Integrating eSystems & Global Information Systems, Project Background

INTEGRATING INFORMATION SYSTEMS: TECHNOLOGY, STRATEGY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS CP0 -- COMPUTER PROJECT INTRODUCTION Placement Assistance System (PAS) Operational Scenario and General Overview Functional Overview It would be nice to have a Placement Assistant System (PAS) to help decide on potential companies and prepare for interviews. There are many distributed sources for vital information. e.g., open company positions, interview dates, Alumni working in the company, contact information for relevant alumni, company industry and location information, stock performance, and current news (see range of sources below). The student is limited by the distributed nature of this information. The goal of this project is to integrate several of these sources using a web browser front-end interface to make it easier for the student make better and more informed decisions. The PAS application is to be modular so it can be scaled according to individual needs and to make it easier to incorporate new information sources. Although we will define the basic functional overview and most of the project will be along the same lines, we would like you to come up with ideas on what information should be incorporated and other technologies that might further enhance such a project. Note 1: CP1 should be done individually. All other parts (CP2-CP7) should be done in groups of 2 or 3 students. Please turn in the list of names of the students in your group by Lecture #7. If you need help forming a group, contact your TA. Note 2: A simple demonstration version of such a PAS can be found at (… and shown on the following two pages). Information Located, Extracted and Displayed • Company information • Recruiting dates and company contacts • Employees currently enrolled at Sloan as students • Employees and Chairman info from Web • Headline info extracted in real-time from Web Operational scenario We will assume that MIT wants to design and deploy the Placement Assistant System (PAS) for Sloan students who are actively pursuing their job search. This will involve evaluating the networking infrastructure within these buildings and its connectivity to the Internet, integrating recruiting databases and alumni databases into a front end, and incorporating real time news and stocks quotes from web sites. The final interface is through a web browser. The overall proposed architecture is shown on the next page. Proposed architecture CDO office recruiting information Access overview database database (database (database backed web site) Sloan students students DB Financial information Web sources INTERNET Web Browser Candidate Interface looking for a job Detailed Company Company performance performance This project consists of 7 steps (referred to as CP1 through CP7): CP1 - PAS Goals / Concept write up CP2 - Local Area Network (LAN) design and evaluation CP3 - Wide Area Network (WAN) design and evaluation CP4 - Database Design and Relational Connectivity (using ACCESS, EXCEL, and Web) CP5 - View Integration and Logical Connectivity design and simple ASP CP6 - Integrating using a database backed web site, more complex ASP CP7 - Final PAS application using ASP and Web Wrapper technology CP1 …. Sloan School CP2 LAN Internet / WAN MIT net Student Database Company Database Access CP4 Excel CP3 Web CP5 Over view Database Simple ASP Browser CP6 More Complex ASP Other Databases Web CP7 Web Wrapper Technology -4- Final PAS ASP CP1 - Goals / Conceptual Write up Your first step is to describe the features and functionality of an ideal Placement Assistant System you would like to use as an MIT student when you start your recruiting, and the reasons for your requirements. (As we will be following specific fixed guidelines in the most of the remaining parts, not all your ideas will be implemented in the project. Nonetheless, you will have chances for creativity towards the final steps of the project. ) CP2 - Local Area Network In this step, you analyze a portion of the MIT local area network (LAN) and determine how best to extend the network. The Network is qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated using the IEEE Model 1 and Model 2 guidelines for multi-segment networks. This exercise teaches how to evaluate networks when they are expanded based on the IEEE Model 2 configurations. CP3 - Wide Area Network In this part, you examine and understand the MIT-Sloan wide area network (WAN) via the Internet architecture in terms of network components, topology, IP addresses, and trace routes. Ping and tracert utilities will be used for this purpose. You will also assess some Internet sources in terms of connectivity and network speed issues from within the MIT campus network. The learning focus for this part of the exercise is: • Understand network architecture issues. i.e., distinctions, limitations, and types. • Evaluate a working model based on some attributes e.g., network viability, delay times. • Understand network topology diagrams. • Bandwidth requirements, transfer of data i. e. Protocol, Error Correction, etc. • Understand issues with connectivity with the Internet. CP4 - Database Design and Relational Connectivity (using Access, Excel, and Web) This part will involve using an existing database and creating a new database by linking data sources seamlessly across Access, Excel, and external web sources. The two databases are: • Company database - To search for company information based on industry, geographic location, and financial information. • Student database - To determine is there are any students from the company in question currently enrolled at Sloan Another part of this step is for you to address problems that can exist across multiple data sources even if they contain similar information. The deliverable is the identification of issues and complexities involved in the exercise. You will be linking tables within databases to produce reports and queries. You should document your observations regarding the database schema linking issues and data inconsistencies that create hindrances in your project. CP5 - View Integration and Logical Connectivity (and simple ASP) In this step you will integrate in a coherent fashion the various data sources (from step 4) that a student would need to access in their job search. The databases you will work to integrate are the databases you created in CP4, plus: • Recruiting database - To determine if the company of choice is going to be on campus, and if so, when are they going to be here and what positions are they going to be interviewing for. Once again you will address issues of the logical connectivity. The learning focus is designing real life logical connectivity solutions on a smaller scale. The deliverable is the identification of issues and complexities involved in the exercise. You will be linking tables within databases to produce reports and queries. Also, in this step you will start to create an interface to your PAS application accessible over the Internet/Web using Active Server Pages (ASP). CP6 – Integrating Information in the Web interface (using more complex ASP) In this part you will integrate all the information into your Web front-end interface by making queries to the Access Database. You will use ASP technology to display information from the databases using a web front-end interface that dynamically pulls information from your Access database. To do this, you will link the queries from the integrated Access database (from CP5) and present it in an easy to use form within a browser. This should integrate information from various tables within the three databases that you created. The web interface should represent seamless logical integration of the various back-end data sources. The learning focus for this part of the computer project is: • Basics of heterogeneous data source integration. • Understanding how to query backend databases in a web interface CP7 – Final PAS Application (using ASP and Web Wrapper Technology) In this part of the Exercise you will finish the creation of your interface for the PAS system and also incorporate real-time data from the web using a Web Wrapper technology. You will be encouraged to use your creativity to make your PAS as easy-to-use and comprehensive as possible. You will also prepare a presentation describing your views of the PAS goals and your implemented system. The learning focus for this part of the computer project is: • Use of WebWrapper technology and use of External Web queries • Browser Interface design • Overall observations regarding the design and implementation of integrated applications. COMPUTER PROJECT TIMELIME LEC# Due date (in class) 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 25 Tutorial (subject to change) Introduction to Computer Project CP1 - PAS Goals CP1 (Goals/Concepts) due CP2 (LAN) due CP2 - LAN CP3 - WAN Q&A CP3 (WAN) due CP4 – DB Setup, ACCESS/EXCEL/Web CP4 (Database Design) due CP5 (View Integration) due CP5 - View Integrate, ACCESS Join, ASP CP6 - Enhanced ASP Q&A CP6 (Integrating Information) due CP7 (Final PAS Interface) due Selected Presentations CP7 - Web Wrapper, Final PAS Interface Q&A Q&A CP1 - PAS Goals / Concept write up CP2 - Local Area Network (LAN) design and evaluation CP3 - Wide Area Network (WAN) design and evaluation CP4 - Database Design and Relational Connectivity (using ACCESS, EXCEL, and Web) CP5 - View Integration and Logical Connectivity design and simple ASP CP6 - Integrating using a database backed web site, more complex ASP CP7 - Final PAS application using ASP and Web Wrapper technology