Information Technology & Systems (MB231) : April 2005

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Question Paper

Information Technology & Systems (MB231) : April 2005

Section A : Basic Concepts (30 Marks)
• This section consists of questions with serial number 1 - 30.
• Answer all questions.
• Each question carries one mark.
• Maximum time for answering Section A is 30 Minutes.
1. In which of the following generations of computers was VLSI technology developed?
(a) First (b) Second (c) Third (d) Fourth (e) Fifth.
< Answer >
2. Which of the following registers holds the address of next instruction to be executed?
(a) Memory address register (b) Memory Buffer Register
(c) Program Control Register (d) Accumulated Register
(e) Instruction Register.
< Answer >
3. Which of the following storage devices has very slow access speed?
(a) Hard disk (b) CD-ROM (c) EPROM (d) DVD-ROM (e) Backup tape.
< Answer >
4. A kernel is a
(a) Spread sheet software (b) Application software (c) Firewall
(d) Memory resident program (e) Virus.
< Answer >
5. Which of the following statements is/are true?
I. In cooperative multitasking, the user has to restart the computer when the application stops
running and crashes.
II. In preemptive multitasking, the operating system regains control if an application stops running
and crashes.
III. Multitasking operating systems enable a single user to work with two or more programs at once.
(a) Only (I) above (b) Only (II) above (c) Only (III) above
(d) Both (II) and (III) above (e) All (I), (II) and (III) above.
< Answer >
6. Information systems that process data generated out of business transactions like sales, purchases,
payments, etc. are called
(a) Transaction Processing Systems (b) Management Information Systems
(c) Decision Support Systems (d) Executive Information Systems
(e) Manufacturing Execution systems.
< Answer >
7. Which stage of systems development cycle involves monitoring, evaluation, and modifying a system to
make desirable or necessary improvements?
(a) Systems investigation (b) Systems analysis (c) Systems design
(d) Systems implementation (e) Systems maintenance.
< Answer >
8. Which of the following is not an Electronic Conferencing tool?
(a) Data Conferencing (b) Discussion Forum
(c) Calendaring and Scheduling (d) Chat System
(e) Electronic Meeting System.
< Answer >
9. In UNIX, the command that is used to find the current directory which is in use, is
(a) cwd (b) cd (c) pwd (d) who (e) md.
< Answer >
10. In OSI Reference Model, which layer is responsible for setting up a logical path between the source and
the destination computers of the network?
(a) The data link layer (b) The network layer (c) The transport layer
(d) The session layer (e) The application layer.
< Answer >
11. Which of the following types of analytical modeling activities are involved in a decision support
system?
< Answer >
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system?
I. What-if analysis.
II. Optimization analysis.
III. Sensitivity analysis.
(a) Only (I) above (b) Only (II) above (c) Only (III) above
(d) Both (II) and (III) above (e) All (I), (II) and (III) above.
12. At which level of data abstraction, each record is described by a type definition and the interrelationship
among these record types is defined?
I. Physical level.
II. Logical level.
III. View level.
(a) Only (I) above (b) Only (II) above (c) Only (III) above
(d) Both (II) and (III) above (e) All (I), (II) and (III) above.
< Answer >
13. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a good database system?
(a) Data Independence (b) Data Integrity (c) Data
Security
(d) Data Maintenance (e) Data Redundancy.
< Answer >
14. In which type of database models, the data in several files is related through the use of a common key
field?
I. Relational model.
II. Network model.
III. Hierarchical model.
(a) Only (I) above (b) Only (II) above (c) Only (III) above
(d) Both (II) and (III) above (e) All (I), (II) and (III) above.
< Answer >
15. Which of the following statements is false regarding Pseudocode?
(a) Converting a pseudocode to a programming language is much easier when compared to converting
a flowchart or a decision table
(b) Less time and effort are required to write a pseudocode than for drawing a flowchart
(c) It is easier to modify the pseudocode of a program logic when program modifications are
necessary
(d) There are no standard rules to follow in using a pseudocode
(e) For a beginner, it is easier to follow the logic of or write a pseudocode, as compared to
flowcharting.
< Answer >
16. The rectangular predefined processing symbol in a flowchart represents
(a) The direction of processing or data flow
(b) The beginning, end, or a point of interruption in a program
(c) A group of program instructions that perform a processing function of the program
(d) A group of operations detailed in the particular flowchart
(e) Programming logic that is defined elsewhere.
< Answer >
17. Which of the following protocols is not defined in the application layer of TCP/IP Reference Model?
(a) UDP (b) TELNET (c) FTP (d) SMTP (e) DNS.
< Answer >
18. In which of the following networks, the switching equipment is located in one of the telephone
company’s central exchanges instead of on the premises of a business?
(a) Centrex (b) PBX (c) PABX (d) Star (e) Ring.
