The assignment will be based off of the project plan that is attached for Lowkey Inc.
To complete this assignment, you will create the below based on the attached proposed project for Lowkey Inc:
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- A system diagram that shows, in graphic form, the components of your project.
- Your system diagram should follow the system description you submitted in your Week 2 project plan (but may differ based on the research you have conducted since Week 2).
- You may create your system diagram in Microsoft PowerPoint or a graphics program of your choice.
- A network diagram that shows, in graphic form, the flow of data within your project.
- Your network diagram should follow the network description you defined in the Week 2 project plan (but may differ based on the research you have conducted since Week 2).
- You may create your network diagram in Microsoft PowerPoint or a graphics program of your choice.
- A database design document, including an entity-relationship diagram, a data dictionary, and table definitions, representing all of the data that must be stored and maintained within the context of your project and how that data is organized.
- A clearly articulated cybersecurity plan that explains how you plan to secure project data and processes.
- Source code (may be partial) for at least one software application.
- Your source code may be implemented in HTML/JavaScript, Java, C++, or another programming language.
- Download and unzip the HTML/JavaScript/CSS sample code files for an example of a partial software application implementation.
- A quality assurance and software test plan.
- Download the Software Test Plan for an example of what information is typically included and how it is typically organized in a software test plan.
Note: All deliverables must be portfolio ready, which means as complete and error-free as possible.
Submit your assignment.
BSA/425 v1.3
Project Plan Draft
BSA/425 v1.3
Page 2 of 11
Project Plan Draft
Fill out each of the sections below with information relevant to your project. Be sure to include the company name associated with your project.
Lowkey Inc
Network Technology Recommendations
20
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Network Technology Selection Criteria
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Selection Criteria Name
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Selection Criteria
Description
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Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
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Wide Area Network
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This ty0pe of network connects computers within a long distance
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10
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Accessibility
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The system should be easily accessible to users
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20
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security
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The technology’s integrity should not be interfered with by hackers and malicious parties
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30
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Compatibility
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It should be compatible with all the information resources that the firm uses.
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20
20
20
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Network Technology Recommendation
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Recommended Network Technologies
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Description
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Benefits
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Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
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Emails
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Promotes communication cross different parties
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Facilitates communication with customers
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40
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Firewalls
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This resource safeguards the firm’s network from unauthorized access and disruptions
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Prevents fraudulent activities
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Artificial Intelligence
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Enhances the efficiency of the network
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Integrates the services and key procedures, thus improving changes adopted
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Internetworking tools
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Promotes integrated communication to attain networking goals
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Increases the efficiency of communication
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Selection Criteria Name
Selection Criteria Description
Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
20
40
20
20
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Network Technology Vendor Selection Criteria
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Price
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The cost of purchasing the network infrastructures
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Quality
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The efficiency and effectiveness of the technologies in attaining their goals
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Proximity
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Physical distance from the firm
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After Sales Service
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The services provided by the firm following the purchase of the systems
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Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
30
20
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Network Technology Recommended Vendors
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Vendor Name
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Vendor Strengths
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Vendor Weaknesses
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Products/Services Provided to Project
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Cisco
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Cost-efficient and responsive customer care
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Highly responsive
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Encryption can safeguard the network against interceptions
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50
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Alloys
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Fast network connectivity
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Network fluctuates
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They can offer heavy network
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Oracle
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Low cost
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Highly
expensive
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Provides a repair and maintenance software
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Network Technology
Deployment Challenge
s
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Deployment Challenge
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Deployment Challenge Description
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Deployment of physical over logical controls
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Physical network appliances are linked using protocols while in logical networks, there is utilization of different traffics that are agnostic to physical
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Scalable deployments
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The networks should be both automatic and scalable
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High costs
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High deployment costs is a challenge
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Inaccessibility
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Insufficient accessibility approach is a major problem
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Technology Adoption Methods
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Method Name
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Method Description
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Parallel Approach
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The adoption occurs when the new system is introduced while the old one is still in use
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Phased
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Gradually replacing small parts of the old system with the new one until it is fully implemented
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Piloting
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Using a small group of users to test the new system before it is widely adopted
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Direct Adoption
