Review Questions 1. What is the primary objective of system design?

Its primary purpose is to develop a structure or roadmap that can be used for programming. It is to take the requirements that were defined in analysis and organize them in a way so that programming can occur. 2. What is the difference between analysis and design? List the activities of the design phase of the SDLC. Analysis is for discovery and understanding. Its purpose is to develop requirements. Design is for structuring and developing a solution. While analysis looks at problem issues and problem domain, design looks at solution issues and the solution system. The activities of the design phase of the SDLC include: Design and integrate the network Design the application architecture Design the user interfaces Design the system interfaces Design and integrate the database Prototype for design details Design and integrate the system controls 3. Why is project management so critical during the design phase? What tools can a project manager use during the design phase? As design moves forward, the development teams begin to generate a tremendous amount of detailed information about the system. Project management and coordination is needed to plan the design and to keep track of all of these pieces of information. The most common technique for recording and tracking project information is to use a CASE tool. Most CASE tools have a central repository to capture information. Tracking open items and unresolved issues is an especially difficult part of project development. Keeping an open items control log can help with this task. 4. Explain the difference between centralized architecture and distributed architecture. Centralized architecture describes deployment of all computer systems in a single location. 111 INF206D/102/0/2009 Distributed architecture deploys computing resources in multiple locations connected by a computer network. 5. Explain the difference between clustered architecture and multicomputer architecture in a centralized system. Clustered architecture is a group of computers of the same type that share processing load and act as a single large computer system. Multicomputer architecture is a group of dissimilar computers that share processing load through specialization of function. 6. How are the Internet, intranets, and extranets similar? How are they different? All three are a collection of networks that are interconnected using TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). The Internet is a global collection of networks, intranets are private networks that are accessible to a limited number of users, and extranets are intranets that have been extended outside the organization to include directly related business users. 7. Describe client-server architecture and list the key architecture design issues that must be addressed when developing a client-server information system. Client-server architecture is the dominant architecture for modern software. Clientserver architecture divides information system processes into two types: client and server. A server manages one or more system resources and provides access to those resources through a well-defined communication interface. A client uses the communication interface to request resources, and the server responds to those requests. The architectural issues to be addressed when designing client-server software are: Decomposing the application into client and server programs, modules, or

objects. The key to decomposing the application is identifying resources or services that can be centrally managed by independent software units. Determining which clients and servers will execute on which computer systems. The most typical arrangement is to place server software on separate server computer systems and to distribute client software to computer systems 'close' to end users, such as desktop workstations. Describing the communication protocols and physical networks that connect clients and servers. 8. List and briefly describe the function of each layer in three-layer architecture. Information system application software can be divided into a set of client and server processes or layers independent of hardware or locations. Three-layer architecture includes: Data layer: Interacts with the database. Business logic layer: Contains the programs that implement the business rules of the application. View layer: Contains the user interface and other components to access the system. 112 9. What role does middleware play? Client-server and three-layer architecture relies on middleware to enable communications between the various layers. Middleware connects parts of an application and enables requests and data to pass between them. Middleware includes teleprocessing monitors, transaction processing monitors, and object request brokers (ORBs). 10. Describe the process of network design. The key network design issues for any multi-tiered systems are: Integrating network needs of the new system with existing network infrastructure Describing the processing activity and network connectivity at each system location Describing the communication protocols and middleware that connect layers. Ensuring that sufficient network capacity is available. 11. What roles do systems analysts and network administrators play in network design? Systems analysts consult with network administrators to determine whether the existing system can accommodate the new system by adding connections for servers or modifying routing and firewall configuration to enable new application layers to communicate. Network administrators assume the responsibility for acquiring new capacity and making configuration changes to support the new system. 12. What is a network diagram? What information does it convey and where does the analyst gather that information? A network diagram is a model that shows how application layers are distributed across locations and computer systems. Analysts gather location-related information from location diagrams, activity-location matrices, and activity-data matrices. The analyst expands the information content of these documents during network design to include processing locations, communication protocols, middleware, and communication capacity. 13. How does the analyst generate estimates of required communication capacity? What analysis phase models are used as input? Information gathered during analysis from activity-location matrices and activitydata matrices are used as inputs to estimating communication capacity. Data size per access type and the average and peak number of access per minute or hour are estimates until the software layers, interlayer communication protocols, or databases have been designed. After those components have been designed in more detail or implemented, analysts can refine their estimates or actually sample and measure real data transmissions.

14. What is Web services architecture? What are some examples of its potential use for business systems? 113 INF206D/102/0/2009 Web services architecture packages software into server processes that can be accessed via Web protocols. RMO could employ external credit verification, shipment, and inventory replenishment Web services in its new online ordering system. Key Terms Architectural design Broad design of the overall system structure; also called general design or conceptual design. Business logic layer Centralized architecture Architecture that locates all computing resources in a central location. Client Clustered architecture A group of computers of the same type that share processing load and act as a single large computer system. Computer network A set of transmission lines, equipment, and communication protocols to permit sharing of information and resources. Data layer Detail design Low level design that includes the design of specific program details. Distributed architecture Architecture that deploys computing resources in multiple locations connected by a computer network. Extranet an intranet that has been extended outside the organization to facilitate the flow of information. Interface designers Specialists in user-interface design; also called usability consultants or human factors engineers. Internet A global collection of networks that use the same networking protocolTCP/IP. Intranet A private network that is accessible to a limited number of users, but which uses the same TCP/IP protocol as the Internet. Local area network (LAN) A computer network in which the distances are local, such as within the same building. Middleware Multicomputer architecture A group of dissimilar computers that share processing load through specialization of function. Multitier architecture Architecture that distributes application-related software or processing load across multiple computer systems. Network diagram Router Network equipment that directs information within the network. Server Single-computer architecture Architecture that employs a single computer system executing all application-related software. Three-layer architecture View Layer Virtual organization Virtual private network (VPN) Wide area network (WAN) A computer network spread across large distances, such as a city, state, or nation. World Wide Web (WWW), or Web A collection of resources such as files and programs that can be accessed over the Internet using standard protocols.