< Answer >
19. Which of the following is not an internet work processor?
(a) Switch (b) Router (c) Hub (d) Multiplexer (e) Gateway.
< Answer >
20. Which of the following decision-making statements is used in a “C” program when it is necessary to
execute the body of the loop before the test is performed?
(a) The if statement (b) The if-else statement
(c) The switch statement (d) The do statement
(e) The goto statement.
< Answer >
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21. Which function is used to read an integer to a file in a “C” program?
(a) getc() (b) putc() (c) getw() (d) putw() (e) fscanf().
< Answer >
22. Which command allows the user to view and modify files and directory owners in Novell Netware
Operating System?
(a) FLAG (b) NCOPY (c) NDIR (d) RENDIR (e) CAPTURE.
< Answer >
23. The difference between structures and unions used in a “C” program is
I. Structure is a method for packing data of different types whereas union is used for packing data of
same type.
II. In Structures, each member has its own storage location whereas all the members of a union use
the same location.
III. A Structure is declared using the key word ‘struct’ whereas union is declared using the keyword
‘union’.
(a) Only (I) above (b) Only (II) above
(c) Both (I) and (III) above (d) Both (II) and (III) above
(e) All (I), (II) and (III) above.
< Answer >
24. All Shell statements and Unix commands can be entered in the command line itself, using ___________
as the delimiter.
(a) Comma (,) (b) Semicolon (;) (c) Colon (:)
(d) Hash (#) (e) Forward Slash (/).
< Answer >
25. The “ % ” symbol used in the statement of “C” program is a
(a) Decision character (b) Conversion character (c) Data type character
(d) Printable character (e) New line character.
< Answer >
26. In a TCP/IP reference model, which layer is responsible for holding the whole architecture together?
(a) The application layer (b) The transport layer (c) The Internet layer
(d) The host-to-network layer (e) The data link layer.
< Answer >
27. Which feature of Novell Netware Operating System provides both users and network administrators
with a single, integrated view of an entire network and the servers connected to it?
(a) Netware Directory Services (NDS) (b) System administration
(c) Security (d) Message services
(e) Communication services.
< Answer >
28. Which of the following is a user-defined function in “C” language?
(a) main () (b) printf () (c) scanf () (d) fprintf () (e) fscanf ().
< Answer >
29. Which of the following types of controls are needed to ensure that information products are correct and
complete, and are available to authorized users in a timely manner?
(a) Input controls (b) Output controls (c) Processing controls
(d) Procedural controls (e) Facility controls.
< Answer >
30. The files created by the users in UNIX operating system come under the category of
I. Ordinary files.
II. Directory files.
III. Device files.
(a) Only (I) above (b) Only (II) above (c) Only (III) above
(d) Both (II) and (III) above (e) All (I), (II) and (III) above.
< Answer >
END OF SECTION A
Section B : Caselets (50 Marks)
• This section consists of questions with serial number 1 – 8.
• Answer all questions.
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• Marks are indicated against each question.
• Detailed explanations should form part of your answer.
• Do not spend more than 110 - 120 minutes on Section B.
Caselet 1
Read the caselet carefully and answer the following questions:
1. What are the business benefits Voda Tel expects for switching from its current data warehouse and business
system to the Oracle Applications Suite?
(6 marks) < Answer >
2. What business lessons did Voda Tel learn from using their current data warehouse?
(4 marks) < Answer >
3. What are the potential advantages and disadvantages to business end users of the move to the Oracle Applications
Suite?
(6 marks) < Answer >
Voda Tel Corporation, based in Austin, Texas, makes digital multimedia conferencing systems for corporate intranets,
extranets, and the Internet. Voda Tel plans to convert from its current array of business system to Oracle Applications,
an integrated business software system from Oracle that includes a data warehouse and important enterprise integration
tools like Oracle Financials, Oracle Manufacturing, etc. The move was prompted by last year’s merge of Voda Tel and
Compression Labs, Inc., in San Jose, California, and the fact that both companies had outgrown many of their
operational systems.
“In 1989, we were doing $ 2 million a year in sale; now we are doing $ 200 million”, explained Rodney Bond, Voda
Tel’s chief financial officer. “We are looking at massive future growth, and this system is critical to do that.”
Once Voda Tel decided to go with Oracle Applications, the company scrapped plans to upgrade its current warehouse,
which occupies 10G bytes of an Oracle database residing on a SPARC 20 server from Sun Microsystems. Instead, Voda
Tel will use the warehouse that comes with its new integrated applications suite.
“Our intention is to take the lessons from the current data warehouse as we move forward”, said Steve Cox, vice
president and chief information officer at Voda Tel. The most important lesson, Cox said, is the value of a warehouse
and analytic tools to the business. The warehouse has helped us understand our business. It has enabled us to analyze
the profitability of the business, he said. Rodney Bond explained, “A regional sales director can come in to the
warehouse on a daily basis and find out the sales that occurred in any area, instead of waiting for a report to come out of
finance.”
