Telecommunications and Networks

Telecommunications Trends. Organizations are becoming networked enterprises that use the Internet, intranets, and other telecommunications networks to support business operations and collaboration within the enterprise and with their customers, suppliers, and other business partners. Telecommunications has entered a deregulated and fiercely competitive environment with many vendors, carriers, and services. Telecommunications technology is moving toward open, internet worked digital networks for voice, data, video, and multimedia. A major trend is the pervasive use of the Internet and its technologies to build interconnected enterprise and global networks, like intranets and extranets, to support enterprise collaboration, e-commerce, and other e-business applications. The Internet Revolution. The explosive growth of the Internet and the use of its enabling technologies have revolutionized computing and telecommunications. The Internet has become the key platform for a rapidly expanding list of information and entertainment services and business applications, including enterprise collaboration, electronic commerce, and other e-business systems. Open systems with unrestricted connectivity using Internet technologies are the primary telecommunications technology drivers in e-business systems. Their primary goal is to promote easy and secure access by business professionals and consumers to the resources of the Internet, enterprise intranets, and inter organizational extranets. The Business Value of the Internet. Companies are deriving strategic business value from the Internet, which enables them to disseminate information globally, communicate and trade interactively with customized information and services for individual customers, and foster collaboration of people and integration of business processes within the enterprise and with business partners. These capabilities allow them to generate cost savings from using Internet technologies, revenue increases from electronic commerce, and better customer service and relationships through better supply chain management and customer relationship management. The Role of Intranets. Businesses are installing and extending intranets throughout their organizations to(1) improve communications and collaboration among individuals and teams within the enterprise; (2) publish and share valuable business information easily, inexpensively, and effectively via enterprise information portals and intranet Web sites and other intranet services; and (3) develop and deploy critical applications to support business operations and decision making. The Role of Extranets. The primary role of extranets is to link the intranet resources of a company to the intranets of its customers, suppliers, and other business partners. Extranets can also provide access to operational company databases and legacy systems to business partners. Thus, extranets provide significant business value by facilitating and strengthening the business relationships of a company with customers and suppliers, improving collaboration with its business partners, and enabling the development of new kinds of Web-based services for its customers, suppliers, and others. Telecommunications Networks. The major generic components of any telecommunications network are(1) terminals, (2) telecommunications processors,(3) communications channels, (4) computers, and(5) telecommunications software. There are several basic types of telecommunications networks, including wide area networks (WANs) and local area networks(LANs). Most WANs and LANs are interconnected using client/server, network computing, peer-to-peer, and Internet networking technologies. Network Alternatives. Key telecommunications network alternatives and components are summarized in Figure 6.11 for telecommunications media, processors, software, channels, and network architectures. A basic understanding of these major alternatives will help business end users participate effectively in decisions involving telecommunications issues. Telecommunications processors include modems, multiplexers, internetwork processors, and various devices to help interconnect and enhance the capacity and efficiency of telecommunications channels. Telecommunications networks use such media as twisted-pair wire, coaxial cables, fiber-optic cables, terrestrial microwave, communications satellites, cellular and PCS systems, wireless LANs, and other wireless technologies. Telecommunications software, such as network operating systems and telecommunications monitors, control sand manages the communications activity in a telecommunications network.

fter reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Understand the concept of a network. Aply Metcalfe's law in understanding the value of a network. Identify several major developments and trends in the industries, technologies, and business applications of telecommunications and Internet technologies. Provide examples of the business value of Internet, intranet, and extranet applications. Identify the basic components, functions, and types of telecommunications networks used in business. Explain the functions of major components of telecommunications network hardware, software, media, and services. Explain the concept of client/server networking. Understand the two forms of peer-to-peer networking. Explain the difference between digital and analog signals. Identify the various transmission media and topologies used in telecommunications networks. Understand the fundamentals of wireless network technologies. Explain the concepts behind TCP/IP. Understand the seven layers of the OSI network model.
(See related pages)

