Lecture 3: E-business technological infrastructure

Question 1

The four infrastructure layers of e-business

Answer 1

• Collaborative technologies (Top layer): workflow systems and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
• Web based Technologies & Applications ( Layer above infrastructure layer): contains technologies that are required to develop web-based applications.
• Basic infrastructure layer: contains client, server and tiered architecture.
• Networking facilities (Bottom layer): includes networking topologies, the Internet, and protocols such as TCP/IP

Question 2

What are the features of client-server architecture?

Answer 2

1. Clients and servers are functional modules with well defined interfaces.
2. Each client-server relationship is established between 2 modules. where one tie client, initiates service request. and another, the server, responds to this request.
3. Information exchange goes through messages
4. Message exchange is typically interactive
5. Clients and services may run on different machines connected through a network.

Question 3

Two tier client-server architecture

Answer 3

the tiers refer to the amount elements into which the application is partitioned.
- Logical partitioning
- Physical partitioning

Question 4

Three tier client-server architecture

Answer 4

• Presentation tier: GUI
• Processing tier: Business logic
• Data tier: Holds permanent data

Question 5

Definition of “Website”

Answer 5

a catalogue of the information for content providers over the web.

Question 6

Content providers over the web:

Answer 6

1. Web server
2. Content files
3. Gateways

Question 7

Web application types

Answer 7

1. Static documents: delivered from the file system of the web server.
2. Dynamic documents: have an interactive and time-sensitive nature. These require to generate the document on the fly.

Question 8

Multi tiered architecture

Answer 8

1. Client tier
2. Presentation tier
3. Processing or business logic tier
4. Data tier.

Question 9

Workflow systems features

Answer 9

1. Automates a business process, in a whole or a part
2. Comprises a number of logical steps (activities)
3. Depict (represent) various aspects

Question 10

Definition of “EDI ( Electronic Data Interchange) “

Answer 10

a transfer of structured data by agreed message standards between computer applications.

Question 11

2 key elements in basic EDI

Answer 11

1. Electronic documents replace their paper counterparts
2. The exchange of documents takes place in standardized format.

Question 12

EDI trade cycle

Answer 12

Regular, repeat transactions between commercial trading partners. Examples Supermarkets replenishing stocks