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Implementing a new system radically
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Benefits
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Cost/Benefit
Considerations
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Costs
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Considerations
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Increased efficiency
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Personnel
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Hiring the most qualified pool of IT professionals
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Flexibility
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Organizational expenses
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Training employees to adapt to the new technology
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Cost cutting
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Cost of tools
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Seek the vendors who provide cost-effective and quality hardware and software technologies
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Access and availability
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Maintenance costs
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Repair and maintenance must be done regularly
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Database System Recommendation
Selection Criteria Name
Selection Criteria Description
Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
30
20
20
20
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Database System Selection Criteria
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Operational consideration
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Ability to manage failure recovery and maintain availability
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Security
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The database’s integrity should not be tampered with
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Development consideration
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The openness of the support options
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Commercial consideration
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Its potential commercial importance and benefits
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Description
Benefits
Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
40
10
40
10
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Database System Recommendation
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Recommended Database System
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Relational database management system
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Comprises multiple tables of data with rows and columns that relate to each other
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These databases are more flexible
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Hierarchical database systems
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This model resembles a tree structure, with pre-defined relationships
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Requires users to pass hierarchies to access the required data, hence secure
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Network database systems
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Supports many to many relationships
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Can promote integration of systems
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Object-oriented database systems
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Information is represented as objects
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Supports different forms of programming
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Selection Criteria Name
Selection Criteria Description
Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
30
20
Security
10
40
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Database System Vendor Selection Criteria
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Usability
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User friendliness and ease of use
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Visualization and reporting
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Ease of visually analyzing and displaying data and results
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Ability to be stored securely
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Functionality
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Ability to meet business requirements
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Vendor Name
Vendor Strengths
Vendor Weaknesses
Products/Services Provided to Project
Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
Oracle
30
30
20
20
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Database System Recommended Vendors
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Has syntax enhancements and performance improvements
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expensive
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Multitenancy, database in-memory, and database Sharding
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Microsoft
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Ease of use and high availability
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Challenges in seamlessly integrating high volumes of corporate data
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SQL Server
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IBM
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Can accommodate big data
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Expensive
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IDM DB2
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Knack
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Provides many tools for online databases
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It is highly customized
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Knack
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Deployment Challenge
Deployment Challenge Description
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Database System Deployment Challenges
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Data security
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The organization may lack resources for securing its database
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Performance
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The database may have harsh performance criteria
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Resource utilization
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The database may not have the best hardware available to run on
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High availability
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In case the single server goes down, the firm’s operations are paralyzed
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Technology Adoption Methods
Method Name
Method Description
Method Name
Method Description
Parallel Approach
The adoption occurs when the new system is introduced while the old one is still in use
Phased
Gradually replacing small parts of the old system with the new one until it is fully implemented
Piloting
Using a small group of users to test the new system before it is widely adopted
Direct Adoption
Implementing a new system radically
Cost/Benefit Considerations
Benefits
Costs
Considerations
Increased efficiency
Personnel
Hiring the most qualified pool of IT professionals
Flexibility
Organizational expenses
Training employees to adapt to the new technology
Cost cutting
Cost of tools
Seek the vendors who provide cost-effective and quality hardware and software technologies
Access and availability
Maintenance costs
Repair and maintenance must be done regularly
Software Application Recommendations
Selection Criteria Name
Selection Criteria Description
Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
40
20
20
Security
20
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Software Application Selection Criteria
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Suitability
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Ability to provide appropriate set of functions
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Accuracy
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Ability to provide the right or agreed results
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Interoperability
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Ability to interact with one or more specified systems
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Ability to provide mechanisms to prevent the accidental or deliberate interference with integrity
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Description
Benefits
Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
30
30
20
20
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Software Application Recommendation
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Recommended Software Application
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ERP
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Integrated software for managing and coordinating all the business activities
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It provides real-time standardization and streamlining of business processes.
