T320 Ebusiness Technologies Blog » Ebusiness Technologies

The Four Top Business Intelligence Vendors

GuestPoster — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 17:04:06 +0000

Business intelligence is the drive behind the success of many companies. The tools and the specialists using them can determine the success of fall of many companies. Any business seeking success will always want to be kept abreast the new technology developments. Business intelligence is one of the areas of a business that affects important decisions concerning the performance of a business.

The most updated and enhance the BI tools of a company the higher the chances of getting a better performance. Business intelligence is about using tools and applications to collect analyze and generate reports on a given data. There are tools to accomplish this daunting task tools that make for accurate collection and analyzes of data. There are many business intelligence vendors any company can associate with.

Gardner’s business intelligence vendors ranking puts IBM SAP Microsoft and Oracle Corp at the of the list. These are companies with the most developed refined and sophisticated tools for business intelligence. Corporate strategies have always been shifting and in a continual process of change and advancement considering the competitive nature of business in today’s highly technology oriented business world. The quality of decisions within the management and operation process of a company will depend on the quality of BI tools being employed.

Business intelligence is the backbone of every business. The ability to detect collect and use data profitably is all it takes to make a business successful. This is not a simple task. Investing in BI products such as Microsoft tools or other applications sold by any BI vendor can be a sound decision to make. Besides buying services from business intelligence vendors a company can also hire a specialist who possesses exceptional skills in this field or train its own developers analysts or consultants. Business intelligence is an area of business where a lot of investments need to be allocated.

Levels of Dedicated Server Hosting to Meet the Needs of Your Business

GuestPoster — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 03:07:09 +0000

A company’s website is an increasingly valuable resource. It is much more than a public face to sell products and handle public relations – its primary purpose in the past. While it still serves in those functions, today’s website hosting server for many businesses large and small manages the central network with IT cloud computing capabilities, provides secure storage and backup of essential files, provides colocation services, and much more. With dedicated server hosting, many IT functions can be essentially outsourced with increased connectivity and powerful features that enable superior customer service and internal control.

With dedicated server hosting, a company doesn’t need to purchase, maintain, and upgrade on-site hardware to manage their networks. This means that IT departments can be streamlined to focus on the core business for reduced costs and increased productivity. With dedicated servers, there is no competition for bandwidth and speed that can limit capabilities and risk security. Offsite servers offer valuable risk containment to negate the costs of disaster recovery with the safe backup of systems and files.

There are different levels of dedicated hosting packages that must be considered before choosing the one that is right for your business. The levels vary based on your company’s needs, capabilities, and budget. Basic levels of dedicated hosting are self-managed or unmanaged. Self-managed service includes some maintenance and monitoring but you will handle your own administrative and management duties. This requires technical knowledge with tasks typically performed by internal IT personnel. With unmanaged service, you are provided with only the network connection and must handle server upgrades, maintenance, patches, and security.

Many companies find that while more costly, managed dedicated server hosting is the most economical option. This level of service includes full monitoring, security patches, reboots, software updates, and operating system updates along with tech and customer support. Deciding on the level that best serves your needs depends in large part the technical capabilities of your staff and the internal resources you want to devote to this important function.

How Video Production Services Can Help Your Company

GuestPoster — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 14:52:11 +0000

Using video production services to create videos about your company is one of the best things you can do. The explosion of YouTube and other video websites have made it easier for a company to get the word out about their products and services as well as what their company is about. There are several great benefits to using one of these services to get your videos made. Once you have read all of the information here you will want to start looking for a service that you can use to produce videos for your company.
The main reason to use production services to get your video created is because it will help separate your videos from the ones that everyone else is creating. Oftentimes, companies will have someone within the company to shoot a video or do a review on their products and services. These videos have the tendency to look amateurish and may give your company a bad image. If you want people to have a positive view of your company then you will want to have a professional to produce your videos. You will be able to shed the best light on your company and give people a positive feeling about dealing with you when they are ready to purchase your products or services.
There are several other reasons to use video production services to get your videos created but the professionalism that you will get is one of the best. If you do not have someone on your staff who has video production experience then take a look at the services that are available. Having a professional video about your products, services, or company will make a dramatic difference in the business you do. Make sure to check out the services that are available and discuss the options for producing videos for your company.

Best Accessories For Your Refurbished Tablet PC

GuestPoster — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:11:05 +0000

As soon as you get a refurbished tablet pc you will want to get accessories to match your device. There are various accessories in the market today that enhance and complement your tablet. We will be looking at some of the most important accessories to get to make your tablet experience more enjoyable.

Cleaning Cloth
Your refurbished tablet will not stay clean forever that’s why it is a must to constantly wipe it. One of the best products so far to use in wiping your device is a micro fiber cloth that can easily take out the dust and smudges off the screen. One of the best brands to buy is the 3M 9027 High Performance Cloth that is great to use for delicate equipment.

