Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Discussion Questions
1.
Whitmann Price Consulting: Software Considerations
Why did Valero choose an SOA to integrate its systems
rather than creating middleware?
Discussion Questions
2.
What benefits does the SOA provide to businesses such
as Valero?
1.
What three types of software made the BlackBerry ideal
for meeting the needs of Whitmann Price?
2.
How did the choice of hardware affect options for software
solutions? If Sandra and Josh picked a newly developed
handheld device unknown in industry, how would that
change the solutions?
Critical Thinking Questions
1.
Why is it important to maintain a reasonably sized catalog
of services rather than a large amount of services?
2.
Is it wise for Valero to empower their managers to create
their own services? How might this system benefit the
company? Are there any dangers?
Critical Thinking Questions
1.
For software other than the BlackBerry software, should
Sandra and Josh look to BlackBerry Alliance Program
members or should they plan to have their own software
engineers develop the software? What are the benefits
and drawbacks of either option?
SOURCES:
Zalno, Jennifer, “Valero Pumped on SOA,” CIO Insight, July 11, 2007,
NetWeaver Web site,
www.sap.com/platform/netweaver,
accessed February
3, 2008. Valero Web site,
www.valero.com,
accessed February 3, 2008.
2.
What process would you use to evaluate software for the
Advanced Mobile Communications and Information
System?
Questions for Web Case
See the Web site for this topic to read about the Whitmann
Price Consulting case for this chapter. The following ques-
tions concern this Web case.
NOTES
Sources for the opening vignette:
Ruffolo, Rafael, “GM presents vision of
software-based cars,” ITWorld Canada, October 26, 2007,
6b437baf-31d2-4844-89cd-068c0b5b8221.html.
GM Technology Web site,
www.gm.com/explore/technology,
accessed February 3, 2008. IBM CAS-
CON Web site,
https://www-927.ibm.com/ibm/cas/archives/2007/
speakers,
accessed February 3, 2008.
#tab_tab_customersuccess,
accessed June 14, 2007.
10
Thibodeau, Patrick, “Wachovia uses grid technology to speed up
transaction apps,” Computerworld, May 15, 2006,
11
Staff, “Kindred Healthcare leverages VI3 and VDI to provide physi-
cians with secure bedside access to patient records using wirelessly
connected thin clients,” Computerworld VMWare Success Stories
id=khealthcarevdi,
accessed February 2, 2008.
1
Elmer-DeWitt, Philip, “Survey: Mac OS hit record 7.3% share in
December; iPhone up 33%,” Fortune, January 1, 2008,
http://
12
Brodkin, Jon, “Electricity provider cites SOA for efficiency gains,”
Computerworld, March 7, 2007,
www.computerworld.com/action/
2
Microsoft Case Study Web site, “National Aquarium in Baltimore,”
www.microsoft.com/casestudies,
accessed June 14, 2007.
3
Eaton, Nancy, “Renee Mancino: What Happens in Vegas Stays on Her
Mac,” Apple Small Business Profile,
www.apple.com/business/
profiles/mancino,
accessed June 14, 2007.
13
Hildreth, Sue, “Electricity provider cites SOA for efficiency gains,”
Computerworld, February 5, 2007,
www.computerworld.com/action/
4
Gruener, Wolfgang, “Linux Returns to Thinkpads,” tgdaily, January
15, 2008,
www.tgdaily.com/content/view/35615/145.
5
McDougall, Paul, “$199 Linux PC Sells Out At Wal-Mart,” Informa-
tionWeek, November 13, 2007,
www.informationweek.com/software/
14
Adams, Steve, “Boston-area firm offers video intelligence to mer-
chants,” The Patriot Ledger, November 17, 2007,
http://
6
Ubuntu success stories, “Ubuntu proved the optimal choice for a non-
profit radio station,”
www.ubuntu.com/products/casestudies/KRUU,
accessed June 14, 2007.
15
Pratt, Mary, “Law firm develops in-house system to deal with dis-
covery,” Computerworld, March 17, 2008,
www.computerworld.com/
7
Sun Customer Snapshot Web site, “eBay Inc,”
www.sun.com/
customers/servers/ebay.xml,
accessed June 7, 2007.
16
Hildreth, Suzanne, “GPS and GIS: On the Corporate Radar,” Comput-
erworld, April 2, 2007,
www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?
8
Sun Customer Snapshot Web site, “Idaho National Lab,”
www.sun.com/customers/servers/inl.xml,
accessed June 7, 2007.
9
BlackBerry Customer Success, “IT Group Deploys Remote Systems
Management on BlackBerry for Business-Critical Systems,”
http://
