Assessment Task
Introduction
This is based on a case study. Please read it carefully.
Background to the Case Study
Ken is the MD of Honeymoon Holidays a leading travel company that concentrates on high end destinations for newly married couples. Ken has decided that the company can no longer effectively compete in the fast moving travel field without updating the ICT systems they have. He would like to expand their use of technology to improve the delivery of services to their customers and to aid communication both internally and externally with staff.
THE PRESENT SYSTEM:
There is a managing director and finance manager in overall charge of the operation of the company. There are four operational departments:-
1. Accounts
2. Sales
3. Administration
4. Human Resources
They all answer to the finance manager. Each operational department has its own manager, the accounts department also employ 6 trainees, the sales department is responsible for 25 salesmen who are usually “on-the-road” and a sales coordinator who is, effectively, deputy sales manager, administration employs 6 people in various roles as well as the administration manager, Human Resources have a Human Resources Manager and two clerks. The company’s offices are located in a business park near the junction of the M50 and N11. They have several retail shops around the City centre and main shopping centres. As described in more detail later the company has also recently taken-over Cork based Cork Premium Travel Ltd with a view to expanding its business to Munster. The managing director is considering a possible strategic alliance with a global travel company which would allow for economies of scale in bookings and a larger range of destinations.
Managing Directors Office:
The managing director has a laptop with a modern specification but there is no provision to network it to any of the other machines in the company’s headquarters. Data is transferred to/from the finance manager’s machine using CDs and memory sticks. The managing director would like to be able to access corporate data bases etc., to monitor the day-to-day operations and prepare ad-hoc strategic reports.
Finance Manger’s Office:
The finance manager has a 1Ghz Duo Core Intel Inside PC on his desktop, it is linked to the administration network in a “Fat Client” Architecture. The finance manager has overall responsibility for corporate IT. The finance manager spends time worrying about network security, viruses, spam, staff using the Internet for personal interests and the cost of software licenses and upgrades.
Accounts:
Accounts have a Legacy Unix based mini-computer set up with 5 “dumb” terminals in a “thin client” architecture that deal with both payroll and client accounts. The software was written specifically for the company when the system was purchased about 9 years ago, the company holds the intellectual property rights including the source code and helped facilitate limited communication to the systems at the major airlines flying to and from Ireland. The consultancy that wrote the software went out of business 3 years ago. The system has a 10TB disc and a large sequential DAT drive for backups.
There is also a single PC with an ISDN line that is used to link to the Bank for transfers and enquiries. There is a high speed inkjet printer driven by the Unix system. Accounts would like to offer Internet facilities for customers to access their accounts. Information from Sales about new clients, new sales, etc. has to be keyed in when received. Accounts would also like to be able to take information electronically from HR about payroll to avoid the need to re-key information about hours of work, etc.
Sales:
Sales have three stand-alone PCs, 5 tablets and 3 laptops running Windows XP, Android and Apple OS/X. These resources are shared by the Sales Manager, the Marketing coordinator and other transient sales / marketing staff.
The Sales Manager uses the PC to prepare up to date lists of prices for his sales team using Microsoft Word 2007. The Marketing Coordinator uses Microsoft Publisher to produce fliers and marketing materials. There is a small colour Inkjet printer attached which can potentially be shared to other computers on the network. Members of the Sales team are rarely in the office, when they are they share 4 ‘hot desks’ that do not have a PC at all nor any available network point. At present when a salesman is away from the office they phone in every day at 5.30pm to get the latest price changes ready for the next day’s business. Any new client details are reported at this time by phone and then put in the post to arrive a day later. Sales team meetings are organized on an ad-hoc basis depending on when the majority are available. The Marketing coordinator has dabbled with Web site design using packages he found on a magazine cover disc, he has created a web site for his golf club. The Sales Manager is keen to use a WWW site to enhance communications with the sales team and to generally promote the company. He has also heard about the potential of having mobile apps and mobile access and would like to investigate further.
Administration:
Administration have 5 PC’s running a peer-to-peer network with Microsoft Windows for Workgroups (2005). The system was set up by the Administration Manager’s brother-in-law who is a Microsoft Certified Engineer running a small IT training operation in conjunction with a local college. Administration prepare travel quotes, letters to clients, make the actual bookings, try match potentially customers for upselling travel insurance to, etc… The Administration Manager’s PC acts as the server in this arrangement and also has access, via a 4 line ISDN, to the Internet. The Administration Manager’s PC also has a laser printer, a scanner, a CD-RW, a DVD player and a multichannel sound system. It is currently running Microsoft Windows 2000 but is not very reliable; this may be due to the Administration Manager’s habit of trying out interesting items of software from magazine cover discs.
The Administration Manager also uses his PC to handle all e-mail addressed to the company which currently has a “hotmail” account. E-mail for particular departments are printed and delivered by hand.
Human Resources
Human Resources is an entirely paper based office. They would like the ability to be able to communicate electronically with other departments and to keep electronic records on employees.
Last month the company took over Cork Premium Travel Ltd. The office is some 200 miles from their headquarters. The IT resources in the Cork office consist of 10 Apple G4 IMAC 800 SUPERDRIVE computers. These run the Mac OS X operating System. They are ‘network ready’, but have not been networked together – and no server has been purchased.
ASSESSMENT TASKS:
1. Produce coherent arguments as to the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a network for the above system.
2. Design a network for the above system. This should include a detailed network plan, with diagrams, functional area breakdowns, IP Planning, Wan planning, security planning, expansion planning, risk management planning, etc…
3. Identify the various parts (software and hardware) of a network system and relate it to the 7 layered model.
4. Explore using diagrams as appropriate, how the network engineer should roll out an internal wireless network via access points, re location, security, etc..
Marking
• Evidence of a range of information sources sourced and correctly applied, from lecture notes to academic books, current newspaper articles, relevant internet based materials and the selection of methods and techniques used makes sense in the given context.
Marks 15
• Coverage of relevant theories and techniques. Presentation and justification of relevant solutions and justification of specific solution applied, both from a business and technical perspective. An effective approach to the 7 layered model (or TCP/IP Model) has been taken.
Marks 40
• High level of analytical thought demonstrated. There is plenty of scope for wide-ranging thinking Integration of knowledge obvious overlaps with other Modules or general knowledge are seen and exploited, e.g. the role of Networking in, say Database & Web Application Development, or risk management analysis, real time tracking, etc…
Marks 35
• Presentation of material, in relevant format. From charts to full network diagrams generated either through use of a simulator / visio. Should be professional in nature and highly legible. An overall appropriate structure and approach has been used logical and coherent structure that is not disjointed. All question parts are clearly labeled and headings used appropriately. Technical language is used as required.
Marks 10
