IT Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies

1
5
Chapter
IT Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
2
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Define IT infrastructure and describe its
  components.
• Identify and describe the stages of IT
  infrastructure evolution.
• Identify and describe the technology drivers of
  IT infrastructure evolution.
• Assess contemporary computer hardware platform
  trends.
• Assess contemporary software platform trends.
• Evaluate the challenges of managing IT
  infrastructure and management solutions.

3
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
DreamWorks Animation Turns to Technology for
Production Support

• Problem Gaining an edge in an intensely
  competitive market, working with
  technology-intensive processes.
• Solutions Deploy custom-built E-motion software
  to render more realistic animations and increase
  quality of films.
• HP processors, Linux, and high-speed network
  facilitate rapid production schedule, increasing
  productivity.
• Demonstrates ITs role in strengthening a firms
  product and productivity beyond what human talent
  can accomplish.
• Illustrates digital technologys role in gaining
  an advantage in a fiercely competitive market.

4
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
IT Infrastructure

• Defining IT infrastructure
• Evolution of IT infrastructure 1950-2007
• Electronic accounting machine era 1930-1950
• General-purpose mainframe and minicomputer era
  1959 to present
• Personal computer era 1981 to present
• Client/server era 1983 to present
• Enterprise Internet computing era 1992 to
  present

5
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
IT Infrastructure

• Technology drivers of infrastructure evolution
• Moores Law and microprocessing power
• The Law of Mass Digital Storage
• Metcalfes Law and network economics
• Declining communications costs and the Internet
• Standards and network effects

6
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
IT Infrastructure
Moores Law and Microprocessor Performance
Packing more transistors into a tiny
microprocessor has exponentially increased
processing power. Source 2004 Intel Corporation
updated by the authors.
Figure 5-4
7
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
IT Infrastructure
The Capacity of Hard Disk Drives Grows
Exponentially 1980-2007
From 1980 to 1990, hard disk drive capacities for
PCs grew at the rate of 25 percent annual
compound growth, but after 1990, growth
accelerated to more than 65 percent each year.
Figure 5-7
8
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Infrastructure Components

• Computer hardware platforms
• Computer software platforms
• Enterprise software applications
• Data management and storage
• Networking/telecommunications platforms
• Internet platforms
• Consulting and system integration services

9
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Hardware Platform Trends and Emerging Technologies

• The integration of computing and
  telecommunications platforms
• Grid computing
• On-demand computing (utility computing)
• Autonomic computing and edge computing
• Virtualization and multicore processors

10
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Software Platform Trends and Emerging Technologies

• The rise of Linux and open-source software
• Java is everywhere
• Software for enterprise integration
• Web services and service-oriented architecture
  (SOA)
• Ajax, mashups, Web 2.0, and Web-based software
  applications

11
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Software Platform Trends and Emerging Technologies
Is It Time for Open-Source?

• Read the Interactive Session Technology, and
  then discuss the following questions
• What problems do Linux and other open-source
  software address? How does open-source software
  help solve these problems?
• What issues and challenges do open-source
  software present? What can be done to address
  these issues?
• What are the business as well as the technology
  issues that should be addressed when deciding
  whether to use open-source software?

12
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Software Platform Trends and Emerging Technologies

• Software outsourcing
• Changing sources of software
• Software packages and enterprise software
• Application service providers
• Software outsourcing

13
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Software Platform Trends and Emerging Technologies
Application Service Providers Two Tales

• Read the Interactive Session Technology, and
  then discuss the following questions
• Compare Thermoss experience with an application
  software provider with the experience of
  ResortCom.
• Why do you think Thermos had an easier time with
  a hosted software service than ResortCom? What
  management, organization, and technology factors
  account for this difference?
• If your company was considering using an
  application service provider, what management,
  organization, and technology factors should be
  addressed when making your decision?

14
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Management Issues

• Dealing with infrastructure change
• Management and governance
• Making wise infrastructure investments
• Competitive forces model for IT infrastructure
  investment
• Total cost of ownership of technology assets

15
Management Information Systems Chapter 5 IT
Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies
Management Issues
Competitive Forces Model for IT Infrastructure
There are six factors you can use to answer the
question, How much should our firm spend on IT
infrastructure?
Figure 5-15