• •• •1Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 1Choosing Hardware, Software,and Networking EquipmentCriteria and Selection ProcessHardware Alternatives and their FeaturesSoftware Alternatives and their FeaturesNetworking AlternativesXVIII. Selecting a Computing PlatformXVIII. Selecting a Computing PlatformInformation Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 2Computing PlatformsComputing Platforms A computing platformcomputing platform consists of the hardware,software (e.g., operating system, compilers, databasemanagement systems, etc.) and networkingconfiguration. Key questions: What platform suits best the needs of the project? What criteria should be used to decide? How should hardware, software, and networkingequipment be selected? Why? What general principles should be kept in mind?Key concern:Key concern: Understanding of systems (hardware,software, and networking).• •• •2Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 3Major Platform Resource TypesMajor Platform Resource TypesHardwareSoftwareNetworkingHuman ResourcesInformation Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 4Classes of Hardware SystemsClasses of Hardware Systems Mainframes CommercialMinicomputers Microcomputers Embedded systems Supercomputers Workstations andServers Microcomputers Embedded SystemsTechnical/EngineeringCommercial/BusinessCommercial/BusinessLargeLargeSmallSmall There are two basic classes of hardware systems:Commercial/ Business, and Technical/Engineering.• •• •3Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 5Commercial MinicomputersCommercial Minicomputers $10,000 to $500,000 Proprietary hardware and software e.g. IBM AS/400, Compaq (DEC) VAX/VMS orAlpha/OpenVMS, HP MPE/iX Often “black-box” systems. Increasingly being replaced by UNIX- or WindowsNT-based systems. Multi-user machines.Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 6Workstations and ServersWorkstations and Servers $5,000 to $500,000 “Open” Systems, e.g. Sun SPARC, IBM RS6000,HP/UX, SGI/IRIX, Compaq Tru64, SCO, etc. Often at least partially “glass-box” systems. Encroaching on Minicomputer marketplace. Internetservers are key application area. Intrinsically multi-user-capable machines.• •• •4Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 7““OpenOpen”” vs vs ProprietaryProprietary The “Openness” of a system is a measure of theease by which one system can be replaced by aanother from an entirely different manufacturer. Proprietary systems available only from one vendor. Advantages: vendor provides everything! Disadvantages: price gouging, difficult migration,poor interoperability between vendors. “Open” systems are available from many vendors; Advantages: easy to change vendors, lower pricesgood interoperability. Disadvantages: minor differences, finger-pointing. Few systems are entirely proprietary or entirely open.Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 8Black-Box Black-Box vs vs Glass BoxGlass Box A “Black-Box” system is one in which only the vendoror integrator has access to the internals of thesystem; customer/user customization is limited. Oftenused for single “turn-key” applications.E.g. point-of-sale, bank ATM. A “Glass-Box” system has internals that are partiallyor completely accessible to the customer/user. Oftenpreferred for general-purpose use.E.g. engineering workstation. Very few commercial systems are entirely “Glass-box”.• •• •5Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 9MicrocomputersMicrocomputers $1,000 to $25,000. Generally “Open” hardware, proprietary software.Hardware becoming a commodity. Encroaching on Minicomputer and (to a lesser extent)the workstation and server marketplace. Wintel (WINdows on inTEL) are the main players inthis category; Apple competes in niche markets. Generally single-user machines.Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 10WintelWintel: : MS WindowsMS Windows + Intel x86 + Intel x86 Microsoft Windows NT Server and desktop Window system on top of VMS-derived OS. Microsoft Windows 95/98/00 desktop only Window system on top of DOS. Both proprietary, single-user.• •• •6Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 11WintelWintel: MS Windows + : MS Windows + Intel x86Intel x86 Open architecture CPUs available from Intel,AMD, and Cyrix (despite IntelSlot 1 patent). Motherboard chipsetsavailable from Intel, VIA, SiS;motherboards available frommany vendors. Peripherals available frommany vendors. Intel x86 hardware increasinglybecoming a “commodity”.Information Systems Analysis and Design csc3401999 John DiMarcoPlatform Selection -- 12Apple MacintoshApple Macintosh ~5% of the microcomputer marketplace. Niche markets: K-12 education, graphic design. Proprietary hardware and software. New inroads into home marketplace (iMac) Rarely chosen for office/business use.• •• •7Information Systems
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