“Smart-Toys-Smart Kids”is a toy manufacturingcompany. They are providing toys to retail stores in the region. The company has 500employees. TheCEO of the company Fred is looking for alternatives to streamline B2B transactions between his employees and the retail stores. Fred's information systems department has presented him with two alternatives for developing the new tools for better customer service with the retail stores.

The first alternative will have a special software tool developed in C++ program (application software) that clients(500 employees and retail stores) willdownload onto their computers to run. The tool will communicate with the server to select data to analyze. The second alternative will have the C++ program running on the server in the headquarters;the clientcomputers will interact with the server. Part of the program in the client computers and other parts are in the Server side.

a) Classify the two alternatives in terms of what type of application architecture they use.

b) Outline the pros and cons of the two alternatives

c) Make a recommendation to Fred about which is better.

ANSWER

a) Classification

Alternative 1 :	Alternative 2 :

b)

Alternative 1		Alternative 2
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons

d) RECOMMENDATION ( with reasoning )

Q2 [25 points ] Smart-Toys-Smart Kids CEO(Part 2)

Smart-Toys-Smart Kids has decided to install a new e-mail package to streamline communicationswithin the company.Fred would like to have one common calendar for his all 500 employees. The expected features of the new e-mail package are“background processing” that doesn't get a great deal of attention. This includes managing connections, checking for errors in commands and e-mail messages, and reacting accordingly.The e-mail software vendors offered two different e-mail system for solution. One vendor is offering an SMTP-based two-tier client server architecture. The second vendor is offering a Web-based e-mail architecture. Fred doesn't understand either one.

a) Briefly explain to Fred, in layman's terms, the differences between the two.

b) Outline the pros and cons of the two alternatives

c) Make a recommendation to Fred about which is better for his company

ANSWER

a) Classification

SMTP-based two-tier client server architecture	Web-based e-mail architecture

b)

SMTP-based		Web-based e-mail architecture
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons

c) RECOMMENDATION ( with reasoning )