Compare and Contrast the 1991 and 2003 Iraq War Case Study

Compare and Contrast the 1991 and 2003 Iraq War - Case Study Example In addition was the allegation that Kuwait was stealing Iraqi oil from the Rumaila oil field by using slant drilling technology. Lastly, Kuwait had refused to allow Iraq access to the Persian Gulf. As a result, in May 1990, the world saw Saddam Hussein openly attacking the Kuwait economic warfare in the Arab League meeting. As Hinnebusch (2007) points out, even after the Iraq threat of military action if Kuwait failed to control over-production, the tiny nation remained firm on its decisions; and the support, undoubtedly came from the US. This fact is evident from the understanding that the US military was preparing for a war against Iraq. For example, in 1989 itself, America had revamped its military doctrine in the Middle East. To illustrate, General Normal Schwarzkopf had already started war games in which US troops fought the Iraqi troops even before the Iraqi aggression on Kuwait. In addition is the fact that the US could not produce any proof to support their claims of Iraqi tr oop deployment against Kuwait. This is especially important considering the fact that Russia produced such satellite imageries that show no important troop deployment from the part of Iraq that threatened Kuwait. Here, one has to again remember that there was no movement from the President to promote diplomacy and negotiations. Evidently, the US wanted to reduce the power and influence of Iraq in the oil rich region of Middle East. So, for the US, a war was necessary. This becomes very evident from the American aggression on Iraq a second time, and this time, on an even weaker and unbelievable basis. The allegation was that Iraq had a role in the 9/11 attack. Though the US could not come up with a believable story up to this time, the idea was supported by the hardliners in the nation. As Kitfield (n.d.) states, another allegation was that there were WMDs but even after the war, no such evidences were brought to the world. In total, one can say that the aggression of Iraq on Kuwait was not a matter of more concern to America than to United Nations. According to Kitfield (n.d), if it took special interest in the matter, it had its own interests to be protected. In order to gain international support, America went on asserting that Iraq was violating Resolution 1441 of 2002 that mandated Iraq to fully declare and eliminate its WMD programs. Also, America got the opinion of other nations including France, Germany, Russia, and China that Iraq was not properly following the guidelines. However, they were not in agreement with the American interest in an immediate attack as they thought the UN efforts should be given more time. Admittedly, the United Nations exhibited its inability and vulnerability to the world in the Iraq wars. For example, the Council used its Chapter VII powers to allow the coalition under the US to take military actions. Soon, there was Operation Desert Shield and Storm, but there arose the issue that the military action was not authorized. For the purpose, Security Council Resolution 687 was passed on 29 November 1990. Here, the council, instead of showing any clearly defined responsibility, made the vague statement that the Security Council be regularly informed. According to Resolution 687, all weapons of mass destruction had to be removed. So, the sanctions for military action under the resolution would remain in force until this end

The explotation of slavery from colonial times to 1877 Essay

The explotation of slavery from colonial times to 1877 - Essay Example Slavery was a problem in the world from its birth. People who are sold, then asked to work ruthlessly and do not have any rights of their own are known as slaves. To build up the economy of America they needed people who could work according to what they required and thus at this time the African people were targeted and used as slaves. By the sixteenth century the use of these servants had become common and this made a way for the Africans to enter America. Agreements were made with these slaves, which stated that they would be bound to work for their master for some years. And after the specified period of time these slaves were set free. These were known as the contracted or indentured servants. During this era many of the African people who were bound with their masters for some years got free and started working as traders or land owners. At this time there was a greed for more land and a stabilized economy and thus this raised the demand graph of the slaves in America. At this time the slaves of Africa became popular and were highly charged for their services. Most of the Southern America needed workers for the plantations of rice, tobacco, cotton etc. These slaves were also used for other purposes such as crafting and personal servants. While on the other hand in Northern America these slaves were mostly used in trade, factories and farms. The demand of the slaves in America grew by a very significant rate and by the 17th century there were an estimated 180,000 African slaves working on the American soil. Sooner this number increased even further and in some states the black slaves consumed most of the population of the state. In the sixteenth century states like Massachusetts made new laws which made oppression as lawful servitude. This worsened the conditions of the Africans who were living in the American soil. They thus turned into chattel slaves who could be sold and purchased only by their owners. The people from Africa were known for their work in mining farming agriculture and other skills. People from Portugal were the first to start slave trading. Sudan was the basic area where slaves could be found. The wars which took place between different tribes in Africa gave way to the selling of tribes as the side which won kept some of their prisoners as captives and further sold them to other people. Many other people were kidnapped by the hunters which were then used as