Title: A SYSTEM FOR TEACHING MIS AND MBA STUDENTS TO DEPLOY A SCALABLE DATABASEDRIVEN WEB ARCHITECTURE FOR
1A SYSTEM FOR TEACHING MIS AND MBA STUDENTSTO
DEPLOY A SCALABLE DATABASE-DRIVEN WEB
ARCHITECTURE FOR B2C E-COMMERCE
- Alexander Y. Yap, Ph.D.
- Elon University, North Carolina
- Claudia Loebbecke, Ph.D.
- University of Cologne, Germany
2Background
- IS Environment Five Years Teaching in two
Business School Environments (MIS MBA students) - A variety of B2C E-commerce systems solutions are
available for different business needs - But deciding on a particular systems solution can
be a challenging process - Putting things in perspective for students
- Choosing the appropriate IS strategy for Business
Objectives - Looking at Business Processes behind E-commerce
systems - Assessing how different solutions and systems
address short term vs. long term strategies
3Objective
- Show students different solution paths
- We came up with four generic solutions models
- Show different architecture scalability
- Demonstrate the role of database in e-commerce
- Show how a web application server (middleware)
shuttles data between the database and browser - Discuss the importance of web interface and its
usability (front-end design) - Develop and Deploy an E-commerce application (one
project for each student)
4Business Process Optimization, Outsourcing,
Content Development
5Stand Alone Model (Two-tier Architecture)
6E-Commerce Integrated with E-Business
Systems(Model 4 Three-tier Multi-tier
Architecture)
7Web Architectures
Two-tier Architecture
Three-tier Architecture
Multi-tier Architecture
Client Computer (Web Browser)
Client Computer (Web Browser)
Client Computer (Web Browser)
Web Server Stand Alone Database (Access)
Web Server
Web Server
Database Server
Database Server (Oracle, SQL Server)
Email Server
File Server
Video Server
8E-Commerce A Two Component Course (Teaching the
Business Technology Components)
- Students taking MIS (Graduate Level) needed 2
semesters to cover the business component (1) and
the technology component (1) - Three-tier architecture
- Oracle and SQL programming
- Customize the Application with a lot of hand
coding - Setting up the Application Server Web/HTTP
Server - MBA students learning E-commerce were limited to
a one semester. Business component (half a
semester) and technology component (half a
semester) - Two-tier architecture
- MS Access
- Use Rapid Application Development Methods for
Coding (Wizards, Drag and Drop coding, reuse of
existing components shopping cart) - No Server set up required
9Student Feedback
- MBA students with no database background were
more suited to learning Model 3 (just to see how
technology manages the electronic process) - MIS students preferred Model 4, because they know
that high-end relational database management
systems (like Oracle) work with other enterprise
applications - MBA students were able to see how different
systems could be integrated with e-commerce
systems, enabling them to make technology
acquisition decisions (Model 4) - MIS students were able to set-up customized
e-commerce applications with their own coding
logic, their choice of database, and operating
system (Linux)
10ApplicationDevelopment Environment
11TECHNOLOGIES USED
- SOFTWARE TOOLS
- Macromedia Homesite Dreamweaver (editors for
coding) - Cold Fusion Server (Application Server -
middleware) - MS Access Database or Oracle (relational
database back-end) - Macromedia Flash MX (animation)
- Others (Fireworks, Photoshop, Graphic editors)
12Application FeaturesWhen we decided to use CF
(2000-2001)
13RDBMS/Database Connectivity
14Cold Fusion Studio(now Macromedia Homesite )
RAD Features
- You can link the tables click and drag the
primary key to the foreign key - Then, double click on the fields and they will
appear automatically - SQL Script appears automatically
- You can sort the order
- by a chosen field (e.g. date)
15RAD ToolsDrag and Drop Query Codes(Cold Fusion
Studio -gt Homesite Plus)
16RAP - Using Wizards to createForm and Action
Templates
17Select Table and Fieldsthat you want to include
in form
18Form Action Template Created(product_entryform.
cfm, product_entryaction.cfm)
19Form TemplateDesign Code
20Action Template(CFINSERT)
Validation/Confirmation that data has been
inputted into the database
21First Step Create Database
22Second Step Show students how their data is
connected to the Server Creating the data
source using students name
23Data source
- MSAccess set up the path of the database file
in the server - Oracle create a schema name for each student
(using Oracles userid and password)
24Third StepCreating the E-commerce
ApplicationSeparating Content and Web Design
25TheShopping Cart
26Handling Session Variables(Passing Data from
Catalog to Shopping Cart to Database)
27Passing Data Variables(Using different web
templates)
Online Product Catalog
Shopping Cart
Capture Order Info In Database
Product Table Info
28Form Variables Inserted into the Customer Table
29Fourth StepFlash Animation
- SPLASH PAGE
- Create layers
- Separate animated objects for each layer
- Different animation effects
- Timeline of the animated objects
- NAVIGATION BUTTONS
- (optional)
30Embedding Sound
- Drag the sound clip to the object
- If you successfully dragged the sound, it will
- appear on the frame
31Conclusion
- Students taking MIS at the Graduate level, with
background in SQL and Oracle, handled the
three-tier architecture system very well. - They all wanted to learn full scalability of the
architecture (Model 4). - MIS students mostly combined hand-coding and RAD
functions - MBA students learning E-commerce for the first
time could handle the two-tier architecture
without a problem. - But they need to use RAD methods with minimal
coding (drag drop, wizards, application server
handled by someone else) - MBA students felt they could make
technology-related decisions better knowing the
capabilities of web technologies to improve
business process. - Multi-tier architecture was only feasible if
taught across several courses (logistics
limitations cannot be compressed into 1 or 2
semesters) -
32CFGraph
Pie Chart Of Quantity Sold
- Create query
- You can use SUM to add
- Use an alias e.g as totalsum for the sum of a
variable - Define the graph as shown
- Sum (Quantity x Price)
Horizontal bar Chart of Sales Amount
33Dynamic Charts based on the Database (Sales Table)