into the future.

[Conclusion]
In conclusion, to best identify issues pertaining to the law firm’s network a couple different tools should be used to both identify any possible bandwidth issues or issues pertaining to the types of traffic being passed along the network. Different departments within the law firm have different needs and therefore each network segment should be designed to accommodate each department’s needs. The company’s current network security is inadequate, so network security should be implemented at multiple layers of the OSI model to ensure all communications and data is secure. Each device within the network topology can play a specific role to ensuring the network is secure.

[References]
1. Agarwal, Boverhof, Jackson, Deb, Joshua, and Keith Nettest: Secure Network Testing and Monitoring. Retrieved September 27, 2008, from Nettest: Secure Network Testing and Monitoring Web site: http://acs.lbl.gov/~boverhof/nettest.html
2. Sharpe, Warnicke, Richard, Ed (2008). Wireshark: Go deep. Retrieved September 27, 2008, from Wireshark: Go deep. Web site: http://www.wireshark.org
Morris, Michael (2008, January 10th). Naming Conventions | NetworkWorld.com Community. Retrieved September 27, 2008, from Naming Conventions | NetworkWorld.com Community Web site: http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/23721

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Routing Protocols

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to explain different routing protocols by using them within a scenario of being charged to reconfigure a company’s network. In the past static routes have been used and, for the scenario, I would like to ease the configuration of routing information. I am concerned about processor utilization if dynamic routing protocols are used. Also the reduction of network utilization by routing protocols is desired, as well as, ensuring the shortest path is the path taken all while preventing routing loops.
[Introduction and background]
I have been charged with the task of reconfiguring my company’s network which has grown considerably over the past year. Previously static routes have been used, but I do not wish to maintain the static routing tables since the network has grown. I would rather use a dynamic routing protocol to cause me the least amount of administrative work as possible, however I do have some major concerns. I would like to automate the updating of router table information, but I do not want this to put a major burden on my networking devices processor, memory, and I do not want this automation to place a burden on my network bandwidth. I also wish to ensure packets are being sent along the truest shortest path and in the process, avoid causing any routing loops. Finally I would like to ensure I have redundant links, so that in the event of a failure traffic will still be able to be passed via the shortest path. I am going to draw a conclusion about which dynamic routing protocol will best suite my needs by thoroughly assessing the different types of dynamic routing protocols based upon my requirements.
[Comparison of routing protocols: memory, processor, and network bandwidth usage]
There are different link-state routing protocols and it is important to know each one. Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is a link-state routing protocol that utilizes route tables, topological databases, and the shortest path first algorithm to determine the most ideal path to send data along. OSPF uses only the destination address of a packet to determine the best route. Because OSPF maintains routing tables and topological databases it can quickly determine if a link should happen to go down and therefore reduces the processor and bandwidth overhead needed for passing routing information. OSPF maintains neighboring relationships between routers in which “hello packets” are exchanged during a handshaking by each router. This handshaking is when routers will send any updates to their routing table. Another link-state routing protocol is the Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) routing protocol. The IS-IS routing protocol is similar to OSPF, however it is an interior gateway protocol. This means that it does not route information to external autonomous systems, and therefore relies on an exterior gateway protocol to talk between different autonomous systems (Martey, 2002). The IS-IS protocol is also not an Internet standard and also is not as widely used as OSPF. The IS-IS protocol functions at the networking layer of the OSI model, which is at the same layer as IP traffic, but it does not use IP to carry routing information messages. OSPF, on the other hand, functions at the networking layer, but it functions on top of IP allowing it to use the Internet Protocol to carry routing information messages. OSPF and IS-IS are routing protocols that are similar, however OSPF is the most widely used routing protocol and it can function on top of the Internet Protocol.
There are different distance-vector routing protocols and it is important to know about each one. The routing information protocol (RIP) is a distance vector protocol which uses hop-count as a routing metric and it relies on information from other routers to attempt to determine the best routing path. RIP allows for a 15 maximum hop count and it sends complete routing table updates to other routers every 30 seconds. Cisco has developed a proprietary distance-vector routing protocol called “Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP).” This routing protocol uses the distance-vector algorithm with the conjunction of four elements, bandwidth, delay, load, and reliability, to determine the best path for routing packets. IGRP sends routing information to other routers on the network every 90 seconds and can become both a burden on network bandwidth and processor utilization as it is updating routing information in 90 second intervals. Although, IGRP is better than RIP, it too can use some improvement. Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) is a Cisco proprietary protocol, however it is not the same as IGRP. EIGRP is a balanced network protocol that uses a hybrid of both the link-state and distance vector routing algorithms. This has many benefits as it provides an equal-cost load balancing, incremental routing updates, and formal neighbor relationships (Lammel, Barkl, 2003). EIGRP is similar to IGRP as it uses the same distance-vector information as IGRP, but it puts a different algorithm against that information. EIGRP uses a diffusing update algorithm (DUAL) to calculate different metrics. Distance-vector routing protocols rely on information from other routers, which is sent out in 30 second intervals, to determine the most ideal path for passing traffic.
[Distance vector protocols versus link state protocols]
When considering which dynamic routing protocol is best to use for reconfiguring a network, it is important to know about routing protocols. Routing protocols are a set of protocols that have a specific function. Routing protocols main function is to maintain route tables that are used by routers and make decisions based upon those routes (Lammel, Barkl, 2003). There are two major categories of routing protocols: Link-state and Distance-vector. A link-state routing protocol understands an entire network, it does not listen to secondhand information, and it can make advanced routing decisions. A distance-vector routing protocol only understands the distance and direction to a network connection and it listens to secondhand information in order to get its routing table updates. Link-state routing protocols will send routing information to other routers during a handshake period of communication. This allows for less CPU utilization and less bandwidth needed because link-state routing protocols only update routing tables that have changed. Distance-vector routing protocols rely on information from other routers so they will periodically send routing tables to other routers, which in the even of a connection going down can slow down a network because all networking devices using distance-vector routing will send information to each other. There are two different types of routing protocols, link-state and distance-vector, that both have their advantages, disadvantages, and proper uses.
[Recommended Protocol]
Both the link-state and the distance-vector routing protocols have advantages and disadvantages, however it is the advanced metric calculating and hybrid of both link-state and distance-vector that allows for the Cisco proprietary EIGRP routing protocol to be the most ideal dynamic routing protocol to best suite my requirements and allow for the reconfiguring of the network.
[Conclusion]
In conclusion, both link-state and distance-vector routing protocols had their uses, however it is the hybrid of both of these two routing protocols which will be the most ideal solution for my reconfiguration of my company’s network. Link-state routing protocol is efficient in identifying the most ideal routes by talking with other routers and sharing if a connection goes down. Distance-vector was one of the first routing protocols used, however its lack of efficiency and relying on outside sources to pass traffic with the high overhead needed makes it not a viable solution to suite my needs.
[References]
1. Lammel, Barkl, Todd, Andy (2003). CCDA Cisco Certified Design Associate. Alameda, California: SYBEC Inc..
2. Martey, Abe (2002, May 17). Integrated IS-IS Routing Protocol Concepts. Retrieved September 21, 2008, from Integrated IS-IS Routing Protocol Concepts Web site: http://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=26850

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Networking Protocols and Models

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to explain different networking protocols and models by explaining what is needed to upgrade a network from a bus topology to a star topology. Also included within this document is information about a network design to allow for maximum users with maximum throughput for 100Mbps to the customer’s desktop within the star topology.

