Some problems in Network and Data Centre Management

Computer networks are vital to the running of modern organisations. Network managers are often concerned with the running of data centres. This paper provides an overview of some of the more important issues in managing modern computer networks and data centres and the problems faced in undertaking this task. It would be impossible to provide a complete list which, due to the fluid nature of this industry, would become outdated very quickly. It is important that network managers have an awareness of modern Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements, training and skills. There is also a need for network managers to plan for backup of staff, equipment, premises and for disaster recover. Furthermore, network managers need to be aware of the need for effective network design and up-to-date documentation procedures and implementation

Características dos profissionais em sistemas de informação: região de Trás-os-Montes (Portugal)

The profile of the Information Systems Professionals remains a constant challenge for schools and employers. Constant environmental, technological and organizational changes may raise difficulties in keeping the curriculum of Information Systems updated. Thus, the knowledge and the abilities demanded of professionals are in constant transformation. School plays an essential role in the process of providing professionals with the necessary skills to operate in the Information Society. Their competence depends, largely, on an appropriate curriculum that must be adequate to the organizations necessities. This paper identifies the skills required for the IS professionals in the organizations located in the region of “Trás-os-Montes” (Portugal). This work is based in a survey, realized in 51 organizations from “Trás-os-Montes”. The main objective was the identification of the skills expected from the employers for the IS professional. The study show that the soft skills are the most required

ALIGNING IS CURRICULUM WITH INDUSTRY SKILL EXPECTATIONS: A TEXT MINING APPROACH

Digitalization offers both great opportunities as well as new challenges and uncertainties. In particular, students in their role as future employees will have to cope with the new digital environments, which makes lifelong learning and up-to-date skills even more important than they already are. Key players in this long-term development are the universities as providers of the necessary skills and knowledge. By now, it is clear that digitalization will have a broad impact on the future conditions of universities. But are they already prepared for it? Against this backdrop, we present an approach to combine universities’ offerings with the required industry job skills to identify potential curricular gaps at course level that arise through ongoing digitalization and, as a consequence, changing skill requests for employees. We identify an appropriate set of methods for our project including text min-ing methods, an expert survey and an interview phase for evaluation. We illustrate our approach using a large data set of German IS curricular module descriptions and offers for IS job starters

Aprendizaje de habilidades mediante proyectos reales de Ingeniería del Software

Los estudiantes de los últimos años de la Ingeniería Informática han adquirido una gran cantidad de conocimientos teóricos y prácticos. Sin embargo, el aprendizaje de habilidades para su desarrollo profesional no está suficientemente cubierto. En las asignaturas de Ingeniería del Software proponemos actividades docentes innovadoras que permitan al alumno adquirir estas habilidades. Podemos destacar aquellas en las que los alumnos aprenden a ser jefes, a coordinar grupos, a revisar la calidad de los productos y a tomar decisiones comprometidas. Durante el desarrollo de las asignaturas, los alumnos se agrupan en equipos de 4 ó 5 miembros para desarrollar un proyecto real con un cliente real. El cliente recibirá al final el producto terminado. La evaluación se apoya en las Revisiones Técnico Formales de los artefactos producidos en el ciclo de vida del proyecto, que son realizadas por otro grupo de alumnos, por el profesor y por el cliente. El éxito de esta experiencia reside en el aumento de la motivación de los alumnos. Si bien, en los años anteriores, los alumnos actuaban como meros receptores de información, en esta experiencia docente se constata que los alumnos consiguen un rendimiento superior y una mejor preparación de cara a su desarrollo profesional

