1.

Properties of Relational Tables:

Relational tables have six properties:

1. Values are atomic.

2. Column values are of the same kind.
3. Each row is unique.
4. The sequence of columns is insignificant.
5. The sequence of rows is insignificant.
6. Each column must have a unique name.

 Values Are Atomic

This property implies that columns in a relational table are not repeating group or
arrays. Such tables are referred to as being in the "first normal form" (1NF). The
atomic value property of relational tables is important because it is one of the
cornerstones of the relational model.

The key benefit of the one value property is that it simplifies data manipulation
logic.

 Column Values Are of the Same Kind

In relational terms this means that all values in a column come from the same
domain. A domain is a set of values which a column may have. For example, a
Monthly Salary column contains only specific monthly salaries. It never contains
other information such as comments, status flags, or even weekly salary.

This property simplifies data access because developers and users can be certain of
the type of data contained in a given column. It also simplifies data validation.
Because all values are from the same domain, the domain can be defined and
enforced with the Data Definition Language (DDL) of the database software.

 Each Row is Unique

This property ensures that no two rows in a relational table are identical; there is at
least one column, or set of columns, the values of which uniquely identify each
row in the table. Such columns are called primary keys and are discussed in more
detail in Relationships and Keys.
This property guarantees that every row in a relational table is meaningful and that
a specific row can be identified by specifying the primary key value.

 The Sequence of Columns is Insignificant

This property states that the ordering of the columns in the relational table has no
meaning. Columns can be retrieved in any order and in various sequences. The
benefit of this property is that it enables many users to share the same table without
concern of how the table is organized. It also permits the physical structure of the
database to change without affecting the relational tables.

 The Sequence of Rows is Insignificant

This property is analogous the one above but applies to rows instead of columns.
The main benefit is that the rows of a relational table can be retrieved in different
order and sequences. Adding information to a relational table is simplified and
does not affect existing queries.

 Each Column Has a Unique Name

Because the sequence of columns is insignificant, columns must be referenced by

name and not by position. In general, a column name need not be unique within an
entire database but only within the table to which it belongs.

2. Management Information System

According to the managers of an enterprise or an organization, Management

Information System is an implementation of the organizational systems and
procedures.

Today, it’s relying largely on technology to compile and present data, but the
concept is older than modern computing technologies.

We will share with you in this article the definition of Management Information
System its objectives and characteristics.
Definition of Management Information System:

Management Information System, often referred to simply as MIS, is a planned

system of collecting, storing, and disseminating data in the form of information
needed to carry out the functions of management.

As you notice, it’s composed from three terms: Management, Information and
System.

Management:

Management covers the planning, control, and administration of the operations of a

concern.

Information:

Information means the processed data that helps the management in planning,
controlling and operations.

System:

A system is made up of inputs, processing, output and feedback or control.

Thus Management Information System means a system for processing data in

order to give proper information to the management for performing its functions.

Objectives of Management Information System:

The main goals of an MIS are to help executives of an organization make decisions
that advance the organization’s strategy and to implement the organizational
structure and dynamics of the enterprise for the purpose of managing the
organization in a better way for a competitive advantage.

These are some goals of an MIS:

Capturing Data.

Processing Data.
Information Storage.

Information Retrieval.

Information Propagation.

Characteristics of Management Information System:

Characteristics of Management Information System

The most important characteristics of an MIS are those that give decision-makers
confidence that their actions will have the desired consequences, and among this
characteristic we can mention:

 It should be based on a long-term planning.

 It should provide a holistic view of the dynamics and the structure of the
organization.

 It should be planned in a top-down way.

 It should be based on need of strategic, operational and tactical information

of managers of an enterprise.

 It should be able to make forecasts and estimates, and generate advanced

information.

 It should create linkage between all sub-systems within the organization.

 It should have a central database.

Nowadays, with the advanced technology presents in the world, to be a successful

manager, you should have a very powerful and effective MIS that presents all the
most relevant and useful information for a particular decision.
 3. Data Base Management System (DBMS): Meaning, Nature and
Objectives:

Read this article to learn about the Data Base Management System (DBMS). After
reading this article you will learn about: 1. Meaning of Data Base Management
System (DBMS) 2. Nature of Data Base Management System 3. Objectives of
Data Base Management System (DBMS) 4. Functions of Data Base Management
System (DBMS) 5. Merits of DBMS 6. Disadvantages of DBMS.

Meaning of Data Base Management System (DBMS):

A data base is an organized collection of information.

A data base management system (DBMS) allows entering, store, manipulating and
retrieving information organized into data bases.

DBMS is a collection of programs that enable users to create and maintain a

database. The DBMS is hence a general purpose software system that facilitates
the processes of defining, constructing and manipulating databases for various
applications.

Database management system (DBMS) consists of a collection of interrelated data

and a set of programs to access that data. The collection data is usually referred to
as data base which contains information about one particular enterprise.

The primary goal of a DBMS is to provide an environment that is both convenient

and efficient to use in retrieving and storing data base information. The DBMS is
the interface between the user of application programs on one hand and the data
base on the other.

The objective of a database management system is to facilitate the creation of data

structures and relieve the programmer of the problems of setting up complicated
files. Data base management systems have developed from a concept of the data
base as something distinct from the programs accessing it.

In addition to easing processing, this approach has tended to highlight the

importance of data as a resource in the organization and as something that has to be
carefully managed.

Nature of Data Base Management System:

Features & characteristics of data base management system are as follows:

1. The data are combined to form operational units to minimize the duplication of
data and increase access to all data in the data base.

2. The advancement in the data base enables to add more data and program to the
system.

3. The capacity to store large amount of data necessary for user’s needs. They are
stored on direct accessible devices for one line support.

4. The control in the systems limits the access to the data base files and builds the
confidentiality of all data in these files.

5. The capacity to interrogating data files, retrieving and modifying data and
recording the changes.

Objectives of Data Base Management System (DBMS):

The objectives of a data base management system are to facilitate the creation of
data structures and relieve the programmer of the problems of setting up
complicated files.

The objectives of DBMS can be narrated as follows:

1. Eliminate redundant data.

2. Make access to the data easy for the user.

3. Provide for mass storage of relevant data.

4. Protect the data from physical harm and un-authorized systems.

5. Allow for growth in the data base system.

6. Make the latest modifications to the data base available immediately.

7. Allow for multiple users to be active at one time.

8. Provide prompt response to user requests for data.

Functions of Data Base Management System (DBMS):

Every computer application has unique requirements. For example, special purpose
software systems that handle personnel, inventory, and marketing data, may differ
not only in the type of information these store, but also in the facilities they
provide for data entry and retrieval.

The cost of designing and building special purpose software systems for Data
management tasks often prohibits otherwise cost effective automation. Data base
management systems are general purpose programs that dramatically reduce the
time necessary to computerize an application.

The purpose of DBMS is to provide following main functions:

1. A mechanism for organizing, structuring and storing data.

2. A mechanism for accessing data that provides a measure of data independence,

i.e., to some extent it insulates application programs from changes to the data
structure.
3. Creating program and data independence. Either one can be altered
independently of the other.

4. Reducing data redundancy.

5. Providing security to the user’s data. Access is limited to authorized users by

pass words or similar schemes.

6. Reducing physical storage requirements by separating the logical and physical

aspects of the data base.

4. Merits of DBMS:

Advantages and merits of DBMS are as follows:

1. Integrity

2. Security

3. Data independence

4. Shared data

5. Conflict resolution

6. Reduction of redundancies.

1. Integrity:

Centralized control can also ensure that adequate checks are incorporated in the
DBMS to provide data integrity. Data integrity means that the data contained in the
data base is both accurate and consistent. Therefore, Data values being entered for
storage could be checked to ensure that they fall within a specified range and are of
the correct format.
For example, the value for the age of an employee may be in the range of 16 and
75.

Another integrity check that should be incorporated in the data base is to ensure
that if there is a reference to certain object, that object must exist. In the case of an
automatic teller machine, for example, a user is not allowed to transfer funds from
a non-existent savings account to a checking account.

2. Security:

Data is of vital importance to an organization and may be confidential. Such

confidential data must not be accessed by un-authorized persons. The data base
administrator (DBA) who has the ultimate responsibility for the data in the DBMS
can ensure that proper access procedures are followed, including proper
authentication schemes for access to the DBMS and additional checks before
permitting access to sensitive data.

Different levels of security could be implemented for various types of data and
operations. The enforcement of security could be data value dependent (e.g., a
manager has access to the salary details of employees in his department only), as
well as data type dependent (but the manager cannot access the medical history of
any employee, including those in his department).

3. Data Independence:

Data independence is usually considered from two points of view; physical data
independence and logical data independence. Physical data independence allows
changes in the physical storage devices or organization of the files to be made
without requiring changes in the conceptual view or any of the external views and
hence in the application programs using the data base.
Thus, the files may migrate from one type of physical media to another or the file
structure may change without any need for changes in the application programs.
Logical data independence implies that application programs need not be changed
if fields are added to an existing record; nor do they have to be changed if fields
not used by application programs are deleted.

Logical data independence indicates that the conceptual schema can be changed
without affecting the existing external schemas. Data independence is
advantageous in the data base environment since it allows for changes at one level
of the data base without affecting other levels. These changes are absorbed by the
mappings between the levels.

4. Shared Data:

A data base allows the sharing of data under its control by any number of
application programs or users. In the example discussed earlier, the applications for
the public relations and payroll departments could share the data contained for the
record type employee.

5. Conflict Resolution:

Since the data base is under the control of the data base administrator (DBA), he
should resolve the conflicting requirements of various users and applications. In
essence, the DBA chooses the best file structure and access method to get optimal
performance for the critical applications, while permitting less critical applications
to continue to use the data base, albeit with the relative response.

