Exercise 3 - From DNS and DHCP to Clouds and Grids

1. Explain DNS and DHCP. How does DNS differ from DHCP configuration?

DNS is short for Domain Name System. It is a service with a number of different servers all over the world which help to translate domain names (www.google.com) into their respective IP addresses (32bit addresses), so that a server hosting a webpage or other content can be found.
Why DNS was created was because it was easier to navigate and remember names vs a ip address when browsing the internet. DNS is the backbone of the internet, and without it the internet would be difficult and cumbersome to navigate around.

DHCP is short for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. It is used in delivering configuration information and assignment of ip addresses to the hosts on a network. Say a new computer is added to your small businesses network, the DHCP controller would pass across to the new computer network cofiguration information and ip address automatically without manual intervention. The DHCP server handles all local network configuration administration and assignment of ip addresses for all hosts on the network.

The difference between DNS and DHCP is that DNS translates the readable address into a network readable form (i.e. IP address), whereas DHCP actually assigns the IP address to a device on the given network.

2. Why is it important for your online business application to use a static IP address rather than have it dynamically assigned?

The importance of online business having a static ip address vs a dynamic ip address is down to the fact that domain names such as google.com, smh.com.au must have an ip address associated with each one. If this ip address was to be assigned dynamically each time the online business server was to connect to the internet, all the domain name servers would need to update accordingly across the world which could take hours. Meaning potential customer could be affected by not being able to locate content from their website or external gateways provided.

3. What role can the following play in business-to-business e-commerce?

a. Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Grid computing services

VPN is another layer on top of an underlying computer network. It serves as a secure transmission medium for 2 defined parties. How this particular technology can help serve business-to-business e-commerce, is data and transactions are securely transferred between the 2 parties without any interference or manipulation of data over an underlying computer network (aka the Internet).

Grid computing is little more specialised and relies on the combination of computer resources to serve a common goal. An example of grid computing is used throughout the world now in graphics animation movies such as Avatar for the 3D rendering and masses of data. How e-Commerce might utilise this phenomenon is through the allocation of certain resources for other businesses to do certain tasks.

b. Next generation of wireless mesh networks

A wireless mesh network is a communications network made up of radio nodes organised in a mesh topology (Wikipedia, 2010). Wireless mesh networks consist of clients, routers and gateways which work in harmony to provide this network. How businesses can benefit from this particular technology is in particular rural areas where inadequate internet access is causing a greater divide between city and country. Wireless mesh networks provide an excellent framework for delivering broadband services not only for social communications for people but also help rural businesses advance in the delivery of e-commerce applications.

c. Cloud or Social Cloud applications

Despite the possible security and privacy risks which cloud computing can have on e-businesses. Cloud computing has a number of other advantages which e-businesses will want to take advantage of.

1. Reduced Cost - only pay for what you use, so the initial outlay for infrastructure is greatly reduced
2. Increased Storage - can store more data than one private computer system
3. Flexibility - cloud computing provides much more flexibility, in delivery of e-business applications than past methods
4. More Mobility - clients and employees can access information wherever they are, rather than having to remain at their desks.
5. Shift Focus - no longer have to worry about keeping the network IT infrastructure running, but can concentrate on innovation for e-business.

Some of the most notable successful e-businesses using cloud technology include Facebook, and Salesforce.

4. If cloud computing is the 'black box', then grid computing is a component as the 'white box'. Explain what you interpret about that statement.

The definition of black box is that users cannot see the inner workings of a system, only the inputs and outputs are visible (Wikipedia, 2010). White box is opposite as this allows the users to see the internal workings of the system, but cannot change the internal working (Wikipedia, 2010).

Why cloud computing is a black box is because as a business you don't necessarily need to know how the cloud internally works, only what the inputs and outputs are for a particular service you are using. Whereas with grid computing, which is about processing power utilisation for a resource intensive task, such as genome mapping. This requires indepth look at how to best utilise the grid to gain maximum benefit for this particular task.

References
Wikipedia (2010). Wireless Mesh Networks Retrieved 15th March 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network
Wikipedia (2010). Black box retrieved 15th March 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_box
Wikipedia (2010). Black box retrieved 15th March 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_box_%28software_engineering