[Content]
When considering changing the topology on a business network, it is important to know information about different network topologies and benefits of each. The four most commonly found network topologies are the star, ring, bus, and mesh (Mitchell, 2008). The star topology has a centralized device, that which is like a hub of a wheel, with multiple connections going out to different devices. The ring topology has multiple devices along a network ring and they can either send data only one way or they can send data bi-directionally. The bus topology has a single path with multiple devices connected along that path and terminators on each end of the path. The bus topology was most commonly found as using coaxial cable at 10Mbps with multiple computers connected in series to it. The mesh topology has multiple devices with multiple paths between devices; this is by far the most complex and most robust topology out of the group. Knowing about the different types of network topologies, helps a customer know which will best suite their needs.
When making a decision of upgrading from a bus topology to a star topology, there are many choices that need to be made prior to making the best decision. The first most important decision to be made is about what type of media is going to be used. If existing CAT-5 or CAT-5e cable is present, it would be recommended to reutilize that, however since it is most likely that coaxial cable was used the other option is to use fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable would be an ideal choice in the event that long distances or network security are major concerns for the computer network. Since neither of these was identified as possible issues, we’ll assume that CAT-6 cable is being used. The reinstallation of the network infrastructure is the most major part for upgrading from a bus to a star topology.
In order to get a complete idea of what is needed to upgrade the network, all necessary hardware pieces need to be identified. First and foremost if the local computers do not have 100BaseT network interface cards (NICs) in them, then enough NICs need to be purchased to populate all of the necessary computers. Additionally drop boxes and patch panels will be needed to be purchased for the infrastructure to interconnect the communications closet to the local users work areas. Depending on how many users are going to be on the network, I would recommend purchasing smaller Cisco 3750 switches for each office. The Cisco 3750 switches need to have 2 Gigabit uplink ports to be able to connect to the centralized hub of the topology. I recommend using a Cisco Catalyst 4506, 6509, or 6513, depending on how large the network is going to be. If all users are going to be located in one building, then just one major switch can be utilized with no secondary switches needed, however if a few buildings or one large building is going to be used, then there may be a need for additional switches. I also recommend the Cisco catalyst switch to have redundant power supplies, supervisory cards, and uplinks to the router that is routing traffic out of the local area network. This is due to this one piece of equipment being the single point of failure, having redundant power supplies, supervisory cards, and uplinks all ensure there is minimal downtime in the event of a hardware failure.
Even though some equipment will be located at the local users work areas, some of the equipment will be located in the communications closet. It is recommended that the central core switch is located in the communications closet because physical security ensures a raised level of security on a computer network. Also located in the communications closet will be a patch panel that with the use of patch cords will interconnect the core switch to the local user’s workstations. Also located in the communications closet should be an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The UPS should be large enough to keep all equipment in the communications closet online in the event of a power outage. Also located in the communications closet should be the router and point of demarcation for the LAN to be routed out of the building. All necessary core communications equipment, with supporting power equipment, and horizontal distribution for the network should be secured within the communications closet.
There are some key steps that need to be taken in order to ensure maximum network security and throughput can be maintained. All critical network, power, and horizontal distribution equipment should be locked and secured within the communications closet. Physical security is one level to ensuring the complete network is secure. Additionally, the configuration of all networking devices should be using port security. This ensures that only authorized computers are provided with network connectivity. Third it is recommended that any unused ports on any networking equipment are disabled. The horizontal distribution patch panel should only have patch cables for ports that are being used to be connected to the core switch. This ensures unauthorized users do not plug an unauthorized device into an open port on the network infrastructure to obtain network connectivity. To maximize network throughput it is recommended that wherever an additional switch is being used to utilized two uplink ports from that switch to the core switch and establish a Gigabit EtherChannel (GEC). The GEC establishes a two gigabit connection between switches and ensures there is enough bandwidth necessary to support all users (Cisco). Maintaining network security and maximum throughput on a network are essential for both protecting the network and ensuring scalability of the network, today and in the future.
In conclusion, when upgrading from a network bus topology to a star topology it is important to invest, not only in the infrastructure, but also in the core devices. By making the investment the network can maintain a high level of security, as well as, a high level of scalability. Proper configuration of networking devices also ensures a high level of security and a maximum level of data throughput for all users. Security all critical networking equipment in the communications closest guarantees the star topology is a more ideal choice to meet all the company’s business needs.

References
1. Mitchell, Bradley Topologies – Network Topologies – Types of Topology Examples – Bus Ring Star. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from Topologies – Network Topologies – Types of Topology Examples – Bus Ring Star Web site: http://compnetworking.about.com/od/networkdesign/a/topologies.htm
2. Catalyst 5000 Family Software Configuration Guide (6.3 and 6.4) – Configuring Fast EtherChannel and Gigabit EtherChannel [Cisco Catalyst 5000 Series Switches] – Cisco Systems. Retrieved September 7, 2008, from Catalyst 5000 Family Software Configuration Guide (6.3 and 6.4) – Configuring Fast EtherChannel and Gigabit EtherChannel [Cisco Catalyst 5000 Series Switches] – Cisco Systems Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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Network Design Scenario

Dave

                                                                                            [Scenario]
Schaumburg Elementary is a four-year-old, single-level building with 12 classrooms and a library. Each classroom currently has 24 students but could possibly seat 32 students. There are currently no portable classrooms but a student enrollment growth is just starting to hit the school.

Enough computers are available for six classrooms and the library immediately, and the intent is to outfit the remaining six classrooms next year. The plan is to make the Internet and some online services available to the students. The computers are current enough to be useful for at least two years.

The library, which is somewhat centrally located, is where the server(s) and router connecting the school to the Internet will be located. Assume that all rooms will have 24 computers and that each room will use a stackable hub solution that combines a 12-port hub and a 24-port hub for 36 total ports. Being stackable units, the network will see each stack as a single 36-port device.

                                                                                            [Content]
When looking at the scenario for the elementary school, or any networking design scenario, it is important to first understand all of the requirements that are set by the customer. We know there are enough computers to outfit seven classrooms and the library. Based upon the information provided we know we potentially have 24 students in each classroom and perhaps the same for the library, which is approximately 168 computers. Another requirement identified by the customer is that they intend to outfit another six classrooms in the next upcoming year, which means there will be a need for another 168 computers. We also know the school does not have an infinite budget and is in the classroom environment, so the room design may change based upon teachers wants or needs. The current design for the network is using a star topology and is located in a single story building. The school has agreed to upgrade from hubs to stackable switches allowing for a total of 36 ports per classroom.

The next step to choosing to most ideal solution for a customer is to know their physical layout and requirements and start choosing the media and best devices to suite the customer’s needs. Typically when designing a network it is common practice to put together a plan that meets the current requirements, plus a 30% overhead for future growth, however in this scenario the school is going to be upgrading 6 additional classrooms within the next year and each switch in the classroom already has plenty of room for future expansion with 36 ports. Since the school does not have an unlimited budget and currently has hubs in place and the building is only 4 years old, we can assume CAT-5, CAT-5e, or CAT-6 cable was previously installed into the building, and therefore we know our data speeds will be either 10/100/1000Mbps. If a previous network was not installed, we could recommend a wireless network to allow for the change of the classroom layout and to cut the costs of cabling. Since the scenario does not specify we will assume CAT-5e or CAT-6 was installed and we will reutilize current cabling infrastructure to better suit our design needs. With knowing the star topology and a current requirement for 6 classrooms to be outfitted and the library, we can begin to form a recommendation to the school. We will recommend using seven 12-port stackable switches with two uplink ports, seven 24-port switches with two uplink ports, and one core distribution switch with at least 12-gigabit ports. The uplink ports are essential because they will provide the gigabit uplink to the core switch. The second step in the design of a network is to look at the physical connectivity and put that together with current equipment that can be found on the market.

The third step in designing a network is to look at how many IP addresses will be needed and plan to accommodate all for now and the future. Since the school advised us that it could only afford 2 public IP addresses, we know we are going to using the network address translation protocol in the router and therefore we can use a private IP address range for all the devices on the network. We know the school currently needs approximately 168 IP addresses for computers, one for the server, one for the switch, and one for the router, which brings us to a total of 171 total IP addresses. A private class “C” network would accommodate 253 hosts and the current needs of this infrastructure, however we know we are going to add another 168 computers next year, so we should use a class “B” network because it allows for a total of 1,048,576 contiguous IP addresses. The 3rd step to designing a network is to plan for ease of configuration and accommodate all hosts/devices on the customer’s network.

