MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 Course Synopsis

MIST 7500 - Internet Technology exposed me to many new business theories and technologies, and set a solid groundwork for the scope of the MIT course. While the course is geared towards the technological side, it also integrates business principles and techniques which are needed for future IT leaders to be successful in the business world.

We started with business modelling and how IT is integral in the success of modern businesses. Using Porter’s 5 Forces and tools like the business model canvas, we were able to breakdown the components of a business and analyze its strengths and weaknesses. Using the canvas really opens your eyes to the assets and liabilities of a company and industry.

We switched gears and studied the history of the internet and how it works from the hardware and communications aspect. We were shown how protocol standards will help enhance the internet as new ideas and technologies are integrated into “Web 3.0” and beyond. We did some basic web design and CSS styling to finish out the internet portion of our studies.

We ended the semester focusing on basic java development and cloud computing. We created a few basic programs using Eclipse IDE and activated cloud accounts using AWS (Amazon Web Services).

We also were exposed to numerous speakers that work in various segments of the IT field. From entrepreneurship to web search standards to cloud computing, we were able to interact with people working in our future fields.

In retrospect, I think the best thing that I can take away from this class is that there is a huge demand for tech-savvy, business-minded professionals to steer the future of technology and its place in society. This class will benefit me because it allowed me to experience hands-on, the various aspects of web-based technologies and set the building blocks to succeed in IT.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 Executive Summary 4: Internet of Things

As we move further into the next phase of the information age, it has become clear that we need more real-time information to reduce our use of resources and increase profitability. To achieve this, we must collect data of a current state of being and find ways to analyze this data and make hypotheses on future behaviors. This can be done by using sensors and actuators linked in a standard internet protocol array.

Why sensor networks?
• The sensors are affordable to purchase.
• They can be connected using wired or wireless methods.
• Can be linked using the standard internet protocols being used by the World Wide Web.
• Will allow us to analyze our customer’s trends and user experience.
• Existing IT programmers can create programs to collect data and monitor systems.

Challenges
• Where do we install the sensors?
• What do we monitor/measure to give the best ROI?
• Does our IT staff need training to maximize the data collected?

Real-time data is needed for companies to survive in the future. Receiving data that allows us to analyze our customer-base, trends in the market place, and even our own operational habits can mean the difference between hitting growth targets and falling behind the competition. Sensor networks will allow us to monitor and track these trends as they occur. Our in-house analytics team will be able to collect this data and create reports that allow the management staff to better manage the business operations on a daily basis.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 Executive Summary 3: Hybrid IT

Cloud computing has become the new “hot trend” in the data storage and bandwidth aspect of companies. As the volumes of data and analytics grow, so must a company’s ability to store, access, and use this data effectively. Storing in a central location exposes the company to system outages and slow connection speeds.

Why Cloud Computing?
• Pooling the resources of numerous remote storage locations reduces the risk of bandwidth limitations and increases our ability to access data.
• Pay-per-use can greatly reduce costs.
• Offers increased flexibility to users outside the office.
• With the proper security protocols, it can handle any device (BYOD) and platform safely.
• Reduces the risk of a regional disaster affecting daily operations.

Risks with using the cloud
• When using a fully public cloud service, there is a risk of security breaches.
• Unsure of the physical location of the data storage facility and the security risks involved with the physical systems.
• Too much data access of redundant files could create an avoidable expense that is reduced by centralized storage.

How to overcome these limitations and fully realize the technology
• Use a hybrid system of public and private cloud services.
• We control sensitive content and have fixed costs associated with accessing this data.
• Utilize the speeds, reliability and accessibility of cloud computing without the risk of sensitive data being compromised.

By taking the best features of the classic centralized system (private cloud) and big data storage (public cloud), our company can save money and increase productivity. The storage systems will be managed remotely and on a per-use basis which will reduce our fixed costs. The company will be shielded from outages and will open the door for BYOD flexibility in the future.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 Executive Summary 2: BYOD

Handheld devices and laptops become more ubiquitous in our personal lives. In theory, employees that bring these devices into the workplace (BYOD) may seem like an innovative idea that could potentially make them more productive. In reality, this could lead to more problems for the company and the employees.

Potential opportunities
• Reduced up-front costs to the company. The individual is purchasing the device with their own money.
• More access to the employee. They are no longer tied down to an office phone and desktop PC.
• Potential for employee to be more productive because they are using a device of their choosing. The average person feels comfort in learning one device.

