Colorado Technical University
Consultant Analysis Report
Enterprise Systems
Jose Rosa
Professor James W. LeMaster
12/13/2013
Table of Contents Project Outline 3 System Requirements 7 Architecture Selection 10 Resources and Timeline 14 Security 15 Final Analysis and Recommendations 16 References 17
Project Outline
In every corporation there are different methods of selling products, these products, and range from anything such as games, toys, all the way to computer components and different types of software. The overall goal is to make the product sound appealing to the target customers; the overall goal is to sell the product to potential investors so that they invest money. There are different ways one can advertise their products, some ways are using catch lines such as stating the product can help better yourself.
In the following paragraphs a description of my chosen company for the software development, the overall size of personnel, equipment square feet, worldwide buildings, what it does (dental care), programming centers or organization aspects, and how it communicates with other companies. Not only do they, the Dental Clinics, communicate and send information from one clinic, medical building, or office house, they also send information across the globe to other clinics such as Iraq, Europe and South America, and a description of how that is done will be identified as well.
A Dentac is a massive military corporation that not only is centralized in one area, but as stated above, located all over the globe, unlike a civilian dental clinic, a Dentac is run by the USA Military, the corporate branch does not matter in regards to Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Army, as each is tied in, and there are many other global locations that use computer systems to send information from one to another, for example, a dental clinic located in Texas needs to send information all the way to a clinic in Europe, however, they are not able to send information from a military clinic to a privately owned dental company.
The chosen company is the Ft. Sill Dentac, it is a massive dental company that provides top quality dental care to soldiers and civilians alike, located at Ft. Sill Oklahoma, there are approximately five (5) different clinics within Ft. Sill Oklahoma. They are Weeks Dental Clinic, Allen Dental Clinic, the Oral Maxillary Surgery Clinic (OMS), Military Processing Station (MPS), and Cowan Dental Clinic. Approximately 400 total employees are located within all of the listed clinics, they consists of Doctors, Assistants, front desk personnel, treatment coordinators, and about 75 to 100 persons running the clinic. However, this is not the same for all the clinics around the world. Each clinic may have a different number of workers depending on their size and location.
Each of the major headquarters of the dental clinics have their own Information Technology personnel, and these IT persons are responsible for the overall updating, planning, troubleshooting, and suggesting of major projects for their prospective clinic. There are about one to two information technologists per clinic per military installation.
Within each of the dental clinics the employees use different computer work stations are used to input their work information such as record information, patient information, and prior and current procedures. These are all stored within a hard drive of some sort and can be securely sent from one location to another. However expediency is needed, thus the implementation of a system will be able to send the information from one location to the other.
As you can see, the corporation of my choosing is the various military dental clinics that are able to utilize a system to spread information securely and a fast time frame of the information being passed. It is a massive corporation that is not only spread from one location, but all around the world and they are able to share information with each other however, slowly.
With a new program in place, all the dental clinics around the world may be able to effectively integrate a new system for patient care. The program may be affordable and easy to use as well. With this program installation it will help the overall process and speed of procedures as well as lowering the time frame a patient has to remain in the chair. Instead of the clinic sending off a record by mail and waiting for the other clinic to receive it, the program will have files or secured share drives that would allow for scanning and placing those files into it for easy access, implement Peer to Peer, “the ability to share information over the internet from one computer to another” (How stuff Works, 2013)
With the implementation of this project, there is a guarantee that work time, patient care and workload time will be reduced. Also there will be a with the ability to store and back up information in case of natural disaster and/or cyber attacks. Cyber attacks can happen any time and they can come in many different forms, a cyber attack is when a hacker or someone gains control of your computer. Thus the backup system is a must, plus other ways of information protection will be used such as security passwords, security usernames, and other identification tools will also be implemented. The Dental clinic is already located on a secure military post, however there are no guarantees that it is 100% secure at all times, and information on a computer can become vulnerable.
In the next few paragraphs, an explanation of the project that will be created for this assignment , who is working on it such as team members, what it requires as far as information and security aspects, costs, sharing abilities, and the overall process of what it is for will be explained. The software will be online and will be name the Dental Application Assisting Program (DAAP). It will be secure and used strictly for Military Dental clinics only.
System Requirements
In regards to the Dental Company being able to send information from one site to another, they are in need of a web-based program that is able to store information, and send information, on a peer to peer basis explained beforehand, the system will be secure, and only grant access to those who it who it pertains to by implementation of passwords; that have uppercase, lowercase and special charters, usernames, and security badges. It must also be able to send the information from one clinic to the other without it being compromised; this will allow any attempts of hacking to be crushed. The system should be able to run on both Apple computers and different Windows OS systems, preferable Windows 7 platform and above.
With Windows 7 and above, the program will be sure to run smoothly on any system that has the same platform or higher. With the MAC platform, the program will be able to run without any special downloads for compatibility. This will insure that there is only one program and not two for the different platforms. It will also insure that a clinic with only MAC computers will be able to use the same program that a Clinic with only Windows computers.