The 4th step to the network design proposal is to get the pricing of different types of equipment from different vendors. Listed below is a price list of the necessary equipment and cabling needed for this project with references for each device.
Device Cost Quantity Reference
Solution #1
Cisco Catalyst 3750-24PS SMI Switch $3,199.99 7 http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=cisco+catalyst+3750&cid=7157816595940066664#ps-sellers
Cisco WS-CE500G-12TC Switch $1,229.99 7 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3505616&Sku=C94-2180&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=TBBTkwCjCVyBpAgf%20mwzygtCjCVRqCjCVRq
Cisco WS-C3560G-24PS-E Switch $6,921.95 1
Linksys Router RVS4000 $137.95 1 [URL Removed Broken link]
Blackbox Cable 1000ft $216.99 2 http://www.onsale.com/shop/detail.aspx?dpno=499593&store=onsale&source=bwbfroogle
Belkin CAT6 RJ-45(M) Network Connector, 100 Pack $43.99 10 http://www.superwarehouse.com/p.cfm?p=1525507&CMP=KAC-GoogleShopping&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1525507
Crimpers $24.10 1 http://www.antonline.com/p_RJ4511TOOL-GP_221794.htm
Total Cost $38,967.74
Solution #2
Netgear GSM7328S Switch $1,749.99 15 http://www.netgear.com/Products/Switches/FullyManaged10_100_1000Switches.aspx
Netgear RP614 Router $49.99 1 http://www.netgear.com/Products/RoutersandGateways/WiredRouters/RP614.aspx
Blackbox Cable 1000ft $216.99 2 http://www.onsale.com/shop/detail.aspx?dpno=499593&store=onsale&source=bwbfroogle
Belkin CAT6 RJ-45(M) Network Connector, 100 Pack $43.99 10 http://www.superwarehouse.com/p.cfm?p=1525507&CMP=KAC-GoogleShopping&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1525507
Crimpers $24.10 1 http://www.antonline.com/p_RJ4511TOOL-GP_221794.htm
Total Cost $27,198.82
Solution #3
3Com 3CR17761-91 $2,143.79 7 http://www.provantage.com/3com-3cr17761-91~73COT06U.htm
3Com 3CR17660-91-US $916.15 7 http://www.eworldsale.com/3com-12-port-4200g-gigabit-switch-4x-mini-gbic-1x-xenpak-1u-stackable_6027_13292.html
3Com 3C13640-US $384.33 1 http://www.provantage.com/3com-3c13640~73COI01F.htm
Blackbox Cable 1000ft $216.99 2 http://www.onsale.com/shop/detail.aspx?dpno=499593&store=onsale&source=bwbfroogle
Belkin CAT6 RJ-45(M) Network Connector, 100 Pack $43.99 10 http://www.superwarehouse.com/p.cfm?p=1525507&CMP=KAC-GoogleShopping&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1525507
Crimpers $24.10 1 http://www.antonline.com/p_RJ4511TOOL-GP_221794.htm
Total Cost $22,701.89

Step 5 to the network design is to put together a proposal, which explains the requirements, the equipment necessary, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and the costs involved with the project.

In conclusion, when putting together a network design proposal for a customer it is best to start with looking at the customer’s requirements, then look at the physical aspects of the network, moving to the data link (switching aspects), planning the network/IP addressing, and then put it all together into one proposal to provide to the customer for them to decide which will best suite their needs.

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Competitive Intelligence and Information Systems

Dave

                                                               [Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to compare ethical issues that may or may not exist with using an information system, which is designed to gather strategic information, based upon a competitor’s customer base.  Also included within this document is an assessment of ethics as it pertains to customers whom are individuals as well as businesses.

                                                               [Content]
When using an information system to gather information about a competitor’s customers, it is important to know ethical issues that could be questioned. Many company’s believe it is important to gather information about competitors in order for them to provide a quality product at a competitive price, however there are some activities that should be avoided in order to prevent unethical activities from taking place. Some acceptable types of information being gathered and methods for gathering the information include; asking customer’s about equipment and pricing of competitors, asking employees of other businesses about the company’s practices, searching for information through public resources, reading books or publications about other companies, asking other people about practices that might be useful to the company. Any company has a right to information about competitors as long as they obtain the information through the means that is accessible to the public (onlineethics.org, 2006). Information, which is obtained through covert surveillance, is considered unacceptable as well as any information, which is gained through the influence of personnel holding any confidential information. Any information, which is gained through deception, is illegal and not an acceptable way to gain information about a competitor.

When gaining strategic information about a competitor there are acceptable customers and unacceptable customers from which information can be gained. It is completely acceptable and ethical to gain information from customers of a competitive business as long as the customers are individuals or if the customer is another business then they are not one of the competitors. If information is being gathered from a competitor from a customer who is a business and is in the same type of business, then this is not only unacceptable, but also unethical as well. It is unacceptable to gain information either by the way of first hand or third party about information that is proprietary about a particular business. Any proprietary information, which belongs to a competitor, should never be used to benefit a company. If a company chooses to use proprietary information that belongs to another company it is apparent they do not abide by the code of professional conduct of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals. Using competitive intelligence practices to gain information about competitors is legal and ethical as long as companies use public means of obtaining information.

In the world of competitive intelligence (CI) there are ethical issues that arise from the lack of guidance, however when ethical means are used, using an information system to track information about competitors should be completely accepted. Many companies take business ethics very seriously, however some competitive intelligence practitioners feel that many difficult ethical decisions are currently being left up to them to make the judgment call on and this is due to the current ethical guidance being too vague to be very helpful with making ethical decisions (Sexton, 2007). When accepted methods are used and an information system is maintained to track this information about competitors, there is nothing ethically wrong about that.

In conclusion, there are many ethical issues in which people are faced with on a day to day basis in the business world, however using illegal or deceptive means to gather information about competitors is not only unethical, but should be unacceptable. Using deceptive means to gather information about competitors, dumpster diving, conducting covert surveillance, and even stealing documents are a few examples of unethical means of gathering information. The methods from which competitive intelligence is obtained should be scrutinized and should adhere to a strict code of ethics, however using acceptable means to obtain information and then tracking that information within an information system is completely acceptable and currently utilized.

References
1. (2006, February 16th). Benchmarking and Reverse Engineering (Advice from The Ethics Office at Texas Instruments Corporation) – Online Ethics Home. Retrieved August 23, 2008, from Benchmarking and Reverse Engineering (Advice from The Ethics Office at Texas Instruments Corporation) – Online Ethics Home Web site: http://www.onlineethics.org/CMS/workplace/workcases/ti-ethics/benchmarking.aspx
2. Sexton, Tiina-Liisa (2007, October). http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5393/is_200710/ai_n21298481. Retrieved August 23, 2008, from Questionable intelligence gathering | Intheblack | Find Articles at BNET Web site: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5393/is_200710/ai_n21298481

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Problem Solving Strategies and Management Decision-making

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to identify and implement problem solving strategies and management decision-making. Also included within this document is the answer to the questions, “What impact would decision-making styles have on the design of information systems that support decision making in international businesses?”

[Content]
There are a few different decision making styles that can aid with the decision making process. The democratic decision making style is where a leader relinquishes control of a decision in order to let members of a group vote. The consensus decision-making style is where the leader gives up total control and lets the group, as a whole, deal with the decision. The collective decision making style is where the leader involves the members of an organization in order to gain a different perspective in order to assist the leader with making the decision. The autocratic decision making style is where the leader maintains total control and ownership of the decision. Different types of leaders may use different types of styles in order to assist them with the decision making process (Leadership Management Development Center, Inc., 1997).