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Office production software
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Producing and compiling information, such as documents and reports
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Reduces and heaps of paperwork
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CRM
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Facilitates interactions with customers
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Can be used to analyze customer trends and preferences
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MIS
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Facilitates gathering, analyzing, and disseminated data for organizational operations
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Informs company decision-making
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Selection Criteria Name
Selection Criteria Description
Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
20
20
20
Security
20
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Software Application Vendor Selection Criteria
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Rates
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The vendors should not be too expensive
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Main areas of expertise
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Relevance of the software to the business functions
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Certification
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Must have local and international certification
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Should have an information security plan
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Vendor Name
Vendor Strengths
Vendor Weaknesses
Products/Services Provided to Project
Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
Microsoft
20
IBM
20
Oracle
30
20
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Software Application Recommended Vendors
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Can customize to the business’s needs
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costly
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Microsoft Office
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They install and configure them for firms
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Scalability and integration challenges
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Sterling Order Management
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Portability
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Expensive
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Oracle CRM
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SAP
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Multiple database support
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Very complex to use
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SAP ERP
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Deployment Challenge
Deployment Challenge Description
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Software Application Deployment Challenges
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Misaligned expectations
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Project teams and stakeholders may differ on the needs and requirements of the software
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Data integrity
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Lack of an effective strategy for securing data
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Insufficient training tools
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Employees maybe insufficiently prepared tom operate the software
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Testing problems
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Lack of a testing and maintenance tool
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Technology Adoption Methods
Method Name
Method Description
Parallel Approach
The adoption occurs when the new system is introduced while the old one is still in use
Phased
Gradually replacing small parts of the old system with the new one until it is fully implemented
Piloting
Using a small group of users to test the new system before it is widely adopted
Direct Adoption
Implementing a new system radically
Cost/Benefit Considerations
Benefits
Costs
Considerations
Increased efficiency
Personnel
Hiring the most qualified pool of IT professionals
Flexibility
Organizational expenses
Training employees to adapt to the new technology
Cost cutting
Cost of tools
Seek the vendors who provide cost-effective and quality hardware and software technologies
Access and availability
Maintenance costs
Repair and maintenance must be done regularly
Cloud Services Recommendations
Selection Criteria Name
Selection Criteria Description
Selection Criteria Value (Weighting in Points)
30
40
10
Data security
20
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Cloud Services Selection Criteria
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Compliance with standards
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Compliance with government and professional regulations
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Service roadmap
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Current goals and objectives of the vendors
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Terms of service
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If they do not have tough terms and conditions
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Ability to secure the data
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Description
Benefits
Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
20
20
IBM
40
20
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Cloud Services Recommendation
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Recommended Cloud Services
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Amazon
|
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Provides additional services, such as storage and security
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Support users to integrate with business
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Google Cloud
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Can provide free packages
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Supports all organizational functions
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Fast response to customer enquiries
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Can provide platform as a service
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Adobe
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Ideal for supporting publishing and editing
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it is a creative cloud system
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Vendor Name
Vendor Strengths
Vendor Weaknesses
Products/Services Provided to Project
Aggregate SelectionCriteria Score
Amazon
Provides additional services, such as storage and security
30
Google Cloud
Can provide free packages
Google Cloud
20
IBM
Fast response to customer enquiries
Expensive
30
Adobe
Ideal for supporting publishing and editing
20
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Cloud Services Recommended Vendors
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Cannot be customized
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Amazon Cloud
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Slow responsiveness to customer inquiries
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IBM Cloud
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Only ideal for media and publishing
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Adobe
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Deployment Challenge
Deployment Challenge Description
Data security
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Cloud Services Deployment Challenges
|
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Increased incidences of hacking of cloud resources
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Performance issues
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Disruptions from vendors due to maintenance
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Availability problems
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Lack of availability of services when technical issues emerge
|
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Data safety
|
Data may be affected when the computer systems are infected by viruses
|
Technology Adoption Methods
Method Name
Method Description
Parallel Approach
The adoption occurs when the new system is introduced while the old one is still in use
Phased
Gradually replacing small parts of the old system with the new one until it is fully implemented
Piloting
Using a small group of users to test the new system before it is widely adopted
Direct Adoption
Implementing a new system radically
Cost/Benefit Considerations
Benefits
Costs
Considerations
|
Increase in efficiency
|
$4000
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Installing efficient and state-of-the art hardware and software resources to speed up business transactions
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Reduction in costs
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$3000
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Eliminating heaps of paperwork
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Hiring more staff
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$10000
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Individuals who will operate or control the cloud resources
|
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Purchasing more computer resources
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$5000
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Devices should be purchased to support the running of the cloud computing system
|
Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
2
The Rationale for Adding the Changes
Narek Saribekyan
BSA 425
Professor Stephanie Benoit-Kurtz
3/15/2021
Week 3
The Rationale for Adding the Changes
The three changes that I have incorporated into the project plan primarily focus on the vendor selection criteria for database management systems. These changes include price, quality, and the vendor’s reputation. I believe that price is important because the goal of selecting a vendor should always be to get the optimal value of the product for the lowest price or cost possible. Additionally, it is important to be concerned about vendors who submit estimates that are far below others. In this respect, one may receive less than acceptable quality for the same product. Therefore, it is important to communicate the prospects to the full extent of the company’s needs so as to receive an accurate bid.