Mapping the Information Systems Curricula in UK Universities

Information Systems (IS) undergraduate student numbers in the UK have reduced by half in the last five years. An increasing number of researchers have been pondering the possible relationship between the modernity of IS curricula and its attractiveness to potential students. To support the debate about IS curricula in the UK and elsewhere, this study provides a comprehensive review of the provision of IS courses across the UK which has not been carried out before on such a large scale. The review focuses on classifying IS courses using two separate classification methods, one of which draws on the UK Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) Subject Benchmark Statement for Computing (SBSC), and a second that is based on the well established IS 2002 model curriculum. Results are compiled by attributing subjects to categories that have been extended to ensure the accurate reflection of the content of courses, taking into account the variations that exist in terms of module sizes, naming conventions and core/option module relationships. Overall, programming, project management and database design are shown to be the most popular IS subjects offered in the UK. The analysis of the results incorporates limitations that affect the interpretation of the data by highlighting the inherent complexities that exist in trying to measure wide-ranging curricula that borrow subjects from different fields. The findings presented should support IS academics, researchers and course designers in their quest to improve curricula and the IS discipline whose future prospects are tied to the recruitment of adequate numbers of students

Participação feminina no setor de sistemas de informação/tecnologias de informação em Portugal : evidência empírica

Mestrado em Ciências EmpresariaisO mercado dos SI/TI tem registado um crescimento significativo nas últimas décadas. Uma das consequências tem sido o aumento da procura de profissionais qualificados. Contudo, a oferta não tem satisfeito as necessidades existentes. Verifica-se, ainda, alguma disparidade entre géneros neste setor, com predominância de profissionais masculinos. Porém, apesar de todos os contributos já publicados, os fatores que inibem a escolha da carreira por parte das mulheres, permanecem por clarificar, nomeadamente no contexto português. Desta forma, este estudo procurou explorar as razões que ditam a escolha da carreira em SI/TI, mas também que podem contribuir para a permanência das profissionais na área. Para o conseguir, desenvolveram-se dois grupos focais: um com estudantes e o outro com profissionais do setor. Os resultados do estudo revelam que a realidade portuguesa está em linha com o que foi anteriormente publicado. Os principais fatores encontrados passam pela existência de estereótipos associados ao género e à profissão e pelo desconhecimento da profissão e das opções de carreira. Por outro lado, as profissionais relevaram ainda o problema do conflito trabalho-família. A identificação destes fatores permite não só desenvolver estratégias que aproximem as mulheres destes temas, como também atenuar a disparidade de géneros desde cedo na vida das jovens estudantes. Para além disso, permitem aos gestores destas áreas considerar práticas que mitiguem os fatores revelados como inibidores à permanência. Fomentar este equilíbrio poderá ser importante no aumento de profissionais na área e consequente aproximação da oferta e da procuraThe IS/IT labor market has grown significantly in the last decades, increasing the demand for qualified professionals. However, the offer does not satisfy the existing demand for professionals. There is, also, some gender gap in this sector, with a predominance of male professionals. However, despite all the contributions already published, the factors that inhibit women's choice of career remain to be clarified, namely in the Portuguese context. In this way, this studied tried to explore the reasons that dictate the choice of the career in IS/IT, but also that can contribute to the retention of professionals in this area. To achieve this, two focus groups were developed: one with students and the other with professionals in the sector. The results of this study reveal that the Portuguese reality is broadly in line with what was previously published. The main factors found are the existence of stereotypes associated with gender and the profession, and the lack of knowledge about the profession and career options. On the other hand, the professionals also highlighted the problem of the work-family conflict. The identification of these factors allows not only to develop strategies that bring women closer to these themes, but also to reduce the gender gap earlier in the lives of young students. In addition, allows managers in these areas to consider practices that mitigate the factors revealed to inhibit retention. Fostering this balance may be important in increasing the number of professionals in the area and the consequent approximation of supply and demand.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An investigation into internetworking education