Users of the program will be the dentist, the assistants, and the Information Technologist. The dentist will use the program to input information on the procedure that he or she is doing on the patient. Such procedures as root canals, fillings, and sealants would be typed into the program. Once that is completed, it will be password sensitive, this way only those who have access will be able to see that information. The assistants will be able to put in the patient health history, medical needs, and any information regarding the patient’s well-being. This will also be password sensitive, however, the dentist who is working with that assistant will be able to master view what was placed.
The Information Technologist will not be able to view what was typed, however he or she will have the ability to access the created accounts, restore passwords, create passwords, and delete history but not information. If assistance is needed, the program will be equipped with remote access abilities. This will allow the Information Technologist to go and fix any problems that arise. The Information Technologist will be the one who sets up the username and passwords, as well as the security for the system. He or she will have access to the communications room where the computer systems will be located.
When the creation of the password is done, and the username is created, a three try impute will be will be created. If someone tries to place an incorrect password three times, they will be rejected and locked out from the system until a certified system administrator with the proper certification resets and creates a temporary password for the individual. Once the password is recreated the old password will be unavailable for re-use.
Those who wish to use to program must follow a strict security and accreditation check, they must provide certification of military affiliation. If a doctor is requesting access to the program, they must show proof and or certificates of Dental schooling. If an Information Technologist is requesting access to change and edit the program, they must provide their information technology certification in order to update the system, become the systems manager, or troubleshoot the program.
In conclusion, there will be lots of security measures conducted in order to use the program. The reason for all the security is to insure that the best and most is given into the safety of the product and the patient. The passwords are there to insure that only the user may access it and that it is harder to be hacked. There will be a built in back up system to store the data just in case of a computer melt down or if information might have been lost. The system will only be used by military personnel.
Architecture Selection
In order to better understand the architecture selection, it is important to know the definition of Information Architecture. An Information Architecture is “the individual(s) responsible for linking computer technology decision making and investments with an organizations.” (Information 2013) The person or people in charge are normally responsible for guiding the different process that include planning acquiring, building, modifying, as well as sending out Information technology resources through different departments in regards to the structural aspects. Information Architecture is basically a combination or organizing a websites contents into several different categories then it creates an interface that will support those categories.
There are several different IT Achitectuctures that can be selected for use in my project, however not all are right for the chosen companies. As was stated in the previous sections of this document, the company of choice is the US Army Dental Companies, they stretch from one state to another state and in some cases from one continent to another. Some of the many different types of architecture selection are from Layered, Object-Based, and Event-Based. In the following paragraphs each of the above Information Architecture categories will be described, , one will be selected and described how it pertains to the US Army Dental Clinics.
Layered Architecture is known as a “Technique used in designing computer software, hardware and communications in which system or network components are isolated in layers” (Dictionary 2013). This will allow the layers to be isolated to prevent other layers being affected. Within this layered architecture there are sub layers, some are the physical layer, and the networking layer. The Physical Layer consists of cabling and fiber infrastructure, this is all the physical components that includes fiber optics and copper cabling as well as cross-connection across the entire architecture. With all of these, they protect the direct pathways that the Information Technology systems communicate with.
Object Based or Object Oriented (OO) Architecture is the computer system in which all of the identifiable computer components are represented as data structures, this is used for the manipulation of the system software. With the object-oriented style it, meaning the computer system, carries out the different information items that being the data objects that are considered part of a definition. Some of the drawbacks of the Object Oriented Database or OODB is the indexing, this means that at times you will have to write your own index code and usually the retrieval performance is not so great. However on the positive side, its persistence is easy to program, and the complex data objects come out naturally.
If we were to compare the two systems that were described above, we would be able to see some similarities as well as some difference. Both allow the user some freedome of programming and both are generally easy to use, however, the layered method is a build on or a stack whereas the OODB method is almost a give and receive.
Lastly we have the Event Oriented Architecture also known as the Event Driven Architecture. The Event Driven Architecture or (EDA) is known as the style of software architecture that is “based on real time flows of events” (Matsumura, 2006). The EDA consist of different event consumers, or even event creators. The source of the event is the creator, they only know that an event has happened, the consumer are the ones that need to know the event has happened; they may be involved in the processes of the event, or they may be effected by the event itself. One example of this would be a user types in something into Google search, the event that takes place is a multitude of website that are distributed to that user. Another example if we were to take a different route to the gaming world would be the user or the player would select an item, the event would be what that item does.
Unlike the other two architectures that were describe, the layer and the OODB tend to slightly differ from the Event Architecture, the OODB has a small resemblance to the Event, both rely on the user to make an action before the event can take place. If there were one Architecture that would be utilized in the US Army Dental Field, that would be the event.
The US Army Dental field relies heavily on user interaction, they rely on the doctors or assistants that are helping them to impute data, or notate some form of event that took place. In rare cases, events happen where the patient needs to donate information about themselves in order to complete a treatment plan. The Doctor would type a tooth number or treatment plan for the patient inside a database software system, the event would be that the information is distributed to other like doctors who will see that patient, the information would be distributed to those who it is authorized for and access will be denied to those who it does not belong to.