14. Glossary

Bandwidth

The frequency range of a telecommunications channel, which determines its maximum transmission rate. The speed and capacity of transmission rates are typically measured in bits per second (bps). Bandwidth is a function of the telecommunications hardware, software, and media used by the telecommunications channel. A computer network where end-user workstations (clients) are connected via telecommunications links to network servers and possibly to mainframe superservers. A sturdy copper or aluminum wire wrapped with spacers to insulate and protect it. Groups of coaxial cables may also be bundled together in a bigger cable for ease of installation. Earth satellites placed in stationary orbits above the equator that serve as relay stations for communications signals transmitted from earth stations. A network that links selected resources of a company with its customers, suppliers, and other business partners, using the Internet or private networks to link the organizations intranets. The technology that uses cables consisting of very thin filaments of glass fibers that can conduct the light generated by lasers for high-speed telecommunications. Communications processors used by local area networks to interconnect them with other local area and wide area networks. Examples include switches, routers, hubs, and gateways. An Internet-like network within an organization. Web browser software provides easy access to internal Web sites established by business units, teams, and individuals, and other network resources and applications. The older, traditional, mainframe-based business information systems of an organization. A communications network that typically connects computers, terminals, and other computerized devices within a limited physical area such as an office, building, manufacturing plant, or other worksite. Software that helps diverse software programs and networked computer systems work together, thus promoting their interoperability. (MOdulator-DEModulator) A device that converts the digital signals from input/output devices into appropriate frequencies at a transmission terminal and converts them back into digital signals at a receiving terminal. An electronic device that allows a single communications channel to carry simultaneous data transmissions from many terminals.

Client/Server Network Coaxial Cable

Communications Satellite Extranet

Fiber Optics Internetwork Processor Intranet

Legacy Systems Local Area Network (LAN) Middleware Modem

Multiplexer

Network Network Architecture

An interconnected system of computers, terminals, and communications channels and devices. A master plan designed to promote an open, simple, flexible, and efficient telecommunications environment through the use of standard protocols, standard communications hardware and software interfaces, and the design of a standard multilevel telecommunications interface between end users and computer systems. TCP/IP: Transmission control protocol/Internet protocol. A suite of telecommunications network protocols used by the Internet, intranets, and extranets that has become a de facto network architecture standard for many companies.

Network Computing

A network-centric view of computing in which the network is the computer, that is, the view that computer networks are the central computing resource of any computing environment. Information systems that use common standards for hardware, software, applications, and networking to create a computing environment that allows easy access by end users and their networked computer systems. A computing environment in which end-user computers connect, communicate, and collaborate directly with one another via the Internet or other telecommunications network links. A set of rules and procedures for the control of communications in a communications network. Pertaining to the transmission of signals over long distances, including not only data communications but also the transmission of images and voices using radio, television, and other communications technologies. Internetwork processors such as switches and routers and other devices such as multiplexers and communications controllers that allow a communications channel to carry simultaneous data transmissions from many terminals. They may also perform error monitoring, diagnostics and correction, modulation demodulation, data compression, data coding and decoding, message switching, port contention, and buffer storage. A secure network that uses the Internet as its main backbone network to connect the intranets of a companys different locations or to establish extranet links between a company and its customers, suppliers, or other business partners. A data communications network covering a large geographic area. Using radio or infrared transmissions to link devices in a local area network.

Open Systems

Peer-to-Peer Network (P2P) Protocol Telecommunications

Telecommunications Processors

Virtual Private Network Wide Area Network (WAN) Wireless LANs

Wireless Technologies Using radio wave, microwave, infrared, and laser technologies to transport digital communications without wires between communications devices. Examples include terrestrial microwave, communications satellites, cellular and PCS phone and pager systems, mobile data radio, and various wireless Internet technologies.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORK - Presentation of Concepts (Chapter 6); Case: SAIC, Hewlett-Packard, GE and Others: The Business Case for Wireless Sensor Networks (page 256). Give local examples.