Computer network technology and the Internet grew rapidly in recent years. Their growth created a large demand from industry for the development of IT and internetworking professionals. These professionals need to be equipped with both technical hands-on skills and non-technical or soft skills. In order to supply new professionals to the industry, educational institutions need to address these skills training in their curricula. Technical hands-on skills in internetworking education can be emphasised through the practical use of equipment in classrooms. The provision of the networking equipment to the internetworking students is a challenge. Particularly, university students in developing countries may find that this equipment is ineffectively provided by their teaching institutions, because of the expense. Modern online learning tools, such as remote access laboratories, may be used to address this need. However, the provision of such tools will also need to concentrate upon the pedagogical values. In addition, traditional remote access laboratories provide only text-based access, which was originally designed for highly professional use. Novice students may struggle with learning in these virtual environments, especially when the physical equipment is not available locally. Furthermore, non-technical skills or soft skills are social skills that should not be neglected in graduates’ future workplaces. A traditional model of developing soft skills that was used in face-to-face classroom may not be as effective when applied in an online classroom. Research on students’ opinions about their soft skills development during attending internetworking courses is needed to be conducted. In order to address both research needs, this study was focused on two research aspects related to online learning in internetworking education. The first focus was on research into providing a suitable technical learning environment to distance internetworking students. The second focus was on the students’ opinions about their non-technical skills development. To provide a close equivalent of a face-to-face internetworking learning environment to remote students in Thailand, a transformation of a local internetworking laboratory was conducted. A new multimedia online learning environment integrated pedagogically-rich tools such as state model diagrams (SMDs), a real-time video streaming of equipment and a voice communication tool. Mixed research data were gathered from remote online and local student participants. The remote online participants were invited to use the new learning environment developed in this study. Qualitative research data were collected from twelve remote online students after their trial usage. Concurrently, another set of research data were collected from local students asking their opinion about the development of soft skills in the internetworking course. There were sixty six participants in this second set of research data. Although the research data was limited, restricting the researcher’s ability to generalise, it can be concluded that the provision of multimedia tools in an online internetworking learning environment was beneficial to distant students. The superiority of the traditional physical internetworking laboratory cannot be overlooked; however, the remote laboratory could be used as a supplementary self-practice tool. A concrete learning element such as a real-time video stream and diagrams simplified students learning processes in the virtual environment. Faster communication with the remote instructors and the equipment are also critical factors for a remote access network to be successful. However, unlike the face-to-face laboratory, the future challenge of the online laboratory will creating materials which will encourage students to build soft skills in their laboratory sessions

A model for the alignment of ICT education with business ICT skills requirements

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills shortage is of national and international concern. Modern business practices require the implementation of new technologies supported by a workforce with current and diversified ICT skill-sets. Acquiring suitable ICT skills has become a difficult task and employers are seeing government intervention at all levels. The school system in South Africa is under increased pressure and is faced with continuously declining matriculation pass rates, specifically in subjects such as science and mathematics. Schools are experiencing a decline in the number of scholars (learners) enrolling for the Information Technology (IT) school curriculum. The IT curriculum at school level is being criticised; under-prepared teachers are blamed and lack of suitable facilities highlighted. Surveys conducted amongst grade 9 and grade 12 scholars in the Eastern Cape have shown that scholars are not considering careers in ICT. Teachers, career/guidance counsellors and parents contribute to scholars' career decisions and are not encouraging scholars to pursue careers in ICT. Tertiary institutions in South Africa and internationally, are experiencing a decline in student enrolments and in pass and throughput rates. Industry is holding tertiary institutions responsible for not providing the “correct” ICT graduate skill-sets and passing an insufficient number of quality ICT graduates desperately required by industry. The accreditation of computing degree programs, such as Computer Science (CS), Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT), collectively referred to as CIT, offered by tertiary institutions is becoming an international requirement. The ICT industry is constantly changing and new job requirements and new career opportunities are frequently introduced. Graduates entering the ICT industry should have acquired knowledge about ICT career tracks in order to specialise and choose a suitable career path. Tertiary CIT degree programs should further be linked to specific career tracks and provide a multi-disciplined education to graduates. ii ICT graduates working in industry utilise skills obtained in under-graduate and post-graduate CIT degree programs. The ICT graduates have also obtained valuable skills working in industry, including business skills and soft skills. ICT skill surveys have identified the graduate skills gap, indicating ICT skills industry requires from graduates completing tertiary level qualifications. ICT graduates working in industry, for example indicated that programming in some cases is over-emphasised at school and tertiary level and that soft skills are ignored by tertiary institutions. An ICT Graduate Skills Classifications Framework is developed to address the graduate ICT skills gap and highlight important business skills, soft skills, technical skills and programming skills required by industry. In this thesis, an Industry ICT Value Chain Model is further developed that suggests a holistic approach to the problems experienced at all levels of ICT skills development, including government, industry, tertiary education institutions and at school level. Results from a number of research surveys conducted along the proposed Industry ICT Skills Value Chain Model indicated that problems exist at all stages in the value chain and that the problems can only be addressed involving government, industry and tertiary institutions collectively. A number of interventions is required and the support from industry is essential in achieving overall success in addressing the ICT skills shortage in South Africa. A proposed Industry ICT Skills Value Chain Model that can be utilised to address the ICT skills shortage in South Africa is presented