6. Reduction of Redundancies:

Centralised control of data by the DBA avoids unnecessary duplication of data and
effectively reduces the total amount of data storage required. It also eliminates the
extra processing necessary to trace the required data in a large mass of data.
Another advantage of avoiding duplication is the elimination of the inconsistencies
that tend to be present in redundant data files. Any redundancies that exist in the
DBMS are controlled and the system ensures that these multiple copies are
consistent.

Disadvantages of DBMS:

Disadvantages of data base management system are:

1. Complexity of backup and recovery

2. Problem associated with centralization

3. Cost of software, hardware and migration.

1. Complexity of Backup and Recovery:

Backup and recovery operations are very complex in a data base management
system (DBMS) environment and this is evident in concurrent multi user data base
system. A data base system requires a certain amount of controlled redundancies
and duplication to enable assess to related data items.

2. Problem Associated with Centralization:

Centralization increases a potential severity of security breaches and disruption of

the operation of the organization because of down time and failures. The
centralization means that the data is accessible from a single data source or a data
base.

The decentralization of the data base that is the replacement of a single centralized
data base by independent and co-operating distributed data bases solves the
problem arise out because of the centralization that is the problem of failures and
down time.
3. Cost of Software, Hardware and Migration:

For a well-designed and effective data base system, it is necessary to purchase and
develop the software’s and hardware has to be upgraded to allow for the extensive
programs and the work spaces required for their execution and storage. It involves
a lot of cost. An additional cost is that of migration that means the shift from a
traditional separate application environment to an integrated application
environment.

5. EDI APPLICATIONS:

EDI, applied to the different business processes, allows more streamlined and
efficient operations of your commercial, purchasing and administrative
departments with companies both supplying and receiving goods.

As a working system, “Electronic Data Interchange” is designed to automatically

integrate your business documents into your ERP or Internal Management System.
The higher the number of trading partners (customers, suppliers, majestic
operators, etc.) and EDI transactions interchanged with them, the greater the
benefits to be obtained through EDI implantation. These benefits translate as
important reductions in costs which, depending on the level of rollout, may reach
90% compared with the same process carried out with business documents
managed by other means such as post, fax or mail.

o Order Integration

o Despatch Advice Integration

o Integrating Invoices
 o e-Air waybill

 Order Integration

Creating, sending and follow-up of supply orders generated by the purchasing

departments involves dedicating important technical and human resources to
processing the orders to suppliers in the right time and format.

For suppliers, the interpretation and typifying of these orders in the internal
management system entails a large amount of work to be done by the commercial
and administration departments of the vendor companies.

In any case, we are talking about critical operations both for buyers and suppliers,
since at the end of the day they all depend on the provision of an efficient and high
quality service to end customers of both parties.

HOW DOES YOUR EDI SOLUTION INTEGRATE ORDERS?

If you are issuing purchase orders

You record your order to the supplier only once in your ERP

We take the order details and transform them into the agreed standard

Our applications recognize the receiver in the electronic document structure and
automatically send it to the supplier through secure channels

You receive automatic notification that your order has been received and processed
at destination

If there are any problems, or more time than expected passes in dealing with your
supply order, you receive notification and alerts telling you about the situation.

If you are a supplier

You receive the orders from your customers in your EDI solution

Here, they are automatically transformed into a data structure that your ERP can
import
Your order data are integrated into the management system and ready for
processing.

 Despatch Advice Integration

The despatch advice, as a document accompanying the goods in transit to the

customer, is a key business transaction to verify that the goods actually received
correspond to the purchase order specifications.

The ability to perform these checks prior to issuing the invoice lets you make
adjustments if there are any differences with respect to the initial purchase order,
ensuring that your final payment or billing documents are correct, whether you are
sending or receiving the goods.

HOW DOES YOUR EDI SOLUTION INTEGRATE DESPATCH ADVICES?

If you are receiving goods

 Your supplier will issue a despatch advice when the goods are ready for
shipping

 You receive this notification, which is automatically integrated into your

management system or ERP

 This despatch advice is traced with the initial purchase order. This lets you
detect any differences there might be before receiving the goods

 You send a despatch advice confirmation to your supplier if everything is

correct

 Your stores or goods reception centers know about the arrival of new
products in advance, enabling them to plan ahead and achieve greater
efficiency in their loading and storage processes.

 If the electronic despatch advice is accompanied by a code to identify

logistic units, it is easier to check them at their destination simply by reading
the package labeling with bar-coding or two-dimensional (QR) codes.
If you are a supplier

 On the basis of the order received, you prepare a despatch advice in your
ERP, selecting the number of actual units you are going to ship of each
reference ordered

 Your EDI solution takes the data from your despatch advice and
automatically sends it to its destination in the format that your customer
expects to receive as a Despatch Advice for goods

 Your client checks your despatch advice, comparing it with the original
order. This process is usually completely automatic, as all the business
documents generated by EDI are traced (order, despatch advice, invoice...)

 You receive notification indicating that the checks are correct

 This lets you speed up the delivery and unloading process, since your
customer knows in advance the goods they are about to receive, which cuts
down the processing time for your orders on arrival.

 Integrating Invoices:
Automating the billing process is a strategic element that can achieve savings of up
to 90% compared to managing these documents manually.

The volume of payable invoices often handled by accounting department’s calls for
measures to optimize the operations associated with revision, validation,
registration and payment to the supplier. These are key tasks for any purchasing
department, since management efficiency depends on them.

Likewise, invoice issuers have to devote costly resources to critical aspects of the
commercial process such as checking deliveries and periodic billing for clients, as
well as the manual tasks of printing, enveloping, stamping and sending. Other tasks
also require regular follow-up to check receipt of the invoice on arrival and its
status in the Accounts Payable Department.

Integration of electronic invoices lets you automate almost all of these steps,
providing great competitive advantages for senders and receivers that translate as
better management efficiency ratios, and consequently in significant cost savings.

HOW DOES YOUR EDI SOLUTION INTEGRATE INVOICES?

If you are an invoice receiver

 Your EDI solution receives the invoice issued by your vendor

 It is submitted to a mapping process, creating a data file which can be

integrated with your ERP

 Data travels to your home network securely, and the invoice is recorded in
your management system

 Automatic recording of the document in your ERP and extraction of key data
make it possible to compare and validate it with other documents already
recorded as orders or despatch advices

 If the validation process is successful, your system will flag the invoice as
ready for payment, after which a confirmation message can be automatically
sent to your supplier’s EDI solution

 In addition to the invoices issued by your vendors with an EDI solution, you
can also integrate the bills sent by others without this type of technology.
Please consult our Accounts Payable solution.

If you are an invoice sender

 You create the invoices in your ERP.

  Your EDI solution takes the data from these documents and subjects them to
a mapping process to adapt them to the structure your customer expects to
receive.

 Your EDI software acknowledges the invoice to the addressee and sends the
bill automatically through the established communication channels.

 Your supplier receives the invoice and it is automatically integrated in their

management system.

 You receive notification that the document has been processed. On the other
hand, if any errors occur, or the waiting time for the document to be treated
exceeds the period anticipated, alarms are sent to notify you.

 If you have an EDI solution, you may issue 100% of your bills electronically
and send them through these channels even to those clients without this kind
of technology. Please consult our Invoice Publication Solution.

 EDICOM Air: e-Air waybill solution:

e-Freight system

An initiative developed by IATA (International Air Transport Association),

designed to replace paper in air freight cargo operations with a new system based
on electronic data interchange.

The e-Air Waybill provides airlines, freight forwarders and customs authorities
with one standard for the automatic electronic exchange of standardized freight
documents, at any airport worldwide operating under the new e-freight system.

Further information at the IATA website

EDICOM is working with IATA to develop the Cargo XML system.

See Partnership information

EDICOM Air
A global platform that deploys EDI technology (Electronic Data Interchange) for
electronic issuance of all documents involved in the exchange of information in air
freight cargo operations. The EDICOM e-Air Waybill solution is certified by the
IATA as a valid international platform to connect with airlines, forwarding agents
and customs at any airport adapted to the new electronic system.

INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM

e-awb Internacional The system’s international scalability involves participation of

the customs authorities to regulate the process and the documents to be declared in
freight operations. EDICOM has developed the Public Administrations HUB, a
communication module that links up directly and securely with the customs of
each country signed up to the IATA model.

EDI TECHNOLOGY:

e-AWB Tecnología EDI Through the use of EDI technology (Electronic Data
Interchange) to exchange transport documents, we achieve a universal electronic
data transfer system. The EDICOM e-Air Waybill platform automates the creation
of all freight documents by applying the set standard (XML), relieving businesses
of the burden of paperwork.

SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY

e-AWB Conectividad Documents are sent to their destination via private

communication networks with high security levels to ensure delivery of the
documents. EDICOMNet is a powerful EDI communications infrastructure that
allows direct and secure data exchange between freight operators, airlines and
customs authorities, providing real-time traceability on the status of their
documents.

6. CHAPTER X : THE CYBER REGULATIONS APPELLATE

TRIBUNAL

1. Establishment of Cyber Appellate Tribunal

(1) The Central Government shall, by notification, establish one or more appellate
tribunals to be known as the Cyber Regulations Appellate Tribunal.

(2) The Central Government shall also specify, in the notification referred to in
sub-section (1), the matters and places in relation to which the Cyber Appellate
Tribunal may exercise jurisdiction.

2. Composition of Cyber Appellate Tribunal

A Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall consist of one person only (hereinafter referred to
as the Presiding Officer of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal) to be appointed, by
notification, by the Central Government.

3. Qualifications for appointment as Presiding Officer of the Cyber Appellate

Tribunal

A person shall not be qualified for appointment as the Presiding Officer of a Cyber
Appellate Tribunal unless he-

(a) is, or has been, or is qualified to be, a Judge of a High Court; or

(b) is or has been a member of the Indian Legal Service and is holding or has held
a post in Grade I of that Service for at least three years.

4. Term of officer

The Presiding Officer of a Cyber Appellate shall hold office for a term of five years
from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he attains the age of
sixtyfive years, whichever is earlier.

5. Salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of Presiding Officer

The salary and allowances payable to, and the other terms and conditions of
service including pension, gratuity and other retirement benefits of, the Presiding
Officer or a Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall be such as may be prescribed: Provided
that neither the salary and allowances nor the other terms and conditions of service
of the Presiding Officer shall be varied to his disadvantage after appointment.

6. Filling up of vacancies
If, for reason other than temporary absence, any vacancy occurs in the office of the
Presiding Officer of a Cyber Appellate Tribunal, then the Central Government shall
appointment another person in accordance with the provisions of this Act to fill the
vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Cyber Appellate
Tribunal from the stage at which the vacancy is filled.

7. Resignation and removal

(1) The Presiding Officer of a Cyber Appellate Tribunal may, be notice in writing
under his hand addressed to the Central Government, resign his office :

Provided that the said Presiding Officer shall, unless he is permitted by the Central
Government to relinquish his officer sooner, continue to hod office until expiry of
three months from the date of receipt of such notice or until a person duly
appointed as his successor enters upon his office or until the expiry of his terms of
office, whichever is the earliest.

(2) The Presiding Officer of a Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall not be removed from
his officer except by an order by the Central Government on the ground of proved
misbehaviour or incapacity after an inquiry made by a Judge of the Supreme Court
in which the Presiding Officer concerned has been informed of the charges against
him and given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in respect of these charges.

(3) The Central Government may, be rules, regulate the procedure for the
investigation of misbehaviour or incapacity of the aforesaid presiding Officer.

8. Orders constituting Appellate Tribunal to be final and not to invalidate its

proceedings

No order of the Central Government appointing any person as the Presiding Officer
of a Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall be called in question in any manner and no act
or proceeding before a Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall be called in question in any
manner on the ground merely of any defect in the constitution of a Cyber Appellate
Tribunal.

9. Staff of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal

(1) The Central Government shall provide the Cyber Appellate Tribunal with such
officer and employees as that Government may think fit.

(2) The officers and employees of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall discharge
their functions under general superintendence of the Presiding Officer.

(3) The salaries, allowances and other conditions of service of the officers and
employees of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall be such as may be prescribed by
the Central Government.

10. Appeal to Cyber Appellate Tribunal

(1) Save as provided in sub-section (2), any person aggrieved by an order made by
Controller or an adjudicating officer under this Act may prefer an appeal to a Cyber
Appellate Tribunal jurisdiction in the matter.

(2) No appeal shall lie to the Cyber Appellate Tribunal from an order made by an
adjudicating officer with the consent of the parties.

(3) Every appeal under sub-section (1) shall be filed within a period of forty-five
days from the date on which a copy of the order made by the Controller or the

adjudicating officer is received by the person aggrieved and it shall be in such form
and be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed :

Provided that the Cyber Appellate Tribunal may entertain an appeal after the expiry
of the said period of forty-five days if it is satisfied that there was sufficient

cause for not filing it within that period.

(4) On receipt of an appeal under sub-section (1), the Cyber Appellate Tribunal
may, after giving the parties to the appeal, an opportunity of being heard, pass such
orders thereon as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or setting aside the order
appealed against.

(5) The Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall send a copy or every order made by it to the
parties to the appeal and to the concerned Controller or adjudicating officer.

(6) The appeal filed before the Cyber Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1)
shall be dealt with by it as expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made
by it to dispose of the appeal finally within six months from the date of receipt of
the appeal.

11. Procedure and powers of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal

(1) The Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by
the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 but shall be guided by the principles of natural
justice and, subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any rules, the Cyber
Appellate Tribunal shall have powers to regulate its own procedure including the
place at which it shall have its sitting.

(2) The Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall have, for the purposes of discharging its
functions under this Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, while trying a suit, in respect of the following
matters, namely : -

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on
oath;

(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents or other electronic

records;

(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;

(d) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses of documents;

(e) reviewing its decisions;

(f) dismissing an application for default or deciding it ex parte;

(g) any other matter which may be prescribed.

(3) Every proceeding before the Cyber Appellate Tribunal shall be deemed to be a
judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228, and for the
purpose of section 196 of the Indian Penal Code and the Cyber Appellate Tribunal
shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of section 195 and Chapter
XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

12. Right to legal representation

The appellant may either appear in person or authorise one or more legal

practitioners or any of its officers to present his or its case before the Cyber
Appellate Tribunal.

13. Limitation

The provisions of the Limitation Act, 1963, shall, as far as may be, apply to an
appeal made to the Cyber Appellate Tribunal.

14. Civil court not to have jurisdiction

No court shall have jurisdictions to entertain any suit or proceeding in respect of

any matter which an adjudicating officer appointed under this Act or the Cyber
Appellate Tribunal constituted under this Act is empowered by or under this Act to
determine and no injunction shall be granted by any court or other authority in
respect of any action taken or to be taken in pursuance of any power conferred by
or under this Act.

15. Appeal to High Court

Any person aggrieved by any decision or order of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal
may file an appeal to the High Court within sixty days from the date of
communication of the decision or order of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal to him on
any question of fact or law arising out of such order : Provided that the High Court
may, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from
filing the appeal within the said period, allow it to be filed within a further period
not exceeding sixty days.

16. Compounding of contraventions

(1) Any contravention under this Chapter may, either before or after the institution
of adjudication proceedings, be compounded by the Controller or such other officer
as may be specially authorised by him in this behalf or by the adjudicating officer,
as the case may be, subject to such conditions as the Controller or such other
officer or the adjudicating officer may specify : Provided that such sum shall not,
in any case, exceed the maximum amount of the penalty which may be imposed
under this Act for the contravention so compounded.

(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall apply to a person who commits the same or
similar contravention within a period of three years from the date on which the first
contravention, committed by him, was compounded.

Explanation- For the purpose of this sub-section, any second or subsequent

contravention committed after the expiry of a period of three years from the date
on which the contravention was previously compounded shall be deemed to be a
first contravention.

(3) Where any contravention has been compounded under sub-section (1), no
proceeding of further proceeding, as the case may be, shall be taken against the
person guilty of such contravention in respect of the contravention so compounded.

17. Recovery of penalty

A penalty imposed under this Act, if it is pad, shall be recovered as an arrear or

land revenue and the licence or the Digital Signature Certificate, as the case may
be, shall be suspended till the penalty is paid.

7. Excel - Using the Formatting Toolbar:

The Formatting toolbar

This entire toolbar could become a floating window by double-clicking on the

control bar at the far left end of this toolbar. That gives the following window,
which can be placed anywhere on the screen:

This toolbar can be restored to its original position by clicking in the gray bar at
the top and dragging it back to the top of the screen. Push the top of the window up
to the bottom of the menu bar.

Function of commonly used buttons

 Changes the font of the selected text

  Changes the size of selected text and numbers

 Makes selected text and numbers bold

 Makes selected text and numbers italic

 Underlines selected text and numbers

 Aligns to the left with a ragged right margin

 Centers the selected text

 Aligns to the right with a ragged left margin

 Merge and Center - Merges two or more selected cells and centers the entry

 Currency Style - Formats selected text to display currency style

 Percent Style - Formats selected cells to display percent

 Comma Style - Formats selected cells to display commas in large numbers

 Increase Decimal - Increases the number of decimals displayed after the

decimal point

 Decrease Decimal - Decreases the number of decimals displayed after the

decimal point

 Decreases the indent to the previous tab stop

 Indents the selected paragraph to the next tab stop

 Adds or removes a border around selected text or objects

 Marks text so that it is highlighted and stands out

 Formats the selected text with the color you click

Carefully review the function of each of the buttons above. When you think that
you are familiar with each of the buttons take the short quiz below. (The
Formatting toolbar has been included as a reference)
This quiz is available without the information above

 Using the Drawing Toolbar with an Excel Worksheet

The Drawing toolbar

This entire toolbar could become a floating window by double-clicking on the

control bar at the far left end of this toolbar. That gives the following window,
which can be placed anywhere on the screen:

This toolbar can be restored to its original position by clicking in the gray bar at
the top and dragging it back to the top of the screen. Push the top of the window up
to the bottom of the menu bar.

Function of commonly used buttons

 A pull down menu with several

 Drawing options

 Changes the pointer to a selection arrow

 Rotates the selected object to any degree

 A pull down menu with several libraries of shapes

 Draws a line where you click and drag. Hold the Shift key down to make the
line straight

 Inserts a line with an arrowhead where you click and drag

 Draws a rectangle where you click and drag. Hold down Shift to draw a
square
  Draws an oval where you click and drag. Hold down Shift to draw a circle

 Draws a text box where you click and drag

 Create text effects with Word Art

 Add, modify, or remove fill color from a selected object

 Add, modify, or remove line color

 Formats the selected text with the color you click

 Changes the thickness of lines

 Selects dash style for dashed lines

 Select arrow style; placement and shape of arrowhead

 A pull down menu offers shadow choices

 Add 3-d effects to rectangles or ovals

8. Data communication
Data communication refers to the exchange of data between a source and a receiver
via form of transmission media such as a wire cable. Data communication is said to
be local if communicating devices are in the same building or a similarly restricted
geographical area.

The meanings of source and receiver are very simple. The device that transmits the
data is known as source and the device that receives the transmitted data is known
as receiver. Data communication aims at the transfer of data and maintenance of
the data during the process but not the actual generation of the information at the
source and receiver.

Datum mean the facts information statistics or the like derived by calculation or
experimentation. The facts and information so gathered are processed in
accordance with defined systems of procedure. Data can exist in a variety of forms
such as numbers, text, bits and bytes. The Figure is an illustration of a simple data
communication system.

simple data communication system

The term data used to describe information, under whatever form of words you
will be using.

A data communication system may collect data from remote locations through data
transmission circuits, and then outputs processed results to remote locations.
Figure provides a broader view of data communication networks. The different
data communication techniques which are presently in widespread use evolved
gradually either to improve the data communication techniques already existing or
to replace the same with better options and features. Then, there are data
communication jargons to contend with such as baud rate, modems, routers, LAN,
WAN, TCP/IP, ISDN, during the selection of communication systems. Hence, it
becomes necessary to review and understand these terms and gradual development
of data communication methods.

