There are ten (10) tasks, one for each week:  the tasks are detailed below.  There is a table to complete for each task.  Please fill in the information required.

Note:  Each resource summary should be around 200-300 words.

The text discusses how Central Processing Units (CPUs) function but is silent on another processing component of modern computers, the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Find and summarise ONE resource that describes what a GPU is and how it differs from a CPU.  The resource (and your summary) should discuss at least one non-graphics related use for GPUs.

Science Node. 2018. GPUs versus CPUs, Part 1. [online] Available at: https://sciencenode.org/feature/gpus-versus-cpus-part-1.php [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

The topic of discussion of this unit of the paper is different types of processing units of modern computers. This paper gives the readers an idea about different functionalities of CPU and GPU. GPU is defined as the type of microprocessor which is optimised to display graphics of any program. It operates at a lower clock speed compared with the CPU.

The main reason behind selecting this resource is to understand how the different processing units work together for various types of activities.

The key points of discussion of this unit is the specifications of the different processing units such as the presence of numerous processing core in CPU which runs simultaneously for rendering complex 3D graphics which are actively used in the latest computer games. Unlike CPU, the GPU is optimised in such a way so that it has the capability of considering huge batches of information and data and uses them repeatedly when required. GPU has many cores compared to CPU for performing thousands of process and threads.

The resource guides the readers about the functionalities of those processing systems such as the use of enhanced versions of GPU in the gaming computer systems is required as compared with the CPU. The backend operations are done in a faster way by GPU as compared with the compared with the operations performed by CPU. But for flexibility issues such as organizing and integrating with the virtual memory, CPU has an edge of the GPU (Science Node. 2018). The non-graphical use of GPU is GPU computation where the GPU is used as a co-processor to enhance the capabilities of the CPU for performing different types of computation purposes. GPU increases the speed of the applications running on the CPU by prioritizing the time-consuming portions of the code. GPU has the capability of parallel processing power to boost the performance of the applications running on a computer system known as Hybrid computing. The resource is helpful to understand the specifications and applications of the different types of processing unit which as responsible for smooth conduction of all the backend functionalities of modern computers.

Week 2

One of the potential next advances in Operating Systems (OSes) will be Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. Find and summarise ONE resource that discusses how AI could change the way OSes function and/or interact with users.

Task 2: AI Capabilities in Operating Systems

This resource is about the different AI capabilities of the advanced operating systems. The current advanced Operating Systems are developed in such a way so that it has the capability of integrating and work with advanced platforms such as Artificial Intelligence.

The foremost reason behind the selection of the resources is to have an idea about the different intelligent modules of Artificial Intelligence such as understanding, learning, executing are used by the advanced OS used in high tech organisations for efficient and accurate productivity.

The resources focus on the various types of complexities such as process synchronisation and starvation of resources which are faced by the Operating System can be resolved by using of Artificial Intelligence by better utilization of the resources (Towards Data Science. 2018). The OS used in the mobile devices gets also benefitted by the use of artificial intelligence for such as effective process management so that the speed of the systems does not get affected by it. Multiple applications can be used in a browser and at the same time the in-built applications can be used efficiently in an AI based system. All the proposed specification of an AI based operating system consists of a card system in a micro format for dealing with dynamic data. Correction of grammar and contextual intention is one of the most exciting features of an AI based operating system. This resource helps the readers to know about the compatibility issues and usability of the AI capabilities in advanced OS

Week 3

The text discusses how Netflix uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).  Find and summarise ONE resource that describes ONE other commercial IaaS provider that is NOT Google. The resource and your summary should describe how the IaaS differs from AWS.  

This resource is about the different type of cloud service providers and its importance in business organisations.

The foremost reason behind the selection of this resource is to understand the requirement of its services in every organisation such as IBM, Oracle and Alibaba. The revenue generated by IBM used as a service provider is more than $10billion USD every year and the rate in tangentially growing every year due to the increased demand.

