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Steven Zhou

Session 5 BayState Realty Case Study Homework


1. Use a table to identify the software products sited in the BayState
Realty Case Study that fall within the following categories of software.
You need not limit yourself to only those products mentioned. Think
outside the box as to other software that BayState might need.
a. system software
b. general purpose software
c. application specific software
System Software

General Purpose
Application Specific
Software
Microsofts Windows
Android mobile phones Human
Resource
and tablets
Management System
Linux
Microsoft Office (Word, Customer Relationship
Excel, etc.)
management System
Internet Explorer and Real Estate Sales and
other web browsers
Management System
Microsoft Outlook for e- Rental
Property
mail needs
Management System
Antivirus/malware
Transaction processing
protection software
system
Photoshop
for Customer
contact
formatting
and information system
blueprinting
Adobe or other PDF
readers
2. Use a second table to identify and explain the various elements in the
total cost of software ownership and then list the steps taken by the
CIO to limit the firms software TCO expenditures.
Elements of TCO
Explanation
The
Leasing/licensing You must pay to have the right to use a certain
price
software, and the price varies on the number of
users and servers
Software
maintenance Maintenance fee in order to keep your software up
agreements
to date
Integration
and The cost to set up and configure software to work
implementation costs
and interact with one another
Software customization If you wish to change or customize software, there
and enhancements
are certain costs that are associated with those
changes/customizations.
Upgrades for hardware
Sometimes hardware becomes too old to be able
to run newer versions of certain software
Training and support of Teaching users how to use the software and cover
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Session 5 BayState Realty Case Study Homework


users
Hiring

the costs of help desks


Hiring
MIS/IT
employees;
adding
and
implementing more software will require the need
to hire more personnel to help

Steps taken by the CIO for cost control:


.Negotiate for favorable licensing terms for initial
acquisition of products
.Standardize and minimize implementation/integration
costs
.Keep staff training and product documentation and staff as
low as possible
Instead of customizing software products, adapt business
processes to better accommodate their business needs
Identify products that are most suitable with the overall
base of existing hardware and software
Outscore the hosting of websites to a 3rd party

3. List the reasons why BayState Realty chose to go with off-the-shelf


software instead of developing their own software packages in house.
.Off-the-shelf software already has the capability to fulfill Baystates
needs
.Its more expensive to code and develop own software than to
purchase the right to use software programs
.It takes a long time to develop a software and test it and make sure
its right for Baystates business needs
Certain Off-the-shelf software is proven to be very reliable and
useful while developing your own software leaves you with no idea
on how effective that software will be once it is developed
add more lines as needed
4. List the reasons why it makes sense to go with Linux in the data center.
Be sure to include how this particular use of open source software
mitigates the risks typically associated with the choice of an open
source software product.

.Linux is free of licensing/maintenance fees


.Compatible with almost all systems
.Very well-designed
Strong tech support and help
Easy to manage

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Session 5 BayState Realty Case Study Homework

Because anyone can access the code, anyone can fix bugs and
make it better while other commercial software prohibit having
public access to its code
Usually independent from larger corporations, so the code can still
exist and develop if the developing company fails
5. Compare the advantages and the disadvantages associated with
outsourcing the hosting of the firms three Web sites.
Advantages
Disadvantages
The hosting firm is better equipped Hosting
firm
might
experience
for 24/7 support of web sites
problems and Baystate may not be
aware of them
Hosting company enjoys greater Potential slow response times and
economies of scale
poor communication between both
parties
Hosting companys objective is Shortcomings in performance vs
specialized and dedicated to hosting expectations
websites
More affordable and cost-efficient
Possible loss of control over business
processes
Enables companies to focus that
extra time on other processes
without worrying about their website
add more rows as needed

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