Data Communication System Using Remote Location

Components of data communication system

A Communication system has following components:

1. Message: It is the information or data to be communicated. It can consist of text,

numbers, pictures, sound or video or any combination of these.

2. Sender: It is the device/computer that generates and sends that message.

3. Receiver: It is the device or computer that receives the message. The location of
receiver computer is generally different from the sender computer. The distance
between sender and receiver depends upon the types of network used in between.
4. Medium: It is the channel or physical path through which the message is carried
from sender to the receiver. The medium can be wired like twisted pair wire,
coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable or wireless like laser, radio waves, and microwaves.

5. Protocol: It is a set of rules that govern the communication between the devices.
Both sender and receiver follow same protocols to communicate with each other.

9. A protocol performs the following functions:

1. Data sequencing. It refers to breaking a long message into smaller packets of

fixed size. Data sequencing rules define the method of numbering packets to detect
loss or duplication of packets, and to correctly identify packets, which belong to
same message.

2. Data routing. Data routing defines the most efficient path between the source
and destination.

3. Data formatting. Data formatting rules define which group of bits or characters
within packet constitute data, control, addressing, or other information.

4. Flow control. A communication protocol also prevents a fast sender from

overwhelming a slow receiver. It ensures resource sharing and protection against
traffic congestion by regulating the flow of data on communication lines.

5. Error control. These rules are designed to detect errors in messages and to ensure
transmission of correct messages. The most common method is to retransmit
erroneous message block. In such a case, a block having error is discarded by the
receiver and is retransmitted by the sender.

6. Precedence and order of transmission. These rules ensure that all the nodes get a
chance to use the communication lines and other resources of the network based on
the priorities assigned to them.
7. Connection establishment and termination. These rules define how connections
are established, maintained and terminated when two nodes of a network want to
communicate with each other.

Data communication

8. Data security. Providing data security and privacy is also built into most
communication software packages. It prevents access of data by unauthorized
users.

9. Log information. Several communication software are designed to develop log

information, which consists of all jobs and data communications tasks that have
taken place. Such information may be used for charging the users of the network
based on their usage of the network resources.

The effectiveness depends on four fundamental characteristics of data

communications

1. Delivery: The data must be deliver in correct order with correct destination.

2. Accuracy: The data must be deliver accurately.

3. Timeliness: The data must be deliver in a timely manner.late delivered Data

useless.

4. Jitter: It is the uneven delay in the packet arrival time that cause uneven quality.

10. The following are the main types of decisions every organization need to
take:

1. Programmed and non-programmed decisions:

Programmed decisions are concerned with the problems of repetitive nature or

routine type matters.
A standard procedure is followed for tackling such problems. These decisions are
taken generally by lower level managers. Decisions of this type may pertain to e.g.
purchase of raw material, granting leave to an employee and supply of goods and
implements to the employees, etc. Non-programmed decisions relate to difficult
situations for which there is no easy solution.

These matters are very important for the organisation. For example, opening of a
new branch of the organisation or a large number of employees absenting from the
organisation or introducing new product in the market, etc., are the decisions which
are normally taken at the higher level.

2. Routine and strategic decisions:

Routine decisions are related to the general functioning of the organisation. They
do not require much evaluation and analysis and can be taken quickly. Ample
powers are delegated to lower ranks to take these decisions within the broad policy
structure of the organisation.

Strategic decisions are important which affect objectives, organisational goals and
other important policy matters. These decisions usually involve huge investments
or funds. These are non-repetitive in nature and are taken after careful analysis and
evaluation of many alternatives. These decisions are taken at the higher level of
management.

3. Tactical (Policy) and operational decisions:

Decisions pertaining to various policy matters of the organisation are policy

decisions. These are taken by the top management and have long term impact on
the functioning of the concern. For example, decisions regarding location of plant,
volume of production and channels of distribution (Tactical) policies, etc. are
policy decisions. Operating decisions relate to day-to-day functioning or operations
of business. Middle and lower level managers take these decisions.

An example may be taken to distinguish these decisions. Decisions concerning

payment of bonus to employees are a policy decision. On the other hand if bonus is
to be given to the employees, calculation of bonus in respect of each employee is
an operating decision.

4. Organisational and personal decisions:

When an individual takes decision as an executive in the official capacity, it is

known as organisational decision. If decision is taken by the executive in the
personal capacity (thereby affecting his personal life), it is known as personal
decision.

Sometimes these decisions may affect functioning of the organisation also. For
example, if an executive leaves the organisation, it may affect the organisation. The
authority of taking organizational decisions may be delegated, whereas personal
decisions cannot be delegated.

5. Major and minor decisions:

Another classification of decisions is major and minor. Decision pertaining to

purchase of new factory premises is a major decision. Major decisions are taken by
top management. Purchase of office stationery is a minor decision which can be
taken by office superintendent.

6. Individual and group decisions:

When the decision is taken by a single individual, it is known as individual

decision. Usually routine type decisions are taken by individuals within the broad
policy framework of the organisation.

Group decisions are taken by group of individuals constituted in the form of a

standing committee. Generally very important and pertinent matters for the
organisation are referred to this committee. The main aim in taking group decisions
is the involvement of maximum number of individuals in the process of decision-
making.

Types of Decision Support Systems (DSS)

Decision Support Systems (DSS) are a class of computerized information system

that support decision-making activities. DSS are interactive computer-based
systems and subsystems intended to help decision makers use communications
technologies, data, documents, knowledge and/or models to complete decision
process tasks.

A decision support system may present information graphically and may include an
expert system or artificial intelligence (AI). It may be aimed at business executives
or some other group of knowledge workers.

Typical information that a decision support application might gather and present
would be, (a) Accessing all information assets, including legacy and relational data
sources; (b) Comparative data figures; (c) Projected figures based on new data or
assumptions; (d) Consequences of different decision alternatives, given past
experience in a specific context.

There are a number of Decision Support Systems. These can be categorized into
five types:

Communication-driven DSS

Most communications-driven DSSs are targetted at internal teams, including

partners. Its purpose are to help conduct a meeting, or for users to collaborate. The
most common technology used to deploy the DSS is a web or client server.
Examples: chats and instant messaging softwares, online collaboration and net-
meeting systems.

Data-driven DSS

Most data-driven DSSs are targeted at managers, staff and also product/service
suppliers. It is used to query a database or data warehouse to seek specific answers
for specific purposes. It is deployed via a main frame system, client/server link, or
via the web. Examples: computer-based databases that have a query system to
check (including the incorporation of data to add value to existing databases.

Document-driven DSS

Document-driven DSSs are more common, targeted at a broad base of user groups.
The purpose of such a DSS is to search web pages and find documents on a
specific set of keywords or search terms. The usual technology used to set up such
DSSs are via the web or a client/server system. Examples:

Knowledge-driven DSS:

Knowledge-driven DSSs or 'knowledgebase' are they are known, are a catch-all

category covering a broad range of systems covering users within the organization
seting it up, but may also include others interacting with the organization - for
example, consumers of a business. It is essentially used to provide management
advice or to choose products/services. The typical deployment technology used to
set up such systems could be slient/server systems, the web, or software runnung
on stand-alone PCs.

Model-driven DSS

Model-driven DSSs are complex systems that help analyse decisions or choose
between different options. These are used by managers and staff members of a
business, or people who interact with the organization, for a number of purposes
depending on how the model is set up - scheduling, decision analyses etc. These
DSSs can be deployed via software/hardware in stand-alone PCs, client/server
systems, or the web.

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EDI AND VAN (VALUE ADDED NETWORK): A SIMPLIFIED VIEW AND

ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS A VAN

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Posted on January 31, 2017 | 0 Comments

EDI and VAN (Value Added Network): a simplified view and analysis of what is a
VAN
The definition of VAN (value added network) and its advantages in the context of
EDI and supply chain optimization

Not to be confused with a van, a type of road vehicle used for transportation, the
value added network, aka VAN, is certainly a term you would often stumble upon
in the world of EDI, and it certainly can be defined as a vehicle, of communication
that is.

So if you are in the process of setting up EDI or exploring the complex, and often
quite daunting, EDI implementation process, it Is highly likely that you have, or
will, come across the term VAN- Value Added Network.

This blog will address the concept and definition of an EDI VAN (Value Added
Network), or as some may confusingly refer to it as Added Value Network, and
will touch upon its use, as well as its benefits and advantages, within the context of
EDI. Our objective is to offer constructive information on the subject of EDI
VANs that will help guide you in shaping your decision making process when
undertaking such a demanding and complex challenge.

11.What is a value added network (VAN) ?

So let’s start with what is an VAN (Value Added Network)! A simple definition of
an VAN is essentially a private network provider whereby EDI (Electronic Data
Interchange) documents are transmitted and exchanged. In other words, it is a
channel of communication to move data from point A to point B.

With the growth in popularity, in recent years, of web based solutions which allow
for the transfer of data over the Internet at a low cost structure, VAN (Value Added
Networks) providers began offering additional services such as EDI translation,
encryption, management reporting and secure e-mail, as part of their ‘value-add’
packages.
Before we delve further into why VANs Added value Networks remain the most
common way to transfer data, let us first discuss the concept of EDI. What is EDI?
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a common practice across most retail and
grocery industries. Although complex and overwhelming, meeting the different
retailers’ EDI supply chain requirements, and securing 100% EDI compliance, are
mandatory and unescapable challenges! EDI refers to the electronically
transmission of structured data between organizations. The advantages to using
EDI may be sensed across all layers of business processes and include efficiency,
due to lessened time and payment delays, reduced manual data entry as well as
human intervention of data manipulation, improved inventory and data accuracy,
increased information accessibility, and as a result, optimized business activity.

How works a value added network ?