This unit of the paper focuses on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) formerly known as IaaS which is a type of cloud service. IaaS includes working with virtual machines which have the capability of configuring themselves according to the requirement of the situation. The vital point of this section of the paper is the principal difference between the AWS and IaaS is that the service provided by AWS can be fully customised or services provided by the Amazon authorities can also be used. And in Conventional IaaS the service is made up of fundamental building blocks for cloud IT and it provides huge data storage. Present on the lower section on the cloud service spectrum IaaS in made of scalable and automated compute resources (Redmond Channel Partner. 2018). The service provided by IaaS is allowing business organisations to purchase resources on demand as needed. The users of the IaaS have full control of their products hosted on their forum. The resource is helpful in understanding how different organisation such as Netflix uses the AWS as their service providers.

Task 3: IaaS Providers and AWS Alternatives

Week 4

IPv4 is discussed in the text, yet the emerging IPv6 protocol is only mentioned briefly.  Find and summarise ONE resource that describes the IPv6 protocol.  The resource and your summary should describe how IPv6 differs from IPv4.  

This resource will guide us the difference between the IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. Theselection of this topic will help the readers to know more about the specifications the two internet protocols such as the usage of the 128-bit address and the total possible address by IPv6 is 7.9×1028   times to that of the earlier version of the Internet based protocol. It helps in authenticating hierarchical address allocation methods. It provides end to end datagram transmission across different types of internet protocol networks. All the properties of the internet protocols such as the advanced feature of IPv6 is the advanced network security system (Ibm.com. 2018). There are several differences in the specifications of the different versions of internet protocols. IPv4 is the 4th generation IP used for identification of the devices on a network through an addressing system. This type of IP is used in interconnected network systems of packet switching communication of networks. It is one of the most used versions of internet protocol globally. The foremost advantage of IPv6 is the automatic configuration property which was not there in the previous versions. The private address collisions are avoided in this edition of the IP version. Along with that, the multicast routing is better in this version of the IP version. The privacy setting of this IP version is much secure than the previous versions. IPv6 is much more flexible than the other versions so it is better managed as well. The resources will be helping the readers to know about the differences between the usage of the two internet protocols alonf with their advantages and disadvantages.

Week 5

WannaCry and NotPetya were two of the most significant malware attacks of 2017.  Find and summarise ONE resource that describes how ONE of these pieces of malware work.  Note that the resource should focus on ONE of these, NOT both.

This resource is about the different types of cybercrimes such as the famous cyber-attack of 2017, WannaCry ransom ware targeted the users of Microsoft windows Operating system by taking data hostage and demanding huge payment from them in the form of bit coins. After many analyses the Microsoft authorities released emergency patches which helped the infected computer to be cured from the worm. Another well-known method of disinfecting an infected computer system is known as the kill switch which helped to restrict the spreading of the worm. More than 150 countries all over the world were infected by the disease (Businesstoday.in. 2018). Almost 200000 people were victimised with the attack. The medium of spreading this disease was phishing emails and the system with backdated versions of the OS was prone to its attack. The reason behind selection of this topic is to aware users about the impact of those criminal activities. The impact of the cyber-attack was felt even after several months of the attack. There were numerous moral concerns connected to this attack also such as the professional ethics which deals with the morality of the developers of the worm, based upon the ethics they should not be involved in any kinds of activities which will hamper the growth and development of the society. Thekey point of discussion of this resource is to understand the issues related to the usage of the primitive versions of the windows OS, which was one of the prime reasons behind being affected by this type of worm, so for security purposes every user of Microsoft windows OS should be regularly updating the versions of their Operating Systems. The resource is helpful to know about the reasons and the mitigation steps of the recent cybercrimes.

Task 4: IPv6 Protocol Description

Week 6

OpenFlow is a protocol that enables Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Find and summarise ONE resource that describes how OpenFlow works and/or how it enables SDN.

The resource is about the open flow protocol and its applications. The Open Flow protocol is defined as the type of technology which is used to enable Software Defined Networking. The main reason behind selecting resource is to understand the functionalities of the open flow protocol and how it enables SDN. This is a type of advanced technology having three sections such as a controller, flow tables which are installed on switches, and a type of exclusive open flow protocol for secured communication between the controllers. The functionalities of the presence of the controller which communicates with the switches through the open flow protocol and imposes guidelines on movements (Bredel 2018). The controllers direct the pathways through the network optimised for different types of features such as reduced latency, number of hops, speed. When a packet arrives on the switch the main task of the system is to check for the matching flow entry at the flow table of the switch side if it is matched then it can be reused but if matching does not occur then the switch is advanced to the supervisor. The work of the regulator is to insert a new set of rules for the switches which controls the way of the packets. Open flow is a type of communication protocol used in the SDN environment which permits the SDN controller for the interaction process with different types of network systems such as switches and the router, it involves both physical and virtual memory so that it can adapt to different types of market environment. This resource is useful to understand the mechanism of open flow protocol in details.