slaves. These slaves were very important for the economy of America as they were good at planting different agricultural goods. The rise of the slaves got on its peak when there was seen a rise in the demand of basic agricultural goods like cotton, tobacco and coffee. This trade of slaves gave so much profit that in the sixteenth century Royal African Company outdated other traders in term of profits. Slaves at a time were also known as the Black Gold. At this time many people from Europe moved to America to practice their religion with freedom. But on the other hand Slavery was to be justified as it provided such a boost to the economy of America. Therefore to defend that slavery was correct and legal, people started to justify it by classifying the group of blacks as substandard, low-grade and fated to be slaves. Even at those times the churches did not take up this issue seriously and did not try to eliminate slavery. Even some

Design a factory Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Design a factory - Dissertation Example The report reflects a very significant aspect of industrial engineering advancement. The research is tied around dyeing and molding methods used by industries to reduce production and change over time between productions of different parts. The parts under consideration over here are car bumpers of two cars, namely Toyota and Nissan UK. A hypothetical factory will be explained which works on the Just-In-Time principle to produce and deliver car bumpers to production line of the said companies in the UK. MOLDING AND DYEING First, let us start with the building block of this review paper. Mould or molding is the initial way or increasing production rate in factory. This is not the sole reason but a part of the reason. The process of molding can be defined as the process of shaping raw material using different means, which have been developed over the years in industrial revolutions and beyond by experimentation and innovation. The caste is the second term which has to be explained. Com ing towards the role of the mould or the caste. It is, in simple terms, a hollow shape of the actual part, which has to be produced or manufactured. The raw material, with proper heating and other scientific methods, is poured into the caste, which in terms forms the desired part. The earlier part of the report explains molding as a very simple form of technique, but now it has evolved into a complete science, rather modern art. Injection molding is a industrial process for producing similar parts from thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic material. Heated material is poured into a mold cavity to produce the exact part. The caste is then engineered to perfection for running production. This technique is used vastly now in industries and production houses to produce variety of parts, from the smallest of parts to the very panels on the car, Douglas (1996, pp. 43). The part under discussion in this report is a car bumper that will be produced for two companies, on being Nissan and t he other being Toyota. An Injection molding machine is simply a mechanical device invented to take the human factor out of the process of injection molding to as far an extent as possible and in this case, it is related to the bumper of the two car companies. A basic assumption has to be made for the hypothesis about the number of parts manufactured in this factory. The number of parts that this factory produces is four. Two being the front bumpers and two rear for both Toyota and Nissan respectively. EQUIPMNT REQUIRED The machines that would be required to fulfill the demand of two companies with two bumpers (front and rear) respectively will need a minimum of 4 machines to bring about a constant production. As the factory works on just-in-time principle, the raw material will be forecasted and put on demand just when it is needed, hence reducing the cost of storage and constant manning of the resources. The best machine that will be used for fast processing and manufacture of simi lar parts will be plastic injection molding machine, with the die constructed on order from the owner. As the bumper designs will be provided by Nissan and Toyota, hence a machine is needed which is software operated and the design can be changed according to the demand. The machine that is going to be installed in the factory will be Fangheng, model FH-AB06 produced by Taizhou Huangyan Fangheng Plastic Moulds Co., Ltd. The machine has been chosen after a lot of

The Vietnam Quagmire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Vietnam Quagmire - Essay Example The war in Vietnam and the involvement of the United States (US) served to teach a very important lesson where foreign relations and policy are concerned. The Vietnam War served to teach America and the rest of the world that one cannot impose their ways and values on other people. This was acerbated by the use of military force by the Americans in an effort to coerce President Diem to adopt American style politics and systems of governance. America engaged itself in the Vietnam War without a clear exit strategy, an aspect that further complicated by the fact that the US did not have a set agenda on what was its end goal or objective in the war (Halberstam 4). These factors contributed to chronic suspicion by the Vietnamese leadership and the people, an aspect that did not improve relations between Americans and the Vietnamese. It led to the continuation of a purposeless war attributed to the loss of senseless and massive casualties for both sides an event that could have been avoide d if America had approached this issue in a different manner. During the Vietnam War the Buddhists in the South of Vietnam played a vital role that was seen as progressive in terms of what the country needed at that time. Buddhism was a popular and widespread religion before the coming of Christianity, and rise to power of a devote Roman Catholic priest saw the discrimination of Buddhist elements both in government and society (Halberstam 7).

