Technology Evaluation - Bank Solutions Inc - Case Study Example

Technology evaluation Technology evaluation Optimization is a necessary concept in a competitive environment in which efficiency and effectiveness is a priority. Security concerns also establishes the need for applications that can guarantee security issues such as authenticity, privacy, and confidentiality and legal requirements exist to ensure that organizations address such security concerns. Bank Solutions Inc. offers item processing services, such as in-clearing and Proof of Deposit (POD) processing, item capture, return and exception item processing, and image archive storage and retrieval, to diversified stakeholders such as community banks, internet banks, and small to midsized credit unions. Analysis of its environment identifies diversified issues such as security and technology issues, operational issues, and interoperability issues and development of an application of Oracle database is one of the recommended security measures against the issues. Evaluation of the technology’s capabilities, costs, maintenance requirements, flexibility, and feasibility is however necessary before implementing the technology for Bank Solutions Inc. Capabilities Version 12c of the Oracle database is recommended for addressing the organization’s identified issues and the technology’s diverse capabilities supports its selection. One of the technology’s features, which also establish its capability to address the issues, is its architecture that allows for cloud operations. With the technology, Bank Solutions Inc. is able to consolidate its data from different data centers, for effective and centralized management. This does not however operate in the construct of centralized management because cloud computing allows for decentralized management with a centralized supervisory role. In addition to the cloud computing capability, the technology has “inn-memory data processing capabilities” that would facilitate storage and delivery aspect of the company’s scopes of business (Oracle, n.d., p. 1). Oracle Company also explains that performance and security capabilities are major characteristics of Oracle database 12c. The technology also optimizes operations and ensures real-time enterprise delivery. Oracle’s general grid database architecture also identifies the technology’s ability to integrate data center and central management, on a demand basis, to ensure flexibility in data management (Oracle1, 2014). Costs There are different offers for Oracle 12c technology and these range by product type and services rendered. Major product types are the standard edition, enterprise edition, personal edition, mobile server, and NoSQL database enterprise edition. Product sub-types also exist for enterprise edition option and Database Enterprise Management option, besides other related products to database management. For each sup-type of product, four classes of charges exist and these are charges for named user, software update license and support, and processor license. A user can therefore select a product based on need and cost and such price selection may range from US$ 100 for named user plus offer to US $50000 for processor license (Oracle2, 2014). The offered cost is however more expensive, compared to traditional cloud computing technology. Even though different product offers exist and appear to be cheap, the company may need to integrate many of the products into its system to attained desired service delivery level and this identifies the expensive nature of the technology (Apostu, n.d.). Potential benefits however undermine the cost disadvantage. Maintenance Requirements Oracle’s publication of its product and their respective services identifies the need to update the technology and this means need for cost and expertise in identifying needed changes and implementing the changes through system updates. In addition, Oracle also offer support to its users and this identifies possible constant need for changes in operating the technology (Oracle2, 2014). Oracle also offers maintenance services to its users, though it charges a fee for that. This means regular expenditure on management of the technology that the company must factor before implementing the proposed Oracle version in resolving the identified issues that the company faces (Kanaracus, 2013). One of the identified security issues arose from failure by Bank Solutions Inc. to test and update its system, inducing possible internal and external threats to autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality. Need for monitoring a system to identify possible weaknesses, into such threats, and system improvements for managing such threats means that personalization of technology, either at the user level or at the service provider level is necessary and the role of programming in maintenance plays an important role (McLaughlin, 2014). Flexibility Flexibility is one of the features of Oracle database 12c that influenced its selection for resolving the issues that Bank Solutions Inc. Greenwald, Stackowiak, & Stern (2013) explains this flexibility with respect to previous versions Oracle database and with respect to competing technologies. According to the author, Real Application Security that Oracle incorporated in its new technology facilitated the new level of flexibility. This application allows for external definition of users and customizes security providences to each user. This means restricted access to particular users and promises