The definition of VAN (value added network) and how its advantages going to
optimize your supply chain through EDI transactions.

What are the uses and advantages of a value added network (VAN) ?

Now that you have a better grasp of what EDI is, why use a VAN (Added Value
Network) for EDI communications?

An EDI VAN (Value Added Network) offers a B2B (business to business) network
of electronic communications, a network which includes an array of ‘value added’
services, as well as facilitated communication protocols that otherwise would not
be available when going through the Internet or regular phone lines.

Using and EDI VAN allows for seamless and automated communication channels
between trading partners, while offering multiple formats for EDI translation.
This, in turn, results in a proficient and effective supply chain management. Most
importantly, EDI VANs (Value Added Networks) are not industry-centric; they
work across all industries, in which case scalability is fundamental!
Let’s move on to examine some of the key advantages and benefits to using an EDI
VAN (Value Added Network) as the preferred mode of electronic business
communication!

Data Integrity- EDI VANs typically audit both incoming, as well as outgoing data,
to detect errors. There are checks and balances in place and, in some cases, EDI
VANs (Value Added Networks) may provide corrections and adjustments services
to enable successful transmissions and receipt of data.

Improved B2B (business to business) exchanges– VANs (Value Added Networks)

allow for the use of multiple protocols to send data and for each trading partner to
employ the data format best suited for their organization.

Speedy business communication– the exchange of documents through a VAN

(Value Added Network) is significantly faster than other means of data transfer as
data is exchanged directly from one business software to another. Manual
processing is typically eliminated which therefore significantly reduces the risks
associated with errors and consequent time delays.

Secure and reliable communication channels– VANs (Value Added Networks) are
highly secure and meet government and HIPAA security standards.

Unrestricted accessibility– with a 24/7 accessibility of the VAN (Value Added

Network), the exchange of data is secure to anywhere in the world, with no time
constraints or disruption to your daily business operations.

Simpler EDI compliance– EDI testing and compliance are required by most
retailers, to be met and complied with by their supply chain vendor community.
Furthermore, retailers often require to do so through the use of an EDI VAN (Value
Added Network), their preferred EDI method of communication. Consequently,
going through a VAN (Value Added Network) will facilitate and simplify, to some
degree, the EDI

Visibility tools– A handful of VAN (Value Added Network) providers, such as EDI
Gateway Inc, offer a monitoring web tool and corresponding reports to allow you
to track the data you exchange and with your trading partners and its delivery
status. Such ‘value add’, multi –user visibility tools have unrestricted and
unlimited accessibility- from anywhere, at anytime.
What to remember about value added network (VAN) ?

So to sum it all up, there are clearly essential benefits to using a VAN (Value
Added Network); not only would you be able to reduce costs associated with data
entry errors and time delay, you will also be able to improve your overall business
relationships, as well as optimize your supply chain process with better efficiency
and cost effectiveness. Whether you are using older or newer technology, EDI
VANs (Value Added Networks) remain a secure and reliable communication
channel, with unlimited accessibility and visibility, allowing you to maintain
uninterrupted business cycles and supply chain operations around the globe,
regardless of time zone.

It is important to note that VAN services are now widely offered by third party EDI
providers, such as EDI Gateway Inc, for example, at very competitive price
structures, along with a range of managed services to meet the growing needs of
the supply chain community, operating in a dynamic environment. They are able
to provide VAN (Value Added Network) services whether you are integrating with
an ERP system or implementing EDI in-house, as well as various other solutions,
customized to fit your organization’s specific needs.

When you begin to explore the market for EDI VAN (Value Added Network)
providers, be sure to do your due diligence, analyse and assess all the options
available to you, and choose that which best suits your organization’s individual
needs and requirements. A proper vetting process would surely render your EDI
initiative easier and less overwhelming to take on!

We hope this blog has been informative and insightful in helping you understand
the definition of an EDI VAN (Value Added Network), as well as identify the
advantages and benefits you may reap through its use. We wish you luck on your
endeavour!

The digital equivalent of a handwritten signature or stamped seal, but offering far
more inherent security, a digital signature is intended to solve the problem of
tampering and impersonation in digital communications. Digital signatures can
provide the added assurances of evidence to origin, identity and status of an
electronic document, transaction or message, as well as acknowledging informed
consent by the signer.

In many countries, including the United States, digital signatures have the same
legal significance as the more traditional forms of signed documents. The United
States Government Printing Office publishes electronic versions of the budget,
public and private laws, and congressional bills with digital signatures.

12. How digital signatures work

Digital signatures are based on public key cryptography, also known as asymmetric
cryptography. Using a public key algorithm such as RSA, one can generate two
keys that are mathematically linked: one private and one public. To create a digital
signature, signing software (such as an email program) creates a one-way hash of
the electronic data to be signed. The private key is then used to encrypt the hash.
The encrypted hash -- along with other information, such as the hashing algorithm
-- is the digital signature. The reason for encrypting the hash instead of the entire
message or document is that a hash function can convert an arbitrary input into a
fixed length value, which is usually much shorter. This saves time since hashing is
much faster than signing.

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Content

Buyer's Handbook

The digital certificate: How it works, which to buy

The value of the hash is unique to the hashed data. Any change in the data, even
changing or deleting a single character, results in a different value. This attribute
enables others to validate the integrity of the data by using the signer's public key
to decrypt the hash. If the decrypted hash matches a second computed hash of the
same data, it proves that the data hasn't changed since it was signed. If the two
hashes don't match, the data has either been tampered with in some way (integrity)
or the signature was created with a private key that doesn't correspond to the public
key presented by the signer (authentication).

A digital signature can be used with any kind of message -- whether it is encrypted
or not -- simply so the receiver can be sure of the sender's identity and that the
message arrived intact. Digital signatures make it difficult for the signer to deny
having signed something (non-repudiation) -- assuming their private key has not
been compromised -- as the digital signature is unique to both the document and
the signer, and it binds them together. A digital certificate, an electronic document
that contains the digital signature of the certificate-issuing authority, binds together
a public key with an identity and can be used to verify a public key belongs to a
particular person or entity.

digital signature process If the two hash values match, the message has not been
tampered with, and the receiver knows the message is from sender.

Most modern email programs support the use of digital signatures and digital
certificates, making it easy to sign any outgoing emails and validate digitally
signed incoming messages. Digital signatures are also used extensively to provide
proof of authenticity, data integrity and non-repudiation of communications and
transactions conducted over the Internet.

13. Sorting
Sorting lists is a common spreadsheet task that allows you to easily reorder your
data. The most common type of sorting is alphabetical ordering, which you can do
in ascending or descending order.

To sort in alphabetical order:

Select a cell in the column you want to sort (In this example, we choose a cell in
column A).

Click the Sort & Filter command in the Editing group on the Home tab.
Select Sort A to Z. Now the information in the Category column is organized in
alphabetical order.

Sorting

You can Sort in reverse alphabetical order by choosing Sort Z to A in the list.

To sort from smallest to largest:

Select a cell in the column you want to sort (a column with numbers).

Click the Sort & Filter command in the Editing group on the Home tab.

Select From Smallest to Largest. Now the information is organized from the
smallest to largest amount.

You can sort in reverse numerical order by choosing From Largest to Smallest in
the list.

To sort multiple levels:

Click the Sort & Filter command in the Editing group on the Home tab.

Select Custom Sort from the list to open the dialog box.

OR

Select the Data tab.

Locate the Sort and Filter group.

Click the Sort command to open the Custom Sort dialog box. From here, you can
sort by one item or multiple items.

Sort from Data Tab

Click the drop-down arrow in the Column Sort by field, then choose one of the
options—in this example, Category.

Custom Sort Dialog Box

Choose what to sort on. In this example, we'll leave the default as Value.
Choose how to order the results. Leave it as A to Z so it is organized alphabetically.

Click Add Level to add another item to sort by.

Add Level

Select an option in the Column Then by field. In this example, we chose Unit Cost.

Choose what to sort on. In this example, we'll leave the default as Value.

Choose how to order the results. Leave it as smallest to largest.

Click OK.

Sort 2nd Level

The spreadsheet has been sorted. All of the categories are organized in alphabetical
order, and within each category the unit cost is arranged from smallest to largest.

14. TORONTO (06/27/2000) - Electronic commerce is not only changing the

shape of the business landscape, it's also having a profound effect on the IT
organization. We brought together five Canadian IT executives and one executive
from the business side to discuss how e-commerce is impacting the IT decision-
making and planning process, and how it is changing the relationship between IT
and the business.

ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS:

- Tom Atkins (moderator), Director of E-Commerce Strategy, Sierra Systems

Group Inc. - Gary Comerford, VP International Marketing, Sun Life of Canada -
Nancy Dudgeon, VP Consulting Services, Information Services, Manulife
Financial - John Lahey, Senior VP Electronic Commerce, Canadian Imperial Bank
of Commerce - Mark Saunders, Senior VP & CIO, BMO Nesbitt Burns - John
Smith, Senior VP & CIO, Sears Canada - John Wilson, VP & CIO, Clarke ATKINS
(moderator): You are all placing multiple bets, looking for that winning technology
or process that is going to help your organization make that quantum leap. How do
you deal with the portfolio management of those multiple bets from a
technological, a business and an investment perspective?
DUDGEON: On the business model front, I think multiple bets definitely need to
be made. There are a lot of new players and a lot of new types of organizations out
there, and not to invest in multiple options at the same time would severely limit
our position. At the same time, on the technology front, the need to start looking
for better synergies across divisions globally and to ensure protection of the brand
globally necessitates managing the multiple options. There isn't a formal process
for doing this, but there's definitely a need for IT to be there, and for the CIO to
play a lead integrating role. IT has to be close to the business, to understand what
the various bets are, and to make sure that the business is well aware of
implications of the various choices.