The reasons to be a social worker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The reasons to be a social worker - Essay Example The researcher will begin with the statement that from his childhood he enjoy socializing, making new friends, meeting people and helping them in different ways. The author has been very compassionate about the financially poor people and always wanted to do something for them. It was his dream from his childhood to get into the stream of social work. At this point, the author cannot forget to acknowledge his mother who was basically responsible for developing these feelings for him. The researcher’s mother has been his inspiration and the author hardly knows anyone who is as compassionate and loving as her. She runs an old age home and also an orphanage for children. The researcher’s mother used to take him along with her during the weekends and also in his vacations and that is when the researcher developed the interest in social work. Recently, after the major Tsunami, there were many who lost their houses, parents who lost their children and children who lost their parents. The researcher was really moved by a five-year-old who happened to reach his mother's orphanage after the incidence. The author was really sorry for the child who lost all his family members and was all alone in this world. The researcher feels that his education and his future should be focused in this direction and take social work as his profession. The author believes that his educational background and abilities would be an excellent base for his future studies in social work

Social Issues Surrounding Child Welfare Services Essay Example for Free

Social Issues Surrounding Child Welfare Services Essay Children are part of a family, while a family is a basic unit of social structure representing a single household in a community. The need to address the issues and problems surrounding these two social groups is a social concern that has led to the creation of different social welfare and development organizations and units.   For the purpose of identifying the issues and problems surrounding family and child welfare, let us not take family and child as two different social actors. As Shireman wrote in the book â€Å"Critical Issues in Child Welfare,† â€Å"There is no dichotomy between the welfare of the child and the welfare of the family. Any policy that supports family life supports the welfare of children. Child welfare is, therefore, about the welfare of children and families† (1). In the United States, despite the continuous attempt of the government and other welfare organizations to eradicate the problems related to family and child welfare programs and services, different issues still persist to question the policies created to address such problems. In order to identify this problems and issues, let us first briefly discuss the background of this problem. Family and Child Care in U.S. According to a press release from US Census Bureau News, in 2004, 61 percent or approximately 45 million of the United States’ 73 million children population, with ages 18 years and below, were living with their biological parents. Of these 45 million children, over 42.2 million lived with married foster parents, while approximately 4.1 million lived with stepfather and biological mother. Meanwhile, 19.3 million children in the U.S. lived with one parent particularly with single mother. More to this, an estimated 12.2 million children witch is 17% of children’s population lived with half sibling, stepparent, and/or stepsibling. Concerning the family and child welfare services program, the U.S. government in the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993 created the Family Preservation and Support Services which aims to encourage the State â€Å"to develop, establish, and operate a program of community-based family support services and family preservation services† (Layzer, Goodson, Bernstein, and Price ii). The family support program offers related services and programs to families in the given communities. Meanwhile, the family preservation services give assistance to families who are experiencing family problems and crisis. Moreover, this program also encompasses the children’s issues and problems. Issues Surrounding Family and Child Welfare Family and child welfare policies, being a social concern, have been subjected to criticism by different groups in the society like media, non-government organizations, cause groups, and even state legislators. Consequently issues on family and child welfare surfaced, ranging from difficulties in identifying and measuring the extent of involvement and intervention of the state in solving marital and familial issues to the availability of funds to support the different programs relating to family and child welfare. With regard to state intervention in cases of child abuse and violence, unless the family violence has been judged seriously enough for court intervention, the child could be detached from his or her parent’s home and brought to a foster home. In this situation, problems arose concerning the basis of