Even though the current data warehouse resides on an Oracle relational database, Voda Tel is casting it aside to avoid
maintaining two systems, according to Cox and Bond. In addition, the new warehouse will include more types of
information. It will add data on customer service of international operations, for example, to current items such as sales,
marketing, and financial data.
The new data warehouse includes software routines that extract and transform data from Voda Tel’s Oracle relational
transaction database and move it to the warehouse, which is a multidimensional database managed by Oracle Express
Server. Users will use Discover, a query and reporting tool, as well as other tools f rom the Oracle Express product line,
to get at the data. Servers will probably be from Sun Microsystems.
Cox added that he expects business users will like the new reporting tools better than the custom-built tools they
currently use. The Oracle tools will allow them to look at the data organized in many ways, such as pie-charts and bar
graphs. The current tool presents information only in grids.
Of course, the switch to an integrated packaged data warehouse and business applications will entail a huge culture
change. That may be the most difficult part. “The challenge is always to satisfy everyone’s requirements in the last
painful way and still create something you can actually support”, Cox said.
Caselet 2
Read the caselet carefully and answer the fo llowing questions:
4. What are the reasons for the failure of Hershey's Enterprise 21 project?
(8 marks) < Answer >
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5. Explain how the system failure affected Hershey’s business.
(8 marks) < Answer >
6. If you were the project manager, what kind of steps would you have taken to ensure the success of the project?
(5 marks) < Answer >
Hershey Foods Corp. of Hershey, Pennsylvania was founded in 1894 and recorded $4.4 billion in sales in 1998,
including its other brands such as Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Milk Duds, and Good and Plenty. Altogether the
company sells approximately 3,300 candy products including variations in sizes and shapes. Candy is a very seasonal
product, with Halloween and Christmas recording about 40% of annual candy sales, making the fourth quarter calendar
crucial to Hershey's profitability. Hershey's largest continuous challenge may be that it must rack up its multibillion
dollars in sales of 50 cents or one dollar at a time, requiring huge numbers of its products to be sold. Such quantities
mean Hershey must have very reliable logistics systems. According to Hershey vice-president of information systems,
Rick Bentz, Hershey began to modernize its software and hardware in early 1996. The project, dubbed Enterprise 21,
was scheduled to take four years (until early 2000). Enterprise 21 had several goals, including upgrading and
standardizing the company's hardware, and moving from a mainframe-based network to a client-server environment.
The company replaced 5,000 desktop computers and also moved to TCP/IP networking based on newly installed
network hardware. Bentz noted that benchmark studies by the Grocery Manufacturers of America show that Hershey's
IT spending trailed that of most of its industrial peers. The study concluded that Hershey needed to be able to use and
share its data much more efficiently. More and more retailers were demanding that suppliers such as Hershey fine-tune
their deliveries so that they could lower their inventory costs. Hershey's information systems management set as a goal
a move to an ERP system using software from SAP AG of Walldorf, Germany. SAP was to be complemented with
software from Manugistics Group Inc. of Rockville, Maryland. Manugistics would support production forecasting and
scheduling, as well as transportation management. In addition, the company decided to install software from Siebel
Systems Inc. of San Mateo, California. Siebel's software would aid Hershey in managing customer relations and in
tracking the effectiveness of its marketing activities. Management believed that Enterprise 21 would help Hershey
better execute its business strategy of emphasizing its core mass-market candy business. A necessary piece of
Enterprise 21 was the installation of bar-coding systems at all six U.S. production plants in 1999. Bar coding was
necessary so that the company could track all incoming and outgoing materials. In that way it would be able to improve
logistics management while controlling production costs. Enterprise 21 was later modified and called for Hershey to
switch over to the new SAP system and its associated software in April of 1999, an annual period of low sales. This
new target meant the company had 39 months to complete the project instead of the original 48 months. Although some
SAP modules were actually been put into production in January, the project ran behind the aggressive schedule, and the
full system did not come online until mid-July. Included in the delayed conversion were SAP's critical order processing
and billing systems, along with the Siebel and Manugistics systems. The timing meant that Hershey would be facing a
major problem because Halloween orders were already arriving by mid-July. The information systems staff chose to
convert all these new systems using the direct cutover strategy in which the whole system goes live all at once. While
this strategy is generally considered to be the most risky, were it to be successful it could save the company time and
money while enabling Hershey to fill its Halloween orders on schedule. By the time of the conversion, the whole
project had cost Hershey $112 million. Problems arose for Hershey when the cutover strategy did not work because
serious problems emerged immediately. As a result, many Hershey customers found their shelves empty as Halloween
approached. Bruce Steinke, the candy buyer for Great North Foods, a regional distributor in Alpena, Michigan, had
placed an order for 20,000 pounds of Hershey's candy and found his warehouse short just prior to Halloween. As a
result, 100 of Great North's 700 customers had no Hershey candy when Halloween arrived. The shortage meant not
only a drop in Hershey's sales but Great North (and other Hershey distributors) also lost credibility as their retail
customers found it hard to believe that Hershey itself could be the problem. The shortages also meant the loss of
precious, highly contested shelf space. Hershey long-range sales were also being placed at risk by the logistics failures.
