Chapter 6: Architecture & Infrastructure

Question 1

Mohawk transformed itself in three ways:

Answer 1

1. Moving from a primary focus on manufacturing to providing service
2. Shifted to a model of collaboration with a network of partners
3. Ensured that the partner network was flexible and its capabilities were tightly integrated with those of Mohawk.

Question 2

How did Mohawk accomplish this transformation?

Answer 2

• by using service‐oriented architecture (SOA) tools
• Scaled technology services instantaneously according to its needs (applications added or subtracted as needed)
• managed costs while increasing flexibility and capacity throughout the transformation.

Question 3

a blueprint for translating business strategy into a plan for IS

Answer 3

IT architecture

Question 4

everything that supports the flow and processing of information in an organization, including hardware, software, data, and network components

Answer 4

IT infrastructure

Question 5

Two Major steps for Managers to implement A&I framework

Answer 5

1. translating strategy into architecture
2. translating architecture into infrastructure

Question 6

what are the 5 steps to translate Strategy to Architecture?

Answer 6

1. Create a Business Strategy
2. Us the business strategy to develop specific goals
3. Derive business requirements from each goal
4. Translate business requirements into system requirements, standards, and processes
5. Design IT Architecture

Question 7

what are the 4 steps to translate Architecture to infrastructure?

Answer 7

1. add hardware, data, networking and software to architectual plan
2. create a functional specification
3. break functional specification down into hardware spec, software spec, storage spec, interface spec, and network spec
4. implementation decisions are made

Question 8

The underlying system to an IT infrastructure

Answer 8

Platform

Question 9

a combination of hardware and software that form the basic system that hosts applications and services used by the business and others in its ecosystem.

Answer 9

A platform

Question 10

What are the 4 ways the term platform is used?

Answer 10

1. To identify the hardware and operating system of a computer (MS Windows)
2. To refer to the operating system and device (MacBook & iOS)
3. A specialized system for specific business applications (Salesforce.com)
4. Can refer to a firm’s collection of cloud‐based, modular tools (Google Maps)

Question 11

What are the 4 basic components of transforming business strategy into architecture and then into infrastructure?

Answer 11

1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Network
4. Data

Question 12

The physical components that handle computation, storage, or transmission of data

Answer 12

Hardware

Question 13

The programs that run on the hardware to enable work to be performed

Answer 13

Software

Question 14

Two groups of Software

Answer 14

1. System Software
2. Applications

Question 15

Software and hardware components for local or long‐distance networking

Answer 15

Network

Question 16

The electronic representation of the numbers and text.

Answer 16

Data

Question 17

Platforms and apps describe the technology behind

Answer 17

architectures and infrastructures

Question 18

Platforms are often _________________and/or _________________ that offer basic functionality, and _________ are plug‐ins to the platform that offer additional features and services.

Answer 18

1. hardware
2. software
3. apps

Question 19

Three questions for each Infrastructure component:

Answer 19

1. What type of technology/devices
2. Who are involved (users/owners)
3. Where will it be located/accessed

Question 20

systems in place before organizations transform to newer systems

Answer 20

Legacy systems

Question 21

What are the common configurations of Legacy Systems

Answer 21

1. Centralized
2. Decentralized
3. Service-Oriented
4. Software Defined

Question 22

Software used in SOA is called what?

Answer 22

Software-as-a-service (SaaS)

Question 23

Applications delivered over the internet

Answer 23

Web Services

Question 24

This phrase means that the processing, applications, and data are all hosted by a provider and not residing at a location owned by the manager’s company.

Answer 24

“in the cloud”

Question 25

A cutting‐edge type of configuration is one that can allocate or remove resources automatically based on traffic or other indicators of utilization, referred to as a

Answer 25

software‐defined architecture

Question 26

What trade-offs must a Manager be aware of when considering Architectual Decisions (pros and cons of Architectual Frameworks)

Answer 26

1. decentralized architectures are more modular 2. a centralized architecture is easier to manage 4. SOA is useful for building applications quickly 5. Software‐defined architectures self‐manage many of their features.

Question 27

architecture that allows networked computers to share resources without needing a central server to play a dominant role.

Answer 27

Peer-to-Peer

Question 28

Type of infrastructure that allows communication from remote locations using a variety of wireless technologies

Answer 28

Wireless (mobile) infrastructures

Question 29

locate significant hardware, software, and possibly even data elements on the Internet.