measurement used in identifying the seriousness or weight of the abuse or violence inflicted on the child. The child’s separation from his or her family, particularly from his mother, was perceived to be critical and dangerous to the child. Thus, it is the abuser who should leave the home and face the consequence of his action. As Schechter and Edleson put it, â€Å"intervention should ensure the child’s safety, help the mother protect herself and her children, and hold the perpetrator of the violence accountable† (qtd. in Shireman 44). The issues of whether a child should stay short-term or long-term in the foster home or with their foster parent or kinship’s care is also subjected to critical issues concerning the possible effects of their detachment from their family. Most child welfare services are confronted with hard decisions of whether to satisfy the other needs (including the education) of children or just provide them with what is necessary like safety, nurture, guidance, food, and clothing. Linked to this issue are the roles of the courts, law enforcement, and child welfare services (Shireman 53). The state’s budget allocation for family and child welfare is also a subject of controversial issues. Financial analysts noted that the funds for family and child welfare programs were often misused. An estimated $20 billion is being spent yearly for different child welfare programs and services. While a huge amount is being dedicated to child welfare support programs, only little amount is allocated for preventing child neglect and abuse (Urban Institute n.p.). In addition to this, despite the budget allocation for the health component of child welfare, many foster children are not provided with an access to needed mental and health care services (Geen, Sommers, and Cohen 1). Furthermore, the low budget allocated for hiring social workers often leads to employment of staffs that are less qualified and are not professionally trained to work in such program and service (Shireman 3). Another problem is related to the issues involved in kinship care being an alternative foster care for abused and neglected children instead of placing them in child care homes. Like in child care housing, the kin care givers are also entitled to child-only payments coming from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as fees or incentives for their hardship and services. Among the support services that kin care givers must receive are state subsidies for child care and housing and food stamps. Yet, many kin care givers fail to receive such support services (Urban Institute n.p.). In addition, the state is unable to monitor the condition of a child placed in kinship care. As a result, the child care programs designed to â€Å"reunite them with their parents or find them an adoptive home† were not implemented (Macomber, Geen and Main 1). Lastly, the shortage of foster homes due to increased number of referrals and increasing number of women employment also poses problems in child care program. Such scarcity questions the protection and safety being provided for children. In addition, foster home shortages also make it difficult to conduct thorough assessment on children whether they should stay long-term or short-term in foster home (Shireman 253). Looking at these issues and problem, we could say that without properly addressing the problem of family and child care welfare, the occurrence of family abuse and neglect, homelessness, family conflicts, and others is likely to continue. Thus, proper solution should consider prevention than cure. Works Cited Geen, Rob, Anna S. Sommers, and Mindy Cohen, M. â€Å"Medicaid Spending on Foster Children.† The Child Welfare Research Program Brief No. 14 August 2005: 1-11. 7 Apr. 2009. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/311221_medicaid_spending.pdf. Layzer, Jean I., Barbara D. Goodson, Lawrence Bernstein, and Cristofer Price. National Evaluation of Family Support Programs Final Report: Volume A: The Meta-Analysis. Cambrigde: Abt. Associates Inc., 2001. 7 Apr. 2009. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/abuse_neglect/fam_sup/reports/famsup/fam_sup_vol_a.pdf. Macomber, Jennifer., Ehrle, Rob Geen, and Regan Main. â€Å"Kinship Foster Care: Custody, Hardships, and Services.† Snapshots of America’s Families III No. 14 Nov. 2003: 1-2. 7 Apr. 2009. http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/310893_snapshots3_no14.pdf. Shireman, Joan F. Critical Issues in Child Welfare. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003. Urban Institute. â€Å"Child Welfare: A Program of the Urban Institute.† Urban Institute: Issues in Focus. 2009. 7 Apr. 2009. http://www.urban.org/toolkit/issues/childwelfare.cfm. U.S. Census Bureau News.   â€Å"Majority of Children Live With Two Biological Parents.† U.S. Census Bureau. 17 Nov. 2008. 7 Apr. 2009. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/children/011507.html

The Current Trends In Computer Hardware Platforms Computer Science Essay