Carrying Bag
You will want to carry your mini tablet pc around with you and in order for you to do so it must be placed inside a carrying bag to protect it. There are various materials to choose from in a bag such as leather or cloth and choosing between them will depend on your preference. Just make sure that it fits you tablet with enough room to spare to place in other things. If you own a refurbished iPad then the Simplism Outdoor Bag for iPad makes a wonderful choice.

Tablet Case
A tablet case acts as a first line of defense in case you drop your device. It effectively absorbs the shock that may crack or scratch your tablet making it a wonderful accessory to own for anyone. Depending on the model of your tablet there is a case specifically created for it. One of the best case manufacturers today is Otterbox and if you own an iPad then the Otterbox APL2-iPAD1-20-C4OTR iPad Defender Series Case is perfect for you.

Car Charger
A car charger is one of the best accessories to own and combine with your tablet. This makes charging your device easy when you are travelling. It would have been great if manufacturers included this in the standard tablet package however it isn’t so you have to purchase it separately. The Targus Car Charger for Apple iPad is an excellent choice to buy.

How Can A Good Medical Website Design Help In Your Practice?

GuestPoster — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:58:07 +0000

The internet has been effective in marketing any kind of service or product. Companies are spending thousands of dollars just to be competitive on this field. Knowing this is certainly a proof of the method’s effectiveness. Study shows that 8 million customers are expected to seek for dental services and information online. Moreover, those who already got their sites up and running prove that the number of their customers increased. However, knowing that the number of sites that offer this kind of service is constantly increasing will only mean a tight competition. A good medical website design will provide you with a better chance to do well. Here are some other things you should consider.

Tested by Time

Do not worry about the investment is required to purchase and set up a site. The benefits that you can get from it are certainly worth all your time, effort and money. Keep in mind that marketing your service is a vital procedure towards getting more customers. It has been tested to work by several professionals who already did it prior you. Having a site will also help your current customers be informed about the different dental services and can give them enough confidence to settle an appointment with you.

Conduct and Initial Research

Do not be abrupt in creating your own site to market your professional services. It is best if you try to have an initial research. Browse some sites that are already situated with such kind of services. Study the wonderful points that these sites have and try to implement it in yours. Be more aware in some effective site engine optimization efforts. Remember that having a good background on what to do and to expect with regards to internet marketing is certainly a great help. Choosing a simple but complete dental website design is also better than a complicated but lacking one.

New Linux Distance Learning Course from the Open University

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:40:33 +0000

Personally I’d recommend as many relevant lower level computing and technology courses as possible before tackling T320 Ebusiness Technologies. I’ve just heard about a new distance learning course in Linux from the OU that sounds like a very good option, as it includes practice in setting up a web server, user management and security.

Wish I could do it myself, but can’t right now. In any case, here are the details:

Proving to be a popular course at the Open University, some of the team from T155 Linux: an introduction will be on the Open University stand at the Gadget Show Live (http://www.gadgetshowlive.net/) being held at the NEC Birmingham, from the 7th until the 11th of April 2010.
To find out more about this course please visit:
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm
Registration is available for both May and October 2010.
Aimed at anyone, this course is suited to the enthusiast, those with technical skills (but none in Linux), the enquiring mind and those who have always wondered about Linux but did not know who to ask.
Anyone taking this course will have the opportunity to gain a discount on the internationally recognised CompTIA Linux+ certification exam; this course is endorsed by CompTIA as a suitable in “studying towards” the Linux+. For more information please visit:
http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/linux.aspx

Block 4 and the ECA – how was T320 in the end?

admin — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:58:00 +0000

It was in Block 4 that it really became a disadvantage to be taking the course in its first year, though I still think T320 (especially the e-business aspect) was one of the most interesting OU courses I’ve done.

The course was being offered over a compressed timescale (6 months instead of 9), and Block 4 coincided almost entirely with the school holidays, and required about twice as much computer based practical work as any of the other blocks. This made it very difficult to get all the practicals done in time to begin the project. Worse still, whereas all the other blocks had a TMA at the end, block 4 went straight into the ECA instead, with no opportunity to bring together the Block 4 material and get some feedback on whether we’d understood it properly, but a strong knock-on effect of the block 4 work on the final grade and, for many people, their degree grade.

So I stayed up late, I took days off work, my husband took days off work to mind the kids, and I struggled with the BPEL, but however much I tried I still can’t say I really understood it. There was also an unfortunate mix up, with new versions being issued of the ECA and work files when the first set were decided to be too difficult(!). So, along with several other people, I was trying to use the second set of files with the second version of the ECA, when it should have been the third set of files, which confused things more. I tried starting again with the practicals, and it took me until the last two days to figure out my problem with the wrong set of files. Briefly, right at the end I think I finally got it, but by then I was so tired and stressed I forgot it again afterwards.

