Detailed Schedule


Overview: May 24

Introduction to the course

Introduction to the Web and Online Resources that will be used throughout the semester.

Lecture 1: Introduction

I will discuss prototypical voice and data communication applications from a managerial and technical perspective. I will present frameworks to help you characterize these applications in terms of the interactions between technology, task and people. The discussion will be broad ranging and provide an overview of the ground that will be covered this semester.

Before class

Lecture 2: Telecommunications Policy Primer

Prof. Marvin Sirbu will address the class on the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the implications that will have for the telecommunications industry.

Before class

Lecture 3: Telecommunications Industry

We will complete our overview with a discussion of the various sectors of the telecommunications industry.

Case Discussion: Mini Case 1-2 in Keen. Reengineering work flows at Shearson Lehman.

Before class:

To operationalize the ideas in the case, develop a university application of the telecommunications-based imaging technology described in the case. We will discuss some of these in class.

Lecture 4: Technology Fundamentals 1

We will discuss different types of "Business" Information (voice, video, data, and image), their bandwidth requirements and the implications that these requirements have for an organization's telecommunications infrastructure.

Before class

Lecture 5: Technology Fundamentals II

Before class

Lecture 6 and 7: Technology Fundamentals III and IV

Before class

Lecture 8: Multiplexing

Before class

MIDTERM I

Mid Term Exam I covering lectures 1 through 8 will be due on June 21

Lectures 9 and 10: Voice Networks I and II

Having discussed communication between two directly linked devices, we now discuss communication over a network. We will discuss both voice and data networks. In each case we will introduce the enabling technology -- circuit or packet switching as the case may be and discuss operational and strategic management issues. We will begin with a discussion of voice networks.

I will introduce circuit switching and discuss the principal service offerings in the marketplace. We will also discuss different types of carriers - local exchange carriers, inter-exchange carriers and bypass carriers. In addition, we will review the history of regulation in this industry and the continuing changes that are fundamentally changing the marketplace.

Before class

In addition to these resources, I highly recommend that you visit the homepages of telephone companies such as MCI and Pacific Bell. I plan to use the report by Booz, Allen and Hamilton on the network needs of the State of Maryland to provide substantive context.

Lecture 11 and 12:Data Networks and Packet Switching

We will review the essential features of packet switching technology and discuss public data networks and the services available in the marketplace. Strategic and operational management of data networks will also be discussed.

Before class

Lecture 13:Fast Packet Switching

We will discuss fast packet switching technologies such as Frame Relay, SMDS and ATM. We will focus on Frame Relay, its economics and the managerial issues involved in adopting the technology.

Before class

Lecture 14: ISDN

In this lecture, we will discuss ISDN, the services that are available in the marketplace and common applications. ISDN is an important part of the set of services that telecommunications managers should know about.

Before class

Lecture 15: Overview of ATM and Review of Data Networking

Overview of Asynschronous Trransfer Mode Networks

Review of Wide area Data Networking options. Mapping technologies to requirements.

Before class

MIDTERM II

The second mid term exam covering material in lectures 9 through 15 will be due on July 21

Lecture 16: Local Area Networks I

This is a brief overview of this important technology. The objective is to complete our discussion of network infrastructure. I will focus on Ethernet-based technologies and ways in which these networks interconnect with other networks to create enterprise wide networks.

Before class

Lecture 17: Local Area Network Protocols and Internetworking

We will briefly review LAN protocols. Following this review, we will begin our discussion of Internetworking. Our focus will be on reviewing the TCP/IP protocol and to provide an understanding of internetworks that combine local and wide area network components. The objective is help lay the ground for the discussion of intranet and internet-enabled applications.

Before class

Discussion of the internetworking fundamentals and a history of the Internet.

Before class

Lecture 19: The World Wide Web

The Web is the killer application on the Internet. We will introduce basic web technologies such as the hypertext transfer protocol and discuss strategic and operational issues related to the use of these technologies to facilitate intra and interorganizational processes.

Resources that we will use include

  • the History of the Internet

  • the history of the Net in the form of a time line

  • chapters 10 and 11 in Keen. This material covers general background on strategic applications

  • the cover story from Byte Magazine on Why Businesses need the Web

    Lecture 20 and 21: WWW Extensions and Analysis of Web Technologies

    These lectures will discuss the latest Web technologies and analyze the ways in which they can be used to meet organizational requirements.

    I want you to become familiar with two cases that we will use to illustrate technologies and to provide context for our discussion. While the first discusses the dissemination of traditional (passive) information, the second case will discuss the ways in which internet and intranet technologies can be used to provide access to active content such as software.

    Lectures 22 and 23: Electronic Data Interchange and the Walmart Case

    A key feature of telecommunication technologies is their ability to extend the reach of organizations as well as to allow sharing of information across organizational boundaries. A key enabler is a technology called electronic data interchage (EDI). EDI is key component of several electronic commerce initiatives in both the public and private sector organizations and a key enabler of quick response systems that have redefined procurement and acquisition.

    We will use a classic case -- the Walmart case -- to discuss a variety of strategic and operational issues pertaining to EDI deployment. A key question that I would like the class to address is the implication that the growth of the Internet has for EDI applications.

    Before class

    Those in the class that are interested in this topic may read the NIST document Streamlining Procurement Through Electronic Commerce

    This document describes the business case for electronic commerce and EDI in the public sector and discusses technical infrastructure required to enable it. The ideas presented apply equally to public and private sector organizations. The document is in adobe acrobat format. You can download a copy of the acrobat reader.

    Lecture 24: Security Issues

    Overview of Security Issues

    An excellent overview of firewall technology is available at the Network Computing site.

    FINAL EXAM

    The final exam will be held on August 9 covering material in lectures 16 through 24


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    Ramayya Krishnan rk2x@andrew.cmu.edu