International businesses use information systems differently from more local or regional businesses. Local or regionalized businesses may use information systems to manage such things as people, documents, technologies, and procedures in order to assist with the management of operational activities in an organization. Localized information systems also help with management accountants to solve business problems like the costing of a service or product or even a business-wide strategy. International businesses can use information systems to aid with such things as international research or discovery. International businesses will also use information systems to achieve a competitive advantage by utilizing intelligence gained from the international market to make superb business decisions (goliath.ecnext.com, 2002). Local or regional businesses use information systems differently than international businesses.

Many governments play a major role in how businesses run or operate. Governments have a major impact on businesses by how companies are taxed, by which subsidies are allowed, interest rates, exchange rates, and ever by which partnerships are allowed. Governments also play a major role in how business function or operate by the laws or policies that are created or put in place. Governments have their hands in how business are ran everywhere from needing a business license in order to operate as a business all the way down to ensuring companies meet environmental, cultural, health and safety standards. It is always within a government’s best interest to encourage business. By allowing businesses, this is how many governments are able to fund many programs within the government. Governments influence many business in many different ways from ensuring companies are complying with government policies or laws and in return company’s pay many forms of taxes which the government uses to fund many government programs.

Their government of where the business resides influences international businesses, the government influence may affect how the company’s decision-making process by the type of decision making style that is used and therefore can affect how an information system is designed. A business in China may choose to use more of an autocratic approach to how decisions are made, whereas a company in the United States may choose to use more of a democratic decision making approach. When designing an information system when an autocratic decision making style is being used, there may be more controls or restrictions placed upon users of the information system, ensuring they do not have a free reign of access to information. When a democratic decision making style is being used, users such as managers may have a lot more access to information within that information system in order to ensure they are making the proper decisions.

References
1. (1997). Decision Making Style and its Effect On Morale. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from Decision Making Style and its Effect On Morale Web site: http://www.leadershipmanagement.com/html-files/decision.htm
2. International business and global information management research: toward a cumulative tradition.. Retrieved August 22, 2008, from International business and global information management research: toward a cumulative tradition. Web site: http://www.manta.com/

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Untrained Personnel Developing Information System

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide a basic knowledge of what types of problems an untrained user may face with trying to develop an information system. Also included within this document is information about different case tools and how these case tools can aid in reducing cycle time and increase quality.

[Content]
Whenever untrained personnel attempt to build an information system, there are always going to be issues, problems, or hiccups that may need to be resolved. The key to any project is planning, without planning anybody, trained or untrained, is setting him or her up for failure. When untrained personnel attempt to build an information system they typically are taking something from how they know how it works in theory, planning how they want the product to act for them, and then attempting to make it operational. A major problem faced by many with developing new information systems are called “software crisis,” this is when developers are backlogged or having a limited supply of developers or funding (jyu.fi). When an untrained person attempts to take on a task that they do not know about, they can quickly get in over their head, which leads to project overruns and wastes precious resources.

CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) tools can be used throughout the lifecycle of a software development lifecycle. When trying to develop an information system there may be a need for different types of CASE tools to accommodate the different aspect of the project. CASE tools can be used for instances of the development lifecycle such as: code generating tools, data modeling tools, unified modeling language (UML) tools, refactoring tools, model transformation tools, and even configuration management tools. CASE tools can speed up the process of developing an information system by helping to create, not only documentation, but also code for the project. By using CASE tools throughout the lifecycle of a project, the project is more consistently completed and therefore a better quality product is produced.

Visual Paradigm is a UML modeling tool, which has many key features that can aid with developing an information system. Some of the specific key features of Visual Paradigm (2008, visual-paradigm.com) are: Automatic software updates, Class diagrams supported, Use Case diagrams supported, State diagrams supported, Sequence diagrams supported, Activity diagrams supported, Component diagrams supported, Deployment diagrams supported, Package diagrams supported, Object diagrams supported, Composite structure diagrams supported, Timing diagrams supported, and interaction overview diagrams supported. When a product is as diverse and aids in the development of so many portions to a product the efficiency and quality both increase as well.
There is a whole slue of types of code generator tools available for use of developers. It has been argued that the code generation tools have made programmers much more productive in completing a project. The code generation tools work by using a generic classes, templates, or aspects in order to create source code. Programmers are then able to focus their time on quality checking the product they are creating instead of writing source code for everything.

In conclusion, there is without a question of a doubt that CASE tools in fact do both ensure high quality standards of a product and reduce lifecycle time to create a product. CASE tools are very useful tools to aid with almost every aspect of the lifecycle of a product and these tools definitely speed up the process. CASE tools also ensure high quality products are produced by efficiently standardizing the process of the product lifecycle. The major problem to CASE tools and software crisis are untrained personnel. The bottom line is that you can have the best toolbox in the world, but if you do not know how to use the tools, you are not going to get very far with whatever it is you are trying to fix or build.

References
1. Robredo, Jamie (1989). Some Problems Involved in the Installation of Advanced Information Systems in Developing Countries.. Some Problems Involved in the Installation of Advanced Information Systems in Developing Countries., ED329238, Retrieved August 21, 2008, from http://eric.ed.gov/ (Robredo, 1989)
2. Problems in information system development. Retrieved August 21, 2008, from Problems in information system development Web site: http://users.jyu.fi/~jpt/doc/thesis/ime-1_1.html (jyu.fi)
3. UML CASE Tools – Free for Learning UML, Cost-Effective for Business Solutions. Retrieved 2008, from UML CASE Tools – Free for Learning UML, Cost-Effective for Business Solutions Web site: http://www.visual-paradigm.com/product/vpuml/

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Business Ethics With Employees

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is intended to provide an answer to what ethical may arise based upon an employee devising a way to make their job better, if any at all. Also included within this document is a basic understanding of why it is important to share knowledge and information at the workplace.

[Content]
When working in any type of position it is always a good idea to share information. By sharing information you are making yourself more marketable because you are the person that people will come to for information or on the job type of training. Without sharing information about the type of job you do, you are essentially digging yourself a hole where it may be difficult to get out of. This happens by performing a job that nobody else can do or what nobody else knows about, this means you cannot be replaced, however this means that if you go on vacation and there is a problem with the job, you are going to be the 1st person they call about it too. Also by working a position that nobody else knows or nobody else knows how to do, you are making it difficult for you to be promoted as well. It is always a good idea to share information in order to ensure more people know about your job and share the knowledge so that in the event you want to further your career, the company can easily find a replacement to fulfill the duties that you performed in that position (Lloyd, 2007).

Ethical issues can arise when an employee creates a product, idea, plan, process, or something that makes their job better or easier while they are on company time. Many companies have similar policies, which they make employee’s sign prior to employment. Herbalife’s policy states the following: “If you are an employee, you signed an agreement when you joined the Company, under which you assumed specific obligations relating to intellectual property as well as the treatment of confidential and proprietary information. Among other things in the agreement, you assigned to the Company all of your right, title, and interest in intellectual property you develop when you are employed in certain capacities, such as a managerial, technical, product planning, programming, scientific or other professional capacity (herbalife.com).” For many companies, which make employees sign agreements like this one from Herbalife, it is common that a company can promote this idea, process, or whatever it may be that the employee created and the company can turn a profit and the employee may never see any addition profit.

In conclusion, many companies require you to protect their physical, proprietary, and intellectual assets. If you devise a way to make your job easier while you are at work, technically the company views this as they own it, however if you think of this on your off-duty time then technically you own it. This is an ethical gray area that most employees are unwilling to fight because they do not want to lose their pension and benefits. Even though it is always a good idea to share information both to your company and to other employees, always make sure credit goes to where credit is due and if there is any compensation for the credit, always ensure you get what you are entitled to.

