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CHAPTER FIVE
CLOSING MATERIAL
OPENING CASE QUESTIONS
BOX UP YOUR DATA
1. Knowledge: List the ways that an agile MIS infrastructure
supports Box’s business.
An agile MIS infrastructure supports change. An agile MIS infrastructure
includes the hardware, software, and telecommunications equipment that,
when combined, provides the underlying foundation to support the
organization’s goals. An agile MIS infrastructure includes all of the
following:
2. Comprehension: Describe the reasons Box can help a company
with its disaster recovery plan and a business continuity plan.
A company can create a disaster recovery plan, which is a detailed
process for recovering information or a system in the event of a
catastrophic disaster. This plan includes such factors as which !les and
systems need to have backups and their corresponding frequency and
methods along with the strategic location of the storage in a separate
3. Application: Apply the concepts of cloud computing to Box’s
business model.
Marketing materials continually promote new technologies that promise to
radically change the way businesses operate; unfortunately, these
devices rarely live up to the hype. However, it might actually be true for
4. Analysis: Analyze how Box can bene7t from a sustainable MIS
infrastructures.
Sustainable MIS infrastructure identi!es ways that a company can grow in
terms of computing resources while simultaneously becoming less
5. Synthesis: Develop a way that a company could bene7t from grid
computing using Box.
Combating ewaste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions requires a
!rm to focus on creating sustainable MIS infrastructures. A sustainable
MIS infrastructure identi!es ways that a company can grow in terms of
Additional business bene!ts of grid computing include:
6. Evaluate: Assess how Box uses server virtualization to support its
growth while helping the environment.
Through the use of virtualization, computers can run multiple operating
systems along with multiple software applications—all at the same time.
Virtualization creates multiple “virtual” machines on a single computing
device. A good analogy is a computer printer. In the past you had to
purchase a fax machine, copy machine, answering machine, and
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How often should a business back up its data?
The timeliness of backups depends on the business need. Some
2. Why is it important to ensure backups are working and can be
restored?
Without a backup a business is out of commission if there is a data
3. What is the di<erence between a disaster recovery plan and a
business continuity plan?
A disaster recovery plan, which is a detailed process for recovering
information or a system in the event of a catastrophic disaster. This plan
includes such factors as which !les and systems need to have backups
4. What are the three forms of MIS infrastructures and what do they
support?
Information MIS infrastructure identi!es where and how important
information, such as customer records, is maintained and secured and
support operations. An agile MIS Infrastructure includes the hardware,
5. List the characteristics of an agile MIS infrastructure and explain
why they are all critical for supporting change.
6. Explain what capacity planning is and how it can help a business
prepare for growth.
Capacity planning determines future environmental infrastructure
requirements to ensure high-quality system performance. If a company
7. Explain the di<erence between fault tolerance and failover.
Fault tolerance is the ability for a system to respond to unexpected
8. Compare the di<erences among a hot, cold, and warm site.
A hot site is a separate and fully equipped facility where the company can
move immediately after a disaster and resume business. A cold site is a
9. What is Moore’s Law and how does it a<ect companies?
Moore’s Law, which refers to the computer chip performance per dollar
doubles every 18 months. Although Moore originally assumed a two-year
10. List the business bene7ts of using grid computing.
Grid computing is a collection of computers, often geographically
11. Identify the bene7ts and challenges of cloud computing
The bene!ts of cloud computing include cheaper costs to an organization
for a system deployment and backup and maintenance maintained by the
12. What is a data center and why would a business develop one.
A data center is a facility used to house management information systems
and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage
13. List and describe the three most popular cloud computing
delivery models.
14. Why would a company want to use virtualization?
Virtualization creates multiple “virtual” machines on a single computing
device. A good analogy is a computer printer. In the past you had to
15. Explain why a business today would want to follow sustainable
MIS practices.
With the ever increasing issues associated with ewaste and the
16. Explain why ebusiness is contributing to the three pressures
driving sustainable MIS infrastructures.