WILSON: In terms of transaction processing, it's hard to make a bad bet these
days. Where the real issue around bets comes in is when you look at the new
portals and new partnerships that are being formed between competitors within an
industry. Six large players form a new company and start to do buying on behalf of
themselves and others in the industry. What does that mean to you? Do you want to
partner with them? Do you want to use those services? ASPs are starting to bring
good technology applications to the industry. Do you want to scrap what you have
in house? Do you want to align the company with that ASP and start to use their
product? There's a huge fight going on in many industries as to who can connect all
of the customers and suppliers and be the first to do that. The role of the CIO is to
help make the bet as to who is going to be the winner at the end of the day. That's a
tough role.

LAHEY: The most important thing is that you have a very clear view of what you
are trying to accomplish from a customer perspective. From the technology forays
that I've seen, when they end up going badly it's often because the objectives and
the intent at the front end weren't well defined. I don't think there is any substitute
for a well thought out plan. You don't have six months to think out a plan any
more, but you still have to go through the basic fundamentals to understand what it
is you're trying to accomplish and how technology can enable you to get there. So I
think the presence of a very clear vision and reasonably clear metrics and
indicators as to whether or not you are successful is important in evaluating
technology investments.

SMITH: Although Sears has moved into the Web business, we haven't gone
through the process that a number of the new E-commerce companies have of
trying to create a whole new system. We've utilized much of what we already had,
whether it's buying merchandise from a variety of suppliers, storing of products,
distribution, or delivery through to the consumer. The front-end presentation is a
little different and we've offered the consumer new ways of making a purchase
from us, but we haven't changed many of the other things. Not to say that we aren't
investing in new technologies. We give them careful consideration and select ones
that we can leverage across the entire business.

COMERFORD: I see three courses of action. You can be a pioneer, where you
make the big bet and do the development; you can be an early adopter; or you can
be a fast follower, which in today's market is an oxymoron. There's precious little
time between being a pioneer and an early adopter. At Sun Life we're not looking
to throw in money in that pioneering sense. We're looking more to ride the coattails
of what we see as the beginnings of success. By being early adopters we may be
able to offer our clients something just a little faster and a little better than our
competitors. If we wait for four or five of our competitors to do it, we have lost
that competitive advantage. So there is a rhythm here; you can't afford to get in too
soon but if you wait too long, you're not going to be one of the winners.

ATKINS: Is Electronic Commerce bringing the business and IT closer together in

the strategic planning process?

SAUNDERS: Electronic transactions have made a big difference in terms of how

we do business at BMO Nesbitt Burns. There is a much tighter coupling of
business and IT; we're joined at the hip. There isn't a business strategy that happens
in our company that doesn't involve technology. As a result, the business realizes
that it can't be successful without technology. So it's helped break down some of
the boundaries that once existed. IT used to be viewed as a support organization;
now it's viewed as an enabler to the business.

LAHEY: The business and IT have to get closer. If you're not adding value, you
just get ignored in the whole process -- the business leaders will go off and do what
they need to do. So you need to find a way to interact with them. I think what's
really driving the two together is how much power is being put in the hands of the
consumer. That is fundamentally shifting some of the basic assumptions around
how you do business. So one of the biggest challenges in strategic planning is
getting your mind out of the box that your company has been in for a long time. IT
professionals have a unique role to play in helping business figure out what to do
with the increasing power of the customer.

COMERFORD: I'm the guy at the other end -- in the business unit that's evolving
and changing. The world I live in is a lot different than it was five years ago when
we would use information technology to make things faster, less costly, more
efficient -- those were the prime drivers. Today that's just the ante to get into the
game. The individual in charge of IT was looked on as an important contributor
and enabler in getting things done. That role has changed dramatically -- from
being a participant to being a leader. CIOs have to enable the business unit to move
forward. They have to really understand the business and where it's going, where
the business is changing.

ATKINS: Is the strategic planning process in your organization becoming more of

an ongoing function rather than an annual or bi-annual event?

SAUNDERS: It's very much a combination of tactical and strategic planning, and
you have to strike that balance in the middle. The traditional method of IT going
away and coming back in three years with a solution is not acceptable any more.
We're doing electronic commerce initiatives now that go to market within six
months of the initial thinking around them. At BMO Nesbitt Burns we have a
three-year technology plan that's a roadmap of where we are trying to head. But at
the same time you have to be realistic enough to know that you are going to have
short-term tactical things that are going to cause you to bob and weave along the
way, so it's very much an iterative strategic planning process. You start off with
your budgeting process but at the end of the day you always spend more. The chief
operating officer will throw me another few million and say "Let's do this or that
along the way." And we do it.

WILSON: The business strategic plan is in a state of upheaval right now, and it's
the new economy that's doing that, particularly for supply-chain oriented
companies. There are so many different business models out there.

Intermediaries are suddenly disappearing. Three years from now, if you look at the
business models that your company has embraced and compare them with what
you started with, I don't think you'll find much of a match. Everything is changing
so rapidly that you'd better have your infrastructure in place and it had better be
solid -- then the flexibility that you build on top of it can shift and change with new
opportunities that present themselves.

SMITH: You get some that say, "Why do a strategic plan? If we plan today for
even three years down the road, it's going to change." Yes, it will, but it's important
to look that far ahead in order to create a vision of what you are going to do in that
timeframe -- what things are going to be important, what direction you should
move in so that you will be able to serve your customers more effectively. But at
the same time, you are always looking at new customer requirements and new
competitors arriving on the scene, and figuring out how to respond to them. So
strategic planning is not like it once was, when you spent a month building it and
said, "Okay, now that job is done for a year." You're always tuning it now, based on
what's going on.

DUDGEON: We need to promote strategic thinking and make it a part of day-to-

day leadership. The variation in terms of customer demands and the impact of
different levels of technology enablement mean that we have to be living the
strategic plan. It can't even be monthly; it's got to happen daily in all the decisions
that we make. We need to encourage the right kinds of flexibility, as well as to
forward new kinds of business cases and models. We have to have regular
discussions around funding alternatives, and we need to have leadership that
encourages the right kind of risk-taking.
ATKINS: Is an annual budgeting process frequent enough to support your business
planning?

WILSON: Yes it is. You do the traditional budgeting process on an annual basis but
the caveat is always there that if an opportunity comes along you can change those
numbers. They aren't cast in stone. The business doesn't stop and say, "There are no
dollars in the budget. We can't go there." Most organizations are flexible enough to
shift gears based on new opportunities.

SAUNDERS: A new term that has emerged in our organization is the "sidebook".

That's the area where all of these other things wind up. I'm wondering how long it's
going to be before my sidebook at the end of the year is going to be bigger than my
original IT budget. It's very fluid. It has to be, due to the dynamic nature of our
business

The goal of needs analysis is to understand why the network is being built and
what users and applications it will support. In many cases, the network is being
designed to improve poor performance or enable new applications to be used. In
other cases, the network is upgraded to replace unreliable or aging equipment or to
standardize equipment so that only one type of equipment, one protocol (e.g.,
TCP/IP, Ethernet), or one vendor’s equipment is used everywhere in the network.

Often, the goals in network design are slightly different between LANs and
backbones (BNs) on the one hand and MANs and WANs on the other. In the LAN
and BN environment, the organization owns and operates the equipment and the
circuits. Once they are paid for, there are no additional charges for usage. However,
if major changes must be made, the organization will need to spend additional
funds. In this case, most network designers tend to err on the side of building too
big a network—that is, building more capacity than they expect to need.

In contrast, in most MANs and WANs, the organization leases circuits from a
common carrier and pays for them on a monthly or per-use basis. Understanding
capacity becomes more important in this situation because additional capacity
comes at a noticeable cost. In this case, most network designers tend to err on the
side of building too small a network, because they can lease additional capacity if
they need it—but it is much more difficult to cancel a long-term contract for
capacity they are not using.

15. Much of the needs analysis may already have been done because most
network design projects today are network upgrades rather than the design of
entirely new networks. In this case, there is already a fairly good understanding of
the existing traffic in the network and, most important, of the rate of growth of
network traffic. It is important to gain an understanding of the current operations
(application systems and messages). This step provides a baseline against which
future design requirements can be gauged. It should provide a clear picture of the
present sequence of operations, processing times, work volumes, current
communication network (if one exists), existing costs, and user/management
needs. Whether the network is a new network or a network upgrade, the primary
objective of this stage is to define (1) the geographic scope of the network and (2)
the users and applications that will use it.

The goal of the needs analysis step is to produce a logical network design, which is
a statement of the network elements needed to meet the needs of the organization.
The logical design does not specify technologies or products to be used (although
any specific requirements are noted). Instead, it focuses on the fundamental
functionality needed, such as a high-speed access network, which in the technology
design stage will be translated into specific technologies (e.g., switched 100Base-
T).

Geographic Scope

The first step in needs analysis is to break the network into three conceptual parts
on the basis of their geographic and logical scope: the access layer, the distribution
layer, and the core layer, as first discussed in next topic The access layer is the
technology that is closest to the user—the user’s first contact with the network—
and is often a LAN or a broadband Internet connection. The distribution layer is
the next part of the network that connects the access layer to the rest of the
network, such as the BN(s) in a specific building. The core layer is the innermost
part of the network that connects the different distribution-layer networks to each
other, such as the primary BN on a campus or a set of MAN or WAN circuits
connecting different offices together. As the name suggests, the core layer is
usually the busiest, most important part of the network. Not all layers are present in
all networks; small networks, for example, may not have a distribution layer
because their core may be the BN that directly connects the parts of the access
layer together.

Within each of these parts of the network, the network designer must then identify
some basic technical constraints. For example, if the access layer is a MAN, in that
the users need to connect to the network over a broadband connection, this
provides some constraints on the technologies to be used; one could not use
100Base-T Ethernet, for example. Likewise, if the access layer is a LAN, it would
be silly to consider using T1 circuits.

Sometimes, the current network infrastructure also imposes constraints. For

example, if we are adding a new building to an existing office complex that used
100Base-T in the access-layer LANs, then we will probably choose to use
100Base-T for the access layer in the new building. All such constraints are noted.