Real World Case Study (PG 236) Question 1 from Real world Case Study 3 on page 236 (Basim) What are some of the benefits associated with using wireless networks to collect and transmit data? Wireless networks are basically any type of computer networks that is not connected with wires. These types of

networks are associated with a telecommunication network whose interconnection is implemented without the use of wires. Wireless telecommunication networks are usually implemented with some type of remote information transmission system that rely on radio wave, microwave, infrared, and visible light pulses to transport digital communications. There are various types of wireless technologies that include terrestrial microwave, communications satellites, cellular and PCS telephone and pager systems, mobile data radio, wireless LANs, and other wireless Internet technologies. The choice of which technology to use depends on the specific ranges within the electromagnetic spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies that are specified by national regulatory agencies to minimize interference and promote efficient telecommunications. Wireless networks have had a significant impact on the world business. Information could be sent overseas breaking geographical barriers in a faster efficient and reliable way. Cellular phones are examples of such wireless technology. Over the years this technology has been developed to be of use in other fields of business. As weve seen in the real world example on page 236 that a new technology has been developed to make a wireless sensor network. These wireless sensor networks have been adopted by many big companies such as SAIC, Hewlett-Packard, General Electric (GE), and others as well. For Instance, Hewlett Packard has experimented wireless network sensors at a warehouse in Memphis. By this approach, is trying to reinvent how companies manage the flow of goods. BP plc the worlds second largest independent oil company is also aiming to use this technology to reduce the cost of their bulky dumb monitoring system of their Washington state oil refinery. The old monitoring system cost $10,000 dollars per measurement whereas the innovative wireless sensor network would cost them only $1,000. In addition, the wired version costs significantly more to maintain in comparison to the wireless sensor network that runs on AA batteries and requires no or minimal maintenance. Another smart advantage of the wireless sensor network is that the sensor nodes or motes send information from on mote to another until the information reaches a central processing unit. This feature is useful in cases where a motes is not running, an adjacent one would carry on it function. Finally, this wireless technology will enable remote monitoring of shipping containers from tampering, and also apartment buildings and industrial areas as well. It is true that this new innovative technology is not widely spread and the cost of conversion might be high. However, once the demand for it becomes higher and the cost of production drops down, it will replace the old conventional monitoring systems. Question 2 - Yuping 2. What are some of the challenges faced by this use of wireless technologies? What solution can you offer? The challenges face by this use of wireless technologies are: 1).They need to figure out how organize these systems and develop interesting applications for them. 2). Writing software to make it is easy to communicate between sensors and killer apps. 3). the price is impractical. If the intrefaces among the hardware, software and communications channels of telecommunications networks are not held well, the use of telecommunication will be hampered, the costs will be increased, the efficiency and effectiveness will be reduced. For these reason, telecommunications manufactures and national and international organizations have developed standards called protocols and master plans called network architectures to support the development of adcanced data communications networks." A protocol is a standard set of rules and prodedures for the control of communications in a network. However, these standards may be limited to just one manufacturer's equipment or just one type of data communications. Part of the goal of communications network architectures is to create more standardization and compatibility among communications protocols. One example of a protocol is a standard for the physical characteristics of the cables and connectors between terminals, computers, modems, and communications lines. Other examples are the protocols that establish the communications control information needed for handshaking, which is the process of exchanging predtermined signals and characters to establish a telecommunication seesion between terminals and computers. Other protocols deal with control of data transmission reception in a network, switching techniquew, internetwork connections and so on.The goal of network architectures is to promote an open, simple, flexible, and efficient telecommunications environment, accomplished by the use of standard protocols, standard communications hardware and software interfaces, and the design of a standard multilevel interface between end users and computer systems.The open Systems Intercommection model is a standard descrition or 'reference model' for how messages should be transmitted between any two points in a telecommunications network. Its purpose is to guide product implementers so that their products will consistently work with other products. The reference model defines seven layers of functions that take place at each end of a communication." (Pg 225)

" The Internet uses a system of telecommunications protocols that has become so widely used that it is now accepted as a network architecture. The Internet's protocol suite is called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and is known as TCP/IP. TCP/IP consists of five layers of protocols that can be related to the seven layers of the OSI architerture. TCP/IP is used by the Internet and by all intranet and extranets." "Although many of the technical aspects of the Internet can appear quite complex, the addressing, routing, and transpaort protocols, which make sure you get to the right Web site or your email is delivered to the right place, are actually elegantly simple. TCP/IP cam be thought of as analogues to how the postal system find your house and delivers your mail. In this analogy, TCP represents the postal system and the various processes and protocols used to move the mail, while IP represent the zip code and address."(Pg 227) "One of the newest uses for Internet protocol is Internet telephony-the practice of using an Internet connection to pass voice data using IP instead of using the standard public switched telephone network. Often referred to as voice over IP or VolP, this approach makes use of a packet-based network to carry voice calls instead of the traditional circuit-switched network." " VoIP is being used more and more to keep corporate telephone cost down, as you can simply run two network calbles to a desk instead of seperate network and data cables." ( Pg 228).