Hershey itself did not publicly acknowledge the problem until mid-September when it announced that something was
wrong with its new computer systems. It did indicate that Hershey employees were having trouble entering new orders
into the system. In addition, once in the system, the company stated that order details were not being properly
transmitted to the warehouses where they could be filled. Hershey did announce that it expected the problem to be
solved in time for Christmas shipments. However, industry analysts, such as William Leach of Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette, were quick to note that should the company fail to make that deadline, the problems would likely seriously cut
into not only Christmas sales but also Valentine's Day and perhaps Easter shipments, two other crucial candy sales
holidays. As soon as the admission of problems was made, questions immediately arose as to the causes of those
problems. Kevin McKay, the CEO of SAP in the United States, denied any problems with SAP's systems, saying, "If it
was a system issue, I'd point directly to a system issue." He also made it clear that SAP was operating smoothly for
Hershey's much smaller Canadian unit. Tom Crawford, the general manager of SAP America's consumer products
business unit, verified that his consultants were at Hershey sites to help resolve the problems. But, he made clear,
"There are really no software issues per se." Crawford explained that his consultants "are just making sure they
[Hershey employees] are using the business processes (built into the software) correctly." Manugistics also said it was
working with Hershey on "business process improvements". Paul Wahl, president of Siebel, concluded "It [their
system] may have turned out with the big bang [direct cutover] kind of installation, but they were maxed out there."
Brian Doyle, an IBM spokesperson, pointed to "the business process transformation under way at Hershey" as a
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Brian Doyle, an IBM spokesperson, pointed to "the business process transformation under way at Hershey" as a
possible cause which, he said, "is an enormously complex undertaking". He noted major changes in the way Hershey
employees were doing their job, which implied the need for more and different training than Hershey's staff had
originally received. It was obvious that the problem was not in candy production. At the time of the cutover Hershey
had an eight-day supply of products in its warehouses, a higher than usual supply in anticipation of possible minor
problems with the new systems. However, within three weeks of turning on the new systems, shipments were more than
two weeks late. Hershey began telling its customers to allow 12 days for delivery (the usual turnaround time was six
days). Even that schedule proved to be too aggressive because Hershey could not deliver goods so quickly. Martha
Kahler, director of trade relations at Wal-Mart's Temple, Texas store, in describing the incomplete shipments it was
receiving, said, "It wasn't any particular [candy] item. It was across the board." Company spokespersons told financial
analysts in late October that computer system problems had already reduced sales by $100 million in the third quarter.
The actual profit drop was 19%. When word of these problems became public, Hershey's stock price went into a sharp
slide. By late October, its price had fallen to $47.50, down 35% from $74 one year earlier. Hershey Chairman and CEO
Kenneth L. Wolfe admitted that "third quarter sales and earnings declined primarily as a result of problems encountered
since the July start-up of new business processes in the areas of customer service, warehousing and order fulfillment".
He added, "These problems resulted in lost sales and significantly increased freight and warehousing costs." Hershey
Senior Vice President Michael Pasquale pointed out that "Clearly, our customer relations have been strained". While
Wolfe admitted the problems are taking longer to fix than expected, he did state his expectation that fourth quarter sales
and earnings would bounce back.
Caselet 3
Read the caselet carefully and answer the following questions:
7. What are the factors that made UPS go for technology to improve its business?
(6 marks) < Answer >
8. Discuss the various technologies developed by UPS and how they have improved its business.
(7 marks) < Answer >
United Parcel Service (UPS) is the largest distribution company in the world. In 1992, UPS' revenues were
approximately $16 billion and its package and document volume approached 2.9 billion pieces - more than 11 million
packages a day for over 1 million regular customers. The company provides manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and
service companies with a wide variety of ground-based and air package and document service offerings, as well as
numerous value-added services.
Prior to 1986, UPS did not rely on information technology to drive its distribution business. At that time, Ken C. "Oz"
Nelson, a senior vice president and now chairman and CEO, was selected to head a Technology Task Force with the
strategic objective of fundamentally overhauling company technology and transforming the functional, operationsoriented
company into a proficient user of modern technology. The Task Force began with a five-year plan and a $1.5
billion budget. The plan was completed on schedule; however, UPS spent the allotted money well before the five years
were up and acknowledges that the effort cost ‘multibillions’. By 1991, UPS' communication network linked 6
mainframes, 250 minicomputers, 40,000 personal computers, and approximately 75,000 handheld units between 1,300
distribution sites around the world.