It is easiest to start with the highest level, so most designers begin by drawing a
network diagram for any WANs with international or countrywide locations that
must be connected. A diagram that shows the logical network going between the
locations is sufficient. Details such as the type of circuit and other considerations
will be added later. Next, the individual locations connected to the WAN are
drawn, usually in a series of separate diagrams, but for a simple network, one
diagram may be sufficient.
At this point, the designers gather general information and characteristics of the
environment in which the network must operate. For example, they determine
whether there are any legal requirements, such as local, state/provincial, federal, or
international laws, regulations, or building codes, that might affect the network.

the initial drawing of a network design for an organization with offices in four
areas connected to the core network, which is a WAN. The Toronto location, for
example, has a distribution layer (a BN) connecting three distinct access-layer
LANs, which could be three distinct LANs in the same office building. Chicago
has a similar structure, with the addition of a fourth access part that connects to the
Internet; that is, the organization has only one Internet connection, so all Internet
traffic must be routed through the core network to the Chicago location. The
Atlantic Canada network section has two distinct access layer parts; one is a LAN
and one access layer is a MAN (e.g., dial-up). The New York network section is
more complex, having its own core network component (a BN connected into the
core WAN), which in turn supports three distribution-layer BNs. Each of these
support several access-layer LANs.

Application Systems

Once the basic geographic scope is identified, the designers must review the list of
applications that will use the network and identify the location of each. This
information should be added to the emerging network diagrams. This process is
called baselining. Next, those applications that are expected to use the network in
the future are added.

In many cases, the applications will be relatively well defined. Specific internal
applications (e.g., payroll) and external applications (e.g., Web servers) may
already be part of the "old" network. However, it is important to review the
organization’s long-range and short-range plans concerning changes in company
goals, strategic plans, development plans for new products or services, projections
of sales, research and development projects, major capital expenditures, possible
changes in product mix, new offices that must be served by the communications
network, security issues, and future commitments to technology.

Geographic scope. LAN = local area network; MAN = metropolitan area network;
WAN = wide area network

Geographic scope. LAN = local area network; MAN = metropolitan area network;
WAN = wide area network

For example, a major expansion in the number of offices or a major electronic

commerce initiative will have a significant impact on network requirements.

It also is helpful to identify the hardware and software requirements of each

application that will use the network and, if possible, the protocol each application
uses (e.g., HTTP over TCP/IP, Windows file access). This knowledge helps now
and will be particularly useful later when designers develop technological
solutions.

16. There are really two directions you can go when you're building
out a new slide in Microsoft PowerPoint:

Design the slide from scratch, dropping in individual placeholder boxes one after
another, adding them one by one until you've got a slide.

Try out a built-in layout that includes all of the content boxes that you need from
the beginning.
It's really a no-brainer to start your slide design with a pre-built layout. It's a time-
saver, and it also improves the look of the presentation because all boxes and
content are aligned neatly.

From the Home tab, choose a Layout from the menu option:

Showcase layouts from Dropdown on Home tab

Most PowerPoint themes include enough layouts to address practically any

scenario.

I think one of the reasons that presenters avoid layouts is that they want to
customize the slide. There's nothing stopping you from taking a layout and
tweaking it, moving boxes around as needed or adding other content placeholders.

It's a simple PowerPoint feature, but I've seen far too many presenters draw and
redraw boxes onto the slide. You're far better off using a starter layout and
adjusting it as needed.

2. Use Slide Master View to Update Designs Consistently

Most of my favorite PowerPoint features not only save time, but also ensure that
slides are consistent. It's a huge advantage if the logo is in the same spot on each
slide, for example.

Slide masters control the design for multiple slides at the same time. When you
adjust a slide master, each slide that uses that master will have the same changes.

Go to the View tab and choose Slide Master. Now, add something that you want to
appear on each slide (like a logo or footer text) to the master:

Logo added to the slide master

In the top screenshot, I've added the logo to the slide master, and you can see how
it is added to multiple slides in the same spot.

When you return to Normal view, you'll see the changes on each slide that uses the
same master.

Again: it's all about making clean slide designs with consistency. Adjusting the
slide master is a sweet spot of productivity and design excellence.
MICROSOFT POWERPOINT

How to Use PowerPoint Slide Master View in 60 Seconds

Andrew Childress

3. Use Someone Else's Presentation as a Starting Point

Picasso is credited for having said, "Good artists borrow, great artists steal."
There's nothing wrong with using the hard work of others to build a great
presentation.

That's exactly what Envato Elements is for. Elements is an all-you-can-download

subscription service made for every creative. For one flat rate, you'll get access to
over 700 PowerPoint themes.

I use Envato Elements on literally every creative project that I work on. I always
start browsing on Elements to get ideas for what I'm working on. With one of the
PowerPoint templates, you have a huge head start on creating a presentation.

Hero slide example

This screenshot uses the Hero v1 PowerPoint theme that is included as part of the
Envato Elements subscription package.

The price of Envato is worth it for the PowerPoint themes alone. But for those who
create presentations frequently, you benefit greatly from the stock photos, graphics,
icons, and other assets that can really spice up a presentation.

MICROSOFT POWERPOINT

How to Make Professional PowerPoint Presentations (With Templates)

Andrew Childress

Using one of these pre-built templates isn't stealing—it just feels like it because it
makes it so easy. With Elements, you skip the hard work of designing everything
from a blank slate.
4. Rearrange Slides for Effectiveness

Most presentations can become markedly better in just a few seconds by simply
rethinking the order that your slides are sequenced. Over and over, I coach
presenters to remember the BLUF principle: bottom line up front.

How many presentations have you sat through where the message was unclear? By
the time you've sat through 30 minutes, you're so inundated with data that it can be
hard to remember the point. Instead, give your conclusion up front and then share
why you feel that way.

Slide Sorter View

A top-down view of all the slides in your presentation can help you understand if
they're in the best order, and resequence them easily.

The best way to do this with PowerPoint is to switch to Slide Sorter view. There's
no better way to have all of your content in view at the same time. Switch to it by
clicking on View > Slide Sorter.

When I switch to Slide Sorter view, I'm taking a long hard look to ensure that I'm
not burying my conclusion, and I'm building a story that makes sense sequentially.
Drag and drop the slide thumbnails to reorder them in a concise and BLUF-
friendly order.

5. Follow the Guides

Earlier versions of PowerPoint made it somewhat difficult to align things

consistently on a slide. Now, the guides that you'll see pop up as you drag and drop
objects help ensure that your objects are nice and neat.

In the screenshot below, you can see an example of what I mean. The small red
arrows and dotted lines show how objects relate to each other, and you'll see them
when an object is equidistant between them.

Align with Guides PowerPoint

Try to align objects using these red arrows.

Keep an eye out for these helper lines when you're working in PowerPoint. Using
them to align objects will result in a cleaner slide.

6. Set Slide Sizes: The key consideration when setting slide size is to consider the
size of the screen you'll present on. Some different types of screen have slightly
different aspect ratios.

To change slide size, go to the Design tab and choose to change the slide size from
the Customize dropdown:

Change slide size on customize dropdown

Set your slide dimensions to align with your screen, whether that's a projector,
LCD, or laptop.

Setting the size of your presentation is important. When you align the two, your
presentation will fill the screen or projector that you're using.

MICROSOFT POWERPOINT

What Are the Right Dimensions for Your PowerPoint Slides?

Andrew Childress

7. Resize Multiple Objects

As I mentioned earlier, I think consistency in slides is important for maintaining a

clean look. If you've got multiple images that need to be the same size, there's an
easy feature for doing just that.

A great example of this is when you've got several profile images that need to be
resized consistently. To do this, start off by holding Control on your keyboard
(Command on Mac) and click on all of the images that should be resized.

Now, make sure that you're on the Format tab on PowerPoint's ribbon. Next up,
find the Size area, and type a number into one of the boxes and press enter. All of
the images will be resized to the same size that you set in the box:

Image size change from Format Ribbon

Make sure all images are selected before you change the size to keep them all
consistent in size.

After you set a starting point on size, you can tweak it to get things perfect. The
important thing is that you keep them all selected, and tweak the size in lockstep.

8. Clean Up Tables Quickly

Data tables in PowerPoint are one of the most effective ways to present data.
They're easy for your viewer to quickly glance at and understand numbers with an
easy row-column view.

As you start resizing and tweaking the look of a table in PowerPoint, it's likely that
your rows and columns may become a bit disjointed or messy. I like to fix this with
Distribute Rows, which evens up the sizes of the rows:

Distribute Rows PowerPoint

I used the Distribute Rows feature to make each row the same size in my data
table.

Highlight the rows, and then go to the Layout tab and click Distribute Rows to
apply an easy fix to your rows.

9. Learn to Use SmartArt

Without a doubt, SmartArt is one of my favorite PowerPoint features. Think of this

feature as the sweet spot between infographics and text-only diagrams.

Basically, SmartArt is a way to create flexible graphics that you can update right
inside of PowerPoint. You don't need a separate app to build out your own graphics
and charts.

SmartArt Example Menu

SmartArt allows you to build out a variety of diagrams, such as hierarchies,

processes, cycles, and more. Basically, you can build out a simple bulleted list, and
the art will adapt to include the points you add.
I'm all about doing as much as you can directly inside of PowerPoint. Features like
SmartArt are a great bridge that cut out one more app like Illustrator or Photoshop
from your workflow.

How to Get Started With Using SmartArt in PowerPoint

Andrew Childress

10. Try a Theme Variant

What do you do when you get to the end of designing a presentation, and it just
doesn't feel right?

The easiest solution might be to try a new variant. This simply tweaks the color
scheme and style of the presentation. On the Design tab, click a different thumbnail
from the Variants selection.

When you change a variant, it will change the entire presentation's color scheme as
you can see below. One simple click is the easiest way to try an alternate style:

Change theme variant

Changing the theme variant overhauled the entire presentation's color scheme.

