Week 8: Chapter 5

Section 5.1 –

1. Describe the three network applications that we discussed in this section and the tools and technologies that support each one.

Discovery: involves the browsing and information retrieval, and provides users the ability to view information in databases, download it and/or process it. Discovery tools include search engines, directories and portals.

Networks provide fast, inexpensive communications and blogs.

Collaboration: refers to mutual efforts by two or more entities who work together to accomplish tasks.

2. What are the business conditions that are leading to the increased importance of videoconferencing?

In a videoconference, participants in one location can see one another as well as the documents. This enables participants to seamlessly share data, voice, pictures, graphics and animation by electronic means. Conferees can also transmit data along with voice and video, which allows them to work on documents together and exchange computer files. The importance of video conferencing means that organisations can participate in business all around the world and exchange valuable information, ideas and data.

Section 5.2 –

1. Describe the underlying technologies, applications and types of Web sites that comprise Web 2.0.

Information technologies and applications used by Web 2.0 sites include XML, AJAX, tagging, blogs, Wikis, Really Simple Sydnication, podcasting and video conferencing. Web 2.0 Web sites that use some or all of these technologies and applications may be grouped into several categories: social media, aggregators and mashups.



2. Describe the function of Web services.

Web-services are self-contained, self-describing applications, delivered over the Internet that users can select and combine through almost any device (computers, mobile phones). By using a set of shared protocols and standards, these applications permit different systems to talk with one another, that is to share data and services without requiring human beings to translate the conversations.

3. Describe the function of service-oriented architectures.

A service-orientated architecture (SAO) is an IT architecture that makes it possible to construct business applications using Web services, which can be reused across an organisation in other applications.