The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) relies on information systems to operate 19 hospitals, a network of other care sites, and international and commercial ventures. Demand for additional servers and storage technology was growing by 20 percent each year. UPMC was setting up a separate server for every application, and its servers and other computers were running a number of different operating systems, including several versions of Unix and Windows. UPMC had to manage technologies from many different vendors, including Hewlett-Packard (HP), Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, and IBM. Assess the impact of this situation on business performance. What factors and management decisions must be considered when developing a solution to this problem?

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) relies on information systems to operate 19 hospitals, a network of other care sites, and international and commercial ventures. Demand for additional servers and storage technology was growing by 20 percent each year. UPMC was setting up a separate server for every application, and its servers and other computers were running a number of different operating systems, including several versions of Unix and Windows. UPMC had to manage technologies from many different vendors, including Hewlett-Packard (HP), Sun Microsystems, Microsoft, and IBM. Assess the impact of this situation on business performance. What factors and management decisions must be considered when developing a solution to this problem?

Principles of Information Systems (MindTap Course List)

12th Edition

ISBN:9781285867168

Author:Ralph Stair, George Reynolds

Publisher:Ralph Stair, George Reynolds

Chapter3: Hardware: Input, Processing, Output, And Storage Devices

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 9RQ

See similar textbooks

Similar questions

Is it advantageous to segment large-scale computer programs and processes into smaller units? Is there a benefit to breaking down this system logically?
When it is beneficial to organize processes and programs into subsystems that work on a big computer, how do you know when it is advantageous to do so? When it is beneficial to organize processes and programs into subsystems that function on a large computer. What are the benefits of organizing this system according to logical divisions, and how may those benefits be put into practice?
Examine the similarities and differences between the Von Neumann Architecture and the one used in the Little Man computer. What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with each available choice? Please provide explanations and examples for a few of these points.
The following is a definition of the layered approach to operating system architecture: What are the benefits and drawbacks of this approach? Use a picture to communicate a concise explanation?
The hardware requirements for a comprehensive OSI model implementation are, however, beyond the capabilities of the majority of the computers in use today. The amount of layers would be cut down to something more straightforward that would need less frequent maintenance. If we employ fewer layers, can you anticipate anything going wrong as a result of this decision?
Moving from serial to batch processing is your top priority. Consider why you like this idea and express it rationally.
Analyze the similarities and differences between the Von Neumann Architecture and the Little Man computer. How does each option stack up against the others? Clarify each of the scenarios.
To what extent do the flaws of the OSI model hinder its usefulness?
The change from serial to batch processing has been the single most important development in your opinion. Think about the evidence that led you to this conclusion, and be prepared to provide it if called upon.
In terms of the operating system, what are the key differences between time-sharing and distributed systems? How do they stack up against one another?
A passenger aircraft is composed of several millions of individual parts and requires thousands of persons to assemble. A four-lane highway bridge is another example of complexity. The first version of Word for Windows, a word processor released by Microsoft in November 1989, required 55 person-years, resulted into 249,000 lines of source code, and was delivered 4 years late. Aircraft and highway bridges are usually delivered on time and below budget, whereas software is often not. Discuss what are, in your opinion, the differences between. Developing an aircraft, a bridge, and a word processor, which would cause this situation.
Shortly after the Gulf War in 1991 (Desert Storm), the US Department of Defense realized that there were significant problems in its battlefield logistics systems that provided supplies to the troops at the division level and below. During the Gulf War, it had proved difficult for army and marine units fighting together to share supplies back and forth because their logistics computer systems would not easily communicate. The goal of the new system was to combine the army and marine corps logistics systems into one system to enable units to share supplies under battlefield conditions. The army and marines built separate as‐is process models of their existing logistics systems that had 165 processes for the army system and 76 processes for the marines. Both process models were developed over a 3‐month time period and cost several million dollars to build, even though they were not intended to be comprehensive. I helped them develop a model for the new integrated battlefield logistics…