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Discuss about the Mass Storage Technologies for COIT.

Timeline of Computer History

Computer History Museum, 2016. Timeline of Computer History: Memory and Storage. [Online] Available at: https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/memory-storage/ [Accessed 10 September 2016].

This resource is a website of the computer history museum which discusses the timeline of computers. The author has discussed Williams Tube and Magnetic Core Memory along with other mass storages technologies that existed prior to 1980. According to this site, Williams-Kilburn Tube which was tested in 1947 was the first completely electronic memory having high speed which made use of a cathode ray tube for the storage of bits in the form of dots on the surface of the screen. There was constant refreshment of information as every dot would last for only a fraction of a second prior to fading away. The changes in electrical charge were determined by a metal pickup plate. On the other hand, Magnetic Core Memory was the first system of high speed RAM that was considered to be reliable and till the 1970s it had wide usage as the computers’ main memory technology.

History of Data Storage Technology

This resource is a blog by the Zettta staff and it discusses the data storage technology’s history. As per this website, Delay Line Memory was used from 1949 onwards and it consisted of imparting a pattern of information into a “delay path”. The information recirculation was allowed by a close loop that was formed if the delay path connected to the start via time and amplifying circuits. The function of this storage is similar to the input of a telephone number from the directory that is repeating till it is dialled by the person. Another mass storage technology that this website describes is the DRAM cells. The technology of memory cells or the “Dynamic Random Access Memory” consisted of a single transistor. The bits of information were stored by the cells in a circuit in the form of electrical charge. The overall density of memory was increased by DRAM cells.

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Griffin, D., 2011. How does the Global Positioning System work ? [Online] Available at: https://www.pocketgpsworld.com/howgpsworks.php [Accessed 10 September 2016].

This resource is an article from a weekly newsletter pocketgpsworld. In this the author Griffin speaks about the working of the Global Positioning System navigation system, an embedded operating system. Griffin explains the way in which the signals are transmitted by the GPS satellites to a GPS receiver and that the operations of GPS are dependent on time reference that has to be highly accurate and this is given by the atomic clocks that are present on board the satellites. The transmission of data by each satellite is an indication of its location as well as the current time. I found this information to be useful as the author explains in detail not only the satellite network but also the way in which the GPS is used for determining the position. The way in which the operations are synchronised by all GPS satellites is also well explained by the author.

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Operating Systems in Microwave Ovens

Gish, W., 2016. Operating Systems in Microwave Ovens. [Online] Available at: https://www.ehow.com/info_12177413_operating-systems-microwave-ovens.html [Accessed 10 September 2016].

This resource taken from the e-How website talks about the operating system in microwave systems. According to the author Gish, there are two systems that are present in all the microwave ovens – the “electrical operating system” due to which heating and cooking of food occurs and the “computer operating system” which helps in transferring directions from the controls to the first system. The author also explains the parts of the two systems in order to understand its working. According to me this article is very useful in understanding the differences that are there between the embedded systems and the operating systems and the way the embedded systems work especially in the case of microwave ovens wherein the embedded systems perform the role of translating the simple commands. The article explains that in microwave ovens the operating system works as a command device and hence microwave oven contains a simple programming.

Jenner, G., 2015. ANALYSIS: How airlines are tapping into the Internet of Things. [Online] Available at: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-how-airlines-are-tapping-into-the-internet-of-414073/ [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is taken from the Flight Global website which provides insights into the aviation industry. As per the author Jenner, the operations of IoT work in real time and offer a number of opportunities for improvement of the operational efficiency and also offer the passengers with more personalisation. The IPv6 or internet communications protocol’s latest version, permit trillions of nodes on the internet as well as “internet and wireless proximity-detecting technologies” like near field communications, RFIT and BLE beacons. I found the article to be very useful as it informs us that the airlines that are experimenting with IoT have projects for improving experience of the passengers, handling of baggage, monitoring equipment, tracking pets that are in transit and generating fuel related efficiencies. It also tells us that almost 37% of the airlines have made budget allocations for implementing IoT and 58% have plans of investing resources in IoT.

How the internet of things is revolutionizing retail

Goldman, S., 2016. How the internet of things is revolutionizing retail. [Online] Available at: https://www.cio.com/article/3090123/internet-of-things/how-the-internet-of-things-is-revolutionizing-retail.html [Accessed 10 September 2016].

