BMIS 2537 - Business Systems Platforms
From Information Systems at Pitt Business
| Business Systems Platforms | |
| BMIS 2537 | |
| Credits: | 3.0 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites: | BMIS 2411 (which may be taken concurrently) or instructor permission |
There is no such thing as a technology decision – there are only business decisions.
The options for deployment of business information systems have grown in number and greatly increased in complexity since the Internet and concomitant technologies have become the most important de-facto standards for business computing and networking. Relevant technologies break down into five basic categories:
- Computer Hardware – this primarily includes computers and storage
- Communications – this includes wired, wireless, local and wide-area networks
- System Software – this includes operating systems and databases as well as transaction and message-based middleware, and load balancing
- Software Development – this includes web services, service-oriented architectures, and all of the various technologies commonly grouped under the heading “Web 2.0”.
- Horizontal Applications – this includes technologies like RFID, Business Intelligence, Workflow and Content Management
The topics of total cost of ownership (TCO), business continuity, security and outsourcing have relevance to all five categories. Business people who are involved in technology selection and deployment decisions need a basic knowledge of these areas as well as an understanding the value, costs and benefits they might offer to a business. They also must be able – on an ongoing basis – to find out about and evaluate new or emerging technologies that could have relevance in their business situations. They then need to be able to explain to other business people – in non-technical terms – how those technologies might have value.
Accordingly, the course will pursue three simultaneous paths:
- Lectures and additional presentations by outside speakers will survey the most important software and hardware technologies that businesses use to deploy information systems. This will include an examination of capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, and relevant standards. It will also address alternative implementations and costs.
- Full-length case studies and class discussion will facilitate the examination of the business implications of and the context in which these system deployment technologies are utilized.
- Individual and team student projects will give the students experience in researching, understanding, evaluating and explaining information technologies