Challenges to adapt
• The company won’t benefit from the reduced costs of buying a bulk quantity of devices and bundling the data and voice packages.
• The company is paying for personal data and voice usage as well.
• Security issues may arise because these devices are being used outside the office environment.
• The IT Department will have to be familiar with a multitude of devices, rather than a core manufacturer, make and model.
• Employee could find it hard to “disconnect” from work and could lead to mental “burn-out”.
• Because this is an individual’s personal device, it is unclear what the legal ramifications are in regards to an employee’s privacy and the company’s trade secrets.

The negatives and overall cost currently outweigh the potential productivity gains from BYOD. Until the platforms become more uniform (allowing for easier management of security) and better services emerge that can track the actual corporate data and voice usage (for billing purposes), it would be best to maintain the current strategy of one-source devices and vendors.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 Executive Summary 1: Data Visualization

Making the switch from traditional data analysis to a real-time data analytics can mean the difference between being a market leader or yesterday’s news. As big data grows in the business world, companies are struggling to make sense of and properly utilize the petabytes of data that are being parsed. There are tools that can help us expunge this data to make us better prepared for the market’s unknowns.

Challenges of current data analysis tools
• Unable to process the large volumes of data created today, in a timely fashion.
• Gives us a snapshot of yesterday’s information, not real-time.
• A small, centralized team is carrying the workload.

Solutions to improve analytics and efficiencies
• Visualize the data to make it easier to search, organize and analyze trends.
• Utilize mobile devices and cloud technologies to increase the response of insights and improve collaboration in the workforce.
• Real-time creation of dynamic, interactive presentations.
• Allows for better collaboration amongst business units.
How to make big data visualization a reality
• Invest in IBM’s Rapidly Adaptive Visualization Engine (RAVE) and SmartCloud Analytics-Predictive Insights software.
• Train a diverse team of employees to interpret the data.

Making the switch to big data visualization will empower the employees and business to achieve greater revenues, create market innovations, and improve our clients’ experience. Our mission statement specifies that we are to be the market leader, and adopting this cutting-edge technology will allow us to carry on that principle.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 Cloud Computing

Define Cloud Computing:
• A type of computing that pools the resources of numerous network-based components (like server storage, server time, network bandwidth, etc.) so that programs can run from a remote location, and allocates these resources based on demand for said programs. Cloud is a loose reference to the term “internet”.

Discuss the benefits of Cloud Computing
• Computing resources can be allocated as needed to handle higher or lower demands (elasticity). The programs and data can be stored and run remotely (virtualization) which can lead to reduced operating expenses at the local level. It can also reduce total overhead costs because the cloud services are charged by metered usage, rather than fixed and variable operating costs (metered billing).

Who are the top Cloud providers?

1. Rackspace – Offers discounts for customers who demand high storage volumes.

2. Amazon (AWS) – Offers flexible, free services and caters to individual users.

3. Just Cloud – Caters to medical providers.

4. Cloud Flare – Offers top security, hosting and support features.

5. VMWare – Revered on a more global scale for their quality services.

Some companies that are re-focusing their businesses around cloud computing.
• Intercontinental Hotels Group (Holiday Inn hotel chain) – They are using it for their CRM software which used to be on bulky mainframes that were hard to access on the go. Cloud computing allows their sales staff to access their internal systems without being tied down at the office. They are planning to move their hotel reservation systems to the cloud in the near future.
• RehabCare Group – Cloud computing has allowed their nationwide workforce of physical therapists to access patient records and share rehabilitation practices.
• NVoicePay – Uses cloud computing to process B2B invoice payments for small businesses.
• ServiceMax – Uses the cloud to create software for handheld devices that manage field technicians and sales employees.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 G2; Trending technology group presentation

Here's a copy of our group presentation on Energy Storage.

If for some reason the presentation doesn't show up on my blog. Click Here.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013 G1; Trending technology and disruptive innovation

Innovation is the commercialization of an invention. Our society is based on innovation, technological advances and the adoption of these technologies. There have been many theories and models used to analyze innovation over the years. The Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter pioneered innovation management in the 1930's. He theorized on how the capitalist system was affected by market innovation. His book "Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy" spawned increased awareness into this theory.

Over the next six decades, more analyses and models surfaced which refined his theories. Incremental vs. Radical Innovation, the Henderson-Clark Model, and the Abernathy-Utterback Model (to name a few) led to the 1997 best-seller "The Innovator's Dilemma" written by Harvard Business School professor, Clayton Christensen. Christensen studied how innovation can lead to a disruption in the marketplace that can either benefit the incumbent (sustaining innovation: improving an existing product) or allow new competitors to gain a foothold in an existing market (disruptive innovation: An alternative, usually cheaper, that brings new customers to the marketplace).