The Current Trends In Computer Hardware Platforms Computer Science Essay Mobile platform: more and more business computing is moving from PCs and desktop machines to mobile devices like cell phones and smartphones. Data transmissions, Web surfing, e-mail and instant messaging, digital content displays, and data exchanges with internal corporate systems are all available through a mobile digital platform. Netbooks, small low-cost lightweight subnotebooks that are optimized for wireless communication and Internet access, are included. The current version is called Windows Mobile 6.5. It is based on the Windows CE 5.2 kernel, and features a suite of basic applications developed using the Microsoft Windows API. It is designed to be somewhat similar to desktop versions of Windows, feature-wise and aesthetically. Additionally, third-party software development is available for Windows Mobile, and software applications can be purchased via the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Originally appearing as the Pocket PC 2000 operating system, most Windows Mobile devices come with a stylus pen, which is used to enter commands by tapping it on the screen.[3] Microsoft announced a completely new phone platform, Windows Phone 7, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 15, 2010. Phones running Windows Mobile 6.x will not be upgradeable to version 7.[4] Windows Mobiles share of the Smartphone market has fallen year-on-year,[5] decreasing 20% in Q3 2009.[6] It is the 5th most popular smartphone operating system, with a 5% share of the worldwide smartphone market (after Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Android and iPhone).[7] In the United States, it is the 3rd most popular smartphone operating system for business use (after BlackBerry OS and iPhone), with a 24% share among enterprise users.[8] Microsoft is phasing out Windows Mobile to specialized markets, such as rugged devices, and focusing on its new mobile platform, Windows Phone 7.[2] Common features Windows Mobile for Pocket PC carries these standard features in most of its versions: Today Screen shows the current date, owner information, upcoming appointments, e-mail messages, and tasks. (Is now Home screen in later WM6.5 builds) The taskbar shows the current time and the volume. Office Mobile a suite of Mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications Outlook Mobile comes with Windows Mobile. Internet Explorer Mobile is an Internet browser developed by Microsoft for Pocket PC and Handheld PC that comes loaded by default with Windows Mobile and Windows CE for Handheld PC. Windows Media Player for Windows Mobile. Client for PPTP VPNs. Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) which in mobile phones allows attached computers to share internet connections via USB and Bluetooth. Coherent file system similar to that of Windows 9x/Windows NT and support for many of the same file types. Ability to multitask. Hardware See also: List of Windows Mobile devices There are three versions of Windows Mobile for various hardware devices:[9] Windows Mobile Professional runs on (smartphones) with touchscreens Windows Mobile Standard runs on phones with regular screens Windows Mobile Classic which runs on Windows Mobile Classic devices (Pocket PCs). An O2 Pocket PC phone A Smartphone (T-Mobile Dash) Windows Mobile Classic devices (Pocket PC) A Windows Mobile Classic device is a Windows Mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) that does not have telephone functionality. It was formerly known as the Pocket PC. It was the original intended platform for the Windows Mobile operating system. These devices consisted of both standalone Pocket PC devices without mobile phone capabilities, and those that included mobile phone capabilities. The most current name of Windows Mobile intended for use on Pocket PCs is officially Windows Mobile 6 Professional for devices with mobile phone capabilities and Windows Mobile 6 Classic for devices without mobile phone capabilities. Windows Mobile Smartphones The Windows Mobile (Microsofts term for its range of smartphones) became the next hardware platform after the Pocket PC to run Windows Mobile, and debuted with the release of Pocket PC 2002. Although in the broad sense of the term Smartphone, both Pocket PC phones and Microsoft branded Smartphones each fit into this category, it should be noted that Microsofts use of the term Smartphone includes only more specific hardware devices that differ from Pocket PC phones. Such Smartphones were originally designed without touchscreens, intended to be operated more efficiently with only one hand, and typically had lower display resolution than Pocket PCs. Microsofts focus for the Smartphone platform was to create a device that functioned well as a phone and data device in a more integrated manner.