Respond to Discussion

RespondtoDiscussion.docx

Home >Information Systems homework help >Respond to Discussion

1. Respond to discussion, minimum 150 words.

1) Describe some reasons why Linux is installed on only a very small fraction of desktop computers. Are there particular categories of products or users who might see Linux as more appealing than conventional operating systems? Do you think Linux's share of the desktop market will increase? Why or why not?

This is a particularly interesting question because it is relatable to me however I have never fully understood the answer entirely. If I had to guess the appeal of Linux comes with security and the fact that it is less prone to crashes. I currently use Linux on 60 percent of the machines I work with and I find it very user friendly and I actually prefer it more than windows in certain applications. To me Linux is the pure form of computing with the ability for command-based navigation, customization and dense file systems. I do see Linux continuing to hold its share of the desktop market because of its simplicity and security.

2) What are some of the benefits of cloud computing? What are some of the drawbacks? Find an article about cloud computing online. Summarize and critique the article in your own words. Be sure to include the url of the article.

I have dabbled with cloud computing enough to have a love | hate relationship with it. I like the fact that it saves space, but I hate not knowing exactly where my stuff is, oh and the fact that my phone is constantly asking for the iCloud password.

I found a website that has 5 advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage and I found it quite helpful. The 5 advantages were Usability, Bandwidth, Accessibility, Disaster Recovery, and Cost Savings. I find that each one of the advantages are similar with usability and accessibility, but cost savings was one I did not think of. The disadvantages are Usability, Bandwidth, Accessibility, Data Security, and Software. This one kind of confused me that a notable advantage could also be a notable disadvantage, I mean which is it ha-ha (NT, 2014).

At the end of the day I am still going to stay away from the cloud, its advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages.

http://bigdata-madesimple.com/5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cloud-storage/

3) Describe the hardware and software requirements of your chosen information system. Be sure to consider both the server-side and client-side hardware and software. If you do not have access to specific details about the server-side hardware and software, make reasonable assumptions based on the kind of hardware and software that you believe would be necessary to run your system.

Since I picked the broad topic of Database Management Systems and this week we talked about Linux, I will choose (if I am allowed to) Oracle.

The Hardware requirements for Oracle VM Manager include:

Memory- 6GB

Processor Type- 64 bit

Processor Speed- 1.83 GHz*1

Swap Space- 2.1 GB

Hard Disk Space- 5.5 GB in /u01

2 GB in /tmp

500 MB in /var

500 MB in /usr

The software Requirements include:

Operating Systems

Network

Web Browsers

Environment Configuration Script

Prerequisite Packages

Firewall Configuration

Installation Ports, Passwords, and Database Information

Oracle User

/u01 Directory

(Docs.oracle, n.d.)

Cheers,

Michael Bridges

References

Docs.oracle. (n.d.). Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements. Retrieved from docs.oracle.com: https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E35328_01/E35330/html/vmiug-manager-requirements.html

NT, B. (2014, July 14). 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Storage. Retrieved from bigdata-madesimple.com: http://bigdata-madesimple.com/5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cloud-storage/

2. Respond to discussion, minimum 150 words.

Although Linux is found on an incredible amount of devices worldwide, it is not commonly installed on desktop computers. There may be several reasons for this. One reason many cite as a reason Linux isn't installed on many desktop computers is that it is more difficult to install onto a computer than Windows or MacOs (Gallaugher, n.d.). It seems that there is much more support in easily installing Windows and MacOs than there is installing Linux to most consumer desktop users. Additionally, Linux is not as supported by the community for consumers when compared to the other two big operating systems. If a person runs into an issue with Linux, answers for the fix are often geared toward more tech-savvy people than they might be for similar issues in Windows or MacOs. However, today's world is moving more and more towards a technology centered world. More people are learning about computers and becoming computer literate without the stigma of being deemed a geek or social abnormality. This is increasing the confidence in people to exercise their capabilities in computing and may lead to a larger user base of Linux. As people learn more about the technology found throughout the world, they may broaden their horizons into using more obscure consumer operating systems. I think with this in mind, Linux might gain more popularity as more and more consumers are learning new uses for the operating system.

Cloud computing is a very interesting idea and I think it's taken off quite well. Being able to utilize software as needed by timed licenses rather than permanent licenses has helped reduce the cost of many services. For example, I remember Adobe products such as Photoshop being incredibly expensive when one would buy the permanent license to use the software. Before switching to cloud software, Photoshop cost more than $700 to buy permanently (Adobe Creative Cloud, n.d.). Compare this to the monthly subscription to Photoshop at $10 per month and it would take nearly seven years before adding up to the same cost. When you think about how often professionals would have to buy new versions of Photoshop before, it seems like a good deal to be able to pay monthly for the service. In addition, being able to pay monthly subscriptions for these types of services allows users to pay for the service while they need it, then stop using it without feeling that they wasted their money. Tristram Warkentin of IBM wrote an article in 2014 about cloud computing and explained that software as a service in the cloud is allowing people to connect together. Facebook is an example of a cloud service which has connected individuals all around the world to one another. Personally, I have a very close friend from France that I am friends with on Facebook. If it weren't for their service, I don't think I would stay in contact with this friend. But because of cloud computing, I've been able to maintain contact with him to the point where he accommodated my wife and myself on our honeymoon to Paris. Beyond my own personal experiences with cloud computing, the article explains that cloud applications are beneficial to users as they allow connecting from any device at any time, provided internet access is available. Without a stable connection to the internet however, cloud computing can fail. If a person saves an important document online without a local copy on their machine, they wouldn't be able to access that document if they lost internet connection. This could cause issues for those who relay too much on cloud services without backups in these kinds of scenarios.

