Skills: noneConcepts: network services pros and cons, service level agreement, application hosting alternatives

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Network application pros and cons

Where does this topic fit?

• Internet concepts– Applications– Technology– Implications

• Internet skills– Application development– Content creation– User skills

Network application Stand-alone application

Which is best?

What are the pros and cons of network and stand-alone or “desktop” applications?

+ The application can be run from anywhere, including by mobile workers+ Savings in in-house IT infrastructure+ Savings in in-house personnel – system administrators and developers+ The service provider has specialized expertise and skilled employees+ Software can be continuously upgraded and debugged+ Vendor sees how the application is used, and can focus on what people want+ Upgrades do not have to be installed on client machines+ Initial investment by the user is minimized? Operating expense may be greater or less? Reliability and availability may be increased or decreased- Intruders may be able to access the application- The service might not be as flexible and well tailored as software written in house- The service vendors may go out of business- The service vendor may alter the service, pricing, etc.- Data may be insecure at the vendor's site, particularly if it is out of the country- Exporting your data may be difficult or impossible, locking you into the service

Network services pros and cons

Gmaildown

Keep users informed

“We don't plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site, at least through the end of the year”.

Senior Vice President Urs Holzle8/04/2010 02:00:00 PM

Zap!!

Google Wave is discontinued

$ $

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Contract terms can change

Who owns the hardware? (User/Vendor) Where is it located? (Local/Cloud)Who owns the application software? (User/Vendor)

Hardware owner

Hardwarelocation

Application software

In-house hosting U L U

Datacenter hosting U C U

Cloud hosting V C U

Application service V C V

Hosting options

Summary

Zap!!

Self-study questions

1. Give an example for each of the pros and cons listed in the initial slide.

2. Some university experience with network applications: http://cis471.blogspot.com/search/label/university%20cloud

3. Pick one of the pros and cons and create a slide that illustrates it. Like my slides, yours should include an image, and notes for explanation.

4. Find an example of a situation in which each of the four hosting options we mentioned is used.

Resources

Google Apps dashboard:http://www.google.com/appsstatus#hl=en

Announcement that Google Wave would be dropped:http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/update-on-google-wave.html