Chapter 4Chapter 4Hardware, Software, and ConnectivityHardware, Software, and Connectivity

ObjectivesObjectivesWe will concentrate on Servers and their configurations, We will concentrate on Servers and their configurations,

the software terminology, and the Internet the software terminology, and the Internet connectivity in E-commerce. By study of the chapter, connectivity in E-commerce. By study of the chapter, you will be able to:you will be able to:Identify the needs of the servers for your E-businessIdentify the needs of the servers for your E-businessAnalyze the specifications of the servers and server-Analyze the specifications of the servers and server-side softwareside softwareDescribe what is RMI Describe what is RMI Describe the JDBC-ODBCDescribe the JDBC-ODBCDescribe XML and why XML is so popular and Describe XML and why XML is so popular and important in E-commerce and Web-servicesimportant in E-commerce and Web-servicesDescribe the types of Internet connectivity in your e-Describe the types of Internet connectivity in your e-businessbusinessQuestions and DiscussionQuestions and DiscussionHomeworkHomework

Needs of Servers in Your E-BusinessNeeds of Servers in Your E-BusinessServers are the backbone of any good websiteServers are the backbone of any good websiteServer is the combination of hardware, Server is the combination of hardware, software, operation systems, database, and software, operation systems, database, and server-side softwareserver-side softwareAll E-businesses need server or servers to host All E-businesses need server or servers to host their websitestheir websitesFor a large or sophisticated E-business, you For a large or sophisticated E-business, you may need multi-tire client-server architecture or may need multi-tire client-server architecture or infrastructure, so many dedicated servers are infrastructure, so many dedicated servers are needed, such as proxy server, Web server, e-needed, such as proxy server, Web server, e-mail server, business logic server, database mail server, business logic server, database server, and so on server, and so on

The Small Website’s Server The Small Website’s Server SpecificationsSpecifications

Since the hardware necessary for hosting your own Since the hardware necessary for hosting your own website is no longer expensive or difficult to setup website is no longer expensive or difficult to setup and configure, so you may consider to have your and configure, so you may consider to have your own server, instead of renting a host serverown server, instead of renting a host server

Hardware specifications:Hardware specifications:– CPU speed: at least 2 GHz; Select the fastest one your CPU speed: at least 2 GHz; Select the fastest one your

budget will allowbudget will allow– Memory: at least 256 MB; otherwise Install the largest Memory: at least 256 MB; otherwise Install the largest

memory card your budget will allow memory card your budget will allow – Hard drive: at least 20 GB with RAID; otherwise Install the Hard drive: at least 20 GB with RAID; otherwise Install the

largest memory card your budget will allow largest memory card your budget will allow

The Small Website’s Server The Small Website’s Server Specifications (continue)Specifications (continue)

– Backup protectionBackup protectionRead/write CDRead/write CD

Zip driveZip drive

Tape backup systemTape backup system

– Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

Software SpecificationSoftware Specification– Operation systemsOperation systems

Windows Server 2003Windows Server 2003

Windows XP VPN ServerWindows XP VPN Server ( (Virtual Private NetworkVirtual Private Network))

Unix/LinuxUnix/Linux

OS/2OS/2

Mac OS X and serversMac OS X and servers

The Small Website’s Server The Small Website’s Server Specifications (continue)Specifications (continue)

– Web server softwareWeb server software– E-mail server softwareE-mail server software– Commerce server softwareCommerce server software

Server Specifications for a Robust Server Specifications for a Robust WebsiteWebsite

For a large and sophisticated e-commerce For a large and sophisticated e-commerce website, clusters of multi-servers with fault website, clusters of multi-servers with fault tolerance, integrated database accessibility, tolerance, integrated database accessibility, cashed data, ability of Web-services, and cashed data, ability of Web-services, and network routes may be needednetwork routes may be needed

You must have a coordination team that You must have a coordination team that works with the designers, programmers, works with the designers, programmers, developers, and IT staff to accomplish your developers, and IT staff to accomplish your goals and objectives goals and objectives

Server Specifications for a Robust Server Specifications for a Robust Website (continue)Website (continue)

““You can never have too much capacity in You can never have too much capacity in the server world.”the server world.” ---- CEO of BEA---- CEO of BEA

Suggested server configuration:Suggested server configuration:– CPU selection: at least a DUAL Pentium IV Xeon CPU selection: at least a DUAL Pentium IV Xeon

2.4 GHz HT2.4 GHz HT– Memory: 2048MB RAMMemory: 2048MB RAM– Hard drive: 72GB SCSI (Hard drive: 72GB SCSI (ssmall mall ccomputer omputer ssystem ystem ii

nterfacenterface))– Backup: 70 GB RAID-5 array (Backup: 70 GB RAID-5 array (RRedundant edundant AA

rray of rray of IIndependent or ndependent or IInexpensive nexpensive DDisksisks))

Server Specifications for a Robust Server Specifications for a Robust Website (continue)Website (continue)

– Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) – ExamplesExamples

Software SpecificationSoftware Specification– All software specifications discussed before should be All software specifications discussed before should be

applicable hereapplicable here

Some Related TerminologySome Related Terminology

CPU architectureCPU architecture– AMD’s Athlon (K9?)AMD’s Athlon (K9?)– Intel’s Pentium VI?Intel’s Pentium VI?– MIPS (MIPS (MMicroprocessor without icroprocessor without iinterlocked nterlocked pp

ipeline ipeline sstages)tages) R16000 R16000– Sun’s Ultra SPARC Sun’s Ultra SPARC (Scalable Processor (Scalable Processor