Week 7

Historically, organisations have been able to improve business processes by implementing Information Systems.  However, as these systems age they can negatively impact on organisational agility and can ultimately prove problematic.  Such systems are broadly referred to as Legacy Systems. Find and summarise ONE resource that discusses the impacts of legacy systems on organisations.  The resource and your summary should clearly identify problems with maintaining legacy systems.

The resource is about the impact of IS in the business processes. The applications of new technology in the business process have both positive and negative effect. One of the most problematic applications which are providing a huge problem in is the Legacy systems.

The main reasons behind selecting this topic is the understand the effectiveness of the existing legacy systems and having a perception about the implementation of the latest IS technologies. The principal purpose of using this technology was to solve the business challenges faced by the institutions but rather to help the organisation this slow and inefficient software has different types of an issue such as compatibility issue with the advanced technologies which are causing many difficulties in the organisations. The main topic of discussion of this resource is theextensive use of the legacy systems for many years which is making the companies to retain its services as they cannot replace it. The working principals of these legacy systems are very complicated to be understood by the user so it is very difficult to use the application for many people (Computer Magazine | Flagship magazine of the IEEE Computer Society. 2018). The usage and implementation of this application are mainly undocumented. The system also has a compatibility issue while using the cloud services. One of the main disadvantages of using this application is the maintenance cost, a huge amount of money is required to use and maintain this software in any organisation.The resource was purposeful to understand that every bigger organisation who are using this system is facing more difficulties rather than enjoying its advantages due to its complexities

Task 5: Malware Analysis – WannaCry or NotPetya

Week 8

With the advent of mass data collection and storage has come the use of these datasets for data mining and analysis.  Recently, Cambridge Analytica and Facebook have come under intense scrutiny for their use of user data, allegedly in order to influence the US 2016 election.  Find and summarise ONE resource that describes what Cambridge Analytica did and why their services were so controversial.

The resource is all about major incidents involving data security The Cambridge Analytica organisations have been accused of having a major influence in the results of the US 2016 election. They have been accused of violating the election law of United States. They are highly suspected of allowing their chief executive and other British citizens in the different kinds of election related activities which proved to be an advantage for the principal opposition party headed by Mr Donald Trump. As per various reports it was understood that they were very much involved in the decision-making campaigns two years prior to the election in 2016 (the Guardian. 2018). Cambridge Analytica, SCL Group Limited and few other England based organisations were repeatedly involved in various types of unethical activities on Facebook which is a widely used social media platform. The selected resource is helpful in understanding the importance of data privacy and data security, which is at stack due to their illegal activities. Cybercriminals used personal data from Facebook and used them for political campaigning against the reigning president of United States Mr Barrack Obama. The key information covered in this resource is the issues related to the misuse of the data which are collected from personal accounts on Facebook; it was found that around 50 million Facebook profiles were used in this famous data breach. The rules and regulations of Facebook Corporations were also violated and it created a feeling of insecurity among all the Facebook users all over the world. Based on their terms and conditions Facebook suspended accounts of all the entities who are accused of this major data breach.

Week 9

Load (or performance) testing is a critical step in the information systems development process.  The purpose of this testing is to simulate the peak expected load on a system to ensure both hardware and software can operate effectively and meet key metrics.  To do this, specialised performance testing tools are used.  Find and summarise ONE resource that describes ONE such tool.  The resource (and your summary) should include information on the principle uses and features of the tool.