Apart from price, I have also considered quality of the vendor’s product. To this end, the price does not matter if the product or service is of poor quality. Whenever necessary, it is important to ask the vendors to see the samples of the database product that they are selling to customers. This means that the vendor should be ready to provide substantial reasons to believe that the product that they are offering is not defective and demonstrate it to the target customers. Moreover, if the vendor fails to explain the basic steps of operating the system, then it is important to rethink the organization’s decisions before selecting them. Finally, the vendor’s integrity and reputation are important for database selection. This is because databases contain classified organizational data, which should only be managed by reputable parties. As such, it is important to conduct a due diligence on their ethical backgrounds and previous lawsuits that might have potentially affected their integrity or reputation. In light of the above, one should undertake a thorough background check, including searching news and complaints related to the vendor in order to identify possible issues that might affect the contract.
3
Project Supporting Research
Narek Saribekyan
BSA 425
Professor Stephanie Benoit-Kurtz
3/15/2021
Week 3
Project Supporting Research
Executive Summary
The advancements in information technology have radically transformed business operations and activities. Firms are increasingly embracing such technologies to gain competitive advantage over their rivals. Lowkey Inc, for example, recognizes the need to improve its business processes and operations. Therefore, it is launching a project to introduce information system resources such as database management tools, cloud computing technologies, customer relationship management, and enterprise relationship management.
Purpose of the Project
The purpose of the project is to use information technology as a tool to improve the organization’s business processes. To achieve this objective, the project team members will focus on introducing three key information systems to the firm: customer relationship management systems, cloud-based solutions, and network database. The company will introduce these systems and integrate them to enable it to perform tasks such as gathering, storing, processing, and reporting data from different sources to provide information that is required to manage the process of making informed decisions. The organization has witnessed a surge in its operational costs, delays, and faulty processes. Customers also complain that their orders are taking too long to process and deliver. Therefore, the company hopes to invest in information technologies to improve its operational efficiency by cutting operational costs, speeding up business transactions, and optimizing customer experience.
Industry Background
Lowkey, Inc. is one of the organizations that operates within the gaming industry.This industry can be described as an environment that is characterized by intense competition as more and more players and investors scramble for the market share. Indeed, the global video game sector has grown phenomenally in the last five years, to resemble the competitive and interactive movie industry. The COVID 19 pandemic has, for instance, fueled the sector to generate more profits than movies and the North American sports combined. The revenue is expected to increase by 20 percent to 179 billion dollars by 2021, according to a survey conducted by the IDC data. This pattern makes the sector a major money maker than the global movie and North American sports, which would generate more than 75 billion in 2020. The latter industries suffered from the cruelties of the pandemic, whereas the video game sector is still projected to see a double-digit growth in 2021 after high single-digit growth in the previous two years.
Technology Trends
The advancements in information technologies have revolutionized the industry in which the company operates. For instance, the key players are increasingly embracing cloud technologies to drive market growth. Recent developments of could technology has transformed the idea of gaming into a reality. In it, the servers, where all the games are stored, do all the computation tasks, which include game scene rendering, game logic processing video encoding, as well as video streaming. Many firms, such as Lowkey and Onlive are increasingly recognizing the significance of this computation technology in providing commercial cloud gaming services. Such technologies can support different user devices such as console, tablets, smartphones, as well as personal computers. Moreover, many companies are adopting CRM programs to enable them to better understand customer behavior, simplify marketing and customer engagement, and perform more efficacious customer acquisition and retention. These are enabling them to reduce churn, and offer better customer services.