In the end, I got the BPEL diagram finished, but didn’t get most of the testing done. After all that, I was surprised to find it was my report that was the weakest part of my ECA (probably needed more of that BPEL time!), though thankfully the XML, WSDL and Transaction Cost Analysis went well. And somehow, I did get the distinction I needed for my degree grade

I see the OU is now offering T320 as a full length course, and I think that is a much better idea. On the whole, I thought this course was great, and in contrast to most reviewers I massively preferred Block 1, with its focus on e-business concepts rather than technical implementations, so perhaps that is where I will go with this in future

ECA References and Links

admin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:53:48 +0000

One of the tricky things about blogging about an OU course is that you’re not allowed to publish your actual assignments (or their course materials, obviously!) But this is the list of references I used in writing the ECA report. The ECA for my year was about using ebusiness technologies as part of a healthcare information management system for American-owned private birth centres in three locations in the UK.

References and Links:

American Association of Birth Centers (2008) AABC Uniform Data Set Features. [online, accessed October 2008] http://www.birthcenters.org/data-collection/features.php

BBC News (2008) Previous cases of missing data. [online, accessed October 2008] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7449927.stm

Coiera, E. (2007) Editorial: Lessons from the NHS National Programme for IT. Medical Journal of Australia. Volume 186, Number 1. 1 January, 2007.

Gritzalis, D. (2003) A security architecture for interconnecting health information systems. International Journal of Medical Informatics, Volume 73, Issue 3, Pages 305-309.

Heap, N (2008) Block 4, Part 4: Business Processes. In T320 E-business technologies: foundations and practice, course materials. Open University, 2008.

Making the Web (2008). Choosing Optimal MySQL Data Types. [online, accessed October, 2008] http://www.making-the-web.com/2008/04/27/choosing-optimal-mysql-data-types/

Martin, I and Einon, G (2008) Block 1, Part 6: The opportunities and challenges of e-business. In T320 E-business technologies: foundations and practice. Open University, 2008.

Moore, Michael (2007) MichaelMoore.com : SICKO : Michael Moore’s Health Care Proposal [online, accessed October 2008] http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/health-care-proposal/

National Literacy Trust (2006). Literacy and education levels by ethnic group. 20 most common languages in London schools, 2006. [online, accessed October, 2008] http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/STATS/EALstats.html#20languages

NHS: NHS Choices Web Services. [online, accessed October 2008] http://www.nhs.uk/nhscwebservices/Pages/Webservices.aspx

NHS Connecting for Health, Guidance on Ethnic Naming Conventions.

Sack, K. (2008) Obama’s health care pledges come under scrutiny. International Herald Tribune. July 23, 2008. [online, accessed October 2008] http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/23/america/health.php

UK Government Data Standards Catalogue (2002) NHS Number [online, accessed October 2008] http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/gdsc/html/frames/NHSnumber-2-0-Release.htm

UK Government Data Standards Catalogue (undated) Citizen Identification Types (XML Schema) [online, accessed October 2008] http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/gdsc/schemas/CitizenIdentificationTypes-v1-4.xsd

Wikipedia. Body Mass Index [online, accessed October, 2008] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

Block 3 links: SOA, WSDL, SOAP, REST, UDDI etc

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:55:38 +0000

Some useful links for Block 3:

Apache Synapse Enterprise Services Bus

Eclipse home page

IBM DeveloperWorks – What’s new in Web Services?

IETF (internet Engineering Task Force)

Java Applets (Sun)

OASIS Web Services Security Standards (and many other standards)

Second Generation Web Services

IBM developerWorks SOA and Web services zone

SOA testing handbook – free to download

Starbucks does not use Two-Phase Commit: Enterprise Integration Patterns

W3C SOAP specifications

Web Services – Axis

Which style of WSDL should I use?

(I had to save a local copy to print this because for some reason it wouldn’t print beyond page 4)

WS-I Deliverables for creating Interoperable Web Services

WSDL: Like memorising the phone book

admin — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:12:48 +0000

What with XML, SOAP and WSDL documents all using XML and XML Schema, they seem so alike. Starting to learn them by reading about them is like trying to memorise the phone book: I really need to get on with the practical activities to make some more sense of this. Thankfully (I think) there are many of these, but there isn’t much time for the TMA! I hope the reason WSDL is confusing is because it’s the first of the set that I’m reading about. The WSDL unit summary reminds me ‘WSDL is the language for describing web services so that they can be accessed and used by clients, either manually or automatically’… Hold that thought!