I. STATEMENT & BACKGROUND The college of Business (COB) server is now being used to support deliver to theComputer Information System (CIS) department. The CIS professors would be using the serverfor various operations. Assignments, e-mail, and other types of information would be easier forthe students to access.
Network users are able to share files, printers and other resources; sendelectronic messages and run programs on other computers. However, certain important issuesneed to be addressed and concentrated on. In order to begin the process of setting up the COBserver, the total numbers of users (faculty and students) must be determined. Some othersignificant factors to be approached are: the required software applications needed on thenetwork, an efficient and appropriate directory structure and effective security structure.
Indesigning the directory structure, the major focus must be on accessibility. The number ofundergraduate CIS courses that the server will be used for is be! tween 15 and 17. For the users to be ensured that their information is not at risk, we will createan effective security structure. In composing the appropriate security structure there must becertain access rights assigned to the users. An important technical detail in setting up a server isthe amount of money that will need to be allocated for the restructuring of the system.
For thesystem to function properly, the amount of hardware/ software will need to be determined. II. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS The COB server will primarily be used by CIS professors and CIS students. Theapproximate number of professors in the CIS department is between five and seven and theapproximate number of CIS majors is between 100 and 120.
As computer technology continuesto grow, the number of CIS majors is vastly increasing. If we see a considerable rise inComputer Information Systems majors the department will have to expand its faculty members. The CIS professors will be using the server to disburse their syllabi, distribute specificassignments and send e-mail to their students. The layout, design and complexity of each classwill determine how much the professor may be using the server.
The first class a CIS major usually takes at Western is CIS 251. Management InformationSystems (CIS 251). This class offers students a basis for management information systems inbusiness organizations. In putting the COB server to use and getting the student ready forhands-on knowledge of computer-based information systems, CIS 251 focuses on analysis,development, design, implementation, and evaluation.
Other tasks that are covered in this classare computer applications ins spreadsheets, word processors, and database systems. Information systems affect both business people and people who live in society. The first programming class CIS majors take is CIS 256. This CIS course will be verybeneficial for the server. Business Computer Programming (CIS 256) introduces the student toan application of programming principle in business.
Detailed assignments involve flowcharting,coding, documentation, and testing. This course provides the student with a background ofcomputer architecture and data representation. This class account will require the BASICprogramming language that will be used as well as the compiler. The CIS elective, CIS 301, emphasizes maximum hands-on experience withmicrocomputers and software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets, databasemanagers, and graphic systems.
Microcomputer Applications (CIS 301), is an important coursefor students not majoring in Computer Information Systems, but would like to familiarizethemselves with the personal computer. This account will contain Microsoft Office and e-mailcapabilities. An important class that becomes useful for the server is the CIS 358 course. The professorcan send applications, reports, programs and other data to the server where the student cantransfer to a disk or their VAX account. Applications Development II (CIS 358) is a study ofthe state of art tools and techniques for developing complex business applications; dataorganization, on-line processing, software engineering, and software maintenance. This CIS classis an extension to CIS 258.
The student will expand his/her knowledge of the COBOLprogramming language. In order for the CIS major to apply principle of good application designand solving problems, the Visual Basic programming language will also be introduced. Theaccount for these two classes will contain the COBOL programming language and the compilerfor it as well as Visual Basic. For the students to learn more about client-server technology, CIS 365 is required to theComputer Information Systems curriculum. The student will be involved in learning aboutdifferent types of