Changing the Theme Variant is yet another step you can use to quickly and
consistently apply a new look to your presentation. You may not have time to redo
the presentation from scratch, so try out a variant as an alternative.

17. How the Internet of Things is changing business models

How the Internet of Things is changing business models

It’s no surprise that exciting new technologies are generating startling insights from
big data, but very few come from the B2B sector.

It can be difficult for industrial executives whose performance is measured in

dollars and cents to become excited about bits and bytes, especially when they
have been fairly dismissive of big data to date, labelling it a B2C phenomenon.
That mindset, however, changes with the Internet of Things (IoT), where
companies that cannot deliver optimal performance through analytics will not be
able to compete.

The new reality is that ubiquitous sensor data means companies must disrupt or be
disrupted, and the challenge to business leaders is to answer two fundamental
questions. Firstly, what new business models must I deploy in order to compete?
And secondly, how can I build organisational structures that can execute those
models, bridging internal divisions between corporate functions and business
units?

You will note that neither of these questions relate to technology. Why aren’t we
talking about how many billion devices will be connected in the coming years,
how much storage we will need to contain all that sensor data, or how quickly we
can hire the smartest data scientists?

Consider the three major transformations in our industrial history. They’re

certainly stories of technological advances, but more than that they are stories of
enablement.

In the early 19th century, the steam engine enabled the Industrial Revolution,
spurring new manufacturing processes that created industrial giants selling
affordable products at scale.

What the New Era of Data Privacy Laws Means for IBM

In the mid-20th century, computers enabled the Information Age, creating software
giants selling affordable services at scale. And at the turn of the 21st century, the
internet enabled ecommerce and created the web and social media giants who
dominate today’s business landscape and sell data products at scale.

If – as many claim – IoT is to be the fourth revolution, what will it enable, and
what will be the new class of giant to emerge?

IoT represents the constantly-growing universe of sensors and devices that create a
flood of granular data about our world. The “things” include everything from
environmental sensors monitoring weather or energy usage, to “smart” household
appliances, telemetry from vehicles and production lines. Devices of all types are
moving online and connecting.

The giants of the internet (of people) have thrived because of their ability to gather
every possible bit of data about human behavior and interaction, and use it to
understand and predict that behavior.

Armed with this information, internet companies can take actions that create
profits for themselves by delivering great experiences for users.

IoT extends the same principle to devices: manufacturers can gather data about
how their products behave and interact, and use it to understand and predict future
behaviors.

Using that data, companies can optimise performance and drive profitable
outcomes for themselves through great user experiences.

Increasingly, those experiences are delivered as services, and users pay for the
outcome, not the physical object delivering it. This pivotal change to the delivery
of product as a service underpins many IoT projects.

The concept is not entirely new, of course. The most notable example is jet engine
Power by the Hour, pioneered in the 1960s by Rolls-Royce. This isn’t renting or
leasing; it’s a performance-based contract that creates a powerful alignment of
incentives for both the operator and manufacturer.

These incentives include reliability of service, reduced capital expense and

accurate cost projection for the operator, mitigation of after-market competition
risk, stable revenue projection, and reduced risk of product commoditisation for the
manufacturer.

The IoT-enabled conversation with products and devices makes this proposition
compelling for companies selling equipment much cheaper than jet engines.
Whether the customer needs compressed air, forklift capacity, office printing or a
host of other services that are delivered today as products, tomorrow’s giants will
be the physical/digital engineers who are able to use data to optimise their
performance.
The new giant

The implications go far beyond how products are sold. In the words of GE’s Jeff
Immelt, “Industrial companies are in the information business whether they want
to be or not.”

The capability that manufacturers now have to use data from sensors enables them
to change the way that they design, upgrade, and maintain devices in the field. The
result will not just be greater efficiency, but entirely new functionality and levels of
service.

Immelt was right to refer to information, but IoT sensors churn out data – lots of
data that must be analysed to create useful information. Analytics is the critical link
between monitoring operations and optimising performance.

Smart, connected devices can only be as intelligent as the instructions they are
given. The intelligent operation of things is dependent on effective ‘Analytics of
Things’.

Product development in most industrial companies takes place in operational

business units. Enterprise data management and analysis is the domain of a central
IT function.

In far too many companies, there is a sizable gulf between the two. Trust is lacking
and efforts to merge the functions frequently descend into turf wars.

Because of the necessity to link Analytics of Things with operations, any

organisation looking to harvest the potential of IoT must find a way to bridge this
gulf.

Vested interests and desire for control must be set aside to pursue the greater prize.
That is why, more than anything, IoT represents a business leadership challenge –
flexibility, collaboration, agility and invention will win the day.

This is a challenge that some will embrace and some will dismiss. Like any
revolution, there is a risk of failure. There will be winners and losers, and some
won’t know which they are until it is too late.
What does this all mean?

To monetise IoT data, companies should clearly identify IoT opportunities and a
strategy – with participation and sponsorship by business leadership.

Keep in mind that the data and information ecosystem complexity may call for
collaboration with an experienced analytics services team to support new go-to-
market models.

>See also: 4 unexpected implications arising from the Internet of Things – Gartner

For example, strategies may be geared to the application of machine learning and
advanced analytics techniques to deliver automation, or deep understanding of
usage patterns that influence design or shift to DevOps deployment, or predictive
part failure analysis to facilitate lean processes.

Regardless of the details, organisations should consider continuous monitoring of

assets to enable new revenue opportunities and pricing strategies based on
performance and pay-per-use models instead of purchases.

Early warning detection systems that use predictive analytics can find and correct
issues with machines and devices sooner. And real-time monitoring and analysis of
physical assets allows companies to understand and act on a variety of real-time
insights.

These recommendations are derived from real-world use cases. Companies that
have made investments in IoT analytics are realising significant business benefits
as a result.

CLOSE

PROS AND CONS

CARS

LIVING
BOATS

HOMES

ENVIRONMENT

18. Main Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer Networking

Computer networking has become one of the most successful ways of sharing
information, where all computers are wirelessly linked together by a common
network. Now, businesses and organizations heavily rely on it to get messages and
information across to essential channels. Not only has that it benefited
establishments, but also individuals, as they also need to share important
information every day. But no matter how useful computer networking is, it does
not come without drawbacks. Here are its advantages and disadvantages:

List of Advantages of Computer Networking

1. It enhances communication and availability of information.

Networking, especially with full access to the web, allows ways of communication
that would simply be impossible before it was developed. Instant messaging can
now allow users to talk in real time and send files to other people wherever they
are in the world, which is a huge boon for businesses. Also, it allows access to a
vast amount of useful information, including traditional reference materials and
timely facts, such as news and current events.

2. It allows for more convenient resource sharing.

This benefit is very important, particularly for larger companies that really need to
produce huge numbers of resources to be shared to all the people. Since the
technology involves computer-based work, it is assured that the resources they
wanted to get across would be completely shared by connecting to a computer
network which their audience is also using.

3. It makes file sharing easier.

Computer networking allows easier accessibility for people to share their files,
which greatly helps them with saving more time and effort, since they could do file
sharing more accordingly and effectively.

4. It is highly flexible.

This technology is known to be very flexible, as it gives users the opportunity to

explore everything about essential things, such as software without affecting their
functionality. Plus, people will have the accessibility to all information they need
to get and share.

5. It is an inexpensive system. Installing networking software on your device

would not cost too much, as you are assured that it lasts and can effectively share
information to your peers. Also, there is no need to change the software regularly,
as mostly it is not required to do so.

6. It increases cost efficiency.

With computer networking, you can use a lot of software products available on the
market which can just be stored or installed in your system or server, and can then
be used by various workstations.

7. It boosts storage capacity.

Since you are going to share information, files and resources to other people, you
have to ensure all data and content are properly stored in the system. With this
networking technology, you can do all of this without any hassle, while having all
the space you need for storage.

List of Disadvantages of Computer Networking

1. It lacks independence.

Computer networking involves a process that is operated using computers, so

people will be relying more of computer work, instead of exerting an effort for
their tasks at hand. Aside from this, they will be dependent on the main file server,
which means that, if it breaks down, the system would become useless, making
users idle.

2. It poses security difficulties.

Because there would be a huge number of people who would be using a computer
network to get and share some of their files and resources, a certain user’s security
would be always at risk. There might even be illegal activities that would occur,
which you need to be careful about and aware of.

3. It lacks robustness.

As previously stated, if a computer network’s main server breaks down, the entire
system would become useless. Also, if it has a bridging device or a central linking
server that fails, the entire network would also come to a standstill. To deal with
these problems, huge networks should have a powerful computer to serve as file
server to make setting up and maintaining the network easier.

4. It allows for more presence of computer viruses and malware.

There would be instances that stored files are corrupt due to computer viruses.
Thus, network administrators should conduct regular check-ups on the system, and
the stored files at the same time.

5. Its light policing usage promotes negative acts.

It has been observed that providing users with internet connectivity has fostered
undesirable behavior among them. Considering that the web is a minefield of
distractions—online games, humor sites and even porn sites—workers could be
tempted during their work hours. The huge network of machines could also
encourage them to engage in illicit practices, such as instant messaging and file
sharing, instead of working on work-related matters. While many organizations
draw up certain policies on this, they have proven difficult to enforce and even
engendered resentment from employees.

6. It requires an efficient handler.

For a computer network to work efficiently and optimally, it requires high

technical skills and know-how of its operations and administration. A person just
having basic skills cannot do this job. Take note that the responsibility to handle
such a system is high, as allotting permissions and passwords can be daunting.
Similarly, network configuration and connection is very tedious and cannot be
done by an average technician who does not have advanced knowledge.
7. It requires an expensive set-up.

Though computer networks are said to be an inexpensive system when it is already

running, its initial set up cost can still be high depending on the number of
computers to be connected. Expensive devices, such as routers, switches, hubs,
etc., can add up to the cost. Aside from these, it would also need network interface
cards (NICs) for workstations in case they are not built in.