jacqueli0c-20

Query Table

Cloud Computing

In recent years cloud computing has started to take off, being named the “second most important technology focus for IT users in 2010.”[1] Cloud computing refers to any service being delivered through a network. The most common services are IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS; IaaS meaning “infrastructure as a service;” PaaS meaning “platform as a service;” SaaS meaning “software as a service.”  These three services have made it increasingly easy to manage everyday business tasks as well as personal usage.

 Software as a service (SaaS) is a service that allows you to obtain software over the internet. This means that any aspect of software that a business or a person needs can be obtained through a web based service. Using this model has many advantages, the most obvious one being software can be obtained with just a click of a button; saving time and money that otherwise would be used by manually getting the software and installing it yourself. Another advantage being that it is strictly “pay as you go.” By using pay as you go it, in the long run, could save businesses/people money because you aren’t investing a large sum of money in the beginning. Software as a service also has challenges; as do many services that are still on the rise. One challenge is “the lack of awareness coupled with apprehension regarding the success of SaaS.” [2] As with any software there is always the chance of failure, using the model SaaS is risky because if failure occurs all the business’s/people’s information is within the vendor. Another challenge is obviously security, having all of a business’s personal information floating around the web may not always be the best idea. Other challenges are that some of the software doesn’t have all accessibility, in many large businesses every feature of the software needs to be used. This meaning that usually large businesses haven’t been using SaaS. My suggestions would be to of course develop some sort of security within the software being used, and making it available to see that people can trust the vendors being used. Another suggestion would be to make every aspect of the software accessible so that every type of business could use SaaS. 

 Platform as a service (PaaS) is a service that allows platforms “for building and running custom applications” to be obtained through a network. [3] One advantage to using PaaS is that businesses “can focus on innovation instead of complex infrastructure.” [3] As with SaaS another advantage as paying as you go. As well as paying as you go, another advantage is it makes building and running applications ten times easier than it used to be. A challenge of PaaS is that a business/person needs to know what vendor to choice when trying to obtain PaaS; it can be easy to choose the wrong one. Another challenge is a business being able to trusts the vendor and what the vendor has to offer. A suggestion I would make would be to develop more platforms to be distributed to make it easier for businesses to do it by their selves. 

1. http://www.zdnet.com/news/cloud-computing-demystifying-iaas-paas-and-saas/477238
2. http://www.itexaminer.com/opportunities-and-challenges-of-saas.aspx
3. http://www.salesforce.com/paas/

Hardware and Software

Many things could allow a company to extend the use of information systems into the mobile regime of work. The advancement in technology has taken off making it very easy to do just about anything on your mobile device. 

Smart phones are the most popular form of technology that is out right now. Benefits for a small company are that they have wireless capability that allows anyone to get online with just a touch of a button. Using smart phones also can benefit a small company because of the use of apps. Most of these apps cost a small amount of money or are even free. They make it easy for businesses to sell things, navigate to places, manage their bank accounts, pay bills and so on. Smart phones also can access the radio for free making it easy to listen to weather updates or even traffic reports. Another advantage of smart phones is that they have a digital camera, making it easy for businesses to take and post pictures to the internet. Smart phones also have a hands free mode that enables people to talk without having their phone up to their ear. Another advantage of using a smart phone is that it has all the capabilities a computer has in a smaller more compact easy to carry around device. The iPhone only being 115 x 61 x 11.6 mm and weighing 135g. [2]

 It is also easy for businesses to do more than one thing at a time using smart phones, like the iPhone- “Now you can run your favorite third-party apps — and switch between them instantly.” [1]

1. http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/
2. http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone-1827.php

Analyzing Value of an IS

A very important information system today is a transaction processing system. This system is composed of a wide variety of steps that aid in (mostly business) transactions. A specific system that uses the concept of transactions is inventory control. Inventory control’s value is; the ability for products to be purchased when inventory is getting low, to be able to see which products are in high demand and which products aren’t selling, as well as be able to make the process of taking inventory very easy. It is also beneficial because this system makes it much harder to make an error as well as much easier to catch an error if need be. These things help make the business better and satisfy customer’s wants more easily and efficiently. If inventory runs out customers aren’t satisfied therefore the company doesn’t benefit. In a nut shell, this aids in satisfying the customer by being able to see what products need to be changed in the areas of cost and quality. All of these things aid in success of the company itself.

 The process of an inventory system would be; people buying or returning products making the number of products in a company’s inventory to change as a form of input. Input also includes the steps the system takes to make sure there are no errors with the data being brought into the system. The inventory transaction processing system will then take place by calculating, comparing, and storing the numbers. The output would be placing an order for more products, as well as, reports showing a summary of the entire inventory within the company. The reports that are generated can be used in benefit to the company to make decisions regarding inventory. An example being if a one product hasn’t made any profit in so many days they can decide whether or not to take it off the market. 

Information Systems

 Every little thing imaginable is a form of information. Every form of information is composed of bits of data; without data there would be no information. In a way information converts many pieces of data into something meaningful and useful. According to Manisha, author of the article, Difference Between Data and Information, “Information is usually the processed outcome of data. More specifically speaking, it is derived from data.” [1] Information systems help transmit all the meaningful data and information into some kind of purpose. 

  The use of information systems in recent years have skyrocketed due to the advancement of technology. For example, the use of computers and smart phones in more ways than one present a good deal of any information that is available. [2] With just a quick click on the computer or a smart phone you can have any information about any topic you choose. 

Information systems have only been beneficial to everyday people and especially businesses. A very important career that has benefited from the development of information systems is the accounting profession. Without information systems accountants would still be writing all data on pieces of paper and transforming into important information manually. Now there are numerous programs that take each piece of data and transform it in record time. Not only is speed a huge benefit but so is safety too, writing each piece of information down brings a high risk of losing data. Once data is entered into the computer and backed up, its there for good when using information systems. [3] Information systems also have a less likely chance of making errors within the data.  

In conclusion the development of information systems is a huge benefit.  The process of transmitting data into information into something that helps make something work more efficiently is very impressive. Without information systems today, even the most simplest, our lives would be a lot more hectic than most are already.

1. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-data-and-information/

2. http://bizcovering.com/e-commerce/business-information-systems-introduction/

3. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-information-system-accounting-3956.html

Student Information

Please answer the following questions by starting a new topic.
1. What is your major? Accounting
2. What operating system do you have on your computer?
Windows Vista
3. Do you have the right to upgrade the software on your computer?
Yes
4. What Internet and computer related courses have you already taken and what are your usual activities on the Internet (Facebook, email, chats, etc.)? Computer concepts and applications, computerized accounting, and business applications using electronic spreadsheets, I use Facebook, my email and AIM.
5. Have you taken online courses before? Yes, not at Ramapo though.
6. Do you have MS Office on your computer? If yes, which version? Yes 2003
7. Do yo work anywhere now? I have two jobs, I work at Tony’s Restaurant in Stockholm, NJand in Fairfield, NJ at a private accounting firm.
8. When do you graduate? 2013
9. Add anything you want about your interests, skills, job projects, etc. that might help the instructor and students understand you and your computer/Internet skills and interests better. I enjoy doing anything besides sitting at my house, I rather go to work or to school then sit home. I’m pretty good at making worksheets in Excel, and just using Excel as a whole.
10. What are your hobbies or what do you like to do outside of school and work ? I don’t really have much free time but when I do I like to hang out with my friends, go to the movies, etc.