Rad ne sadrži naslov na drugom jeziku.

In recent years, several national and European strategic documents have recognized the need for closer cooperation among education, businesses and other stakeholders in order to ensure better graduate employability. In this context, it is important to consider not only the quality of study programmes, but also an integrated system for providing support to students within higher education institutions (HEIs). The main goal of this research was to explore how different elements of student support systems are currently organized at European universities and to develop a strategic framework for supporting higher education graduates’ early careers within HEIs, as well as to propose a maturity model focused on study programmes in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT). The research was carried out in several steps involving predominantly qualitative and, to a lesser extent, quantitative research methods, following a five-step methodology for maturity model development based on the design science research paradigm. The final scientific contribution of this thesis is a comprehensive and reliable maturity model for supporting graduates’ early careers within HEIs, based on the strategic framework which fulfils the requirements for both relevance and rigor in design science research. This final maturity model was tested at four HEIs in Croatia and demonstrates significant social contributions in the form of guidelines and recommendations for enhancing the maturity of the HEIs in Croatia for study programmes in the field of ICT. In a broad sense, the results of this research affect relevant stakeholders, including students, alumni, employers and HEIs, which can use the research results not only as tools for the problem-solving of issues related to graduates’ employment, but also as guidelines for creating stimulating policies on the individual, institutional and national levels.Posljednjih godina nekoliko europskih i nacionalnih strateških dokumenata ističe potrebu za boljim povezivanjem obrazovnog sustava s gospodarskim sektorom i ostalim interesnim dionicima, kako bi se osigurala bolja zapošljivost diplomanata. U tom kontekstu važno je uzeti u obzir, ne samo kvalitetu studijskih programa, već cjelokupan integrirani sustav pružanja podrške studentima u okviru visokih učilišta (VU). Glavni cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti način na koji su različiti elementi sustava pružanja podrške studentima u ranom razvoju karijera organizirani na europskim sveučilištima te razviti strateški okvir za pružanje podrške diplomantima u ranom razvoju karijera u okviru VU, uz prijedlog pripadajućeg model zrelosti usmjerenog na studijske programe u području informacijsko-komunikacijskih tehnologija (IKT). Istraživanje je provedeno kroz nekoliko koraka koji uključuju prvenstveno kvalitativne istraživačke metode te u manjoj mjeri kvantitativne metode, a slijede metodologiju za izgradnju modela zrelosti u pet koraka temeljenu na principima istraživačke paradigme znanosti o dizajniranju. Konačan znanstveni doprinos ove disertacije je sveobuhvatan i pouzdan model zrelosti za pružanje podrške diplomantima u ranom razvoju karijera u okviru VU temeljen na strateškom okviru koji zadovoljava zahtjeve relevantnosti i rigoroznosti znanosti o dizajniranju. Konačan model zrelosti testiran na četiri VU u Republici Hrvatskoj (RH) te pokazuje značajan društveni doprinos u obliku smjernica i preporuka za povećanje razine zrelosti VU u RH, za studijske programe u području IKT-a. U širem kontekstu ovo istraživanje ima utjecaj na relevantne dionike, uključujući studente, alumnije, poslodavce i VU koji mogu koristiti rezultate istraživanja kao alat za djelomično rješavanje problema zapošljivosti diplomanata, ali također i kao smjernice za kreiranje poticajnih politika na individualnoj, institucionalnoj i nacionalnoj razini