Question 3 - Chenxi

Case question 3 Chenxi Zhang The use of wireless networking as described in the case is both innovative and functional. What other business uses can you envision for this approach? As shown in the case, the Science Applications International Corp uses wireless net works of sensors to help secure U. S borders, bridges, power plants and other vital locations. Such a innovative and functional also can be used in other fields. Take hospital for example. In traditional way, nurses and assistant nurses will be in charge of watching the patients conditions and movement from day and night. This traditional will cost a lot of money, because hospital must hire a plenty of nurses to take care of patients, in particular in the evening. In addition, in some cases, the nurses cannot take care of all patients, because every nurse watches several wards and take care of patients. While using wireless net works can not only save the salary cost obviously, but also give patients more care. When setting up a whole outfit of wireless sensors networks, hospital just hire several nurses sitting in front of screen to watch the patients. Moreover, wireless networking with webcam also serves an important role in operation. In some cases, doctors and surgeons will meet some special and difficult disease symptoms and operations that they have not met. What a coincidence, they meet such operations. What should they do? They dont know how to deal with them, while the operations should be in process immediately. They can phone to other surgeons who have done such operations before. However, such disease symptoms are so complicated that surgeons cannot describe accurately. Likewise, other surgeons also cannot give the definite instructions, because they dont totally make sense. It is impossible to send the patient to another hospital. If the hospital has wireless networking with webcam, I think such operations can be started

immediately. Through webcam, experienced surgeons can see and know the details of the operation directly, and then they tell the surgeon how to operate. The use of wireless works in multinational company is ordinary. Multinational companys headquarters and its manufactory are always in different country, so it is impossible to supervise the process of produce and quality of products frequently. This problem can be easily solved through using sensor and webcam. Sensor can send the image materials about process of produce to headquarters, and managers can tell the works where should be improved.

CHAPTER 6 (PG 234) Question 1 - Yuping chapter6/1 The internet is the driving force behind developments in telecommunications,network, and other information technologies. Do you agree or disagree? why? Yes, the Internet is the driving force behind developments in telecommunications,net work, and other informatioon technologies. The reasons are follow: When computers are networked, two industies-computing and communication-converge, there is a great revolution in the communication and network areas. Telecommunications and network technologies are internetworking and revolutinanizing business and society. Businesses have become networked enterprises. The Internet, the Web, and intranet and extranets are networking business processes and employees together and connecting them to their customers, suppliers, and other business stakeholders. The global Internet crates a public place without geographic boundaries, where ordinary citizens can interact, publish their ideas, and engage in the purchase of goods and services. Companies and workgroups can thus collaborate more creatively, mange their business operations and esources more effectively, and compete sucessfully in today's fast changeing global economy. The term network means an interconnected or interrelated chain, group, or system Telecommunication is the exchange of information in any form(voice, data, text, images, audio, video) over networks. Early telecommunications networks did not use cmoputers to route traffic and, as such, were much slower than today's computer-based networks. The telecommunications industry has changed from government-regulated monopolies to a deregulated market with fiercely competitve suppliers of telecommunications services. Numerous companies now offer businesses and consumers a choice of everything from local and global telephone services to communications satelite channels, mobile radio, cable TV, cellular phone serives and Internest access. The explosive growth of the Internet is a revolutionary phenomenon in computing and telecommunications. The internet has become the largest and most important network of networks today and has evolved into a global information superhighway. We can think of the Internet as a network made up of millions of smaller private networks, each with the ability to operate independent of, or in harmony with, all the other millions of networks connected to the Internet. The Internet is constantly expanding as more and more businesses and other organizations and their users, computers, and networks jion its global Web.Thousands of businesses, educational, and research networks now connect millions of computer systems and users in more than 200 countries.Open systems with unrestricted connectivity, using Internet networking technologies as their technology platform, are today's primary telecommunications technology drivers. Web browser suites, HTML Web page editors, Internet and intranet servers and network management software, TCP/IP Internet networking products, and network security firewalls are just a few examples. These technologies are being applied in Internet, intranet, and extranet applications, especially those for eletronic commerce and collaboration, This trend had reinforced previous industry and technical moves toward buiding client/server networks based on an open-systems architecture. Business use of the Internet has expanded from an electronic information exchange to a broad platform for strategic business applications. Notice how applications such as collaboration among business partners, providing customer and vendor support, and electronic