[10] Version history Pocket PC 2000 Grid computing: connects geographically remote computers into a single network to create a virtual supercomputer by combining the computational power of all computers on the grid. Grid computing is a term referring to the combination of computer resources from multiple administrative domains to reach a common goal. The Grid can be thought of as a distributed system with non-interactive workloads that involve a large number of files. What distinguishes grid computing from conventional high performance computing systems such as cluster computing is that grids tend to be more loosely coupled, heterogeneous, and geographically dispersed. Although a grid can be dedicated to a specialized application, it is more common that a single grid will be used for a variety of different purposes. Grids are often constructed with the aid of general-purpose grid software libraries known as middleware. Grid size can vary by a considerable amount. Grids are a form of distributed computing whereby a super virtual computer is composed of many networked loosely coupled computers acting together to perform very large tasks. Furthermore, Distributed or grid computing in general is a special type of parallel computing that relies on complete computers (with onboard CPUs, storage, power supplies, network interfaces, etc.) connected to a network (private, public or the Internet) by a conventional network interface, such as Ethernet. This is in contrast to the traditional notion of a supercomputer, which has many processors connected by a local high-speed computer bus. Overview Grid computing combines computers from multiple administrative domains to reach common goal.[1] to solve a single task and may then disappear just as quickly. One of the main strategies of grid computing is to use middleware to divide and apportion pieces of a program among several computers, sometimes up to many thousands. Grid computing involves computation in a distributed fashion, which may also involve the aggregation of large-scale cluster computing-based systems. The size of a grid may vary from small-confined to a network of computer workstations within a corporation, for example-to large, public collaborations across many companies and networks. The notion of a confined grid may also be known as an intra-nodes cooperation whilst the notion of a larger, wider grid may thus refer to an inter-nodes cooperation.[2] Grids are a form of distributed computing whereby a super virtual computer is composed of many networked loosely coupled computers acting together to perform very large tasks. This technology has been applied to computationally intensive scientific, mathematical, and academic problems through volunteer computing, and it is used in commercial enterprises for such diverse applications as drug discovery, economic forecasting, seismic analysis, and back office data processing in support for e-commerce and Web servic Cloud computing is a technology that uses the internet and central remote servers to maintain data and applications. Cloud computing allows consumers and businesses to use applications without installation and access their personal files at any computer with internet access. This technology allows for much more efficient computing by centralizing storage, memory, processing and bandwidth. A simple example of cloud computing is Yahoo email or Gmail etc. You dont need a software or a server to use them. All a consumer would need is just an internet connection and you can start sending emails. The server and email management software is all on the cloud ( internet) and is totally managed by the cloud service provider Yahoo , Google etc. The consumer gets to use the software alone and enjoy the benefits. The analogy is , If you only need milk , would you buy a cow  ? All the users or consumers need is to get the benefits of using the software or hardware of the computer like sending emails etc. Just to get this benefit (milk) why should a consumer buy a (cow) software /hardware  ? Cloud computing is broken down into three segments: applications, platforms, and infrastructure. Each segment serves a different purpose and offers different products for businesses and individuals around the world. In June 2009, a study conducted by VersionOne found that 41% of senior IT professionals actually dont know what cloud computing is and two-thirds of senior finance professionals are confused by the concept,[1] highlighting the young nature of the technology. In Sept 2009, an Aberdeen Group study found that disciplined companies achieved on average an 18% reduction in their IT budget from cloud computing and a 16% reduction in data center power costs.[2] Cloud Computing Segments Applications: Its all On Demand So far the applications segment of cloud computing is the only segment that has proven useful as a business model.The Cloud Wars: $100 Billion at Stake, Published by Merrill Lynch, May 7, 2008 By running business applications over the internet from centralized servers rather than from on-site servers, companies can cut some serious costs. Furthermore, while avoiding maintenance costs, licensing costs and the costs of the hardware required to run servers on-site, companies are able to run applications much more efficiently from a computing standpoint. Who is Offering On Demand Software? The companies below are already established in the On-Demand software or SaaS business. These companies charge their customers a subscription fee and in return host software on central servers that are accessed