The company's assessment of necessary strategic information technology applications was based on a highly accurate
vision of future markets and customer requirements. Throughout the 1980s, UPS had dominated the surface/groundbased
parcel market with its fleet of big brown trucks and timely delivery. However, by the late 1980s company
revenues had begun to flatten out as rivals chipped away at UPS' market by utilizing differentiated pricing tactics and
innovative technologies for tracing and billing.
UPS is committed to information technology advancement and utilization, with services beyond overnight shipment.
This trend is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. Many large shippers desire single-source provision of a
complete range of distribution services. As competition heightens, service requirements have become more stringent.
Customers are looking to control costs and increase efficiency through greater information. Dick Green, vice president
of marketing for UPS, believes that providing information services is now a critical competitive element in the package
delivery business. Green says, "We're building toward offering the across-the-board information service that customers
are looking for."
UPS has enhanced its service offering through broad applications of (three) information-based technologies. First, bar
coding and scanning allow UPS to selectively track and report on shipment status twenty-four hours a day, seven days
per week, simply by calling a toll-free number. This value-added service (MaxiTrac) is available for GroundTrac and
air delivery.
Second, UPS delivery drivers now carry computer clipboards that utilize digital pen-based technology to sequence
routes and collect delivery information. The clipboard allows the driver to digitally record the shipment recipient's
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signature to provide receipt verification. The computerized clipboard coordinates driver information, reduces errors,
and speeds up delivery.
Third, UPS' most advanced information technology application is the 1993 creation of a national wireless
communication network utilizing fifty-five cellular phone carriers. The cellular phone technology allows drivers to
transmit real-time tracking information from their trucks to central UPS computers. Wireless mobile technology and
system support from UPS' $100 million data center in Mahwah, New Jersey, enable the company to provide electronic
data storage and retrieval to track the company's millions of daily deliveries around the globe. To support the company's
increased European operations, UPS has also installed a satellite earth station at the Mahwah facility to provide a direct
link between United States and Germany.
UPS is committed to information technology advancement and utilization. The company is prepared to invest an
additional $3 billion toward system expansion to meet its future objective: making real-time package tracing a reality
by the year 1997.
END OF SECTION B
Section C : Applied Theory (20 Marks)
• This section consists of questions with serial number 9 - 10.
• Answer all questions.
• Marks are indicated against each question.
• Do not spend more than 25 -30 minutes on section C.
9. Ethical dimensions of IT are often neglected, which lead to complications in business. Explain in brief, the ethical
and social dimensions of IT.
(10 marks) < Answer >
10. The Program Development Life Cycle (PDLC) greatly simplifies the software development process. Discuss in
detail about PDLC.
(10 marks) < Answer >
END OF SECTION C
END OF QUESTION PAPER
Suggested Answers
Information Technology & Systems (MB231) ñ April 2005
Section A : Basic Concepts
1. Answer : (d)
Reason : In the fourth generation of computers, the VLSI technology was developed. So option (d) is
the correct answer.
< TOP >
2. Answer : (c)
Reason : The program control register holds the address of next instruction to be executed. So option
(c) is the answer.
< TOP >
3. Answer : (e)
Reason : The access speed of a backup tape is very slow among the other storage devices. So option
(e) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
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4. Answer : (d)
Reason : A kernel is a memory resident supervisor program, which is an essential portion of
operating system copied into primary memory when the computer is switched on. So option
(d) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
5. Answer : (e)
Reason : All the given statements are true. Multitasking operating systems enable a single user to
work with two or more programs at once. In cooperative multitasking, the user has to
restart the computer when the application stops running and crashes. In preemptive
multitasking, the operating system regains control if an application stops running and
crashes.So option (e) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
6. Answer : (a)
Reason : Information systems that process data generated out of business transactions like sales,
purchases, payments, etc. are called Transaction processing systems. So option (a) is the
correct answer.
< TOP >
7. Answer : (e)
Reason : Systems maintenance is the final stage of system development cycle which involves
monitoring, evaluation, and modifying a system to make desirable or necessary
improvements. So option (e) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
8. Answer : (c)
Reason : Data Conferencing, Discussion Forums, Chat Systems and Electronic Meeting Systems are
different types of Electronic conferencing tools. Calendaring and Scheduling tools are
collaborative work management tools.
< TOP >
9. Answer : (c)
Reason : In UNIX, the pwd command is used to find the current directory which is in use.
< TOP >
10. Answer : (b)
Reason : In OSI Reference Model, the network layer is responsible for setting up a logical path
between the source and the destination computers of the network. So option (b) is the
correct answer.
< TOP >
11. Answer : (e)
Reason : The decision support system uses four basic types of analytical modeling activities like
What-if analysis, Sensitivity analysis, Goal-Seeking analysis and Optimization analysis. So
option (e) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
12. Answer : (b)
Reason : At the logical level, each record is described by a type definition and the interrelationship
among these record types is defined. So option (b) is the answer.
< TOP >
13. Answer : (e)
Reason : The characteristics of a good database system are Data Integrity, Data Independence, Data
Security, Data Maintenance and avoidance of Data Redundancy. So option (e) is the
answer.
< TOP >
14. Answer : (a)
Reason : In a relational database model, data in several files is related through the use of a common
key field. So option (a) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
15. Answer : (e)
Reason : Except (e) all other statements are true. Converting a pseudocode to a programming
language is much easier when compared to converting a flowchart or a decision table. Less
time and effort are required to write a pseudocode than for drawing a flowchart. It is easier
to modify the pseudocode of a program logic when program modifications are necessary.
There are no standard rules to follow in using a pseudocode. For a beginner, it is difficult to
follow the logic of or write a pseudocode, as compared to flowcharting.
< TOP >
16. Answer : (e)
Reason : The rectangular predefined processing symbol represents programming logic that is defined
elsewhere. So option (e) is the answer.
< TOP >
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17. Answer : (a)
Reason : Except (a) all the protocols like TELNET, FTP, SMTP and DNS are defined in the
application layer of TCP/IP Reference model. UDP protocol is defined in transport layer.
< TOP >
18. Answer : (a)
Reason : A Centrex or central office exchange is like a PBX system, except that the switching
equipment is located in one of the telephone company’s central exchanges instead of on the
premises of a business. So option (a) is the answer.
< TOP >
19. Answer : (d)
Reason : Except multiplexers, all the other alternatives namely switches, routers, hubs and gateways
are internet work processors. So option (d) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
20. Answer : (d)
Reason : The do statement is used when it is necessary to execute the body of the loop before the test
is performed in a “C” program. So option (d) is the answer.
< TOP >
21. Answer : (c)
Reason : getw() command is used to read an integer to a file in a “C” program.
< TOP >
22. Answer : (a )
Reason : FLAG command allows the user to view and modify files and directory owners in Novell
Netware Operating System. So option (a) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
23. Answer : (d)
Reason : The differences between structures and unions used in a “C” program are:
In Structures, each member has its own storage location whereas all the members of a union
use the same location. A Structure is declared using the key word ‘struct’ wheras union is
declared using the keyword ‘union’. The similarity is that both Structures and Unions are
used for packing data of different types. So option (d) is the correct answer.
< TOP >
24. Answer : (b)
Reason : All Shell statements and Unix commands can be entered in the command line itself, using
Semicolon as the delimiter.
Hence, from above discussion, we can infer that option (b) is correct.
Options (a), (c), (d) and (e) are not correct as they are not used as delimiters for Shell
statements and Unix commands.
< TOP >
25. Answer : (b)
Reason : ‘ %’ symbol is a conversion character used in the statement of a “C” program. So option (b)
is the correct answer.
< TOP >
26. Answer : (c)
Reason : In TCP/IP reference model, the Internet layer is the key layer that holds the whole
architecture together. So option (c) is the answer.
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27. Answer : (a)
Reason : In Novell Netware Operating System, the Netware Directory Services (NDS) provides both
users and network administrators with a single, integrated view of an entire network and the
servers connected to it. So option (a) is the answer.
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28. Answer : (a)
Reason : Except (a), all the other functions are library functions defined in a “C” language. i.e,
main() is a user -defined function. printf(), scanf(), fprintf(), fscanf() are all library
functions.
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29. Answer : (b)
Reason : The output controls are needed to ensure that information products are correct and
complete, and are available to authorized users in a timely manner. So option (b) is the
correct answer.
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30. Answer : (a)
Reason : The files created by the users in the UNIX operating system come under the category of
ordinary files. So option (a) is the answer.
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Section B : Caselets
1. The prime driver for Voda Tel to move from its current data warehouse architecture to an Oracle Applications
based one is the rise in business volumes by over 100 times, due to which the existing architecture had reached its
operation limit in terms of efficiency. Also Voda Tel was predicting future growth at a very rapid pace for which
the new system was necessitated. The business benefits as perceived by Voda Tel are:
a) Integrated suite: The Oracle Applications Suite is a set of standard industry software tools that help in
enterprise integration of data, decision-making, etc. These tools are built on a common standard and can
easily integrate with one another giving never before information capabilities. All the sets of tools are
internetworked with a database on a common platform which helps in removing inconsistencies between
transaction processing databases and warehousing databases.
b) New Data – Oracle Applications Suite would add more new data to the warehouse reflecting its growing
volume of business. Data on customer service of interaction operations to sales, marketing and financial data
will enhance the understanding of the organization, of its customers and itself and the ways and means to
manage them better.
c) New Software Routines – The new Oracle Applications Suite would include data querying and extraction
tools that would extract raw data from their existing Oracle relational transaction processing database and
move them after cleaning it of unwanted data to the database of the new data warehouse – a
multidimensional one managed by Oracle Express Server. The new data viewing tools would be more easier
to use than the custom made ones as they would let the user view the data in the way he wants e.g. pie-charts,
bar graphs, etc. as against the current one which allows users to view information in a plain tabular format.