This article has been taken from the CIO website. As per the author Goldman, as a result of the Internet of Things as well as connecting networks which link the digital and the physical worlds in an ecosystem that consists of wearables, vehicles, stores, smartphones and computers the retail world will never again be the same as before. New opportunities have been provided in customer services by IoT across the brick-and-mortar stores, supply chains and other channels that consist of promising new ventures like the connected platforms which are home based. This article is useful in telling us that for gaining competitive advantages, the retailers who are tech-savvy are making installations of smart shelves for detection of low inventories, RFID sensors for tracking products across the supply chain, systems for sending personalised digital coupons to shoppers on entering the stores and also sensors for monitoring the quality of perishable items.

Embedded Operating Systems

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Mitchell, B., 2016. DNS – Domain Name System. [Online] Available at: https://compnetworking.about.com/cs/domainnamesystem/g/bldef_dns.htm [Accessed 10 September 2016].

This resource has been taken from About Tech website and it is about the Domain Name System (DNS) and its working. As per the author, Mitchell, DNS helps in the translation of Internet domain as well as host names to IP addresses and also translating them vice-versa. He informs us that the DNS causes automatic conversion of the names that are typed by us in the address bar of Web browser takes place to the IP addresses of the Web servers that host these sites. A client/server model is followed by DNS wherein the requests to as well as receive responses from the DNS servers are sent by the client. It supports forward and also backward “DNS lookups”. I found this article useful as it tells us that a distributed database is implemented by DNS for storing information related to name and address on the internet for all public hosts.

FTP protocol (File Transfer Protocol)

CCM, 2016. FTP protocol (File Transfer Protocol). [Online] Available at: https://ccm.net/contents/272-ftp-protocol-file-transfer-protocol [Accessed 10 September 2016].

This resource is taken from the CCM website. The resource informs us that as suggested by the name, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) it is a protocol for the transfer of files. The current FTP protocol is described by RFC 959 and it defines the way of transferring data over a TCP/IP network. According to the resource the role or the key aims of FTP protocol are allowing the sharing of files between the remote machines, allowing independence between the server machine system files and the client and enabling efficiency in the transfer of data. The explanation of the FTP model as well as the commands is also given and we are informed that the FTP protocol comes under the “client-server model” wherein one machine is responsible in sending orders which is the client while the other waits for the requests for carrying out the actions and this is the server.

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Dunkel, D., 2015. Crypto-Ransomware Attacks: The New Form of Kidnapping. [Online] Available at: https://blog.trendmicro.com/crypto-ransomware-attacks-the-new-form-of-kidnapping/ [Accessed 16 September 2016].

This resource is a blog entry which discusses the growth of Crypto-Ransonware. As per the author Crypto-Ransomware is a type of malicious malware which causes encryption of the most significant files of the victims and these files are then held hostage till a payment is made. Dunkel also tells us that attacks of ransomware have advanced in the techniques. The malware’s earlier variants according to him were easy to detect, less costly and also were more contained but over a period of time there have been a progress in the capabilities. It began with the locking of the computer screen of the victim, then the files started to be encrypted while today even the keys which are responsible for decrypting the files can be decrypted. The author also provides useful information regarding the ways in which the hacking organisations that are professional are leveraging the almost invincible variants of malware.

Analysis: How airlines are tapping into the Internet of Things

TorrentLocker expands its victim base: Australian threat environment

Budd, C., 2016. TorrentLocker expands its victim base: Australian threat environment. [Online] Available at: https://blog.trendmicro.com/torrentlocker-expands-its-victim-base-australian-threat-environment/ [Accessed 2016 September 2016].

This resource is a blog that talks about the persistent threat that the ransomware TorrentLocker is posing to businesses, especially in Australia where maximum cases have been reported recently. The author Budd says that it is well known that “crypto-ransomware strain” can bypass not only the spam filters but also the “robust malware detection” in its attempts of breaching the enterprises and enabling the hackers in locking files so that they can get a ransom for returning the files safely. He also talks about the many advanced techniques of evasion that are leveraged by the sample which prevents it from being detected by the sandboxes, antispam and features of web reputation. The blog provides uses information about the impacts that TorrentLocker has on the threat environment of Australia and how the use of education as well as awareness can be made for the reduction of the threat of this ransomware.