ARChitecture) ARChitecture) Workstations and serversWorkstations and servers– Hewlett Packard ServersHewlett Packard Servers

Some Related Terminology (continue)Some Related Terminology (continue)

ClustersClusters– Clusters are essentially multiple servers that are Clusters are essentially multiple servers that are

used as single unified resource through the use of used as single unified resource through the use of software, switches, and routerssoftware, switches, and routers

– Features: data sharing; co-existing systems at Features: data sharing; co-existing systems at different software release level; ability to different software release level; ability to dynamically vary systems off-line; and robust dynamically vary systems off-line; and robust recovery modelsrecovery models

Loading Balance Loading Balance Switches and RoutersSwitches and Routers– Use of switches and routers to balance the Use of switches and routers to balance the

Web/Internet trafficWeb/Internet traffic

Some Related Terminology (continue)Some Related Terminology (continue)

Rack UnitsRack Units– A rack unit is a vertical shelving device to A rack unit is a vertical shelving device to

mount serversmount servers

Dual-CPU ServersDual-CPU Servers– Is a good choice for websites that demand Is a good choice for websites that demand

high-end computing environmenthigh-end computing environment– http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,16458http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,16458

14,00.asp14,00.asp

Server CabinetServer Cabinet

Some Related Terminology (continue)Some Related Terminology (continue)

RMI RMI – Remote Method InvocationRemote Method Invocation– For distributed computing in the networkFor distributed computing in the network– An object in a client can call methods of a An object in a client can call methods of a

remote object in serverremote object in server– More information:More information:

http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/kenb/com3337/http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/kenb/com3337/rmi_tut.html#intrormi_tut.html#intro

– We will discuss RMI in detail in Web ServicesWe will discuss RMI in detail in Web Services

Some Related Terminology (continue)Some Related Terminology (continue)

What is JDBC?What is JDBC?– Stands for Java DataBase ConnectivityStands for Java DataBase Connectivity– JDBC technology is an API (included in both JDBC technology is an API (included in both

J2SE and J2EE releases) that provides cross-J2SE and J2EE releases) that provides cross-DBMS connectivity to a wide range of SQL DBMS connectivity to a wide range of SQL databases and access to other tabular data databases and access to other tabular data sources, such as spreadsheets or flat files. sources, such as spreadsheets or flat files.

– It’s widely used in development of the Internet It’s widely used in development of the Internet applications, e-commerce, and Web-servicesapplications, e-commerce, and Web-services

– More information about JDBCMore information about JDBC

Some Related Terminology (continue)Some Related Terminology (continue)– ODBC stands for Open DataBase Connectivity, a ODBC stands for Open DataBase Connectivity, a

technology developed by Microsoft to Connect to technology developed by Microsoft to Connect to a variety of popular databases and data filesa variety of popular databases and data files

– It comes with all Windows operating systemsIt comes with all Windows operating systems– JDBC-ODBC is Java database connection JDBC-ODBC is Java database connection

through ODBC technologythrough ODBC technology– There are many tools (drivers) developed by There are many tools (drivers) developed by

third-party vendors to connect a database via third-party vendors to connect a database via JDBCJDBC

– J2EE makes JDBC much easier to useJ2EE makes JDBC much easier to use– More information about ODBCMore information about ODBC

Some Related Terminology (continue)Some Related Terminology (continue)What is XML?What is XML?– Stands for eXtended Markup LanguageStands for eXtended Markup Language– XML was designed to XML was designed to describe datadescribe data – XML tags are not predefined. You must XML tags are not predefined. You must define define

your own tagsyour own tags – XML uses a XML uses a Document Type DefinitionDocument Type Definition (DTD) (DTD)

or an or an XML SchemaXML Schema to describe the data to describe the data – XML with a DTD or XML Schema is designed to XML with a DTD or XML Schema is designed to

be be self-descriptiveself-descriptive – All data, method calls, request/response in a All data, method calls, request/response in a

Web-service are transmitted by XML; it’s up to Web-service are transmitted by XML; it’s up to the application to parse or interpret the messagethe application to parse or interpret the message

– More information about XMLMore information about XML

The Internet ConnectivityThe Internet Connectivity

Types of the Internet connectivityTypes of the Internet connectivity– DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) technologies (see DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) technologies (see

Table)Table)– ISDNISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network); it (Integrated Services Digital Network); it

available in US and Europeavailable in US and Europe– T-1 (E-1 in Europe)T-1 (E-1 in Europe)

More information about T-1More information about T-1

– T-3T-3More information about T-3More information about T-3

– Cable InternetCable InternetComcast is icon in US for cable InternetComcast is icon in US for cable InternetMore information about cable InternetMore information about cable Internet

The Internet Connectivity (continue)The Internet Connectivity (continue)

– Wireless Internet Connectivity Wireless Internet Connectivity Use of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) technologyUse of WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) technology

Satellite Internet Satellite Internet

Cell phone and PDA wireless Internet connectionCell phone and PDA wireless Internet connection

Questions and DiscussionQuestions and Discussion

Homework for Extra PointsHomework for Extra Points

Describe what are the most important issues Describe what are the most important issues and considerations in an e-business for the and considerations in an e-business for the selection of hardware, software, and the selection of hardware, software, and the Internet connection?Internet connection?

Describe what types of Web hosting services Describe what types of Web hosting services and the Internet connections available in and the Internet connections available in China for an e-business. What are your China for an e-business. What are your suggestions in the selection?suggestions in the selection?

Due: Wednesday, April 6, 2005 in the classDue: Wednesday, April 6, 2005 in the class