by the end user via the internet. Salesforce.com (CRM) Google (GOOG) NetSuite (N) Cordys Taleo (TLEO) Concur Technologies (CNQR) Who is Offering Traditional Software? The following companies have established themselves as traditional software providers. These companies sell licenses to their users, who then run the software from on premise servers. SAP AG (SAP) Oracle (ORCL) Blackbaud (BLKB) Lawson Software (LWSN) Blackboard (BBBB) Platforms: Many of the companies that started out providing On Demand application services have developed platform services as well. The platform segment of cloud computing refers to products that are used to deploy internet. NetSuite, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have also developed platforms that allow users to access applications from centralized servers. In July 2008, HP, Yahoo! (YHOO), and Intel (INTC) announced a joint cloud computing research project called the Cloud Computing Test Bed. The companies are jointly designing and producing the internet based testing utilizing HP hardware and Intel processors.[3] Active platforms The following companies are some that have developed platforms that allow end users to access applications from centralized servers using the internet. Next to each company is the name of their platform. Google (GOOG) Apps Engine Amazon.com (AMZN) EC2 Microsoft (MSFT) Windows Azure SAVVIS (SVVS) Symphony VPDC Terremark Worldwide (TMRK) The Enterprise Cloud Salesforce.com (CRM) Force.com NetSuite (N) Suiteflex Rackspace Cloud cloudservers, cloudsites, cloudfiles Metrisoft Metrisoft SaaS Platform [1] SUN Oracle direct link Cordys Process Factory The Enterprise Cloud Platform Infrastructure: The final segment in cloud computing, known as the infrastructure, is very much the backbone of the entire concept. Infrastructure vendors environments (such as Google gears) that allow users to build applications. Cloud storage, such as Amazons S3, is also considered to be part of the infrastructure segment. Major Infrastructure Vendors Below are companies that provide infrastructure services: Google (GOOG) Managed hosting, development environment International Business Machines (IBM) Managed hosting SAVVIS (SVVS) Managed hosting cloud computing Terremark Worldwide (TMRK) Managed hosting Amazon.com (AMZN) Cloud storage Rackspace Hosting (RAX) Managed hosting cloud computing Explain how businesses can benefit from autonomic computing, virtualization, and multicore processors. Autonomic computing Benefits of autonomic computing include systems that automatically do the following: Configure themselves Optimize and tune themselves Heal themselves when broken Protect themselves from outside intruders and self-destruction Reduces maintenance costs Reduces downtime from system crashes Virtualization Benefits of server virtualization include: Run more than one operating system at the same time on a single machine. Increase server utilization rates to 70 percent or higher. Reduce hardware expenditures. Higher utilization rates translate into fewer computers required to process the same amount of work. Mask server resources from server users. Reduce power expenditures. Run legacy applications on older versions of an operating system on the same server as newer applications. Facilitates centralization of hardware administration. Multicore processors Benefits of multi-core processors: Cost savings by reducing power requirements and hardware sprawl Less costly to maintain as fewer systems need to be monitored. Performance and productivity benefits beyond the capabilities of todays single-core processors. Able to handle the exponential growth of digital data and the globalization of the Internet. Able to meet the demands of sophisticated software applications under development. Run applications more efficiently than single-core processors giving users the ability to keep working even while running the most processor intensive task in the background. Able to increase performance in areas such as data mining, mathematical analysis, and Web serving. What are the current trends in software platforms? Define and describe open source software and Linux and explain their business benefits. Open-source software provides all computer users with free access to the program code so they can modify the code, fix errors in it, or to make improvements. Open-source software is not owned by any company or individual. A global network of programmers and users manage and modify the software. By definition, open-source software is not restricted to any specific operating system or hardware technology. Several large software companies are converting some of their commercial programs to open source. Linux is the most well-known open-source software. Its a UNIX-like operating system that can be downloaded from the Internet, free of charge, or purchased for a small fee from companies that provide additional tools for the software. It is reliable, compactly designed, and capable of running on many different hardware platforms, including servers, handheld computers, and consumer electronics. Linux has become popular during the past few years