Project Approach
The project will employ the agile approach to its initiation, design, and implementation. This approach stresses on the relationship and communality of system developers and human role that is reflected in the contracts, as opposed to the institutionalized processes and development tools (Berisha-Shaqiri, 2015). In the current agile practices, this takes the form of close team relationships, and encourages project team members to work in an environment where there is cohesion and collaboration. The purpose of this methodology is to continually turn out the tested working software (Srivastava et al., 2017). This means that the new releases are generated at regular intervals. On some approaches, the developers can release hourly or daily versions, but in most cases it is often bi-monthly. More importantly, this methodology encourages cooperation and collaboration between developers and the clients, thereby meeting their needs.
Selected Vendors
There are various vendors who have been selected to provide and implement the proposed services. They include Oracle, IBM, and Amazon Cloud. Oracle will be selected to provide CRM services for the organization. One benefit of selecting this company for such applications is that they provide additional services such as sales, marketing, and handling of human capital. Additionally, its customer relationship management system has many features, which the company requires such as contact management, tracking interactions, scheduling reminders, email marketing, pipeline monitoring, and reporting or analytics. It also includes a helpdesk, and a system for accommodating mobile access.
IBM and Amazon will provide database and cloud computing services respectively. One benefit of using IBM for database system is that it provides relational database management system, which the organization can utilize to support the storing, analysis, retrieval, and analysis of data. This product is often expended with the support of object-oriented elements and non-relational structures with XML. Amazon, on the other hand, will provide the company with cloud computing services. The vendor’s services have evolved and improved significantly in the last five years. Currently, it offers different cloud solutions, which give businesses of all sizes a flexible IT environment that can further be adjusted to meet their changing needs.
Alternative Approach
The alternative method that will be employed to implement the proposed project is the system development life cycle approach. This approach offers a process-driven model of developing and implementing information technology projects (Arrey, 2019). According to the framework, the process of developing an effective information technology tool should include planning, analysis, design, development, implementation, integration, testing, and system maintenance. This approach is important as it will help to transform the idea of a project uinto0 a functional and completely operational structure.
Impact Analysis
System evaluation is an important step towardsexamining the overall success of a project. In this case,for example, the main evaluationmodelthat will be used is impact assessment. This method assesses the extent to which the outcomes and impacts to the project are in line. It does so by establishing the counterfactuals, which is what would have occurred in the absence of such a project. Thus, the impact assessment will seek to create a valid control group, for which a comparison will be made to examine the project success.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
The feasibility of the project will be determined by undertaking a cost-benefit analysis. This process will be attained by examining whether the benefits or advantages outweigh the project’s disadvantages or limitations. As such, the strengths and weaknesses of the project will be analyzed and a cost-benefit analysis conducted.
Financial Analysis
150000
|
Activity
|
Cost ($)
|
|
1
|
Planning and requirements analysis
|
10000
|
|
2
|
System design
|
100000
|
|
3
|
System development and identification of vendors
|
|
150000
|
|
4
|
Implementation
|
|
Total
|
410,000
|
Risk Analysis
The risk analysis process will focus on assessing how the project outcomes and objectives may change owing to the impact of a risk event. In this regard, the project risk analysis will undertake by assessing the potential risks and ranking them in terms of their likelihood of occurrence. Hacking and computer fraud are some of the potential risks that might occur. Once the risks are determined, they will be analyzed to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to mitigate them.
References
Arrey, D. A. (2019). Exploring the integration of security into software development life cycle
(SDLC) methodology (Doctoral dissertation, Colorado Technical University).
Berisha-Shaqiri, A. (2015). Management information system and competitive
advantage. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(1), 204.
Srivastava, A., Bhardwaj, S., &Saraswat, S. (2017, May). SCRUM model for agile
methodology. In 2017 International Conference on Computing, Communication and
Automation (ICCCA) (pp. 864-869). IEEE.