to address the security issues of autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality. It also promises improved customer confidence towards a more competitive image. Mahmood (2014) also explains flexibility of the proposed technology through its cloud application and consistent report by Alapati, Kuhn, & Padfield (n.d.) shows reliability of the notion that the technology is flexible. Feasibility Identified capabilities of the proposed technology to Bank Solutions, cost, maintenance potential, and flexibility show the technology’s feasibility. Even though some products of the technology are expensive, Bank Solutions can identify necessary products that are also cheap and use to solve their identified issues. Bank Solutions Inc. is also an established company and this suggests that cost may not be a barrier to purchase and application of the technology. Possibility of maintenance of the technology, which is automatic upon subscription and offered by the service provider, also means ease of maintenance into applicability. Lastly, the technology’s flexibility makes it feasible as it allows Bank Solutions Inc. to use its level of competence to ensure resolution of issues that it faces. Issues The cloud computing aspect of the proposed technology identifies advantages and disadvantages that can inform the company’s management towards optimization through investing on advantages and managing possible effects of disadvantages. “Backup and recovery,” automated scope, and ease of information access are some of the advantages of cloud computing that the proposed Oracle technology will offer (Apostu, Puican, Ularu, Suciu, & Todoran, n.d., p. 119). Jamsa also explain benefits of the cloud in reliability, accessibility, and simplicity (2011). Maintenance, according to Mahmood (2014), is however, a disadvantage of the technology and the company’s weakness that is evident in its failure to update and test its system and to implement Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity may undermine the technology’s effectiveness. The technology may also be slower than the current decentralized system and therefore compromise performance (Jamsa, 2011). System malfunctioning and security issues, according to Apostu, et al., are the major vulnerabilities of the proposed system and these arise from the cloud scope. The involved high costs and required expertise in managing the technology may be limitations. Integrating all sub-types of products that are necessary for the company may make the technology too expensive. In addition to the involved direct monetary needs, installing and managing the technology requires technical competence that may induce additional costs (Oracle2, 2014; Apostu, n.d.). In spite of incorporating the technology, the organization will remain vulnerable to external attacks. Possible changes in terms of services by the service provider and introduction of new products at independent costs also expose Bank Solutions to possible additional costs (Oracle2, 2014). Conclusion Bank Solutions Inc. faces issues that it needs to manage for effective and efficient operations and Oracle database 12c is one of the recommended technologies for addressing the issues. The cloud scope of the technology establishes its features and advantages identify its capabilities. The technology can be implemented at various costs, depending on an organization’s needs because various products exist for different class of users. With competent personnel, Bank Solutions Inc. is able to maintain the technology, though the service provider offers major maintenance services. The capabilities that identify with needs of Bank Solutions, cost, flexibility, and possible maintenance identify feasibility of the technology and Bank Solutions Inc. should consider its implementation. References Alapati, S., Kuhn, D., & Padfield, B. (n.d.). Oracle database 12c performance tuning recipes: A problem solution approach. Apress. Retrieved from: http://www.uow.edu.au/~jrg/317/EREADINGS/Oracle12c-Performance-Tuning-Recipes.pdf. Apostu, A., Puican, F., Ularu, G. Suciu, G. & Todoran, G. (n.d.). Sturdy on advantags and disadvantages of cloud computing- The advantages of telemetry applications in the cloud. Recent Advances in Applied Computer Science and Digital Services. Retrieved from: http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2013/Morioka/DSAC/DSAC-16.pdf. Greenwald, R., Stackowiak, R., & Stern, J. (2013). Oracle essentials: Oracle database 12c. Sebastopol, CA: OReilly Media, Inc.. Jamsa, K. (2011). Cloud computing. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Kanaracus, C. (2013). Oracle to charge extra for 12c databases’ fundamental feature. IinfoWorld. Retrieved from: http://www.infoworld.com/article/2611343/database/oracle-to-charge-extra-for-12c-database-s--fundamental--feature.html. Mahmood, Z. (2014). Continued rise of the cloud: Advances and trends in cloud computing. New York, NY: Springer. McLaughlin, M. (2014). Oracle database 12c PL/SQL programming. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional. Oracle. (n.d.). Oracle database. Oracle. Retrieved from: https://www.oracle.com/database/index.html. Oracle1. (2014). Database concepts. Oracle. Retrieved from: https://docs.oracle.com/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14220/intro.htm. Oracle2. (2014). Oracle: Oracle technology global price list. Oracle. Retrieved from: http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/pricing/technology-price-list-070617.pdf. Read More