We were tasked with researching a trending technology and applying one of these models. I chose energy storage based on a professional document written by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI). Scientists have been working on energy storage since the 1700’s (approximately a century before electricity became widely used). Today the technology has grown leaps and bounds since its inception. lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have become the mainstay in electric and hybrid vehicles, and mobile electronic devices. Advances in energy storage could bring the cost of electric-powered vehicles (EV) down to a more competitive price point against its internal combustion (ICE) brethren. It could also allow electricity to be offered to remote parts of the emerging world and increase the efficiencies of existing power grids in industrialized society. Energy storage systems convert electricity into a form that can be stored and converted back into electrical energy for later use, providing energy on demand.

The traditional ICE automotive industry stands to be disrupted by breakthroughs in energy storage. Major advancements in battery component technologies are expected to increase storage capacities by 2025. Next generation cathodes (the positive terminal on the battery) incorporate a “layered-layered” structure which will increase chemical efficiencies within the battery as well as voltage outputs. Cell capacity could increase by 30-50%. Total cost of ownership is expected to drop from $560 kWh (in 2011) to $165 kWh. Also, more efficient production processes will lead to the reduction in cost to manufacture EV cars. Based on these efficiencies, future EV cars could have a break-even point with their ICE counterparts when gas prices are at $2.85/gallon. Given these factors, the potential economic impact in the automotive industry could be approximately $415 billion up from the current $20 billion market.

I used Christensen’s Disruptive Innovation model to analyze energy storage. I feel that once the energy storage costs drop and performance levels increase to eclipse the efficiencies of ICE vehicles, customers will flock to the reduced total cost of ownership that will be realized from an EV. It will be a “low end disruption”, because the shift will occur as the improvements are proven to the mass consumer.

Our grandchildren’s generation could very well be the last generation to utilize ICE technology in their daily-driven vehicles. All we have to do is embrace the technology and shift our confidence in proven energy storage technologies to those of the EV.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; D1 Connecting business and IS/IT

 The internet has been in a transition for the last 10 years to a more interactive entity. The term Web 2.0 was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 and popularized by Tim O’Reilly at a web conference in 2004. The advent of cloud computing and web connectivity has reduced business costs, opened collaboration efforts around the globe, offered more resources, and improved supply chains (to name a few). The emergence of “digital firms” has allowed for greater flexibility in organizations and management and accomplishing core business processes. Companies have been shifting their financial resources to improve on their information systems because they can see a quicker return on investment.

Here are six strategic business objectives:

• Operational excellence – improving operations to increase profitability.
• New products and services – New technology-based tools like tablet computing.
• Customer and supplier intimacy – Customer-focused services that bring return business.
• Improved decision making – More accurate information available so management can make informed decisions.
• Competitive advantage – Offering better products and services for less.
• Survival – Maintaining or increasing market share in an uncertain world.

What are information systems?
They are a set of components that are interrelated. They collect, process and store data that is distributed into a meaningful format (called information) for business decision-makers. It makes sense out of a multitude of confusing data. Some enterprise-level systems that are currently in use:

• TPS: Transaction Processing System – Transactional tool like “Square”.
• CRM: Customer Relations Management – Records customer information like “SalesForce”.
• SCM: Supply Chain Management system – Records supply chain information like “Logility Voyager Solutions”.
• ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning – Integrates all company stakeholders and the systems like “SAP”.
• BPM: Business Process Management – Allows employees to document, automate and improve processes like “Process Maker”.
• BI: Business Intelligence system – Cost effective analytics and reporting systems like “JasperSoft”.

We also looked at a software package that connects our existing business models to the infrastructure side of business. It is called ArchiMate. It allows managers to identify key activities and resources that support the business model. It also highlights assets that might not be properly utilized. This modeling software breaks down the model into three distinct "layers".

• Business Layer - The business model
• Application Layer - The software and applications that are used in the business
• Technology Layer - The hardware infrastructure of the business

There are many systems that help companies and their stakeholders succeed in the market today. Finding the tools that work best for your organization is the challenge as businesses move into the “Web 2.0” era.

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; C3 - Internet Future

I watched videos of Vint Cerf, Tim Berners-Lee (both insiders of the design and implementation of the internet as we know it) and Kevin Kelly (Founder and Editor of Wired Magazine) as they discussed their visions of the future and the internet. All three endorsed cloud computing as the future storage protocol of computer systems, and the integration of data into our daily lives (roughly called “The One”). All things will be linked together by data. We will be identified by this data and able to use it to advance our society. It will be one big “open source society”.