References

1. Lloyd, Joan (2007, July 13th). Helping train replacement logical move – The Business Journal of Milwaukee:. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from Helping train replacement logical move – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: Web site:
2. Herbalife – Corporate Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Retrieved August 19, 2008, from Herbalife – Corporate Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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Online Auction Ethics

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is intended to provide an answer to what moral or ethical constraints should be placed upon users of online auctions, if any at all.

[Content]
When the question arises of what types of constraints should be put in place to prevent users of online auctions from putting immoral, unethical, or otherwise offensive items for bid on an online auction, some people may argue that the constraints goes against their 1st amendment rights of freedom of speech (Shouhong Wang and Diana Kao, 2005). Others may argue that when a person creates an account and accepts the agreement, they are knowingly subjecting themselves to anything that they may find offensive, immoral, or unethical. There is without a question of a doubt a need for some sort of constraints put in place, but where is the limit? Who needs to monitor and police the constraints? Who needs to regulate should be sold and what is not to be allowed?

Online auction sites, like Amazon or eBay, have disclaimers, which protects them from current laws. Even though online auction sites have disclaimers to protect them from current laws, the laws are being challenged. The online auction sites reserve the right to modify this disclaimer as the laws change and thus allowing the online sites to protect themselves. Auction sites also reserve the right to disallow anybody whom they feel is not abiding by their rules from using the online auction (Barker).

In conclusion, when the question is asked about who should be monitoring immoral material being placed on online auctions; I think it is the sole responsibility of each and every individual user to decide what should be allowed. If a user finds something so offensive, then it should be up to that person to report it to the online auction for further review, after all, what is immoral to one person might not be the same for another. It should be up to the online auction owners to follow the law and their policies should reflect the law. If a user is not following their policies, the online auction owners should ban the users from using the auction.

References

1. Shouhong Wang, and Diana Kao (2005). A Model for Monitoring and Enforcing Online Auction Ethics. A Model for Monitoring and Enforcing Online Auction Ethics, Retrieved August 14, 2008, from
2. Barker, Alex W. Ethics, E-Commerce, and the Future of the Past. Retrieved August 14, 2008, from Ethics, E-Commerce, and the Future of the Past Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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Information System Controls

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is intended to look at a course registration system within a university and argue which controls should be inputted into that system to ensure the system is not being abused. Also included within this document is an argument for which controls should be put into place to ensure students are able to enroll into courses they request.

[Content]
When using an information system within a university to ensure student enrollment within classes they request there are few security controls that will have to be implemented. Without controls to protect the information system people will most certainly abuse the system. Controls not only assist the students, but they also aid the school in ensure the classrooms are not being overfilled. Controls will also help the school faculty by protecting information that students, whom don’t have a need to know, from viewing. If controls weren’t put into place, students would have access to other students personal information such as social security numbers and addresses, students then would be able to steal their identity and open credit cards and reek all sorts of havoc on each other.

Without an information system having controls in place there would be virtually no security to protect peoples information or the information system itself, however what types of controls should be put in place? When talking about information systems there are different types of controls that happen at different levels, the overall goal is to ensure data confidentiality, data integrity, and data availability. This means users should only have access to information that they are authorized to have access to. Data integrity means that data is secured and not being changed from the time a user inputs the data into the system to the time the data is being accessed. Data availability means that the data is there and ready for when the wants to access it. One form of controls is user-based permissions; this ensures users have access to only the data they are authorized to have access to. Another form of control is file-based permissions; this ensures only authorized personnel can access that specific file. Everything that happens within an information system happens at the system level. The system-level is responsible for auditing everything that happens on that system, but also ensuring everything on that system follows the correct policies and procedures for operation (intosaiitaudit.org, 2004). System-level controls cover everything from proper administration of the system, acceptable use policies of that system, backup procedures of the system, and how data is accessed, stored, or modified on the system. The different types of controls on the information system ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data within an information system (Locicero, 2007).

When a student needs to enroll into a class they should first have to have a username and password to log into the information system with. The information system should be using encryption in order to ensure the data being passed between the users computer and the information system is secured. The information system itself should either be placed on a server or multiple servers to ensure that it has maximum uptime, as well as, being on some sort of uninterruptable power source (UPS) or backup generator. The information system should also have redundant paths to ensure the network access has maximum uptime. The information system’s audit, security, and application logs should be stored on a separate server, which should be secured. Trained personnel who are trained to follow all necessary policies and procedures should complete the basic administration of the system. The information system should have a consistent backup plan, which is tested on a regular basis in the event of a failure. There should also be a disaster recovery plan for the information system, which should be stored in a location that is different from where the information system resides. These sets of controls will ensure students are able to enroll in courses they request, as well as, maintain the information system for everybody to use.

In conclusion, when there are proper policies and procedures that have been implemented for an information system and everybody follows the doctrine this preventative action should greatly reduce the event of improper use of an information system. Proper administration of an information system will greatly mitigate any security issues that may arise. Having backup and disaster recovery procedures will ensure the information system can be recovered in the event of something catastrophic.

References
1. (2004, February). Review of Information System Controls. National Audit Office Form 905, 2.3, Retrieved August 21, 2008, from [URL Removed Broken link]
2. Locicero, Claudio (2007, November 5th). Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability and What it Means to You. Retrieved August 21, 2008, from Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability and What it Means to You Web site: http://ezinearticles.com/?Confidentiality,-Integrity,-Availability-and-What-it-Means-to-You&id=817559

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Computer Literate Executives and Information Systems

Dave

Abstract

The purpose of this document is to provide an argument to the question, “As more computer- and information system-literate employees move into executive positions, will executive support systems be needed? Why or why not?” The second part of this document answers the questions, “What special knowledge, other than that found in a course catalog, is needed to advise students about course and degree requirements in a university? Is it explicit or implicit knowledge? Could this knowledge be made available through a knowledge management system? Why or why not?”

Content

When answering the question, “As more computer- and information system-literate employees move into executive positions, will executive support systems be needed? Why or why not?” it is important to know what an executive support system is. An executive support system is a software application that produces reports with metrics for higher-level executives to analyze based on the information provided (webopedia.com, 2004). Many of the reports pull data from different departments such as accounting, staffing, scheduling, and more. With these reports, executives are able to make critical decisions that will best benefit the company for planning or business opportunities that may arise. These decisions should be based on the company’s vision or the direction the company wants to go, using the reports that hold the information about where the company currently stands.

Based on the definition of what an executive support system (ESS) is, one can argue that even though there may be more technologically savvy business executives, there will still be a need for the support system for the company to grow. No matter how big or small a company is, it is important for decision-makers to have a macro view of where the company currently stands. Without knowing where the company is, the business executive or CEO cannot create a plan to achieve the company’s vision. It is the need for knowledge of the company’s current status that necessitates the executive support system. Even though a business executive may be more technologically advanced, they will still need the ESS. However, they may require less support from their local information technology (IT) department. With business executives that are more technologically proficient, the IT department may not need to respond to mundane tasks like helping a user map to a printer or properly set up their email account.

To answer the questions, “What special knowledge, other than that found in a course catalog, is needed to advise students about course and degree requirements in a university? Is it explicit or implicit knowledge? Could this knowledge be made available through a knowledge management system? Why or why not?” it is first important to know the difference between implicit and explicit knowledge. Explicit knowledge is the type of knowledge that can be gained from documents, manuals, and even procedures (Zoltan Dienes, Josef Perner, 1999). Implicit knowledge is the type of knowledge where you consciously or unconsciously process information within your mind. A good way to differentiate the two is that implicit knowledge is something you gain from within, while explicit knowledge is something you gain from an outside source.

Knowing the differences between explicit and implicit knowledge, one can argue that to advise students about course or degree requirements within a university, the majority of the information is going to be explicit and therefore could be made available through a knowledge management system. The majority of information about courses and requirements can be found in a course catalog, and therefore is explicit knowledge. However, the ability to look at each student on a case-by-case basis and determine which path best suits their interests requires experience or implicit knowledge. The vast majority of students should be able to use a knowledge management system to determine their best course in obtaining a degree. By using explicit knowledge, there should be few instances where implicit knowledge is needed.

