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"Always pioneer, Always a head."

We are Pioneer


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FARAH ASYIKIN BINTI ABDUL JAMAL B061210004
RAIHAYU BINTI MUSTAFA B061210005
MUHAMAD AREF BIN JARKASI B061210037
AMILYA BT AZMAN B061210041
NUR SAKINAH BT AMER HAMZAH B061210063
NURUL SHARINA BINTI ERFAN B061210103

Dedication to Dr. Yusri Arshad

Thank you for your never-ending knowledge and Thank you for everything Dr. !

Chapter 5
Saturday 2 November 2013

Question 1
Explain the role of the database in SAP’s three-tier-system.

There was a need for a flexible and robust IT infrastructure with business excellence and capabilities that could help management better forecast and plan. Lego implemented a SAP’s business suite which is based on a flexible three-tier client-server.

Three Tier Systems         
·        The First Tier (Presentation Layer)
This is software component with a client interface browser type Graphic User Interface (GUI). The graphic user interface is between SAP system and the user. It gets the user input, sends it to application server for processing receives data, formats and output it. The presentation layer resides on a user’s PC, desktop or mobile device.

·        The Second Tier (Application Layer)
This is where SAP software runs. It contains of at least one or more application server which offers the services to users and a manage server responsible for communication between the application servers. In the system, it receives and process clients request. In turn these application servers send the processed requests to the database system. The application layer is scalable as the organization grows larger and more users are added.

·        The Third Tier (Database Layer)
This consists of a central database system which consists of the database and DBMS (Data Base Management System), it receives the processed clients request from the second server to the database system which consists of one or more relational database, these rational database contain the tablets that store data on LEGO’s products, daily operations, the supply chain and thousands of employees. The information is then stored and retrieved from the data base system and sent back. A few database systems which you may find with SAP in different implementation are Oracle, Microsoft SQL server, IBM and etc.


Question 2
Explain why Distributed Architectures are flexible?

A distributed architecture system consists of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a computer network. The computers interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal. Basically, this group of computers would each hold a specific software subset of the global aggregate operating system. Distributed computing is a field of computer science that studies distributed systems. They create an enterprise architecture that copes with complexities of change in a company. 
Distributed programming typically falls into one of several basic architectures or categories: client–server, 3-tier architecture, n-tier architecture, distributed objects, loose coupling, or tight coupling. Distributed architecture enables authorized personnel to have direct access to the database system from the company’s various locations, including those in Europe, North America and Asia.
Distributed architecture such as SAP’s business suites supports databases from different vendors including those offered by Oracle, Microsoft, MySQL and others. They are optimal for medium to high performance business environments. Complex application rules can be easily implemented on the application server by authorized personnel.
Separating the application into multiple layers makes it easier to implement re-usable components. A single component in the business layer, for example, may be accessed by multiple components in the presentation layer or even by several different presentation layers (such as desktop and the web) at the same time.


Question 3
Identify some of the business intelligence features include in SAP’s business software suite.

Business Intelligence (BI)
Tools for consolidating, analyzing, and providing access to vast amounts of data to help users make better business decisions
“SAP software offered the best combination of standardized processes, yet with the ability to respond flexibly to the changing demands of the toy industry,” comments Esben Viskum.
“The SAP landscape supports all our business processes, such as finance, logistics and sales, and the long-term roadmap is to implement SAP Product Lifecycle Management, integrated with SAP Warehouse Management. As the company grows and rolls out the ‘cookbook’ to new geographies, we will add SAP ERP Human Capital Management to the portfolio, too.



Question 4
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of having multiple databases in a distributed architecture? Explain.

The advantages are:
·        Fault tolerance
A fault tolerance is a setup or configuration that prevents a computer or network device from failing in the event of an unexpected problem or error such as, power failure, power surge, data loss, system overload, virus etc. By LEGO having multiple databases data can still obtained from other servers during interruption from one of the data base. This enables the business to save time, retrieve loss data and their daily operations will not be drastically affected.

·        Improved Scalability
Ability of a business to expand to meet its business needs. Unlike a single-database system, in which the amount of data that can be stored depends on the limitations of one host and database, a distributed-database system is easily scalable and, therefore, supports growth in LEGO. SAP supports an unlimited number of users as well as data base, application servers and a variety of hardware configurations. It enables an organization to start small and add additional databases or applications or hardware. This would allow to organization to effectively and efficiently add to the network when its needs to expand.