In conclusion, each one of the Architectures house their own positive and negative features, some are good for one aspect, while the other is not as great. The one Architect that would be used for the US Dental Company would be the Event Oriented. The Dentist would impute information, and in return other dentist would be able to see that information, however it would be secure to only those it are granted access. It would cut down time by having instant results rather than waiting. It would be easy to use and assistance friendly.
Resources and Timeline
In order for the project to be created, resources must take place. Resources is something that is required or used to help put together, think of, and execute and idea. The resources that are needed for the project at hand are personnel, hardware, and software.
The US Army Dental Company specializes in many dental procedures such as dentures, braces, and implants, the need for software that allows the company to transfer data with ease. As explained in the previous chapter, the software will be used only for United States Army Dental clinics and can only be accessed for those who have the proper qualifications. This being said, a programmer who specializes in Java and HTML coding, a Web designer who is able to coordinate and create a website, a Systems Administrator, a Coordinator, and a Finance Manager will be used. The Coordinator is the brains of the project. He or she will be in charge of tasking out the different aspects of the project to those in the different categories that were stated above. Any questions that need to be answered will go to the coordinator. If any sponsors would like to participate in the production, the coordinator would be the point of contact (POC). Hiring of the coordinator should not exceed $30 and hour with a maximum of 8 hours per day. The Java and HTML programmer will be the one who programs the information into the system that is given by the coordinator. He or she is responsible for fixing bugs, errors, adding and subtracting data inside the software. The cost of programming software should be free, however the cost of the programmer will be based on the work completed. Along with the Programmer, the Web designer will be working side by side. He or she would be responsible for the website or software layout. His or her responsibilities include but are not limited the placement of scroll bars, looks and feel of the background pages, the color of the pages, the placement of tabs, boxes and various items. The Systems Administrator is the one who is responsible for passwords, usernames, locked out accounts, resets, and granting or denying access to accounts. The systems administrator will set up usernames and passwords by the criterion that was given. If a person who is trying to access the account inputs a password wrong more than twice, a lockout will be given. The systems administrator will go and unlock the account only after verification. He or she is responsible for issuing usernames and verifying credentials. Finally we have the Finance Manager. The overall responsibility of the finance manager is to insure that the project stays within its monetary limits. He or she is responsible for payment tracking to the other resources that are being used and is responsible for keeping track of the money books. The Finance Manager will also be responsible for comparing and contrasting different resource costs alongside the Coordinator.
Estimated Project Duration Below is a description of time frames that it will take for the project to be completely finished from start to finish. Each step will take at least a month to complete if not more. Some of the major milestone for the project is projected below with a description. -Planning Phase: 1-2 Months. The Planning phase will be complete within the two moth time frame in order to make room for the creation phase. The planning phase is where ideas and thoughts will be had. Rough drafts, blueprints, and other resources will be used for the planning phase. Once this phase is complete, the creation phase can take place. - Creation Phase: 5 Months – 8 Months. For the creation phase, after all the planning is complete, it will take at least five months to create. The Programmers will have to place all the coding in and correct errors where they may be. The Web Designer will have to create the looks and feels as well as get approval from the planner. The time frame is set longer for any mistakes or restarts that may take place. Once this is complete, the Beta or test phase can start. - Beta Phase: 1 year with feedback. During this phase, the product is now complete and ready to be tested. It will be handed out to the mass population for use. Bugs and other obstacles are to be expected. However, feedback is will be asked after each session with a comment box. This will allow the Programmers, Web Designers, and Planners to make necessary corrections before the programs final release. -Final release of product phase. With the final release, the program is ready for use without feedback; however an option for feedback may be presented if needed. This is the last of the major milestones in the creation of the software. Once reached constant monitoring for bug fixes, updates, and errors will be done by the Systems Administrator. -Total Time on project duration: 1-2 years. With all the items an scenarios described above, the total time of the project from start to finish will take about 1 to 2 years. The total budget of the project is set to $200,000. This is to include the payment of all the resources that will be used. Each and every one of the resources plays a vital role in the creation of the product. Without them the product is impossible to create. Each resources must wait till the next finishes his or her tasking in order to start.
Security
Final Analysis and Recommendations
References
About.com, How To Make A Timeline, Taken from http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/t/g/timeline.htm
Carmack, C. (2013), How Stuff Works, How Stuff Works, taken from http://www.howstuffworks.com/bittorrent1.htm
Dictionary.com, Enterprise Architecture, 2013, taken from http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/layered+architecture
M. Matsumura, Event Driven Architectures, taken from http://www.infoq.com/news/Event-Driven
Rouse, M. (2007, June) SearchCIO.com, Definition, Enterprise Architecture (EA), taken from : http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/enterprise-architecture
The Free Dictionary.com. Recourses, taken from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/resource 