Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to provide students the ability to understand
how information systems fit into the structures of
business organizations and in particular:
- The structure and the evolution of computing systems-oriented to organizations.
- The management of business processes through information technology.
- The role of the Internet in business processes.
- The basic principles of information systems security.
- The basic principles of performance evaluation of sitemi information.
The ability to apply the knowledge and understanding listed appear to be in particular:
- Analyze and describe the architecture of the computing infrastructure for business
- Analyze business processes and the needs and identify the ICT solutions.
- Assess the main security features (logical and physical) of computer systems.
- Describe and model with stochastic techniques simple systems and processes.
The course also aims to improve the autonomy of judgment and the communication
skills through the preparation of two written essays.
The first asks to compare in a synthetic way the characteristics of services
(cloud, backup, BI) offered to companies on the net.
The second asks to understand an article of the scientific literature on the issues of performance evaluation,
to it analyze critically.
Prerequisites
- - -
Course unit content
Information systems
- An introduction to Information Systems and to the course
- Business Process Engineering
- Information Systems for Operational Support
- Strategic and Management Information Systems
- Computer System within the Information System
- Information System Professions
- Computer Security
- Planning, Acquisition and Management of ISs
- IS models and performance evaluation
- Multimedia Information Systems
Full programme
Introduction to information systems and the course (4 hours)
Engineering of business processes (14 hours)
- Computer System / Information System
- The value chain
- The pyramid of Anthony
- Business processes
- Re-engineering of business processes
Information Systems Operational Support (6 hours)
• Computer system and applications
• Relations between the levels of applications
• Integrated systems management: ERP
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• The Supply Chain Management (SCM)
Management Information Systems (4 hours)
• Business intelligence
• Data warehouse, data mart
• OLAP systems
• Tutorial and Example
• Internet, e-business models and network services (6 hours)
or models of e-business
or business models in the network (Google)
or Social media inside and outside the company
THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WITHIN THE INFORMATION SYSTEM (14 hours)
• The structure of a software application
• Networks within the computer systems
• The technological evolution: from monolith to middleware
• The world of client-server and multi-tier applications
• The evolution of client-server 3-tier and multitier
• The problem of compatibility between components and entire applications
• Check the following systems: TOGAF and ITIL and configuration items
• Overview of storage devices
• Overview of the most popular operating systems
• Overview of current technologies for application development
• The new integration solutions: Service Oriented Architecture
• Grid computing
• Virtual computing and virtual machines
• Cloud computing
• Systems Management - Data Centers - Green Computing
Professions for INFORMATION SYSTEMS (2 hours)
• The contexts of operation and types of information systems
• Human resources and their role
• The details of the "canonical" roles
• Some examples of 'real'organizations
• The new standard of competence and professionalism in IT
Planning, acquisition and operation (6 hours)
• Information system and business goals: IT governance
• Tools for planning activities
or procedures for the acquisition of computer systems (4 hours)
or Procurement Procedures (CNIPA, ...)
o Example of tenders
• A tool to measure revenue: the Return Of Investment (ROI)
• A tool to assess the costs: the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Other important tools for the management and planning
• The management policies
• An application of policies: security management
• Current management and change management
• The project management information
• Vision set of standards
• ICT and business: the current situation and possible future developments
COMPUTER SECURITY (4 hours)
• The problems of computer security
• The prevention of accidental failures and natural events
• The threats to human security
• The role of viruses
• The protection of information
• The electronic identity
• Operational applications of encryption and authentication
• The protection systems
• Managing security
• The standard of information security: ISO 27000
• The Italian and European legislation
Models and performance evaluation of Information Systems (4 hours)
• Introduction to performance evaluation or measurement techniques and simulation and benchmarking
• A brief introduction to stochastic models
• Networks of queues, system models in queuing networks.
o Introduction and Definitions
or Simple models and solutions
Multimedia Information Systems (12 hours)
• Outline of the main techniques for image compression, video and audio
• Main industry standards
• Problems and techniques of multimedia systems on the network
• Protocols and systems for the network delivery of multimedia
• Metadata and search of multimedia content
• Examples of multimedia information systems
Bibliography
G. Bracchi, C. Francalanci, G. Motta: Sistemi informativi e aziende in rete, McGraw-Hill, 2001.
G. Bracchi, C. Francalanci, G. Motta: Sistemi informativi d’impresa, McGraw-Hill, 2010.
G. Destri: Introduzione ai sistemi informativi aziendali, MUP, 2007
Teaching methods
During the lectures the issues related to enterprise
information systems will be discussed as indicated in the program.
The last part of the course will also include exercises
oriented to contents presented in the theoretical part.
Assessment methods and criteria
There are no intermediate tests during the course.
There it will be an oral exam related to the theoretical part of the course.
Interested students will prepare a first short report (5-6 pages) analysing and comparing business services offered on the net (cloud computing, BI, back-up, ...) as well as a second report based on the analysis of an article on performance evaluation or other significant problems
of Information Systems. The report must also include the critical analysis of the model presented and the verification of the results.
Students not presenting the reports will need to pass an additional written test before the
oral exam.
Other information
The teaching materials is available on
elly.dii.unipr.it