·        Distribution of workload
Enables administrators to distribute the load on various servers, a business function such as logistics can be can be routed to a particular server for load balancing ( division of its activities and processes between computer networks so that it doesn’t get overwhelmed). Open system: from SAP encourages plug and play with hardware from different vendors e.g. Microsoft oracle, used which leads to more competition and lowers cost. This means that the system can connect with other vendor therefore it is flexible.

The disadvantages are:
·        Security issues
It is more vulnerable to external attacks than single databases and the possibilities of abuse is more possible in multiple databases than a single database as single databases have more control of information. To reduce the chances of unauthorized users accessing sensitive information, Lego would need a control system for example, not all information should be available to all level of the organization. 


·        Data quality and integrity
Since the database is accessible to users remotely, adequate controls are needed to control users updating data and to control data quality especially as the organization grows. With increased number of users accessing data directly, there are enormous opportunities for users to damage the data. Unless there are suitable controls, the data quality may be compromised. The integrity of the information is also relevant since a large number of users could be using the database simultaneously, technical safeguards are necessary to ensure that the data remains correct during operations and business decisions. The main threat to data integrity comes from several different users attempting to update the same data at the same time. The database therefore needs to be protected against inadvertent changes by the users.

·        Cost of maintaining multiple databases in a distributed architecture

Single databases are usually designed to run a number of well-defined, pre-planned processes because they are often adjusted to run efficiently for the processes that they were designed for. Multiple data bases are costly to maintain as each server requires a separate operating system. The cost of protecting and securing the servers, upgrades, backups will be expensive and Lego would have to weigh the benefits of using multiple database over the costs of implementations , restructuring the organization , the as well as maintenance costs.

Chapter 4- should You Use iPhone for work?
Friday 1 November 2013



1. What are the advantage and disadvantage of allowing employees to use their
personal smartphones for work?

Advantage
Employee can use that software to access their entire desktop on their Smartphone and
mobile handhelds.
Employee also can use the same programs on the road that they use in the office.
The visualization software has built-in security features that allow corporations to prohibit 
saving data on local devices to encrypt all corporate data without touching employees’ 
personal application and data to remotely erase the data event of a security breach.

Disadvantage
Using personal devices for business poses difficult problems for companies
Including security, inventory management support, integrating mobile devices into 
pre-existing 17 functions and system and measuring return on investment.


2. What people, organization, and technology factors should addressed when 
deciding whether to allow employees to use their personal smartphones for work.

People
Employee are not able to access critical data or encounter other problems with their mobile 
devices. Many worker swear by their mobile device, benefit are too significant to ignore, but 
qualifying how much money is earned or saved going mobile can be difficult.

Organization
Employees using their own smartphone would allow companies to enjoy all of the same 
benefit of a mobile workforce without spending their own money on these device.
Including security, inventory management, support, integrating mobile device into 
pre-existing IT function and system, and measuring return on investment. Need on effective 
way to keep track of all device employee are using. Company must be configured to receive 
connection from that devices.

Technology factor
Need to overcome several logistical hurdles to make that vision a reality
Device-significant concern with securing company information access with mobile device-
sensitive/confidential information is not freely available to anyone.
The visualization software


3. Allowing employees to use their own smartphones for work will save the company 
money. Do you agree? Why and why not?

Not agree, this is because :
1) Not safety
If the personal devices has been stolen by others, then security system of the companies  will 
lose its function and people will easily hack to your phone and also know the operation of 
your companies.

2) No privacy
If the personal devices is stolen by other, people will easily know the amount of inventory of 
your companies.
By hacking the personal devices, they can transfer the inventory to their own companies and 
sell to other with a different prices.

3) Time consuming
If use their own smartphones for work, they have to integrate mobile devices into 
pre-existing.IT functions and system, this will waste a lot of times. They need to measuring 
the return on investment or doing everything in a new way.

4) Cost will increase
Especially the cost of training their employees to work with their own personal devices. By 
training, the management or work will be standardized. If they allow their employees to use 
own smartphone,they also need to consider the increasing cost.

5) The advance of technology increase the number of hacker
The advance of technology will bring out a lot of hacker. Even though how advance the 
technology is, but the hacker will also hack into our operating system of a companies.

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