Enterprise Architectures

Chapter 5:
1.What is information architecture and what is information infrastructure and how do they differ and how do they relate to each other?


2. Describe how an organisation can implement a solid information architecture? 
There are three steps that should be taken when a business is creating a solid information architecture. 
Backup and recovery: businesses loose hundreds to thousands of dollars each year. This step aims at remiving the risk of such great loss by continual re-saving and backing up of each file and document which a company produce. and recovery refers to being able to re-boot a system that has failed, saving the files and removing the loss of important documentation.
Disaster recovery: this is a detailed process for recovering data from IT systems after catastrophic damage is done via a disaster. Things such as where the data is able to be recovered from off-site back-up stations and other steps that must be taken to make sure that a business is not in 'downtime' loosing money for long after a disaster. When considering disaster recovery many business also set up 'hot sites' which are designated places the employees can move to if the area in which they are working is damaged to continue the running of the company.
Information security: making sure that the data and information within the company is secure and only available to those who it is supposed to be available too. This means that there has to be a use of strong passwords and other deterrents for hackers who may be able to take others identity  or enter accounts if access is granted to particular files.
3. List and describe the five requirement characteristics of infrastructure architecture.
Flexibility:This means that the systems created within infrastructure architecture should suit all types of business challenges. As the company grows the system should already have the ability to handle new information and alterations of older data.
Scalability: Refers to how well a system can adapt to increased demands. If this was not a characteristic of infrastructure architecture then many companies may not think about the importance of this. It could cause a great slowing or programs, running out of disk space and other types of performance dilapidation. 
Reliability: Refers to the correct functioning of a system and making sure that the system is providing accurate information.
Availability: The accessibility of a system to the customers. Some companies create a 24/7 option for availability so as customers from around the world and business operation support. As technology grows so too does the expectation for there to be a constant availability over the internet, for example if a web page close at 9pm and the customer needs to contact them they are going to become dissatisfied by the cooperation and remove there use of the company.
Performance: how quickly a system performs a specific process or action. if web sites are not quick responsive this can cause a great negative impact to its use by customers. To get the best out of there systems businesses should implement capacity planning to understand what they are running is able to handle.
4. Describe the business value in deploying a service oriented architecture
An SOA (service oriented architecture) service allows simple business tasks to be completed. This service allows companies to be come more agile by aligning business needs and the IT options which are available to assist in these tasks. It also allows for the IT environment to effectively an efficiently respond to the requirements of a business driven environment.
5. What is an event?
they are programs that detect threats and opportunities for the company and inform the people best equipped to deal with them. An example of this is a credit card monitoring system which can alert the credi supervisor of transactions made on a card for $7000 when the card has a limit of $6000
6. What is a service?
these are more like software products that coding projects. Originally things like 'print' and 'save' were services that were provided but as technology has grown things like 'credit check', 'customer information' and 'process payments' are some types of more complex services available to the community. These services are created to provide options and simplicity when working and using particular items and products.
7. What emerging technologies can companies can use to increase performance and utilise their infrastructure more effectively?