Vint Cerf also touched on sensor networks and the role they will play in this future lifestyle. The mundane tasks of daily life will be automated by pre-determined settings. Households will be more efficient because of this. He thinks this will allow people to focus on other aspects of life and society.

These videos were very informative. All three men have a similar macro-vision of data and society in the future. I can see where integration of big data would simplify our lives. We would have accurate data at our fingertips. I do have some concerns with this “open source lifestyle”. To allow strangers to become intimate with our personal information poses a multitude of security and safety risks. In our current society and internet, criminals steal identities and anything of value with the click of a mouse. In general, people will have to become more enlightened and less savage for this future society to work.

*Image taken from Tim Berner-Lee presentation @ TED 2009.

Until next time...

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; C1 - Internet History

The Internet started in the late 1960’s as a way for government researchers to share information. Computers in the '60s were large and bulky. In order to make use of information stored in any one computer, one had to travel to the site of the computer. Another catalyst in the formation of the Internet was the Soviet Union's launch of the Sputnik satellite and the discovery of missiles in Cuba. This spurred the U.S. Department of Defense to consider ways information could still be transmitted across the country even after a nuclear attack. This eventually led to the formation of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), the network that ultimately evolved into what we now know as the Internet. ARPANET was a great success but membership was limited to certain academic and research organizations who had contracts with the Department of Defense. In response to this, other networks were created to provide information sharing. Protocols were standardized so that computers of any platform and location could integrate into the internet. The networks and users expanded exponentially until ARPANET was no longer needed. It was decommissioned in 1983. Over the last 30 years, the internet has grown and changed our lives.

We are no longer using the internet as a “tool”. With the advances over the past decade, we as a society are merging with the internet. It is becoming a part of us and our daily lives.

My top five internet events that shaped the internet

• First connection (circa 1969) – ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) connects the computers of UCLA and Stanford Research Institute’s Augmentation Research Center (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). The transmission was done using a 300 baud rate modem.

• Protocol standardization (circa 1983) – TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol) allowed for computers of any type and location to connect together. This protocol is the merging of the original TCP and IP protocols that allow the computers at each end of the network to control the flow of packets (rather than the previous protocol of the main computer controlling it). The Department of Defense adopted this protocol and made it the industry standard by 1985 through seminars with the computing industry.

• Websites and web browsers (circa 1994) – Up until the mid-1990’s, most users of the internet were computer engineers, government employees, or university students. They connected via dial-up modems to iRC’s (Internet Relay Chat) and BBS’s (Bulletin Boards) which were text-based message boards/meeting places. When Mosaic was introduced to “the masses”, it allowed users to expand on their internet experience, and view webpages that offered unique content and images.

• Application development (circa 2000) – The creation of server-side technologies (ASP, PHP, etc.) and client-side (Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, etc.) empowered businesses to overcome the limitations of HTML and allowed webpages to become interactive and customizable.

• High-speed internet hardware (circa 21st century) – Advances in the hardware that carries data packets across the networks, has allowed us to become “part of the internet”. Modems have given way to routers and smart switches that can monitor internet traffic and make adjustments to maximize throughput. When TCP/IP was first invented, modems carried data at a baud rate of 300 bits/second. By comparison, today’s smart switches routers can carry data at speeds of 450 Mbits/second and beyond.

Until next time...

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; B3 - Business Strategy Models

For the final assignment of week two, we had to analyze our fantasy business model from week one. We had many options to use for the analysis. I was torn between Porter's Five Forces Model or a SWOT Analysis. I felt the Five Forces Model was more fitting for my company.

Once the analysis was complete, we were instructed to create a video presentation or screencast discussing our results. Click on the link below to see my screencast.

OR CLICK HERE

I hope you enjoyed the video. Check back soon. Until next time...

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; B1 - Business Strategy Models

In this week's class, we expanded on business modeling and how it can be used to formulate/analyze a business strategy.

Based on the authored works of John Hagel and Marc Singer, they believe companies are comprised of three different segments.

1. Customer Relationship Management - The business segment that finds customers and tries to maintain them.
2. Product Innovation Business - The segment that creates new products or services.
3. Infrastructure Management - The management of essential operational components such as policies, operational processes, HR, etc.

These three components are very different in their initiative and scope of operation. At times they can be incompatible.