commerce have become major business use of the Internet. Companies are also using Internet technologies for marketing, sales, and customer relationship management applications, as well as for cross-functional business applications, and applications in engineering, manufactring, human resources, and accounting. Use of the Internet, intranets and extranets, and other telecommunicatoins networks can dramtically cut costs, shorten business lead times and response times, support electronic commerce, improve the collaboration of workgroups, develop online operational processes, share sources, lock in customers and suppliers, and develop new products and services.The Internet provide a synthesis of cumputing and communication capabilites that adds value to every part of the business cycle. The revoltions in telecommunincation industries and networks industies are causing a significant change in the global business and Internet sits firmly in the center of the action. Question 4 - Chenxi

How will wireless information appliances and services affect the business use of the Internet and the Web? Explain. With the rapid development of information technology, wireless information appliances and services will be more mature and popular in the future. The use of Internet and the Web will definitely more frequent, because we can surf the Internet and Web quickly and conveniently with wireless information appliances and services. Cell phone and laptop are the most widely used wireless information appliances at present. Most of people use them in daily life for looking up information, acquiring news and communicating with friends and relatives. Wireless information services include email, weather report, text messaging, GPS location and so on. First of all, how to get a large amount of latest information and news quickly is very important for a company. Using the laptop can get much useful and valuable information on the Internet conveniently. For example, as we all know, businessmen are always busy with attending a series of social activities and parties. That is to say, they have no more time to be in their office, while they have to take much time to do routines such as receiving and sending email, getting news and information on internet. Using a laptop to do such things is easy and convenient. Wherever they go, they just turn on the laptop and have access to Internet. Moreover, keeping in touch with your employees, customers, suppliers and partners is important, because through communication many problems such as customers needs, the speed of innovating new products will be specific and improved. For example, if customers want to give some suggestions and ideas after using our products, they can use their cell phone to report such situations to our customer service department immediately, or visit our companys website and leave their suggestions. In order to improve our products immediately, we will inform the manager of produce department about these suggestions. Using cell phone is the best way, because the managers do not know immediately, if we send email. Finally, using wireless information equipment and Internet to hold net meetings which make routine meetings efficient and free. There are many routine meetings will be held in a company. However, few managers or stockholders cannot attend due to different reasons. For example, the meeting will be held in American, while the managers or stockholders are in other countries. In addition, there is few meetings for emergency, so many stockholders and stockholders cannot attend. Depending on the continuous development of wireless information and Internet, we can hold routine meetings in anytime and anywhere.

Question 6 - What is the business value driving so many companies to rapidly install and extend intranets throughout their organizations? (Laura) The growth of the internet has elevated the business world to levels that no one could have ever imagined (with possibly the exception of Bill Gates). The internet has moved some businesses solely online, advanced customer relationships and created virtual companies (and these are just to name a few). The internet, Is a revolutionary phenomenon in computing and telecommunications (Introduction to Information systems, Pg. 197). The internet is often referred to as the information superhighway and has grown into the networks of networks today (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 197). Businesses continue to grow using the internet to expand and their business processes more convenient. Some strategic business applications of the internet used by companies today include: collaboration among business partners, providing customer and vendor support and electronic commerce (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 199). Some other uses of the internet by companies today include: Marketing, sales, customer relationship management applications, cross-functional business applications and applications in engineering, manufacturing, human resources and accounting (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg.199). Two major concepts that have derived from the evolution of the internet include intranets and extranets. For the purpose of this question we will focus on the role that intranets play in an organization. Intranet can be defined as internet-like networks and websites developed for use within an organization (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 12). Some internet technologies (intranets) used within organizations to provide an internet-like environment for information sharing, communications, collaboration and support of the business process may include: Web browsers and servers, TCP/IP network protocols, HTML hypermedia document publishing and databases, and so on (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 201). The use of and implementation of intranets in organizations today continues to grow, while a major emphasis is placed on their (intranets) business value within these organizations: Many companies have sophisticated and widespread intranets, offering detailed data retrieval, collaboration tools, personalized customer profiles, and links to the Internet. Investing in the intranet, they feel, is as fundamental as supplying employees with a telephone (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 200). Four ways that businesses organize the use of intranets within their organizations that create business value include: Communication and Collaboration, Web Publishing, Business Operations and Management and Intranet Portal Management. Communication and Collaboration intranets can significantly improve communication throughout an organization. For example, You can use your internet browser and your PC or NC workstation to send and receive e-mail, voicemail, pages and faxes to communicate with others within your

organization (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 202). You can also use intranet groupware within your organization such as chat rooms, discussion groups and audio or video conferencing. These features are considered to be a great value to an organization because they can improve team and project collaboration (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 202). Web Publishing has moved to corporate intranets and gives organizations, The advantage of developing and publishing hyperlinked multimedia documents to hypermedia databases accessible on World Wide Web servers (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 202). Because of the, comparative ease, attractiveness, and lower cost of publishing and accessing multimedia business information internally via internet Web sites has been the primary reasons for the explosive growth in the use of intranets in business (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 202). Web Publishing allows businesses to create their own newsletters, web sites and web pages to be published in a variety of ways, with in-house technology. Intranets are also being used as the platform for developing and deploying critical business applications to support business operations and managerial decision making across the internetworked enterprise (Introduction to Information System, Pg. 202). Companies continue to develop custom applications such as, Order processing, inventory control, sales management, and enterprise information portals, that can be and are executed on intranets (Introduction to Information Systems, Pg. 202). Intranet Portal Management are comprised of IT and IS professionals who are hired to maintain intranet services, including the hardware, software and other software components needed for the successful execution of intranet operations. A Network Administrator for example, is in charge of network security, i.e. passwords, computer viruses, directory management and much more. As I have mentioned above, the use of Intranets allows companies to do a variety of things at a lower cost, in combination with the internet. All of the above included facts are the business value of intranets. Better and increased communication, web publishing, and support for business operations and management through the use of the internet all improve and support the business processes of organizations today.
Question 7- Nali 7. What strategic competitive benefits do you see in a companys use of extranets? Referring to the textbook, the definition of extranets is extremely clear which are network links that use internet technologies to interconnect the intranet of a business with the intranets of its customers, suppliers, or other business partners. To put it into any way, that is to say, enterprises can set up network that links themselves or establish private, secure internet link, as well as can utilize the unsecured internet as the extranet link between its intranet and consumers and others but rely on the encryption of sensitive data and its own firewall systems to provide adequate security. It is worth mentioning that nowadays many business treasure the importance of utilizing extranets since the potential competitive benefits which are provided by extranets is significantly. As shown in the textbook, it is easily for us notice the advantages for deploying extranets within a company. First and foremost, it seems likely that by making use of extranets which attribute to link the enterprise to a wide variety of external partner instantaneously and simultaneously. For instance, hypothesis I am a manger of a food market, in order to consolidate the relationship with the customers and the suppliers, by deploying extranets it would

be uncomplicated for both parties to communicate and interact with each others so as to gather and disseminate the information in-time. Therefore, it would be easy for the suppliers to replenish the stocks timely on the basis of those data which is updated by the extranets. What is more, the relationship between the customers and the companies would be strengthened with the help of advanced extranet technology. Moreover, nowadays with the influence of the development of the advanced information technology systems, the business has been transformed into a renovated customer-oriented way, therefore, whoever failed to adapt will run the risk of failure in the long run. One of the most crucial ingredients that attribute to the success for a enterprise is detailed, compensative customer services with the company, as a matter of fact, by using of extranets, customers would have the capability to access self-service functions such as ordering food online, refunded automatically, and making a payment instantly. To summarize, extranets is responsible for linking the business to the worldwide which conducive the improvement of both efficiency and effectiveness within the business. Secondly, the web browner technology which renowned as one of the most quintessential ingredients of the extranets, by taking advantage of browser, technology, the supplier and the end-users can access of intranet the information and date much more fluently and swiftly, to making a comparison with the other business methods , the advantage of extranet is overwhelmingly. Thirdly, extranets is capable to offering new kinds of interactive web-enabled services to their business partners, which marks a innovated way comparing with the others currently. Fourthly, nowadays many companies values cooperation and collaboration in-house which is helpful to achieve the consistence for the management between each department within the company, extranets can make a improvement towards the relationship between the customers and the other business partners, by introducing the suppliers or the business partners to the management,decision-making or even manufacturing links within the company which might attribute to accelerate the productivity and making the workforce more efficiency in the future as well. Question 9 - Feng Do you think that business use of the Internet, intranets, and extranets has changed what businesspeople expect from information technology in their jobs? Explain. The changes in telecommunications industries and technologies just mentioned are causing a significant change in the business use of telecommunications. The trend toward more vendors, services, Internet technologies, and open systems, and the rapid growth of the Internet, the World Wide Web, and corporate intranets and extranets, dramatically increases the number of feasible telecommunications applications. Thus, Internet, intranets, and extranets, such networks are now playing vital and pervasive roles in Web-enabled e-business processes, electronic commerce, enterprise collaboration, and othe business aplications that support the operations, management, and strategic objectives of both large and small business enterprises. The explosive growth of the Internet is a revolutionary phenomenon in computing and telecommunications. The Internet has become the largest and most important network of networks today and has evolved into a global information superhighway. Business ue of the Internet has expanded from an electronic information exchange to a broad platform for strategic business applications. Notice how applications such as collaboration among business partners, providing customer and vendor support, and electronic commerce have become major business uses of the Internet. Companies are also using Internet technologies for marketing, sales, and customer relationship management applications, as well as for cross-functional business applications, and applications in engineering, manufacturing, human resources, and accounting. Substantial cost savings can arise because applications that use the Internet and Internet-based technologies (like intranets and extranets) are typically less expensive to develop, operate, and maintain than traditional systems. For example, an airline saves money every time customers use its Web site instead of its cusomter suport telephone system. To summarize, most companies are building e-business and e-commerce Websites to achieve six major business values: Generate new revenue from online sales. Reduce transaction costs through online sales and customer support. Attract new customers via Web marketing and advertising and online sales. Increase the loyalty of existing customers via improved Web customer service and support Develop new Web-based markets and distribution channels for existing products. Develop new information-based products accessible on the Web. Organizations of all kinds are implementing a broad range of intranet uses. One way that companies organize intranet applications is to group them conceptually into a few user services categories that relect the basic services that intranes offer to their users. These services are provided by the intranets portal, browser, and server software, as well as by other system and application software and groupware that are part of a companys intranet software environment. Intranets provide an enterprise information portal that supports ommunication and collaboration, Web publishing, business operations and management, and intranet portal management. A companyy can use the unsecured Internet as the extranet link between its intranet and consumers and others but rely on the encryption of sensitive data and its own firewall systems to provide adequate security. Thus, extranets enable customers, suppliers, consultants, subcontractors, business prospets, and others to access selected intranet Web sites and other company databases. The business value of extranets is derived from several factors. First, the Web browser

technology of extranets makes customer and supplier access of intranet resources a lot easier and faster than previous business methods. Second, extranets enable a company to offer new kinds of interactive Web-enabled services to their business partners. Thus, extranets are another way that a business can build and strengthen strategic relationships with its customers and suppliers. Also, extranets can enable an improve collaboration by a business with its customers and other business partners. Extranets facilitate an online, interactive product development, marketing, and customer-focused process that can bring better designed products to market faster.

Baban, Benedict Francis Bonono, Lodivina Caibigan, Michel Kevin Carlos, Zosimo Richard Jabal, Ronaldo Legaspi, Arlene Mubarakh, Sherko