as a robust low-cost alternative to UNIX and the Windows operating system. Thousands of open-source programs are available from hundreds of Web sites. Businesses can choose from a range of open-source software including operating systems, office suites, Web browsers, and games. Open-source software allows businesses to reduce the total cost of ownership. It provides more robust software thats often more secure than proprietary software. Define and describe Web services and the role played by XML. Web services offer a standardized alternative for dealing with integration across various computer platforms. Web services are loosely coupled software components based on XML and open Web standards that are not product specific and can work with any application software and operating system. They can be used as components of Web-based applications linking the systems of two different organizations or to link disparate systems of a single company. Web services are not tied to a particular operating system or programming language. Different applications can use them to communicate with each other in a standard way without time-consuming custom coding. XML provides a standard format for data exchange, enabling Web services to pass data from one process to another Businesses use Web services to tie their Web sites with external Web sites creating an apparently seamless experience for users. The benefit derives from not having to re-create applications for each business partner or specific functions within a single compan Name and describe the three external sources for software. Software packages from a commercial software vendor: prewritten commercially available set of software programs that eliminates the need for a firm to write its own software program for certain functions, such as payroll processing or order handling. Software-as-a-service: a business that delivers and manages applications and computer services from remote computer centers to multiple users using the Internet or a private network. Instead of buying and installing software programs, subscribing companies can rent the same functions from these services. Users pay for the use of this software either on a subscription or a per-transaction basis. The business must carefully assess the costs and benefits of the service, weighing all people, organizational, and technology issues. It must ensure it can integrate the software with its existing systems and deliver a level of service and performance that is acceptable for the business. Outsourcing custom application development: an organization contracts its custom software development or maintenance of existing legacy programs to outside firms, frequently firms that operate offshore in low-wage areas of the world An outsourcer often has the technical and management skills to do the job better, faster, and more efficiently. Even though its often cheaper to outsource the maintenance of an IT infrastructure and the development of new systems to external vendors, a business must weight the pros and cons carefully. Service level agreements are formal contracts between customers and service providers that define the specific responsibilities of the service provider and the level of service expected by the customer. QNO:5(B) Network economics refers to business economics that benefit from the network effect. This is when the value of a good or service increases when others buy the same good or service. Examples are website such as EBay, or iVillage where the community comes together and shares thoughts to help the website become a better business organization. In sustainability, network economics refers to multiple professionals (architects, designers, or related businesses) all working together to develop sustainable products and technologies. The more companies are involved in environmentally friendly production, the easier and cheaper it becomes to produce new sustainable products. For instance, if no one produces sustainable products, it is difficult and expensive to design a sustainable house with custom materials and technology. But due to network economics, the more industries are involved in creating such products, the easier it is to design an environmentally sustainable building. Another benefit of network economics in a certain field is improvement that results from competition and networking within an industry. Network Interactions Clearly, one of the principal facets of the Network Econ- omy is the interaction among the networks themselves. For example, the increasing use of e-commerce espe- cially in business to business transactions is changing not only the utilization and structure of the underlying logistical networks but is also revolutionizing how busi- ness itself is transacted and the structure of _rms and industries. Cellular phones are being using as vehicles move dynam- ically over transportation networks resulting in dynamic evolutions of the topologies themselves. This course also, under advanced topics explores the network interactions among such networks as transporta- tion networks and telecommunication networks, as well as _nancial networks