Enterprise Information Systems: Improving Business Processes and Data Management

Posted on Jul 3, 2024 in Computers

• Internet Protocols
  • Http (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
    • The protocol used between browsers and web services
  • Https (secure version of http)
    • Safely send sensitive data like credit card numbers
  • Smtp (simple mail transfer protocol)
    • Used for email transmissions
  • Ftp (file transfer protocol)
    • Used to move files over the internet
    • Google drive uses ftp behind the scenes to transmit files to and from their cloud servers to your computer.
• WSDL, SOAP, XML, JSON
  • WSDL (Web Services Description Language)
    • Standard for describing services, inputs, outputs, other data supported by a web service. Documents coded machine readable and used by developer tools for creating programs to access the service.
  • SOAP (no longer an acronym)
    • Protocol for requesting web services and for sending responses to web service requests
  • XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
    • Used for transmitting documents. Contains metadata to validate format and completeness of a document. Includes considerable overhead.
  • JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
    • Markup language used for transmitting documents. Contains little metadata. Preferred for transmitting volumes of data between servers and browsers. While notation in format of JavaScript objects, JSON documents can b processed by any language.

Why Organizations Are Moving to the Cloud (p. 163-167)

• Cost Savings: Reduction in the cost of hardware and software, as well as the costs associated with running on-site data centers.
• Global Scale: Ability to scale elastically—delivering the right amount of IT resources (for example, more or less computing power, storage, bandwidth) right when it is needed.
• Performance: Major cloud providers have networks of secure data centers that are upgraded to the latest generation of fast and efficient computing hardware.
• Speed and Agility: Vast amounts of computing resources can be provisioned in minutes.
• Productivity: Removes the need for many of the tasks involved in managing on-site data centers, such as hardware setup and software patching.

  Public Cloud:

• Services are delivered over the public internet and shared across organizations.
• Examples: Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform.

  Private Cloud:

• Services are maintained on a private network, used exclusively by a single organization.
• Provides greater control and security, ideal for businesses with stringent regulatory requirements.
• Example: VMware Cloud.

  Hybrid Cloud:

• Combines public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared between them.
• Provides greater flexibility and more deployment options.

  SaaS: Applications are delivered over the internet and managed by a third-party vendor.

  PaaS): Provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications.

  IaaS: Offers computing infrastructure such as virtual machines and storage.

DBA tasks- development, operation, backup&rec, adaptation

• We use Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) to model the structure of data at rest in relational databases.

The Database Management System (DBMS) is the translator between the computer programs that do the business processes and the data at rest in the relational database.

• The DBMS is a specific type of computer program.
• The DBMS finds and updates the data at rest that is needed by the computer application programs that are doing the business processes among other things.
• four processing operations: to read, insert, modify, or delete data.
• Eg. Oracle, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and IBM Db2.

Structured Query Language (SQL)-international standard lang  for processing a database.

Sometimes, work- group information systems are called functional information systems. Thus, an operations management system is a functional information system, as are a general ledger system and a cost accounting system. The program component of a functional in formation system is called a functional application.

a major advantage of enterprise systems is that data duplication within the enterprise is either eliminated altogether or, fi it is allowed to exist, changes to duplicated data are carefully managed to maintain consistency.

• Improving Process Quality
  • How can information systems improve process quality?
    • Process efficiency = Ratio of outputs to inputs
    • Process effectiveness
      • How well a process achieves organizational strategy.
    • How can processes be improved?
      • Change process structure
      • Change process resources
      • Change both
    • Performing an activity
      • Partially automated, completely automated.
    • Augmenting human performing activity
      • Ex. common reservation system
    • Controlling data quality: Ensure data complete and correct before continuing process activities.

An information silo is the condition that exists when data are isolated in separated ISs.

What are the problems of information silos?

• Data duplicated
• Data inconsistency
• Data isolated
• Disjointed process
• Lack of integrated enterprise information
• Inefficiency: decisions made in isolation
• Increased cost for organization

Solving this- Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

• • Integrated data, enterprise systems create stronger, faster, more effective linkages in value chains.
  • Difficult, slow, exceedingly expensive.
  • Key personnel determine how best to use new technology.

Requires high-level and expensive skills and considerable time
When an org has inconsistent duplicated data = data integrity problem.

Isolated data created by workgroup information systems are integrated using enterprise-wide applications. Isolated data created by ISs at the enterprise level are being integrated into inter-enterprise systems using distributed applications (such as ARES).

Enterprise systems feature a set of integrated software modules and a central database that enables data to be shared by many different business processes and functional areas throughout the enterprise.

Figure 1 CRM processes downhere + cust. Support apps + loss/churn

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a suite of applications called modules, a database, and a set of inherent processes for consolidating business operations into a single, consistent, computing platform. ERP systems include the functions of CRM systems + accounting, manufacturing, inventory, and human resources applications. Primary purpose is integration.

EAI is a suite of software applications that integrates existing systems by providing layers of software that connect applications together. EAI does the following:

• It connects system “islands” via a new layer of software/system.

• It enables existing applications to communicate and share data.

• It provides integrated information.

• It leverages existing systems- leaving functional applications as is but providing an integration layer over the top.

• It enables a gradual move to ERP.

Some ERP vendors call the inherent processes that are defined in the ERP solution process blueprint. ERP vendors provide starter kits for specific industries called industry-specific solutions.

Challenges of Implementing and Upgrading Enterprise ISs?

• Collaborative management
• Requirement Gaps
• Transition problems
• Employee resistance
• New Technology

How to identify requirement gaps?

• Business Process Analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis of existing business processes to identify how they align with the capabilities of the enterprise system
• Requirement Gathering and Validation: Collect detailed requirements from all stakeholders to ensure that the system will meet their needs.

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system.

Some Rules of Process Model

§ Data Stores/Data Files must have inputs and outputs (No “black holes”)

• Dashed lines into and out of Data stores

§ Diamonds (Decision) – Outputs are only Yes and No

§ More detail is better than less Detail

1. Define the System
§ Cost Feasibility

§  Schedule Feasibility

§  Technical Feasibility

§  Organizational Feasibility

§ From the Slides – Tangible cost, Tangible Benefits, Intangible Cost, Intangible

Benefits versus intangible and Recurring versus one time

2. Determine Requirements (Requirements Analysis)

3. Design System Components
4. Implement System

§ Testing
§ System Conversion

• 4 types of Conversion:
o PilotInstallation

o PhasedInstallation

o ParallelInstallation

o Plunge Installation

5. Maintain System

• Tangible costs
  • Total cost of ownership (TCO).
  • Non-recurring costs (acquisition).
  • Recurring costs (use and maintenance).
• Intangible costs (eg. loss of customers).
• Tangible benefits (eg. estimated sales gains).
• Intangible benefits (eg. improved customer service).

five keys to SDLC success:

•Create a work breakdown structure: hierarchy of the tasks required to complete a project

•Estimate time and costs.

•Create a project plan.

•Adjust the plan via trade-offs.

•Manage development challenges.