Answer 29

Web-based and Cloud Architecture

Question 30

the availability of additional processing capability for a fee.

Answer 30

Capacity On-demand

Question 31

Allows managers to use the web‐available capacity as needed, rather than purchasing additional computers to handle the larger loads. This is an advantage of what?

Answer 31

Advantage of Capacity On-Demand

Question 32

When employees or Customers connect their own devices to the corporate network

Answer 32

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Question 33

Examples of Architectual Principles

Answer 33

1. Ease of Use 2. Single Point of View 3. Buy Rather than Build 4. Speed and Quality 5. Flexibility and Agility 6. Innovation 7. Data and System security 8. Common Data Vocabulary 9. Data Quality 10. Data Asset

Question 34

1. Specifies how information technologies support the overall business processes, align with business needs, and produce business outcomes. 2. Includes the standard technical capabilities and activities for all parts of the enterprise and guidelines for making choices.

Answer 34

Enterprise Architecture

Question 35

What are the four Layers to Enterprise Architecture (BAIT)

Answer 35

1. Business Layer 2. Application Layer 3. Information Layer 4. Technology Layer

Question 36

A virtual architecture design that enables resources to be shared and allocated as needed by the user

Answer 36

Virtualization

Question 37

Describes any architecture that is based on services provided over the Internet.

Answer 37

Cloud computing

Question 38

This type of infrastructure uses the cloud as a large cluster of virtual servers or storage devices

Answer 38

infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS)

Question 39

What are the three Major Types of Cloud Computing Services

Answer 39

1. Platform as a Service (PaaS) 2. Software as a Service (SaaS) 3. Hardware as a Service (HaaS)

Question 40

1. Purchasing any part of the consumers' storage or processing infrastructure they need when they need it. 2. Uses a third‐party infrastructure to do its processing or transactions and pay only for what it uses.

Answer 40

Utility Computing

Question 41

Five (5) Advantages of Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Answer 41

1. Reduced physical costs 3. Reduced physical space 4. Simpler Network 5. Greater speed in adding capacity

Question 42

What are the three (3) disadvantages of Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Answer 42

1. Dependence on third‐party suppliers 2. May require retooling 3. Applications may not port easily to other vendor's environments

Question 43

The primary reason to base an architecture on an organization's strategic goals is to?

Answer 43

allow for inevitable future changes— 1. Business environment 2. Organization, 3. IT requirements 4. Technology itself.

Question 44

Steps to Consider the future Impact to infrastructure and architecture

Answer 44

1. Exisiting Architecture 2. Strategic TImeframe 3. Adaptability 4. Scalability and Standardization 5. Maintainability 6. Security 7. FInancial and Managerial Issues

Question 45

What are the Three Steps to understand the current IT environment?

Answer 45

1. analyze the existing architecture and infrastructure 2. analyze the strategy served by the existing architecture 3. analyze the ability of the existing architecture and infrastructure to further the current strategic goals

Question 46

What five (5) factors need to be consider when assessing the Strategic Timeframe?

Answer 46

1. Commitment to fixed resources 2. Maturity of the industry 3. Industry cyclicality 4. Barriers to entry 5. Competitive environment

Question 47

the architecture should be able to handle expected technological advances, such as innovations in storage capacity, end‐user devices, and computing power

Answer 47

Adaptability

Question 48

What are the Three (3) guidlines for planning an adaptable IT architecture?

Answer 48

1. Plan independant applications and systems 2. Set clear boundaries between infrastructure components 3. Provide access to all users when it makes sense to do so

Question 49

refers to how well an infrastructure component can adapt to increased, or in some cases decreased, demands.

Answer 49

Scalability

Question 50

technical specifications that are expected to be followed throughout the infrastructure

Answer 50

Standards

Question 51

the ease and speed with which a system can be made to run correctly again after a failure occurs, is an aspect of infrastructure and architecture that can greatly affect overall lifetime costs of the IT

Answer 51

Maintainability

Question 52

What are the five (5) steps to Assess Financial and Managerial Issues of Architecture and Infrastructure

Answer 52

1. Quantify Costs 2. Determine the anticipated life cycles of systems components 3. Quantify Benefits 4. Quantify Risks 5. Consider ongoing dollar costs and benefits