Improvements through Grid and Utility Computing Essay

The technology enhancement improves the efficiency of the supply chain, safeguard customer information and boost infrastructure associated with the target web portal for supporting online and mobile community an offensive complementary strategic option. The internal information

Application development: Having a real-time electronic interface with wholesalers created competitive advantages such as reducing cost.

This is an integrated database, which stores information on customers, products, sales, inventory, and finance from all divisions and geographies. Access can be gained to the database through a user-friendly website which requires a one-time registration and password for customers. Strong search and product recommendation engines characterize the site along with ten customer centers, which bring together related products and services from across the entire 3M organization. Employees and partners can access current information on product prices, availability, specifications and summaries of customer accounts. The profitability of customers and products and the performance of partners can now be analyzed across the entire company allowing better allocation of company resources. This allows 3M to take advantage of market opportunities and cross-selling opportunities and at the same time meet and customize the needs of customer segments. (Harvard Business Review) V. Software and Hardware Description In order to fix the problem of customer information retrieval taking a long time, 3M implemented new software and hardware from IBM, which allows accurate information to be provided in a timely manner. For software, 3M chose IBM 's EDMSuite OnDemand for Windows NT (now referred to as IBM Content Manager OnDemand for Windows NT). 3M chose OnDemand because it

A client/server architecture is an end-to-end systems that contains server hosts (contains the resources and services needed by the client) and clients (users or workstations in the network). “Most client/server networks have more than one client to a server so that the system shares computing power. There are a few different kinds of servers to include file sharing, printer services, email services, database services, web services, and a server can used for it power. Clients can access all of these different servers at one time and the servers can serve many clients.” (Techopedia, 2014) For large businesses with office throughout the country web based computing or cloud computing shows the greatest benefit. In web-based computing it is not the local computer doing all the work but rather computers off site that do the work. The user’s computer runs off of a cloud computing system’s interface software which uses the offsite network computers to do the work.

Within manufacturing, employees can now use Ipads to download real time data for communication, the goal was to integrate their operational and financial system whereby cost of each product line will be displayed, allowing management to make effective market decision at real time.

Benefits: Communications both internally and externally with dealers and partners have been radically improved. Information is now hosted centrally on a web-based portal, allowing all parties to access real time, up to date information at any time.

(Balestrero, pg. 143). The advantage of shared, on demand data allows teams to work more collaboratively and with the most up to date information which aids in employee retention and attracting more talented employees. This initiative will also aid in driving innovated products and processes, as it more employees and leaders are able to view a wider range of data and information. In turn they can use the virtual workplace platforms to plan, develop, solve and implement solutions without needing to travel from office to office and limited access to

A need to reduce staff costs - having a new system that can carry out the same job as employees has become a popular drive for a new system in an organisation, which

Furthermore, grid computing needs a sophisticated infrastructure: small servers, quick connections between the servers and at last, so as to maximize the potential of that infrastructure, it needs the utilization of quality tools, software system and skilled technicians to manage the grid. In different words, once of these elements are place along, it's obvious that this technology is

The system allows to company to modernize its strategies and processing more efficiently than its competitors

Additionally, the senior executives at the outriggers tend to accept the technology as a noteworthy asset since it enables for greater communication. Due to this factor they felt that IS resources enabled them to compete well. The Information System group felt that its legacy innovation together with an electronic interface with dissemination associates were serving them well.

To the Customer- the system will be a big help to the customer because it is no time consuming because of the presence of the computers and it’s more convenient to use.

Grid Computing is a term referring to the combination of computer resources from multiple administrative domains to reach a common goal.

Increases the visibility and success of the performance organization by providing a consumer viewing tool for internal customers.

Organisations often implement similar technologies, especially when these are ‘industry standard’ such as planning and customer relationship management systems. The value, which is added through the investments, provides the opportunity to reduce the cost of the firm’s final product/service provided. Benefits rarely occur automatically and benefit management is, therefore an essential part of information technology management.