In conclusion, when trying to determine if an ESS is going to be needed due to businessmen becoming more technologically savvy, and if a knowledge management system would work for a university advising students, it is best to understand what an executive support system is and the differences between explicit and implicit knowledge. Once a person knows what these things are, they can make an argument to support their claim.

References
1. (2004, October 24th). What is Executive Support System? – A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from What is Executive Support System? – A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary Web site: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/Executive_Support_System.html
2. Zoltan Dienes, and Josef Perner (1999). A theory of implicit and explicit knowledge. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from A theory of implicit and explicit knowledge Web site: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=BBS

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University LAN

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an increased or basic knowledge of how a university with all aspects of their university connected via the local area network (LAN) would change the educational process. Also included in this document are some examples of how a student can access the school’s information system and what advantages or disadvantages that has on the student’s ability to learn.

[Content]
A college university with local area network connectivity provided to all areas of the school’s campus greatly increases the student’s ability to learn. By students having access to the school’s information system, they have the ability to know exactly where their standing is with the university. They are also able to take care of any necessary admissions or payment issues they may have with the school to ensure their enrollment. By having online access from anywhere on the school’s campus they have the ability to complete any necessary research for projects they may be working on. Students also have the ability to maintain a two-way form of communication with their instructors at any time.

When a university provides LAN access to a student from anywhere on the school’s campus a student has the ability to take full advantage of the LAN for both learning purposes, but also morale, welfare, and recreation purposes. When a student has downtime or time away from classes and studying a student can stay in touch with family and friends via chat or video applications like Yahoo Instant Messenger, Microsoft Instant Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, etc. When a student feels confident everything is fine at home, then they completely have the ability to focus their efforts on studying and their minds won’t be worrying about how family or friends are doing at home. Students can take advantage of online blogging, community sites like MySpace or Friendster, or even the school’s different club websites. By doing this they have the ability of meeting new friends and have the comfort of fitting in with other students.

Today’s classrooms have the ability to maintain a multi-dimensional classroom environment for students by allowing students to maintain communication with their instructor from anywhere on campus. Much like in the workplace it is important for a student to know what their instructor expects of them and from the work the student completes. A good way to know exactly what is expected from by an instructor or for an assignment, it is important to maintain full contact with the school’s faculty. Students can use the university’s LAN to stay in touch with the instructor, which could be a problem making an appointment to see a particular instructor only during office hours. The ability to contact the instructor at anytime from anywhere on campus provides the means for a student to not only maintain a lasting bond with the instructor, but also give the student the opportunity to address any issues they may have with the course or understanding of the course material (tltgroup.org). When an instructor chooses to maintain communication with their student, they have the ability to encourage the student to perform their best. University’s LAN’s provide the means for students to stay in contact with their instructors which will benefit them now and for years to come.

Library’s and computer labs help students to have information and knowledge at their fingertips. School library’s can be limited at the selection of material they may have and computer labs can become congested or too busy for everyone to have full access anytime they need. Using the school’s LAN provides a cost effective way for both the school and the student to have full access to both a computer system and any reference material the student may need. Information is always changing or being updated, schools may have magazines and journals which can become dated, by having online access to magazines or journal subscriptions the university can provide a wider variety of material for a student.

Although a school’s LAN can provide many advantages, there are still instructors who are not very computer savvy, for these instructors the school’s classroom can still be the primary means for shaping young minds. Not everybody is in tuned with technology and they may still want face-to-face interaction with students. For these less technologically savvy instructors, they can still provide minimal communication during non-office hours by checking e-mail or even holding specific chat times, but the rest of the time the instructor may prefer addressing any of the students concerns during normal hours.

In conclusion, when a university provides a LAN in which can be accessed from anywhere, this provides another dimension to how students can maintain full interaction with the university and their instructors. The benefits to the school’s LAN are not isolated to just benefitting students, instructors will greatly benefit as well. When a school provides a positive environment for both students and instructors the school becomes a much more efficient place to learn.

References

1. Faculty-Student Contact: 7 Principles Collection of TLT Ideas. Retrieved August 7, 2008, from Faculty-Student Contact: 7 Principles Collection of TLT Ideas Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]
2. Robert Michaelson, and Jeffrey Garrett (2005). Library Briefings: Advantages of online-only Fall 2005. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from Library Briefings: Advantages of online-only Fall 2005 Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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Estimating Business Investment

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an increased or basic knowledge of how automating the business by using computers and applications has advantages and disadvantages. Also included within this document is a plan to estimate the return on investment for automating the business, as well as, a determination of automating the business will allow employees to be more productive. Finally estimation will be made to the benefits of automating the business versus the investment cost.

[Content]
Business automations help make a business run more efficiently, effectively, easily, and prevents duplication of efforts. Prior to automation, if a CEO wanted to write a memorandum and get it out to all of the employees they would have to type the memorandum, print as many copies as there are employees and then either route the document or physically go an give it to each individual. With automation they can simply type the memorandum into an e-mail and send it to everybody and ensure everybody has received it within seconds. This not only is faster and more efficient, but it is also paperless, which is good for the environment as well. Automation helps the company run smoother and effectively by giving everyone within an organization access to information within seconds, which used to take minutes, hours, or even days previously. Not only can people have access to information within seconds, but also security can be put into place that ensures only authorized personnel have access to the data when they need it (nist.gov, 2008). Business automation helps a business run more efficient in order to provide a better product or service.

Continuously improving products and services are necessary for any business to grow and in order to improve products or services there are many tasks that need to happen in between such as: update mailing lists, process orders, administrative paperwork, etc (Lopez, 2005). When a business is trying to determine weather they should consider the total amount of time it takes an employee to manually perform the tasks that want to be automated. Once that number has been counted, the next step is to consider the total cost of automating the business. Once those two numbers have been calculated the total return on investment can then be determined. For example: if it takes 1 employee 8 hours a day of performing tasks manually at $20/hour then the total cost is $80 a day to perform the business tasks manually. Next if the total cost of 10 computers is $20000 plus another $10000 for network equipment then we know the total cost is $30,000 for all necessary computers and networking equipment. Although it may look cheaper to perform the tasks manually we calculated for just one day. The total cost for an entire year is $29,200. It is clear that within a little over 1 year the automation equipment will have completely paid for itself. The total return on investment is definitely worth the initial cost of purchasing the equipment.

References

1. (2008, May 7th). NIST.gov – Computer Security Division – Computer Security Resource Center. Retrieved August 10, 2008, from NIST.gov – Computer Security Division – Computer Security Resource Center Web site: http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SMA/sbc/
2. Lopez, Marcos (2005, December 5th). Why Automating your Business could be very Profitable. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from Why Automating your Business could be very Profitable Web site: http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Automating-your-Business-could-be-very-Profitable&id=108011

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Computers and Functions

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an increased or basic knowledge of a computer and what types of functions are necessary to be present in order for a piece of hardware to be considered a computer.

[Content]
A computer is a piece or multiple pieces of hardware that have the ability to respond to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner, as well as, having the ability to execute a predefined set of instructions (webopedia.com, 2008). Computers have many different uses, but ultimately computers are a technology, which allow users to complete simple or complex tasks in a timely manner. Computers play a role in many aspects of everyday life anywhere from: banking, hospitals, transportation, energy, military, and even NASA. No matter what the use is of a computer, the basic functions of what defines a computer as a computer, the criterion is still the same.