The Big Halt: 7 Lessons from Recent Computer Outages

Lohrmann, D., 2015. The Big Halt: 7 Lessons from Recent Computer Outages. [Online] Available at: https://www.govtech.com/blogs/lohrmann-on-cybersecurity/The-Big-Halt-Seven-Lessons-from-Recent-Computer-Outages.html [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is a blog entry which mentions about the series of major outrages of computer that happened at almost the same time on July8, 2015 due to which it caught the attention of the world globally. Lohrmann says that large scale disruptions in operations were caused by computer incidents at the United Airlines, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Stock Exchange. These incidents were caused as a result of configuration errors, human errors and failure of routers. He talks about the lessons that can be learnt from the incidents and the way in which the public as well as the private sector enterprises can keep themselves better prepared for such network outrages in future. Lohrmann is of the opinion that there is a need for putting such outrages into a context which is proper and then ask certain tough questions as today the stakes involved are high.

Diep, F., 2014. WHAT COULD CAUSE A NATIONWIDE INTERNET OUTAGE? SUCH AS THE TIME WARNER OUTAGE THIS MORNING. [Online] Available at: https://www.popsci.com/article/technology/what-could-cause-nationwide-internet-outage [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is the “Popular Science” website which makes a mention of the major outrage that was suffered in the internet services by Time Warner. The author says that a large part of the U.S. was affected by such an outrage and it lasted for almost two hours. Popular Science resource also mentioned about the hypothesis of Sonia Fahmy, a computer scientist from Purdue University who carries out researches on network performance. It is mentioned that the outrages were caused due to the protocols of routing. Diep also says that researchers have been working so that routing protocol has lesser chances of failure and that there is a promising solution in the form of “Software Defined Networking” that allows the company to make use of a single machine known as the controller for configuring multiple routers at one go so that chances of human mistakes during router configuration are reduced.

How the internet of things is revolutionizing retail

5 Ways Pepsi’s Use of Social Media is Right On

Horton, C., 2012. Marketing Technology for Growth: 5 Ways Pepsi’s Use of Social Media is Right On. [Online] Available at: https://engage.synecoretech.com/marketing-technology-for-growth/bid/139928/5-Ways-Pepsi-s-Use-of-Social-Media-is-Right-On [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is taken from Synecore that takes into consideration the marketing technologies which can be utilised for purposes of business growth and the ways in which Pepsi has been doing it. Horton says that Pepsi has adopted technology and has carved out a social strategy which is very ambitious and which aims to build relationships with the customers. Horton further discusses the social stratetgy of Pepsi in the marketing campaign “Live For Now”. The case of Pepsi indicates that how a successful establishment of the brand can take place by using the five critical social marketing aspects which comprise inbound marketing, geo local marketing, aggregation of data, content that is user-generated and engagement of the consumers in a dynamic manner. Useful insights are provided which shows the way in which the social media sites are playing a major role in improving the business performance and increasing the customer bases.

In The Spotlight: Taco Bell’s social media strategy

Polese, L., 2014. In The Spotlight: Taco Bell’s social media strategy. [Online] Available at: https://audiense.com/spotlight-taco-bells-social-media-strategy/ [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource has been taken from a website by the name Audiense. The author Polese talks about the social media strategy of Taco Bell, a brand of Mexican fast food. The article shows that even though Mexican food as well as the social media is not one of the most natural bedfellows, Taco Bell has changed the trend by dedicating resources, energy and time for the development of its social media channels’ popularity. Polese also talks about the history of Taco Bell and the way in which the company has taken its first step into the social media world and how it initially treated the social media only as a board for announcing the company’s news and then amplifying them for reaching its other campaigns. Today what is being done is all real time wherein they listen to the customers and are themselves engaged with them at all the times.

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Oracle’s Biggest Cloud Customers highlights its biggest cloud problem

Harris, D., 2013. Oracle’s biggest cloud customer highlights its biggest cloud problem. [Online] Available at: https://gigaom.com/2013/07/02/oracles-biggest-cloud-customer-highlights-its-biggest-cloud-problem/ [Accessed 11 September 2016].

The resource is a newsletter of Gigaom which discusses about the biggest cloud related problem that is being faced by the Oracle’s biggest customer. The author Harris mentions that ultimately Oracle has entered cloud computing through its “flagship database product”. He also informs us about “Oracle Database 12c edition” which is the first database that Oracle has designed for cloud. The article discusses the features in this new enterprise edition and also the limitations that it might be having. Harris gives us information regarding the type of customers which Oracle has the expectations of attracting with this 12c edition. They are not the start-up companies but global companies that have big as well as important applications which require vital databases. Oracle being the most sturdy, secure and highest performing option is worth the money.