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2. Voda Tel had been using a data warehouse based on an Oracle database residing on a Sun server. However with
increasing business volumes, the warehouse was no longer suitable to maintain company wide data. It therefore
decided to go in for a new data warehouse based on Oracle Applications Suite. However the old data warehouse
had served its purpose well and there were certain insights it had provided to Voda Tel. They are:
a) It has provided immense value to the business in terms of analyzing the profitability.
b) It helped in centralizing all enterprise data at a single location that minimizes costs in data transmission and
delivery.
c) Data access has also been simple and fast and users have been able to access data according to their needs in
a way they want.
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3. Potential Advantages:
a) The Oracle Applications Suite that comes with the data warehouse, includes important enterprise integration
tools like Oracle Financials, Oracle Manufacturing, etc. It will be a benefit if Voda Tel, in the future
integrates its enterprise integration systems with the data warehouse.
b) In the new setup the transaction processing system and the data warehouse can reside on a single platform.
This will help reduce maintenance effort and cost and would also boost performance.
c) The new data warehouse would also add new information regarding customer service in international
operations, sales, marketing, etc.
d) The new warehouse comes with a set of optimized tools for data extraction and reporting.
Potential Disadvantages
1. The biggest potential disadvantage is in the form of a culture shock in the entire system when the whole way
of working with the information systems undergoes a radical change. The biggest challenge would be to
satisfy everyone’s information and data requirements in the least painful way.
2. The new data warehouse architecture may necessitate a training of its users that has costs associated with it.
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4. The following are the reasons for the failure of the Hershey’s Enterprise 21 project:
– The duration of the project has been reduced from 48 months to 39 months that severely affected the
implementation of SAP system.
– Delayed conversion of SAP’s critical order processing and billing sytems along with the Siebel and
Manugistics systems.
– The whole system went live at once instead of a phased in manner to save the time and money of the
company while enabling Hershey to fill its Halloween orders on schedule. This resulted in failure of the
system.
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– Proper testing was not done before the implementation of the new system.
– Proper training was not imparted to the employees to work with the new system.
– Hershey employees were having trouble entering new orders into the system. Sometimes, the order details
were not being properly transmitted to the warehouses where they could be filled.
– The direct cutover strategy used by the company to save time and money has resulted in serious problems.
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5. The failure of Hershey’s Enterprise 21 project has severely affected the company’s business in the following
ways:
– Many customers found their shelves empty and the distributors lost credibility as their retail customers found
it hard to believe that Hershey itself could be the problem.
– The shortage in the supply resulted in the loss of precious, highly contested shelf space.
– Hershey’s long-range sales were also being placed at risk by the logistics failure.
– The delivery time has increased sharply with the implementation of new system.
– The sales and the profit margins decreased sharply.
– The stock price fell sharply when the news about the systems failure became public.
– The freight and warehousing costs increased significantly.
– The poor customer service resulted in loss of business.
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6. For the successful implementation of an enterprise system, the project manager should take the following steps.
– Proper time schedule to be prepared for the successful completion of the project.
– Adequate testing to be done before the implementation of the new system.
– Instead of big-bang installation, the new system should be implemented in a phased manner. This will
eliminate the major problems related to order fulfillment because order processing is the lifeblood of
Hershey’s business.
– The employees of the company should be trained properly in using the new system. With the implementation
of the new system, there will be complete transformation in the business process. So the employees should be
trained in using the business process correctly.
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7. Throughout the 1980s, UPS had dominated the surface/ground-based parcel market with its fleet of big brown
trucks and timely delivery. However, by the late 1980s company revenues had begun to flatten out as rivals
chipped away at UPS’ market by utilizing differentiated pricing tactics and innovative technologies for tracing and
billing
Many large shippers desire single-source provision of a complete range of distribution services. As competition
heightens, service requirements have become more stringent. Customers are looking to control costs and increase
efficiency through greater information.
So the company believes that providing information services is now a critical competitive element in the package
delivery business.
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8. UPS has enhanced it service offering through broad applications of three information -based technologies.
First, bar coding and scanning allow UPS to selectively track and report on shipment status twenty-four hours a
day, seven days per week, simply by calling a toll-free number. This value-added service (MaxiTrac) is available
for GroundTrac and air delivery.
Second, UPS delivery drivers now carry computer clipboards that utilize digital pen-based technology to sequence
routes and collect delivery information. The clipboard allows the driver to digitally record the shipment
recipient’s signature to provide receipt verification. The computerized clipboard coordinates driver information,
reduces errors, and speeds up delivery.