They expanded on the modeling aspect and determined that through their research, they are seeing five business model patterns emerge:

• Unbundling - Shedding off all the "extras" while maintaining the primary business. (Ex. Telecom companies spinning off their maintenance and service departments to independent contractors.)
• The Long Tail - Offering extended product lines to diversify the business and expand the customer base. (Ex. Netflix offering 1000's of Indy/European films that wouldn't have been exported to other countries many years ago.)
• Multi-Sided Platform - Mutual collaboration between separate companies. (Ex. Nintendo Wii brings together game players and developers on their gaming platform.)
• Free - Offering free products and supplementing revenues from a less-traditional source. (Ex. Trial versions that let you test software, before you buy.)
• Open Business Model - Allowing collaboration from many sources to improve products. (Ex. Linux is an open source operation system, with thousands of programmers around the world making improvements.)

Finally, we wrapped up the night with Porter's Five Forces. This is a simple yet effective format to determine the strengths and weaknesses of an industry from a company perspective. Each force is then rated as high, medium, or low threat. A high threat means it is easy to break into the industry and be successful, such as techy/IT businesses. A low threat means it is hard to break into the industry. There could be no room for growth, or government regulations that prohibit "easy" entry, such as the automotive industry.

Porter's Five Forces

1. Threat of New Entry
2. Buyer Power
3. Supplier Power
4. Threat of Substitution
5. Competitive Rivalry

Porter later added a sixth force: Business Complementors. These can be positive (Hulu and the major networks) or negative (government intervention and activist groups).
A simple diagram illustrating the five forces model (taken from simpletemplates.com).

 

A lot of useful information that can help businesses determine their opportunities for success. That is all for now. Until next time...

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; A3.1 - business modeling current employer

In this installment, we were tasked with creating a business model that reflects our current employer. I used BMFiddle's {bmfiddle.com}business model canvas tool. My current employer manufactures steel building products for the commercial and residential construction industry. We are the industry leader in maintaining high standards of quality and safe building construction. Here is the link to my business model canvas.

https://bmfiddle.com/f/#/r73D4

Feel free to check it out and let me know if you have any questions! Until next time...

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; A3.2 - business modeling fantasy company

In the second half of the business modeling assignment, we were tasked with imagining a fictitious company. Since I am not currently in the technology industry and unsure of where I would like to end up at the end of this master's program, I went with a more general vision. I called it Apps 'R' Us. Basically, it's a company that designs sensibly-prices apps for businesses. The apps would allow these businesses to connect with new customers and maintain their existing customer base.

Check out the link:

https://bmfiddle.com/f/#/HSPq8

Enjoy!! Until next time...

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; A2 - What is a router?

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; Assignment A2 - What is a router?

In part two of our first assignment, we were tasked with listening to the Techstuff podcast on "What is a router?" This was my first time listening to this podcast channel. I found the podcast to be informative without overwhelming the audience with overly-technical terms. The hosts were entertaining as well. The following bullet points highlight the discussion.

• Routers allow the transfer of information across different layers of communication from a local level (LAN) to a global level (WAN/Internet).
• Router hardware is offered in wired and wireless.
• Its main function is to direct the data packets from the transmitting computer to the receiving computer.
• RIP: Routing Information Protocol  - A method used by routers to determine the most efficient paths for the flow of information across the internet. It transmits packets through various avenues and logs the speed and success of the packets.
• To prevent redundant information from flowing through the internet and overloading the system, routers are able to terminate these packets after successful transmission.
• Most routers have switch capabilities. This allows you to network local computers together without the need for enterprise hardware components.
•  Every router has a unique identifier/address to avoid conflicts. It’s called a Media Access Control (MAC address).
• Wireless routers have different ratings for signal strength and speed. (a, b, g, n). 
• Firewalls installed on the firmware of the router help reduce security risks to your computer and LAN.

That's all for this week's assignments. Check back next week for more classroom shenanigans!!

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; A1 - What is this blog all about?

MIST 7500 - Fall 2013; Assignment A1 - What is this blog all about?

First a few words about me. My name is George Renzi and I am currently enrolled in the Master's of Internet Technology program at UGA. It is a cohort-style program and we meet twice weekly at the UGA Gwinett campus. For the past 15 years I have worked for the same company in the manufacturing industry. I have held numerous positions of varying responsibility through out my career and have had the opportunity to relocate four times over that time period. My goal is to get involved with technologies that will shape our future lifestyles.

Now onto the "meat and potatoes" of this blog. I will be highlighting weekly topics and readings from the MIST 7500 Internet Technology class under the tutelage of Dr. Craig Piercy. Some of the topics that will be highlighted in this course include:

• Fundamentals of Business Modeling
• Internet infrastructure
• Network hardware components
• Tools and methods used in the development of networked applications
• HTML and big data (cloud) basics
• mobile internet applications basics

That's it for now. Make sure to check back for weekly updates!!