Text Based application Layer Protocols

Choosing the right database management system

Mohamed, A., 2016. Choosing the right database management system. [Online] Available at: https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Choosing-the-right-database-management-system [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is the ComputerWeekly.com website which talks about the ways in which database is becoming a commodity in today’s world. There are a number of products which might be differing on functionality, ease of administering the database, performance as well as price. The author informs us that a huge choice is available in case of “Database Management Systems” (DBMS) and they consist of both packaged as well as database suites having open source. The significance of the resource is that it tells us that Microsoft is a major vendor and its revenue has been constantly increasing. Microsoft as per Mohamed is the leader in terms of growth due to the high demand for its SQL Server which is a database that is third in terms of sales. The reasons for its popularity growth have been discussed along with the users of the latest editions.

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ISG, 2015. IT Infrastructure Outsourcing Helps Shell Lower, Drive Increased Efficiency. [Online] Information Services Group Available at: https://www.isg-one.com/web/client-successes/stories/Case_study_-_IT_Infrastructure_Outsourcing_Helps_Shell_Lower_Costs.pdf [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is a case study on the IT outsourcing of Shell Gas Company which helps the world to meet its increased demand for energy and has shown global growth in business. For excelling as a leading producer of oil as well as gas, it has got support from versatile and reliable information technology infrastructure which not only leverages technology that is new but also helps in business innovations. From providing assistance for the discovery of new oil to providing support to teamwork throughout the world, IT infrastructure outsourcing has proved to be successful for the business of Shell. A substantial part of its IT functions are outsources through the “Infrastructure Sourcing Program” of Shell. This brought large scale benefits as per the case study and helped it in lowering costs and impressing the company’s stakeholders. It improved the engagement of the stakeholders and brought in management of communication.

Flinders, K., 2011. How BP got its IT suppliers to collaborate and perform after massive vendor consolidation. ComputerWeekly.com, 27 September. Available at: https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Investigating-Outsourcing/How-BP-got-its-IT-suppliers-to-collaborate-and-perform-after-massive-vendor-consolidation [Accessed 2016 September 2016].

The resource is a blog from computerWeekly.com and it mentions the way in which the oil as well as the gas giant British Petroleum has been outsourcing its IT functions and the benefits that they are getting from it. The size of the company along with its presence globally as well as the confluence of the various functions of the business did not allow it to have an in-house IT and hence it resorted to outsourcing of its IT functions. As it is mentioned in the article, outsourcing the IT functions resulted in the company being able to cut hundreds of millions with respect to its costs within a time period of few years and at the same time it was able to retain an IT outsourcing environment of multiple vendors. The company saved almost $800 million by outsourcing the IT functions.

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Stevens-Huffman, L., 2013. How to keep ERP projects from exceeding budgets and timelines. [Online] Available at: https://www.sbnonline.com/article/how-to-keep-erp-projects-from-exceeding-budgets-and-timelines/ [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource has is an article from sbnonline which discusses the ways in which the projects can be kept from exceeding the budgeted costs as well as the deadlines. Stevens-Huffman says that in case the project manager does not possess the necessary experience  and lacks a historical data for the software initiatives at the level of the enterprise, it usually leads to the cost estimates being inadequate for the items that are related to training of the employees, integration as well as testing, customisation, conversion of data, upgrades of data warehousing and consultation fees. I found this article very useful because the author also discusses certain simple steps that can be adopted so that the implementation costs do not exceed the budget.

Best practices to estimate accurate ERP schedules, budgets in an ERP project

Phillips, S., 2016. Best practices to estimate accurate ERP schedules, budgets in an ERP project. [Online] Available at: https://searchmanufacturingerp.techtarget.com/feature/Best-practices-to-estimate-accurate-ERP-schedules-budgets-in-an-ERP-project [Accessed 10 September 2016].

The resource is an excerpt of the book on Tech Target Network. The author discusses the ways of estimating the schedules as well as the budgets of ERP projects in order to avoid the pitfalls that commonly occur such as exceeding the budgeted costs and also the expected timelines. As per the author, the problems occur at the time of implementations due ti unrealistic time as well as cost commitments initially which lead to the decisions regarding the project being made poorly. Consequently, corners are cut by several project managers for achieving something that was never feasible from the beginning.