Chapter Five Questions and Answers

Chapter 5

1. Describe the three network applications that we discussed in this section and the tools and technologies that support each one.
· Discovery: involves browsing and information retrieval, and provides users with the ability to view information in databases download it and or process it. Discover tools include search engines, directories and portals.
· Communications: networks provide fast inexpensive communications, via e-mail, blogs, call centres, chat rooms and voice communications

2. What are the business conditions that are leading to the increased importance of videoconferencing?
Businesses are competing in a global market; it is too hard and to expenses to communicate face-to face so through videoconferencing they combat these issues.

3. Describe the underlying technologies, applications and types of Web sites that comprise Web 2.0.
The information technologies and applications used by Web 2.0 sites include XML, AJAX, tagging, blogs, Wikis, Really Simple Syndication, podcasting and video casting. The websites that comprise Web 2.0 include social media sites, aggregators and mash-ups.

4. Describe the function of Web services.
Web services are applications, delivered over the internet that users can select and combine through almost any device, from personal computers to mobile phones. By using a set of shared protocols and standards, these applications permit different systems to talk with one another- that is, to share data and services without requiring human beings to translate the conversation.

5. Describe the function of service-oriented architectures.
A service-orientated architecture (SOA) is an IT architecture that makes it possible to construct business applications using Web services. The Web services can be reused across an organisation in other applications.