Book Contents

Ch. 6
Understanding DSS Architecture, Networking and Security Issues

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Audit Questions

  1. Is the firm's IS/IT architecture and organization of IT resources evolving appropriately?

  2. Does your company have a network? If so, what type of network?

  3. Does your company connect its internal LAN to the global Internet? Is the internal network secure?

  4. Does your company have a Decision Support Systems Security Policy?

Questions for Review

  1. What is a DSS architecture?

  2. What factors have lead to the increase in networks? What problems can networks cause companies?

  3. What is a network operating system (NOS)?

  4. Give examples of possible security problems related to passwords, file permissions, and using the global Internet for a DSS.

  5. Outline the steps you would take to break into a DSS. How can managers make it more difficult for you to break in to a specific DSS?

  6. What steps should be followed in managing IS/IT security?

  7. Who should be concerned about IS/IT security issues?

  8. What are the benefits of a defining a DSS architecture?

Questions for Discussion

  1. What role should managers play in developing a DSS architecture?

  2. How would you respond to the comment that a Client/Server architecture is not feasible in your company?

  3. What are the benefits of establishing a DSS Security Policy?

  4. Construct a high-level architecture diagram for a Data-Driven DSS for a small firm with 5 sales offices located in major U.S. cities and a headquarters in a small rural town.

  5. What type of network and DSS architecture would you recommend for a small company located within a single building? The company has installed 25 microcomputers that are used to track production, maintain customer sales information, and create the company catalog of products and other materials for mailings. The company wants to use groupware and build a Data-Driven DSS.

An Internet Exercise

Find an example of a DSS architecture at a Web site. Check Sun, IBM or Cisco Systems. What is the URL and title of the paper? Is the paper written for managers?

 


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