When the question is asked if a microwave is a computer, by definition, the answer is, “no.” When comparing a computer to a microwave the initial thought would be that a microwave is a computer, however when looking at the two by definition, it is apparent that a microwave is not computer. A microwave does have a predefined set of instructions, however it does not have the ability to execute code. Many people may argue that you can program a clock on a microwave and the application used to program the clock is an application, however those are stored values, they are not predefined instructions. Your thoughts of checking your email or over-clocking your microwave in order to cook your food faster just are not going to happen. Microwaves are tools that can be used to allow a user to complete a simple task, but they fall along the lines of furniture or electronics rather than computers.

In conclusion, when comparing a computer to a microwave, they may have a lot of similarities, but they cannot be defined as a computer. Microwaves do not meet all the necessary criteria to be considered on the same computing level as a computer. Until the time that microwaves are programmed to run more complex applications and actually execute a predefined set of instructions, otherwise known as a program, microwaves can still be found in the electronics department of your nearest department store.

References

1. What is computer? – A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary. Retrieved August 3, 2008, from What is computer? – A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary Web site: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/computer.html

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Information Systems Within Business

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an increased or basic knowledge of businesses and types of employees within business. Also included within this document are types of information systems within a business. Finally a determination is made if the employee’s position could be replaced by an information system.

[Content]

Within many aspects of today’s business there is a need for information technology and information systems. The evolution of this technology has made many businesses operate faster and more efficient. Information systems have play a vital role in making business operations run more efficient, not only for the business, but also in accommodating the customer. In some aspects of business, information’s systems have replaced human positions in which people assisted the customer. The evolution of technology both benefits many companies and customers by allowing the business to operate more smooth and efficiently.

Within the airline industry, United Airlines has utilized information systems to aid many of their positions. A few positions that utilize information systems are: service desk clerks, baggage personnel, and even weather personnel. Service desk clerks utilize information systems by inputting customer data into the information system and also querying the information system to ensure seats on an airplane and also flights are available when the customer needs them (prenhall.com, 1999). Once information is inputted into the information system, customers are able to utilize the World Wide Web to query information within the information system. A good example of this is by a customer using the Internet to check how many frequent flier miles they may have on the airline’s website. Even though information systems have made service desk clerks jobs easier, I do not believe the information system could possibly replace the customer service representatives position because the customer service representative needs to address every individuals needs on a case by case basic in order to best assist the customer. Baggage personnel are other employee’s within the airline, which use the information system. When a customer checks in for a flight they check their baggage and their baggage is inputted into the information system. The baggage personnel use the information system to route the baggage to the correct flight or they even query the information system in the event of a lost baggage to track the bag and reroute it to the correct destination (Nice). Baggage personnel also cannot be replaced by the information system because they are still needed to physically carry the baggage and load it onto the aircraft. Weather personnel not only use information systems, but their jobs depend on the information system heavily. Weather personnel are able to receive feeds from multiple sources to verify the most ideal path of travel for a particular aircraft, then they relay this information to pilots for planning the best route of travel. Although the information system plays a major role in weather personnel’s jobs, I do not believe a weather person will be able to be completely replaced by the information system because in the event of an emergency the weather personnel have to be able to follow contingency operations to direct the pilot accordingly in order to safely operate the aircraft.

In conclusion, information system play a vital role in many businesses, however there are still positions that information systems still cannot completely replace. Information systems make many personnel’s jobs easier and they pass information onto both employee’s and customer’s, but the information systems are not intelligent enough to perform actions that people can perform.

References

1. (1999). Information Systems – Useful Cases. Retrieved August 5, 2008, from Information Systems – Useful Cases Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]
2. Nice, Karim Howstuffworks “How Baggage Handling Works”. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from Howstuffworks “How Baggage Handling Works” Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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E-Tail and Retail Stores

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an increased or basic knowledge and a comparison of online and retail stores. Also included in this document is a comparison of how buying a product online differs from buying a product from a retail store and which products are better suited to be sold online as opposed to through a retail store.

[Content]

When trying to determine whether a product should be bought in a retail store an online store it is important to know if the type of product and if it meets certain standards. Products, which are created to meet international standards, can easily be bought online as opposed to going into a retail store. Retail stores are ideal for products in which a buyer might not know about the particular product. If a buyer knows about a particular product it may be more feasible for them to buy the product through an etail store.

Retail stores provide an ideal environment for customers whom are unsure about a product and may need to physically touch and assess the product. Products like clothing, linens, shoes, foods, and decorative items are examples of products in which they may be better for a customer to look, touch, and decide upon the correct product for them. Products, which are based upon customer comfort, also may need to be seen and felt by the customer. Retail stores allow customers to decide which product is right for them by allowing the customer to try on clothing, shoes, or even lie down upon a bed to determine which mattress feels right to the customer. Retail stores also provide an environment in which a customer can talk with a representative or even other customers in attempt to determine which is the best product or which certain products may have that another does not. Many retail stores also try to entice a larger customer base by creating coupons, having sales, or providing other special offers that provide a benefit for physically visiting a store. It is also not uncommon for retail stores to have an etail store to further expand their customer base or even provide a means for a customer who knows what they want or do not have any of the particular retail stores near them to go online and make a purchase. Retail stores provide an environment for customers to touch, feel, smell, taste, and even ask questions about a product in order for the customer to make a determination about which product is the right product.

Etail stores provide technological environment in which is ideal for customers who do not need to touch and feel a product in order to determine what they want or just may want to make a purchase from the comfort of their own home. A couple good examples of products, which may be best suitable for customers to buy though an etail store as opposed to a retail store, are products like computer or even automotive parts. These products might be best suited for the etail environment because the products are manufactured to adhere to both computer and automotive standards. When a customer wants a 3Ghz dual processor, 2 Terabyte hard drive, or even a ceramic bearing turbo booster for their car, they can buy it online and know exactly what they are getting by either knowing or looking up the standards of the product they are intending on buying. Sometimes etail stores are better to buy from due to discounts they may have on shipping to a customer, by providing specials like this can entice customers to do more online shopping. Online stores have advantages like they are more secure, cheaper to maintain, and they are open 24 hours a day/7 days a week (Matyjewicz, 1999). Other times online stores are idea to make purchases through instead of going to a store and fighting crowds that may be in the store during peak seasons like Thanksgiving or Christmas (Stoller, 2007).

In conclusion, there are different reasons for which type of store is more ideal, however I believe that when a customer knows what they want or do not want to deal with crowds of stores it is more of an advantage to use the services of an etail store. When somebody wants to look at a product and perhaps try it on in the event of purchasing clothing it may be best to go into an actual brick and mortar store to assess the products. If a customer might have an idea what they want, but do not know the specifics about a particular product and they need to talk with an expert about the product it may again be more beneficial to go into a retail store to get the assistance in which is required.

References

1. Matyjewicz, G (1999). The E-Tailer’s Digest – Issue your resource for retail on the Net. +++ S P E C I A L R E P O R T +++ “eTail ‚Äò99 ¬≠ Online Retail Conference” — A summary of the conference by George Matyjewicz. Retrieved July 24, 2008, from The E-Tailer’s Digest – Issue your resource for retail on the Net. +++ S P E C I A L R E P O R T +++ “eTail ‚Äò99 ¬≠ Online Retail Conference” — A summary of the conference by George Matyjewicz Web site:
2. Stoller, C (2007). Will Retail Sync with E-tail for Holiday Season?. Retrieved July 24, 2008, from Will Retail Sync with E-tail for Holiday Season? Web site: [URL Removed Broken link]

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Information Systems and Users

Dave

[Abstract]
The purpose of this document is to provide an increased or basic knowledge of how users interact with information systems by utilizing input and output devices, computer performance factors, network performance issues, and correlating them to the online virtual campus.

[Content]
When viewing the American Intercontinental University online virtual campus system as an information system, it is important to realize there are different components of the system and how they tie together. One key component to the online virtual campus is that users need input and out devices and what types there are in order to access and use the campus. When using the virtual campus it is important to know what type of information system it is, i.e. application software or system software. It is also instrumental to know that when users access the information system what components of their hardware devices as well as their network connections affect the performance of the information system. Finally it is important to know which data needs to be managed within the information system.