Third, UPS’ most advanced information technology application is the 1993 creation of national wireless
communication network utilizing fifty-five cellular phone carriers. The cellular phone technology allows drivers
to transmit real-time tracking information form their trucks to central UPS computers. Wireless mobile
technology and system support from UPS’ $100 million data center in Mahwah, New Jersey enable the company
to provide electronic data storage and retrieval to track the company’s millions of daily deliveries around the
globe. To support the company’s increased European operations, UPS has also installed a satellite earth station at
the Mahwah facility to provide a direct link between United States and Germany.
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Section C: Applied Theory
9. The use of information technology is business has a major impact on society. It raises serious ethical
considerations concerning privacy, crime, health, working conditions, individuality and employment.
The positive and negative impact can be found in information technology. For example through computerization
the advanced technology can be revealed leading to the development which is an optimistic sign but at the same
time the problems pertaining to the unemployment persists which shows a pessimistic sign.
Richard Mason summarizes the four issues with the acronym PAPA – privacy, accuracy, property and
accessibility that are to be delineated.
Privacy: What information about one’s self or one’s associations must a person reveal to others, under what
conditions, and with what safeguards? What things can people keep to themselves and not be forced to reveal
others?
Accuracy: Who is responsible for the authenticity, fidelity and accuracy of information? Similarly, who is to be
held accountable for errors in information?
Property: Who owns information? What are the just and fair prices for its exchange? Who owns the channels
through which information is transmitted?
Accessibility: What information does a person or organizations have the right or privilege to obtain; under what
condition and with what safeguards?
In answering these questions, Mason proposes the development of a new social contract, where information
technology will help ensure everyone’s right to fulfil his or her human potential. Mason’s proposals could serve
as a basis for many issues being debated today, concerning privacy, censorship, and accessibility of the Internet.
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10. The program development lifecycle (PDLC) which is similar to System Development lifecycle (SDLC) was
introduced during the early process of developing a software program. The program development lifecycle
(PDLC) provides an organized plan for breaking down the task of program development into manageable units
called modules, each of which must be successfully completed before one moves on to the next phase. The
program development lifecycle (PDLC) consists of six essential steps. They are
1.Specifying the problem
2.Designing the program
3.Coding the program
4.Testing and Debugging the program
5.Formalizing the solution
6.Maintaining the Program.
Specifying the problem
These specifications precisely define the input data, the processing that should be done, the output features, and
the user interface design. A single individual or a team of programmers, depending on the size of the job may
handle program development.
Designing the Program
Designing the program is the next step in the program development lifecycle. Programmers create program
designs, which specify elaborately, the components that make the program into manageable modules, each of
which contributes to this goal. This approach is called structured programming or top-down program design.
Here, the first step involves identifying the main routine, which is the program’s major activity. Programmers
begin solving a problem by developing an algorithm. An algorithm is a step-by-step description of how to arrive at
a solution. If it is expressed in a programming language, if becomes a program.
Coding the program
Translating the algorithms into specific program language instructions is called coding of the program and it is the
next step in the process. An appropriate programming language should be chosen and the program needs to be
created by typing the code. Programmers must follow the language’s rules (syntax) carefully, which specify how to
express certain operations to arrive at appropriate results.
Testing and debugging the program
Eliminating errors is the fourth step in a programming project. Program testing tools can check for syntax errors
while the program is being written. After the syntax errors are eliminated, the program will be executable. The
output may still not be error free, as the language-testing tool cannot detect logic errors. A logic error is a mistake
that the programmer would have made while designing the program. For example, if a programmer writes a
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that the programmer would have made while designing the program. For example, if a programmer writes a
program to calculate net pay by adding (instead of subtracting) deductions to gross pay, the computer cannot detect
it. In such cases the programmer must find and correct logic errors by carefully examining the program output.
Any type of errors – whether syntactical or logical – are popularly called bugs and the process of elimination of
these errors is called debugging.
Formalizing the solution
At this stage, the project is almost complete. The structure chart and the pseudocode or flowchart developed during
the design phase become documentation, which would be helpful for others who may modify the program in the
future. While the program is being coded, other documents should be created such as a list of variable names and
definitions, descriptions, of files that the program needs to work with, and layouts of output that the program
produces. All the documentation should be saved and made available for future reference by people who will
maintain the information system. The program thus developed should be tested by the users before it is
implemented. Even the best -written program is useless if the use does not understand how to work with it. Hence
manuals must be developed to explain thoroughly how the program works. These manuals provide an overview of
the program’s functionality, tutorials for new users, in-depth explanations on major program commands, and a
detailed description of the error messages generated by the program.
Maintaining the program
The program is to be maintained and evaluated regularly after it is implemented. In program maintenance, the
programming team fixes errors that the users discover. The periodic evaluation may lead to modification of he
program or to add features for the user.