In a Fleet Management System, hardware requirements start with the machines themselves. All haulage vehicles, loaders, shovels, and dozers must be provided and interfaced with the system. Onboard vehicle control units interface with actuators and over CAN or drive-by-wire to be able to control autonomous vehicles. Radios and GPS antennas are important to the system to be able to accurately track vehicle locations and report those back to the operator. From the control room, most FMS operations are run on Windows machines. Normal enterprise desktops are fine for this task, as long as they meet processing and memory requirements of the FMS. In my familiarity with the system, this would be at least a 2.5 GHZ processor and 8 GB of RAM. A stable network connection is required in order to be able to communicate between vehicles and operators. If the network would go down, information and possibly control of the vehicles would be lost. FMS is usually accompanied by dedicated management software which integrates the control machine to the onboard control unit on each vehicle. The software is necessary to track goals and give assignments to manned or autonomous haulage vehicles.

References Gallaugher, John (n.d.). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology Version 1.3. Flat World Knowledge, Inc. Adobe Creative Cloud and Photoshop CC (n.d.). GCF Learn Free. Retrieved from https://www.gcflearnfree.org/photoshopbasics/buying-photoshop/1/ Warkentin, Tristram (2014). What is software as a service (SaaS)? Cloud Computing News. IBM. Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/blogs/cloud-computing/2014/03/18/what-is-software-as-a-service-saas/

3. Respond to discussion, minimum 150 words.

Hello Class,

This week we are discussing the Apache and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) servers. To secure a web server is not just one security measure fits all. There are many ways to secure a web server.

Apache has been around for some time and according to Upguard as of February 2014 Apache comprised of 42 percent of all the web servers being used. Apache is an open source web server that is freely distributed, because of that the users have the power to edit the code to best fit their needs. One of the ways to secure the Apache server is by disabling the TraceEnable (Kumar, 2018). With the trace on can allow a hacker to potentially access the server’s cookies and steal the information. By disabling that feature it will make it harder for some vulnerability to be taken advantage of.

The IIS platform offers similar features to the Apache servers; however, it is a very different server system. When installing IIS it is good security practice to move the Inetpub folder to a different location so that the web content is separate from the operating system (Darmanin, Reilink, Darmanin & Reilink, 2018). Another good option is to deny in the options menu the “verbs” from the HTTP. By denying the verbs, it will be beneficial as it will withhold information to an attacker that gets accessed to the server.

There is not a perfect way of securing a network or server, there will always be threats that are looking for vulnerabilities to take advantage of. The best way to take care of this is to ensure that the servers are updated with all the updated security patches available for the system that is used by the company.

References

Media, S., Computing, C., HTTP, A., Test, S., & Kumar, C. (2018). 10 Best Practices To Secure and Harden Your Apache Web Server. Geek Flare. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://geekflare.com/10-best-practices-to-secure-and-harden-your-apache-web-server/

IIS vs Apache. (2018). Upguard.com. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://www.upguard.com/articles/iis-apache

Darmanin, G., Reilink, J., Darmanin, G., & Reilink, J. (2018). 8 tips to secure IIS installations - Acunetix. Acunetix. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://www.acunetix.com/blog/articles/8-tips-secure-iis-installation/

4. Respond to discussion, minimum 150 words.

Two of the most popular web servers are Apache and Microsoft IIS. Discuss some of the tools and techniques used to secure these web servers.

Apache

As an open source web server software, it is extremely popular and very fast! One of the best tips for securing apache would be to ensure security on the operating system it is running on some of the vulnerabilities on the host OS could correlate into exploits on the web server. Additionally, with any type of server, it is critical only to run services and features that are truly critical and needed at the time. If other services are needed later, they can be used then. Finally, it is critical even though there are less with the Apache systems patches should be installed correction any known vulnerabilities (Wong, 2013).

Microsoft IIS

If apache is the most popular and to some degree the most secure then Microsoft IIS is a close second, one of the biggest problems with any professional Microsoft product is that by making it easier for administrators it often makes it easier to exploit. Staying on top of patches and keeping it secure might be more difficult. Exploits are common with Microsoft products but so are quick patches service packs are critical for security in this scenario. Additionally, Microsoft offers a free tool called IIS lockdown tool that can help secure systems. “The tool disables unused script mappings, which were the root cause of both the Nimda and Code Red worms” (Kotex, 2003).