Increased electronic waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions
CLOSING CASE ONE QUESTIONS
UPS Invests $1 Billion to Go Green
1. Why do you think UPS is embracing sustainable technologies?
Any company that wants to compete in the future needs to be aware of
sustainable technologies to ensure they are implementing best practices
surrounding growth. Sustainable MIS infrastructure identi!es ways that a
company can grow in terms of computing resources while simultaneously
2. How is UPS developing a sustainable MIS infrastructure?
Sustainable MIS infrastructure identi!es ways that a company can grow in
terms of computing resources while simultaneously becoming less
dependent on hardware and energy consumption. Sustainable, or green,
United Parcel Service (UPS) will make about $1 billion in technology
investments to improve the e-ciency of its operations, with the goal of
3. What business bene7ts will UPS gain from virtualization?
Through the use of virtualization, computers can run multiple operating
systems along with multiple software applications—all at the same time.
one physical machine, thereby reducing costs, power requirements, and
ewaste. Virtualization is essentially a form of consolidation that can
bene!t sustainable MIS infrastructures in a variety of ways, for example:
Hardware being underutilized. Today, many data centers have
Data centers running out of space. The business world has
undergone an enormous transformation over the past 20 years. In
Increased energy costs. The cost of running computers, coupled
with the fact that many of the machines !lling up data centers are
System administration costs mounting. Virtualization enables data
4. What role does each characteristics of an agile MIS infrastructure
play in helping UPS to operate its business?
An agile MIS infrastructure supports change. An agile MIS infrastructure
organization’s goals. An agile MIS infrastructure includes all of the
following:
Student answers to how an agile MIS infrastructure supports UPS will
di(er and the important part of this exercise is ensuring the students
include their analysis and justi!cation for each component.
5. How could UPS bene7t from cloud or grid computing?
Combating ewaste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions requires a
!rm to focus on creating sustainable MIS infrastructures. A sustainable
infrastructure include:
Grid computing is a collection of computers, often geographically
Cloud computing: A smart grid delivers electricity using two-way
Additional business bene!ts of grid computing include:
6. What types of ethical issues might UPS encounter with the
tracking technology it has placed in its trucks?
UPS will encounter the same types of ethical issues that every
organization faces including insider threats and like most leading
7. What types of security issues might UPS encounter with the
tracking technology it has placed in its trucks?
Information security is important for everyone and every organization.
UPS needs to keep its sensitive information secure and ensure it is
protected against hackers, viruses, and theft. Moving to cloud
OPENING CASE QUESTIONS
PANDORA’S MUSIC BOX
1. Knowledge: List the ways that an agile MIS infrastructure
supports Pandora’s business.
An agile MIS infrastructure supports change. An agile MIS infrastructure
includes the hardware, software, and telecommunications equipment that,
when combined, provides the underlying foundation to support the
organization’s goals. An agile MIS infrastructure includes all of the
following:
2. Comprehension: Describe the reasons Pandora would create a
disaster recovery plan and a business continuity plan.
A company can create a disaster recovery plan, which is a detailed
process for recovering information or a system in the event of a
catastrophic disaster. This plan includes such factors as which !les and
Pandora would need to create a disaster recovery plan to ensure that
all customers have continuous listening capabilities, regardless of what
3. Application: Apply the concepts of cloud computing to Pandora’s
business model.
Marketing materials continually promote new technologies that promise to
radically change the way businesses operate; unfortunately, these
devices rarely live up to the hype. However, it might actually be true for
one new development making this promise. Cloud computing could
4. Analysis: Analyze how Pandora is using sustainable MIS
infrastructures.
Sustainable MIS infrastructure identi!es ways that a company can grow in
terms of computing resources while simultaneously becoming less
dependent on hardware and energy consumption. Sustainable, or green,
5. Synthesis: Develop a way that Pandora could bene7t from grid
computing.
Combating ewaste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions requires a
!rm to focus on creating sustainable MIS infrastructures. A sustainable
infrastructure include:
Grid computing is a collection of computers, often geographically
Cloud computing: A smart grid delivers electricity using two-way
digital technology. It is meant to solve the problem of the world’s
Additional business bene!ts of grid computing include:
6. Evaluate: Assess the use of virtualization to support Pandora’s
business growth while helping the environment.
Through the use of virtualization, computers can run multiple operating
systems along with multiple software applications—all at the same time.
Virtualization creates multiple “virtual” machines on a single computing
device. A good analogy is a computer printer. In the past you had to
CRITICAL BUSINESS THINKING
Instructor Note: There are few right or wrong answers in the business
world. There are really only e-cient and ine-cient, and e(ective and
ine(ective business decisions. If there were always right answers businesses
1. UNIVERSITIES ARE SWITCHING TO GMAIL
Project Purpose: To understand issues surrounding cloud computing
applications.
Potential Solution: The biggest issue with Gmail would include a feeling
of insecurity surrounding the mail systems. With a private email system
the businesses would have total control over when the system was
operational, backed-up, and security measures. Using Gmail all of these
2. DESKTOP VIRTUALIZATION
Project Purpose: To understand how personal devices impact business
environments.
Potential Solution: This is such a hot subject to discuss in your course.
There are so many security and ethical issues surrounding personal
computing devices including:
