Nozama Information Sheet Introduction You are in the process of creating Nozema, an e-commerce book retailer. Your experience from computer networking courses in college gives you the confidence to tackle this project yourself, and along the way you will tackle issues related to MIS framed through the fictional retailer. About Nozama Nozama will focus on selling new and used books. Beyond strictly selling physical copies, a major part of your business will be allowing customers to get “online” in your store and download books. This process will be addressed in classes that you plan to offer on downloading books and setting them up on any device. To do so, you will need to design and build a network and computing solution for your business. After having done some initial planning, you have decided on starting with 100 initial items and growing items as business increases. Company Needs You have identified the following requirements for your network: 1. One office computer and one server used for sales services and classes on your website. 2. A backup server to capture data in case of a disaster 3. Two dedicated networks: for computers and for the servers 4. Centralized management and control of the computers so that you can maintain the network from off-site 5. Adequate security for all company communication and documents 6. Protection for all services 7. Segmented general network access 8. Top drawer speed 9. Available capacity to use as the company grows Additionally, the following needs ought to be addressed as you develop your MIS strategy: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Drafting a company history Developing a company mission statement Expanding to selling additional items Providing clients the ability to view all books online Providing customers with a general information website Creating a second, secure, Website through which clients can buy services and products Providing for limited downtime (24 hour downtime maximum) Long-term costs Hiring and training additional employees, all of whom will work from home. Running Head: INFORMATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT Information Systems Management Name: Samantha Crocker Institution: Rasmussen College 1 INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT 2 Information Systems Management Part 1 Information System Diagram for Nozama book retailer Large and small organizations, public and private companies use information systems technology, to conduct its operations, and make crucial decisions, thus leading to the success of the company. A company like Nozama, utilizes information technology such as the internet, to plan, design analyses, implement, maintain and support its business operations. Moreover, Nozama may use information technology to validate, verify and test a set of the company’s activities, which are carried out in parallels with the primary production processes (Yu, 2004). Planning Analysing Support NOZAMA INTERNET Designing Head quarter Retail store Workers Validate Manufacturing Implement REQUIREMENTS Maintain Office computer Backup server Verify INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT Top drawer Segmented general network access Security Centralised Management system Part 2 - Rationale of Information Systems Ways in which an Information System can support Nozama's business functions An information system can support the services and activities of companies like Nozama in decision making, through web-based real-time information that relies on the customer orders, clients complain and the business production cycles. Most companies which lack the information system facility have inaccurate information; hence they may make an improper decision, leading o underproduction of their goods (Alter, 2001). Information system also provides an overview of business activities of Nozama retailers, for example, it Provides customers with general information about their goods and provides the buyers and customers the ability to view some contents of the book, using the internet. Nozama book retailers may utilize information systems to engineer its operations, for example, it can provide a platform where interested buyers purchase the books, pay for the books, how to receive the purchased book, and the shipping destination and company. Additionally, the information system is essential to Nozama book retailers because it boosts and strengthens the finance and 3 INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT accounting system through establishing a proper ledger, budgeting, accounts receivable and payable and methods of managing the company’s profits. According to Gunasekaran & Ngai (2004), an information management system is vital to a book retailer such as Nozama, because it integrates the functions and business processes, for example, it coordinates the decisions, activities, and knowledge of the retailer at different levels. Moreover, it manages and improves the supply chain, and its interaction with customers, since customers can give feedback, rate their product and service and also make a complaint, and receive instant feedback. Nozama management can use the information system to keep track of companies’ transaction and losses, and detect any anomaly which may arise; hence it is crucial for Nozama to embrace the use of information systems. Business purpose and function of information system According to Gunasekaran, Sandhu & World Scientific (2010), the business purpose of information system, is to process, carry out inputs, control and store information, to convert the input data, to information which a company like Nozama may use to plan, forecast, make decisions, control or coordinate the retail activities. 4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT References Alter, S. (2001). Information systems: Foundation of e-business. Prentice Hall PTR. Gunasekaran, A., Sandhu, M., & World Scientific (Firm). (2010). Handbook on business information systems. Singapore: World Scientific Pub. Co. Gunasekaran, A., & Ngai, E. W. (2004). Information systems in supply chain integration and management. European Journal of Operational Research, 159(2), 269-295. Yu, E. (2004). Information systems (in the Internet age). Practical Handbook of Internet Computing: Boca Raton, FL: CRC. 5 Running Head: DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AND SUMMARY Disaster Recovery Plan and Summary Samantha Crocker Rasmussen College 1 DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AND SUMMARY 2 Part 1-Disaster Recovery Plan Roles of Staff members The first person on-scene and other staff members shall perform a meticulous restoration, revitalization of the site, strengthening, establishing web safety, maintaining situational awareness, advising personnel in the vulnerable areas, and eliminating potential ignition sources (Phillips, 2015). The incident commanders evaluate safety concerns, activate the emergency response team, and communicate incident briefings, and direct response and clean-up operations. Purpose and Scope of Plan The purpose of a disaster recovery plan is to facilitate proper protection of Nozama data resources to safeguard the vital records. It also enables the ability of the company to function effectively in case of severe or normal disruption (Sahebjamnia et al., 2015). A disaster recovery plan is used to enable the company to resume essential operations more rapidly in the event of a disruption. The plan covers on steps to address disruption, recovery process, and activation process. Instructions for Activating the Plan To activate the plan, the incident recovery team including data analysts will perform a weekly data backup of information into remote resources such as cloud computing. The team shall activate the plan based on the magnitude, projected vulnerabilities, and impending breaches in the company’s website (Towstopiat et al., 2017). The recovery team, together with incident commanders, adheres to corporate security requires such as safety and privacy of the data. DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AND SUMMARY 3 Steps for Addressing Disruptions To address disruptions, immediate response, environmental restoration, functional restoration, data synchronization, restoration of business functions, interim site, and return home are vital steps to follow (Sahebjamnia et al., 2015). The immediate response involves preventing the website against further attacks. Environmental restoration involves recovering the network resources. Data synchronization involves reinstallation of the lost data. Instructions for Recovery When recovering and restoring devices and equipment, the recovery persons shall be required to first assess the damages, download recovery BIOS, consider both the hardware and software details, verifying facility safety and accessibility, identifying external and internal recovery team contractors and contacts, identifying the scope of repair, obtaining offline vault location, and applying update plans are important (Wallace & Webber, 2017). Part 2-Summary Potential Security Challenges Social engineering, phishing, denial-of-service attacks, outdated security software, poor configurations, mobile malware, hacking, viruses and worms, and vandalism are some of the security challenges might be experienced by the company (Li & Meng, 2016). Social engineering is an attack vector that heavily relies on manipulating people into breaking normal security policies and procedures. Phishing involves using deceptive websites and emails to gather personal information. Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks involve bombarding and flooding DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AND SUMMARY 4 resources or bandwidth of a target system with traffic to compromise the systems. Hacking involves using sophisticated technology to intrude the website. Protecting the MIS from Threats Public-key cryptography, public key infrastructure (PKI), biometrics, firewall, enforcing strong passwords, regular updating of security software, using DLP technology, Magna Active breach Detection, implementing access control policies, smart cards, ciphers DES, regular data update and backup, and digital watermarking techniques are used (Li & Meng, 2016). Using HTTP cookies to verify passwords, PKI is a flexible and reliable key-distribution system where only authorized users can have access to two cryptographic key, one for decryption and encryption. Implementing a data policy is important in enhancing the proper use of the technology. To prevent against phishing, regular education and sensitization of staff are important. How up-to-date Information supports Good Decision-Making and Business Objects By keeping and maintaining the information up-to-date, it offers an opportunity for a data analyst to obtain insightful and resourceful information that support better decisions. Also, the up-to-date information allows the data analyst to look at the current trends in the company and evaluate whether it is fueling easier attainment of business objects (Li & Meng, 2016). Furthermore, up-to-date information fosters proper estimation of the consequences of proposed decisions for the entire company. DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AND SUMMARY 5 References Li, W., & Meng, W. (2016). A survey on OpenFlow-based Software Defined Networks: Security challenges and countermeasures. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 68, 126-139. Phillips, B. D. (2015). Disaster recovery. CRC press. Sahebjamnia, N., Torabi, S. A., & Mansouri, S. A. (2015). Integrated business continuity and disaster recovery planning: Towards organizational resilience. European Journal of Operational Research, 242(1), 261-273. Towstopiat, O., Sullivan, R., Cunningham, H. A., & Partridge, B. (2015). U.S. Patent No. 9,098,457. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Wallace, M., & Webber, L. (2017). The disaster recovery handbook: A step-by-step plan to ensure business continuity and protect vital operations, facilities, and assets. Amacom. Running head: MIS PLAN AND SUMMARY MIS Plan and Summary Samantha Crocker Rasmussen College 1 MIS PLAN AND SUMMARY 2 PART 1: MIS Plan i) Key Personnel Involved Adams Martin, Project-Manager - He will direct the team, create and maintain the project timelines, allocate funds, and pay all personnel. Also, he will conduct progress meetings, discuss current issues and future timeline tools for project completion. Cooper Karissa, Network-Administrator – Designing, setting up, maintaining and monitoring Wide-Area Network (WAN) and Local-Area Network (LAN) infrastructures (JAMPRO, 2017). Brian Burrows, Server Administrator – Installing, supporting and maintaining the server and computer networks. Also, establishing a plan to respond to potential-service outages and other computing challenges (nixCraft, 2006). Cole Williams, Database-Administrator – Will monitor the database’s security, performance, and integrity. Also, planning and developing the database, and troubleshooting issues in the MIS (Prospects, 2017). Greg Simmons, Senior-Developer – Developing, supporting, and maintaining the MIS. Also, implementing the MIS’s parts created by the Network-Administrator, Server-Administrator, and Database-Administrator. He would also incorporate important recommendations by the SeniorManager. Savannah Martins, Senior-Manager - Providing information regarding how the network should operate, and the system most beneficial to the daily operations of the Nozama organization. MIS PLAN AND SUMMARY 3 ii) System Requirements System-Capabilities – System should be accessible online and to all supporting mobile-devices 24-hours daily, accept electronic payments by clients, and have the ability to collect, processing, and transferring data. Hardware-Requirements – The MIS needs one office computer and server utilized for the website’s sales classes or services. An additional computer for storing data-files, and an additional backup server utilized for capturing information during disasters. Software-Requirements – For the MIS system to work properly, there is a need for an antivirus for protecting the system and data, and security software for securing and protecting customer and system information. Additionally, there is a need for a Microsoft-Office for communicating emails, reporting, data visualization, and invoicing as well as a mobile application for accessing the network when offsite. Network-Requirements – A network for the computers, servers, segmented general-network access, and top-drawer speed. The system shall offer customers general information and capability of viewing books online. Secondly, it shall secure the website, cloud-based backup storage as well as WAN and LAN. Security-Requirements – Each user shall have their usernames and passwords for accessing the system. This will offer security and track the users’ activities. Training-Requirements – The MIS should have training capabilities for employees on the expectations of Nozama to them. iii) System Analysis – The MIS will consist of 2 computers and two servers. One computer shall be used by Nozama for collecting and processing sales-services information and MIS PLAN AND SUMMARY 4 training customers on how to download e-books. Nozama shall also provide a software application for clients to download freely, and download e-books. The 2nd computer shall collect and store customer information data-files. It shall be encrypted using a universal password; hence ensuring information security. Data files shall also be backed-up on the server and cloud to cater for cases of MIS disaster. MicrosoftOffice will permit communication and develop reports and visual data-presentations to assist in strategic decision-making for the operations of Nozama. iv) Testing and Execution The test on the MIS shall be undertaken by an outside organization after its completion. The beta-unit test shall be used to test the functioning of the MIS’s software and hardware. The system-test shall test if all components of the system are working properly together when undertaking various functions. The company shall then communicate their findings to Nozama, and give a final certificate by use of the acceptance test. The beta-test shall be undertaken externally within two weeks before the date of implementing the system. This shall assign a substantial period to attend to any potential mistakes found during the beta-test. After the completion of the test, the project’s manager shall offer the project team the permission of implementing the new system and start training employees on how to operate the system. PART 2 The presence of the management information system (MIS) may bring success to Nozama. First, it will ensure that the company keeps up with project timelines. Nozawa's goal is to offer easily downloadable e-books; hence the quicker the development of the MIS, the sooner MIS PLAN AND SUMMARY 5 they begin generating more profits from this service. Secondly, the ease of use provided by the system shall contribute to its success. The faster the employees learn how to use the system, the faster the completion of their training. The final factor for success for the establishment of MIS will be its utilization. The project team should develop the correct system to carry out the functions the Nozama Company wishes to obtain from the implementation of the MIS. In case the system carries out the functions the management required it to, the system shall be a success to Nozama. Factors that can contribute to the failure of the system include the timeline, usage by people, and functionality. In case the beta test shows some errors that will require the team to invest more time and effort than scheduled, it could lead to timeline extension and delay of the implementation. This can easily fail the system, as well as the entire organization. Also, the system failing to achieve the desired functionality and experiencing user-errors could lead to system failure. Establishment of an excellent system will also require staff training, and the company may incur a lot of costs that could harm its operations. Factors that could lead to changes in the implementation of the MIS include competition, the necessity of new computers and hardware, and hiring of new employees in a case where the company needs to expand its territories. MIS PLAN AND SUMMARY 6 References JAMPRO. (2017). Network Administrator – Management Information Systems Department. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicatradeandinvest.org/content/network-administrator%E2%80%93-management-information-systems-department-0 Prospects. (2017). Database Administrator. Retrieved from https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobprofiles/database-administrator nixCraft. (2006, February 20). What is the role of the System Administrator? Retrieved from https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/what-is-the-role-of-the-system-administrator/ Running Page: PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK Proposal for Nozama Network and Computing Infrastructure Samantha Crocker Rasmussen College 1 PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK 2 Proposal for Nozama Network and Computing Infrastructure Introduction Nozama is an e-commerce start-up business designed to sell books online. Clients will be in a position to download books and set them up on any electronic device. The company will use a consolidative approach in handling product sales and transactions. Thus consumers will get a centralized and expedient online platform to purchase as well as review books. The target is to offer customer satisfaction. The e-commerce business approach favors the business as the Internet continues to provide a flexible and convenient platform for selling and purchasing products. Retailers and businesses continue to witness increases in the online revenues. The average rates of returns for businesses that are Internet-based are about 9% (Goetsch, 2014). This portrays a fantastic prospect for Nozama. However, to achieve its objectives, the business initially requires to set up networking and computing infrastructure. This paper addresses the hardware and software needs of Nozama, and it is structured to address three aspects specifically: I. I. Servers needed II. Desktop needed III. Software needed SERVERS A server will offer the business remote access management and subsequent services of data backups and file sharing. The business plans on running a website to sell books to consumer’s books. Therefore running a site on the server will require stability and guaranteed performance. The primary task is to choose a hybrid server and dedicated server. Nozama will need a hybrid PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK 3 server as it will offer a dedicated server experience for a lesser price. Further to this, a hybrid server will be appropriate for the e-commerce applications, databases and content management systems. It will also be an excellent selection for hosting a high traffic website. Main Server Choice: Lenovo Think Server TS140 Server Features: CPU GRAPHICS Intel Xeon Intel E3-1226 Graphics v3 P4600 RAM HD 4GB STORAGE 2 x HDD CONNECTIVITY DIMENSIONS 1TB 9 x USB 2.0, 17.5 x 42.5 x serial, video, 2 x 43cm Display audio, Port, Gigabit Ethernet Price: $279.95 Purchase at: Amazon Rationale Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 has proved to be essential for startup businesses similar to Nozama and is the most reasonably priced ThinkServer model. Considering the company is a startup, it is not prudent to purchase expensive infrastructure when such a flawlessly handle the intended purpose (Lenovo, 2013). The Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 is also a 4U enterprise-class server and supports RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10. The server is in a position to handle 32TB of storage if PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK 4 it is loaded with 8TB HDD models. For a start, the Intel Xeon E3-1226 V3 processor will be powerful enough. Backup Server: Synology Disk Station DS214se Price: $160 (Diskless Server) and $340 (4TB inclusive) Rationale: This is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server. One of the main reason for purchasing this server is that Synology has been a favorite and reliable vendor for a long time. Further, the Disk Station Manager (DSM) operating system in the server is among the best especially references to critical aspects of performance, function, and reliability (Ngo, 2014). Backup size is enough as it can accommodate two internal HDDs. II. DESKTOP Dell Precision Tower 3000 Series (3620) Price: $649 Place of purchase: Dell Website Features CPU PROCESSOR GRAPHICS RAM SPEED STORAGE OPERATING SYSTEM PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK Intel 4.0 GHz 5 Nvidia 8GB- Core i7- Quadro 32GB 6700K M4000 1TB Windows 10 Rationale: The Dell Precision Tower 3000 Series (3620) has a consumer level unlocked Core i76700K processor at a speed of 4GHz. The Nozama business requires a computing infrastructure that is relatively stable (Domingo, 2016) and this desktop will offer exactly that. III. SOFTWARE The software chosen will be necessary for the purchased servers as well as the desktop. It is essential for Nozama enterprise to ensure that fundamental principles of information security such as confidentiality, integrity, and availability adhere. The aim of incorporating the security software is to safeguard the business as well as the consumers visiting their websites from any malicious attacks from the cyberspace. Norton Security Software Price: $49.99 Premium Place of Purchase: Norton Website Rationale: Norton Security will offer protection to the servers as well as the desktop. The software inclines to issues of malware protection and smooth usability. Accordingly, this security software has proved to be the best as it incorporated both online and offline protection and added technical support all the time. A single Norton Security license grants security for up to ten computing PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK 6 devices. The central area of paramount superiority that sets Norton apart is in the area of Windows protection. According to a 2016 test by AV-Test, an autonomous lab, Norton had the highest ranking in malware protection when compared to 22 other internet and computer security software (Shipley, 2017). Other services offered by Norton include password manager, secure file vaults, antiphishing, parental controls and 25GB of online data backup. Webroot Secure Anywhere Endpoint Protection Price: $150 for 5 Endpoints Place of Purchase: Webroot Website Rationale: The Webroot software is essential, and the large services provided by it are crucial in the management of the websites and the computing networks. It is a multi-vector protection software that protects against malware, and other sophisticated threats involving: Trojans, phishing, spyware, keylogging, back-door attacks, rootkits, and zero-day. The software is also for the bookselling e-commerce business as it incorporates built-in identity and privacy shields which will guarantee confidentiality and availability of data. NordVPN Price: $5.75 a month (Yearly Plan) Place of Purchase: NordVPN.com website PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK 7 Rationale: Size the Nozama is hosting the websites in the servers this software will come in handy. NordVPN secures the computing networks and the internet connections. Primarily, the VPN service will affix another layer of protection to ensure any business-consumer communication. Therefore, the website traffic will be encrypted to ensure no third party can access sensitive information. Conclusion The type of activity being carried out should direct the networks adopted in the business. For instance, if the company wants complete autonomy, a private network should be used. However, for the websites, a public network should be used as the company is presenting products to the public domain. PROPOSAL FOR NOZAMA NETWORK Works Cited Domingo, J. S. (2016, September 23). Dell Precision Tower 3000 Series (3620). Retrieved September 19, 2017, from PCmag: https://www.pcmag.com/review/348042/dellprecision-tower-3000-series-3620?tab=Specs Goetsch, K. (2014). ECommerce in the cloud: bringing elasticity to e-commerce. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media. Lenovo. (2013, September 10). LENOVO POWERS SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES WITH NEW THINKSERVER TOWER SERVERS. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from NEWSROOM: http://news.lenovo.com/news-releases/lenovo-powers-small-andmedium-businesses-with-new-thinkserver-tower-servers.htm Ngo, D. (2014, May 27). Top five affordable NAS servers: Home backup made easy. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from Cnet: https://www.cnet.com/news/top-five-affordable-nasservers-home-backup-made-easy/ Shipley, R. (2017). Norton Security Premium Review. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from toptenreviews: http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/security/best-computerprotection-software/norton-review/ 8
Purchase answer to see full attachment