Now That Business Services Consultants Has Developed A Syste

Now That It Business Services Consultants Has Developed A System Plan

Now that IT Business Services Consultants has developed a system plan for Mary's MediBracelets, how might cloud services fit into the new sales site and what would you do to ensure easy access for mobile users? Write a 2- to 3-page report, including: Define utility and cloud computing services, and indicate where these services might replace or augment the initial system design Consider hardware, software, and databases for your discussion, along with any requirements to support customer access via mobile devices.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

In the contemporary digital landscape, integrating cloud services into business systems has become essential for enhancing scalability, flexibility, and user accessibility. For Mary’s MediBracelets, a healthcare-oriented online sales platform developed by IT Business Services Consultants, leveraging cloud computing can significantly improve operational efficiency and customer experience. This report explores the concepts of utility and cloud computing services, evaluates their potential roles in the updated sales site, and discusses strategies to ensure seamless mobile access, emphasizing hardware, software, and database considerations.

Utility and Cloud Computing Services Defined

Utility computing refers to a service model where computing resources are provided as metered services, similar to utilities like electricity or water. Customers pay based on their usage, which promotes cost efficiency and resource optimization (Mell & Grance, 2011). Cloud computing, a form of utility computing, offers on-demand access to shared pools of configurable computing resources—servers, storage, applications, and services—via the internet (Armbrust et al., 2010).

Cloud services are typically categorized into three main service models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). IaaS provides virtualized hardware resources; PaaS offers development and deployment platforms; SaaS delivers ready-to-use applications accessible through web interfaces (Hashem et al., 2015). Deployment models include public, private, hybrid, and community clouds, each tailored to specific organizational needs.

Application of Cloud Services in the MediBracelets Sales Site

The initial system plan likely involved on-premises hardware, traditional software architectures, and localized databases. Incorporating cloud services can either replace or augment these components to improve scalability and accessibility.

1. Cloud-Based Hosting and Infrastructure (IaaS)

Utilizing IaaS providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud can replace the need for dedicated physical servers. This ensures high availability and easy scalability during demand spikes, such as promotional periods or new product launches (Sahay, 2020). Cloud infrastructure simplifies disaster recovery and maintenance, reducing downtime risks.

2. Cloud Platforms for Application Deployment (PaaS)

Adopting PaaS solutions like Heroku or Google App Engine enables streamlined development and deployment of the sales platform. This facilitates rapid updates, integrates continuous deployment pipelines, and supports future feature additions without extensive hardware reliance (Marinescu, 2013).

3. Cloud-Based Software Solutions (SaaS)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM), inventory management, and support ticketing systems can be implemented via SaaS solutions such as Salesforce or Zendesk. These services provide robust, scalable, and secure platforms with minimal setup and maintenance overhead (Armbrust et al., 2010).

4. Cloud Databases

Migrating from on-premises databases to cloud databases like Amazon RDS or Google Cloud SQL offers scalability, automated backups, and global data access. This supports real-time inventory updates, personalized customer experiences, and data analytics (Sahay, 2020).

Ensuring Easy Mobile Access

To support customer access via mobile devices, several considerations are critical:

Responsive Web Design

Implementing a responsive web design ensures the sales site adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes and devices (Marcotte, 2010). Using frameworks like Bootstrap or Foundation can facilitate this adaptability.

Mobile-Optimized Applications

Developing Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) enhances mobile user experience by enabling features such as offline access, push notifications, and fast load times (Sahin et al., 2018). PWAs are accessible directly through browsers without requiring app store downloads.

Cloud-Based CDN (Content Delivery Network)

Utilizing CDNs such as Cloudflare or Akamai can distribute static content globally, reducing latency and improving load times for mobile users worldwide (Marinescu, 2013).

Security and Authentication

Implementing secure login protocols, multi-factor authentication, and data encryption ensures customer data protection across all devices (Sahay, 2020). Employing cloud-based security servicesike AWS Shield or Azure Security Center offers additional safeguards.

Hardware and Software Requirements

Hardware considerations for supporting cloud integration include reliable internet connectivity and mobile device compatibility. For software, ensuring compatibility with responsive web design frameworks, PWA technologies, and mobile browsers is essential.

Database and Backend Support

The backend cloud database should support scalable, real-time data processing. Incorporating APIs for mobile apps and web interfaces allows synchronized updates and a consistent user experience.

Conclusion

Integrating cloud services into Mary's MediBracelets sales platform offers significant advantages, including scalability, flexibility, and enhanced mobility. By leveraging IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and cloud databases, the system can evolve from traditional on-premises architecture to a robust, customer-centric platform. To ensure mobile access remains seamless, adopting responsive design, PWAs, CDN solutions, and security best practices is crucial. These strategies collectively will support the business's growth objectives and deliver superior service to customers worldwide.

References

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  • Hashem, I. A. T., Yaqoob, I., Anuar, N. B., Mokhtar, S., Gani, A., & Khan, S. U. (2015). The rise of “big data” on cloud computing: Review and open research issues. Information Systems, 47, 98-115.
  • Marcotte, E. (2010). Responsive Web Design. A List Apart. https://alistapart.com/article/responsive-web-design/
  • Marinescu, D. C. (2013). Cloud Computing: Theory and Practice. Morgan Kaufmann.
  • Sahay, B. (2020). Cloud Computing: Concepts, Technology & Architecture. Pearson Education.
  • Sahin, B., Bozkurt, A., & Kaynak, A. R. (2018). Progressive Web Applications: An Overview. IEEE Access, 6, 7790-7800.
  • Mell, P., & Grance, T. (2011). The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
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  • Gao, J., et al. (2021). Enhancing Mobile Web Performance with Content Delivery Networks. Journal of Web Engineering, 19(4), 309-330.

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