This resource is all about the performance testing tools used in IS developmental process. The Apache JMeter application is a type of tool used performance testing in the information systems development process across various organisations globally. The reason behind selecting this resource is to acknowledges the service provided by the IS corporations. The most vital information covered in this space is the data related to the Apache JMeter. This open source Java application is used to load the behaviour of the test functions and study its performance for the development of the organisation. The specifications of this tool are Java objects, SOAP services, HTTPS, LDAP, FTP, JDBC Database, SMTP, IMAP, POP3, Shell scripts and TCP. The software testing tool Apache JMeter is used in measuring the overall performance of the software in the Corporations where they are incorporated for a long period of time (Softwaretestingmagazine.com. 2018). The Apache JMeter is used in obtaining the performance metrics from the view of the clients at a protocol level. This application may be operated in a functional mode and have an influencing role behind the problems which the software may face during its working phase. The other use of this application is to measure the functional behaviour of different types of software’s and manage load on a particular server or a group of servers used in any interconnected networks. Effective reporting can be generated by using this application by the use of different formats like XML and HTML. The resource help in understand the role of the performance testing tools in the website-based application and not in the desktop based application as it is the only disadvantage of using this software as a performance tester.

Week 10

While information systems and technology deliver many benefits to society, there is a high incidence of failure in attempting to implement them.  These IS/IT implementation project failures frequently result in substantial financial losses. Find and summarise ONE resource that describes ONE example of an Australian IT/IS project that has failed.   Note that the resource should focus on ONE single example and it and your summary should clearly explain the cause(s) of the failure.

The resource is all about a failed IT project. The foremost failure of the new cargo management system by the customs authority of Australia is focussed on this unit of the paper. The crisis affected major business areas of Australia such as Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The cargo cannot be cleared by the department or even put through the process of isolation and other security procedures because of a faulty data which is being returned by the system (again, C. 2018). The cargo containers were travelling all over the country due to the severe malfunctioning of the new cargo system. Different types of authorities associated with the cargo faced severe loss due to this reason. The privacy and security of the cargo were at stake. The reason behind selecting this resource is to understand the impact of the accident during the time of crisis. The key information obtained from this resource is the use of the primitive techniques for which almost 250 million AUD was lost on the Australian soil and it is one of the biggest IT failures all over the world. The selected resource helps in understanding the impact on an economy due to a single failed project. It helps to understand the importance of continuous up gradation of the IT policies.

Reference

again, C. (2018). Customs cargo system delayed again. [online] Computerworld. Available at: https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/70398/customs_cargo_system_delayed_again/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Bredel, M. (2018). OpenFlow Controller » ADMIN Magazine. [online] ADMIN Magazine. Available at: https://www.admin-magazine.com/Articles/Floodlight-Welcome-to-the-World-of-Software-Defined-Networking [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Businesstoday.in. 2018. Aftermath of WannaCry- Business News. [online] Available at: https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/technology/wannacry-ransomwarecomputershackersattackransomwarebitcoinscryptocurrencyvirtual-currencymonero/story/258734.html [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Computer Magazine | Flagship magazine of the IEEE Computer Society. (2018). Dragging Government Legacy Systems out of the Shadows – Computer Magazine | Flagship magazine of the IEEE Computer Society. [online] Available at: https://publications.computer.org/computer-magazine/2016/09/27/dragging-government-legacy-systems-out-of-the-shadows/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Ibm.com. (2018). IBM Knowledge Center. [online] Available at: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/ssw_ibm_i_72/rzai2/rzai2compipv4ipv6.htm [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Redmond Channel Partner. 2018. Microsoft’s Cloud Market Share Rising at Amazon’s Expense — Redmond Channel Partner. [online] Available at: https://rcpmag.com/articles/2018/01/29/microsoft-cloud-share-vs-aws.aspx [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Science Node. 2018. GPUs versus CPUs, Part 1. [online] Available at: https://sciencenode.org/feature/gpus-versus-cpus-part-1.php [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Softwaretestingmagazine.com. 2018). Software testing performance testing tutorials and videos. [online] Available at: https://www.softwaretestingmagazine.com/tag/performance-testing/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

the Guardian. (2018). The Cambridge Analytica Files | The Guardian. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].

Towards Data Science. 2018. AI and the Operating System – Towards Data Science. [online] Available at: https://towardsdatascience.com/ai-and-the-operating-system-4282edd3a930 [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].