THAMES VALLEY UNIVERSITY
School of Technology & Information Systems
Module Assessment for Bachelor of Science in Information Systems
South East Asia Programme
Accredited Degree Programme
Level-3 Module
SYS 3040: Open Systems
Time allowed: Three hours
Instruction to candidates:
1. Answer any FOUR questions out of SIX.
2. All questions carry equal marks.
3. Several of the questions set are looking for a general understanding of Open Systems
aspects. Your answers will be more likely to gain good grades if you can refer to specific
examples where relevant, to illustrate points you have made.
| 1. |
Offer a critical justitifcation for the following: Scalability has
already been achieved and portability is becoming less of a problem. Inter-operability may
be less critical as Unix is rationalised.
Perhaps one of the most important development in Open Systems is the trend to
reusability as provided by advances in standards in object-broking.
Total: 25 marks
|
| 2. |
Downsizing now often means that an organisation implements a number of
LAN segments on sites connected by routers, remote bridges or gateways, with PC-like user
stations and more powerful servers offering local or distributed services. A recent UK
survey reported that a large percentage of enterprises surveyed indicated they were not
happy with distributed databases and were considering a return to a centralised database.
| a. |
Give your views on why this might be the case (10 marks) |
| b. |
It is generally accepted that LAN users are becoming IT-wise and
that there is increasingly more use of peer-to-peer applications. These together
are causing considerable pressure on LAN controllers to provide increased transmission
rates. In this context, explain with appropriate examples:
i. 'IT-wise'
ii. 'peer-to-peer applications'
iii. increased transmission rates.
(15 marks)
Total: 25 marks
|
|
| 3. |
In the open systems context, portability implies operational
convenience, while re-use is all about cost minimisation. Compare and contrast
the underlined terms, showing clearly what are meant by operational convenience and
cost minimisation.
Total: 25 marks
|
| 4. |
The job of building a new system has tended to be as much a matter of
providing inter-operability with existing systems as that of providing new or extended
functionality. Explain the role of the system integrator in system development
and discuss the significance of modern workbenches and other development tools in an open
approach to system analysis, design and implementation.
Total: 25 marks
|
| 5. |
The term Client-Server is perhaps one of the most over-used and
least understood concepts to come out of current systems jargon.
| a. |
Provide an explanation of what you consider to be the meaning of the term
with examples of its use in different situations which show clearly what is and what is
not a client-server situation. (18 marks) |
| b. |
Explain the use of the term 'client' and 'server' in relation to MS
Window-based software. (7 marks) |
Total: 25 marks
|
| 6. |
Open Systems can be described as 'an overall approach to the development
and implementation of IT which supports the business response to change and
reorganisation, relying heavily on conformance to standards and providing for re-use where
possible'. Discuss the business pressures that cause enterprises to re-examine their
structure and underpinning IT and review the benefits that might be gain from an adoption
of Open System thinking.
Total: 25 marks |
|