Both options are great choices it does seem that apache will have some advantages but what you gain might be lost for ease of use additionally I did find that in some test apache was actually faster but many of the precautions between the two for improving security remained similar.

Kotek, B. (2003, October 06). Lock IT Down: Use these tools to tighten security in IIS. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/lock-it-down-use-these-tools-to-tighten-security-in-iis/

Wong, A. (2013, December 11). Cyber Security. Retrieved April 04, 2018, from https://commons.lbl.gov/display/cpp/Securing Apache Web Servers

5. Respond to discussion, minimum 150 words.

1. I have always looked at “diploma mills” as a big negative. They are the lazy ones’ way of obtaining a degree without putting forth the effort or ambition which it takes to accomplish receiving a four year or two-year degree. Life can be tough sometimes, leaving us with limited time to do for ourselves, so there is a level of interest and intrigue when it comes to paying for a two or four-year degree. It seems like the easier way of accomplishing a college degree. In the long run it may cause problems, due to the non-legitimacy of what one has paid for. Some people think that receiving a degree from a diploma mill is okay because many times after receiving a college degree, one does not utilize many of the skills which have been learned. The big thing that many fail to realize is that it takes a dedicated, ambitious and focused individual to work for and received an accredited college degree. Many times, corporations look at that simple task, in and of itself. This is especially true for people who earn their degree later in life while holding a full-time job and maintaining a family as well. This shows a true desire for success. A diploma mill is an institution of higher education operating without supervision of a state or professional agency and granting diplomas which are either fraudulent or because of the lack of proper standards worthless (2009).

2. The following site; https://www2.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/diploma-mills.html which is a government site talks about the ill legitimacy of diploma mill sites. Their focus is to take individuals money and provide them with a pretty piece of paper which mirrors a college degree from a visual perspective but not from a legitimate accrediting institution. I agree with the points and facts discussed on this site. Nothing discussed surprises me. Another site; http://www.counterfeitdegrees.com/law/threat.htm that I found informative discusses how authentic furthering education institutions may get a bad rap from the existence of diploma mills. Online scams like diploma mills pose a multi-pronged danger: they defraud unwitting individuals of money in exchange for worthless degrees, weaken the foundation of higher education, and pose a significant threat to legitimate, online educational institutions (2017). It really is a shame that legitimate educational institutions need to be concerned with their reputations due to fake diplomas received from diploma mills.

Diploma Mills and Accreditation - Diploma Mills. (2009). https://www2.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/diploma-mills.html

The Threat to Legal, Online Diplomas. (2017). http://www.counterfeitdegrees.com/law/threat.htm

6. Respond to discussion, minimum 150 words.

1) What is the impact of diploma mills on legitimate educational institutions? How does one check the credentials of learning institutions to verify legitimacy? What should one look for when selecting an institution of higher learning?

Before going into this topic we must first determine what exactly a "diploma Mill" is. So what is a diploma mill? “A diploma mill, also known as a degree mill, is a phony university that sells college diplomas and transcripts—the actual pieces of paper—rather than the educational experience. Diploma mills are scam colleges that literally crank out fake diplomas to anyone who pays the requested "tuition."” (10 Way’s to Spot a Diploma Mill, 2013). Diploma Mills are starting to jeopardize traditional colleges and traditional schooling. Whether an individual knows if the school is a diploma mill or not they are still taking an education away from that student and in all seriousness are taking people off the Market of traditional Colleges. I think the easiest way to determine if a school is a diploma mill would be to find out if it is a accredited institution. I don't mean take the schools word for it, I mean do your research. You can also follow this government website and it will have a database of all accredited schools https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. When picking a School for higher education one must find if the school is legitimate, first and foremost. And from there I think it depends on the individual and the University, kinda like a relationship, you need to find a good fit for yourself.

2) Provide the URL of at least two sites that discuss the impact of the Internet on any one of the concepts discussed this week and provide a brief review of the information contained there. Did you learn anything new? Were you surprised by any of the information presented on the site?

https://www.geteducated.com/college-degree-mills/161-college-degree-or-diploma-mill https://consumerist.com/2015/05/18/10-things-we-learned-about-the-worlds-largest-diploma-mill/

Before this weeks forum I had never really heard of Diploma Mills, it makes sense that they would exist, and it seems like any other scam, they prey on the weak and uninformed. One thing that really surprised me is how far some of these websites go to trick individuals. They have been found to hire actors to promote their school as well as using stock photos. I kind of feel bad for someone that would be tricked by this but at the same time I wouldn't. I would hope an individual would do their research before paying a school thousands of dollars.

Thanks, Mike

Reference: (n.d.). Retrieved April 05, 2018, from https://www.geteducated.com/college-degree-mills/161-college-degree-or-diploma-mill