In order to know what types of input and output devices are necessary to interact with the AIU virtual campus it is good to know what the differences between input and output devices are as well as how they are used. A definition of an input device is anything that can be used for the interaction between the real world and the computer world. This means devices such as keyboards, mice, microphones, cameras, and even some security devices to gain access to a computer such as a biometric device. Output devices are any type of device that is used to communicate information from a data processing system to a user in the real world. Some examples of output devices are monitors, speakers, and printers. When a user attempts to log into the information system they use an input device such as a keyboard to type in their logon credentials. The information system then verifies their credentials to their security policies in order to ensure the user is authorized to access the system. The information system processes the requested data and sends it back to the user and displays it on the users output device i.e. monitor. The use of input and output devices is how users interact with an information system in order to retrieve the desired results.

Is the AIU online virtual campus an application software or system software? To best understand weather the AIU virtual campus is application software or system software it is important to know what the difference is between the two. Application software is a piece of software that uses the capabilities of the system software in order to produce the tasks and results the user wishes to perform. System software is software that is involved with incorporating the computer’s capabilities, but does not always apply them to tasks that directly benefit the user (2008). A good example of the difference between software application and system software would be to say an example of a software application is a light bulb. An example of system software would be to call it a power plant. It is possible for the power plant to produce energy in the form of electricity that may not affect the user until an application for the energy is needed, like turning on the light switch for the light bulb. With knowing the differences between application software and system software it is apparent that the AIU online virtual campus is application software.

There are different devices that can affect the performance at which an information system is accessed or information is processed within the information system. One of the 1st and foremost devices, which directly affect the way information, is accessed or processed is the type of connection being used to access the system. For example if a student is on the online virtual campus via the campus Gigabit Ethernet network, the performance is going to be much greater than a user who is thousands of miles away using a 56Kbps dialup modem. High bandwidth connections are not always needed as within the dated mainframe systems that would have a 9.6k dumb terminal directly connected to it. This dumb terminal could product results quicker than the high bandwidth Gigabit Ethernet connection due to it being directly connected to the system it was processing data from. Another key aspect to the performance of an information system is the amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) on the system. Random access memory is a volatile memory that is in the form of integrated circuits that are used to store information. When the RAM on a system is completely full, the computer system will then start to write information to the local hard drive as an additional memory, this is called swapping (Alex, 2003). Although swapping may be good the system is intelligent enough to use other components as additional memory, it does greatly affect the performance of the system.

Since we know the AIU virtual campus is a system application, how users access that system, and what components affect the performance of the system, there is one last thing to know about and it is definitely the most important thing. The most important and most valuable thing that pertains to any information system is the information or data itself. On any network or any information system, if one component fails it is recoverable, however if data is lost this is not recoverable, except by recreating the data. The AIU virtual campus consists of different components within the application system, but the most important is the database, which contains all of the information. Databases are an integral part of information systems, not only because they store the data, but also because users can query the data to produce specific results. For example if a user wanted to look up information about John Doe, they would query the database for any instances of Doe, John and then they could filter the information down to the dates John Doe attended the school, what types of grades the student received, mailing address, and any other pertinent information to the student. Databases within information systems store the most valuable information for that information system.
In conclusion, the AIU online virtual campus is a software application that runs on a computer system. The input and output devices are how users interact between the real world and the computer world. Their network connections as well as their computer bus speed, and the amount of RAM in their computer can all directly affect the performance of how a user interacts with the information system. When a user interacts with the information system what they are really doing is querying a database in order to produce the results the user was looking for. Out of any of the entire information system the data contained within the database is the most important and needs to be protected and managed accordingly.

References

1. (2008). System software Definition: TechEncyclopedia from TechWeb. Retrieved July 23, 2008, from system software Definition: TechEncyclopedia from TechWeb Web site:
2. Alex, P (2003). Computer Performance factors. Retrieved July 23, 2008, from Computer Performance factors Web site:

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Network Topologies

Dave

Different network topologies have different advantages and disadvantages. A bus network topology is nice because it is simple and cheap, however it has its limitations. On a bus topology you are limited to the number of hosts you can place on a single bus. A ring topology can be beneficial because it provides redundancy, however if more than one node along the bus goes down, this will break the ring and can seriously impact the functionality. A star topology can easily be deployed, but once again, if the node or hub in the center of that star goes down, then each host off that connection will be isolated. A mesh topology would be the most ideal topology for larger networks, however it is more expensive and can be more difficult to deploy since there will be more connections needed for the infrastructure. Another advantage of a mesh topology is the redundancy the infrastructure provides. As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages of each network topology and each type of topology has its place of where it should be deployed.

There are many different types of networking standards that were developed to ensure there is a certain degree of development standardization, stability and availability among networks. Cable standards are there to ensure that the type of physical media being used is rated for the distance and speeds it can handle before degradation begins. Wireless standards (IEEE 802.11 and 802.15 standards) were developed to ensure there is a certain degree of access and ensuring communication between systems over a wireless connection. The IEEE 802.3 LAN/MAN/CMSA/CD standard was developed to ensure there are an access method, physical layer specifications, and network management specifications. Some standards are to ensure the smooth evolution and development of the internet, such as the function of the Internet Engineering Task Force. No matter what the standard is, the standardization process provides guidelines for all to follow to ensure devices will work with each other.

Networking protocols are how different devices are able to communicate with each other. The most widely used internet protocol used today for network equipment to talk with each other is TCP/IP. Currently when using TCP/IP the most widely used version is internet protocol version 4, which is 32 bit. IPv4 has met the needs of the internet until recent years. IPv4 is restricted by the number of unique IP addresses are available for the whole Internet to use, that number being 4,294,967,296. IPv6 is the next version that will be coming out, which expands on IPv4 and provides many more IP addresses to be used and seems to have a limitless number of IP addresses due to it being 128 bit. Even though a device is physically connected to a network and has met standards, without network protocols the device will not be able to communicate with other devices on that network.

When devices on a network use protocols to communicate with each other, access methods are used to determine which device is able to transmit or receive at a time without interfering with other devices. Carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) performs this function by a device determining if it sees a carrier on the media, if the host sees a carrier it knows not to transmit, but if it does not then the host can transmit it’s data. There are two types of CSMA one being collision avoidance and the other being collision detection. With collision avoidance, devices try to determine when a collision might occur and then they don’t transmit during that time. With collision detection, two devices sense there is nothing being transmitted and then they transmit at the same time and a collision occurs. Both devices then wait for a random amount of time before they retransmit. Another access method is token passing, token passing method works by simply a token being passed around and whoever holds the token is allowed to transmit. No matter what access method is used, this is how devices are able to share media and determine that every device is not trying to transmit at the same time.

Networks are connected to other networks by various different methods. Networks can be interconnected by different ways of transmission, some of those methods are satellite, microwave, high frequency, integrated digital switched network, Ethernet, thicknet, thinnet, token ring, asynchronous transfer mode, etc. The means of how these networks are connected may impact what types of network interfaces we use to communicate with the networks. For example: if thicknet (Coaxial cable) is used for the network, then the host would definitely need a BNC connector to interface with the network. If ATM is used, more than likely a fiber optic NIC would need to be utilized to talk on the ATM network. Networks are connected to each other in various different way, depending on what method is used to interconnect networks may impact what network interfaces are needed to connect to different media types.

In conclusion, there are many different ways a network can be designed, connected, and accessed based upon different standards. Different topologies can be used to provide a layout for different networks. Each individual network adheres to different networking standards. Depending on the type of network, different methods can be used for accessing the network and in turn different types of media may be used to connect these networks.

References:
[URL Removed Broken link]
[URL Removed Broken link]
http://www.linktionary.com/a/access_method.html

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