Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Reflections on Session 9

I was surprised that the class did not address more on thumbdrive security, RFID issues, patch management, dumpster diving, and social engineering more in their submissions.

In past years, the issues surrounded viruses, spyware, worms, and other malware. During the more recent semesters, the common postings were on wireless issues (lack of encryption), server security, laptop (data-at-rest) and thumbdrive security, social engineering, shoulder surfing, tailgating, identity theft, and dumpster diving. This reflects a broader perspective of security beyond the intrusions from the World Wide Web.

Passwords are a common issue that students bring up. Yes, I am favor in two-factor authentication (what you know such as passwords or a PIN...plus what you have like a token or smart card...or what you are such as biometrics). However, particularly in our rough economic times, it takes money to pay for additional security like tokens or biometrics. Is it a worthy investment? Well, it depends...it depends on what you are trying to protect, what financial resources you have, and other factors. Of course, if you are protecting the nation's secrets or sensitive financial/personal data, the answer is yes. However for other situations, the answer is not so clear.

Personally, I am disappointed with passwords themselves which are long, complex and impossible to memorize. And they say not to write it down. There MUST be a better system. Here is one answer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0biryfzCW0&feature=player_embedded

I feel so insecure after this session after learning from you some of the threats that is out there!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Reflections on Session 14 and My Final Blog

SESSION 14

I was surprised at the backlash against social networking sites. A handful of students found it novel, fun and interesting however most saw it as a total waste of time and/or a serious security vulnerability. Although I respect the latter's opinion, I must say that these sites have gained tremondous popularity during the last few years and they are being accepted into the corporate environment (check out http://www.linkedin.com).

With Ning, you could focus on one particular area of interest (whether it is Asian fusion cooking or DoD security policies). Personally, it has been fun for me to have a Facebook account and keep in touch with my daughter in Philly as well as my close buddies. I can keep in touch with my colleagues who share a mutual interest in educational technology. The younger generation uses Facebook (and text/IM messaging) in lieu of e-mail to communicate.

I hope that we can keep in touch after this semester...either with Ning or Facebook.

FINAL BLOG

This is the sad part of the course when I have to say goodbye to my students. It is never easy. Sometimes I mechanically go back into WebTycho after the end of the semester expecting to see another bunch of provocative postings but disappointed to find none. This class was special because the students were particularly motivated and bright. There were several colorful characters (they know who they are!). I know all of the students will do well academically and in life.

As we put a close on this semester, I hope that you reflected on your new knowledge and skills you have gained in this class. You have a better idea about blogs, wikis (and Wikipedia), social networks, avatars, OLAP and other key IT concepts by now.

Best wishes for a most successful career and a fulfilling life!

And for those of you who are graduating...



Do more with,
Les

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Reflections on Session 13

Again, a nice healthy discussions in our conferences! I love them! Nothing better to get opinions out because in the real world you need to have open conversations when an issue appears. There is no pat answer to problems. It is dangerous to have a knee-jerk reaction to a problem. We need to think things through!

Nice job on the wiki! The general thinking in industry nowadays is that a CIO is more a business executive than a technical one. He/she needs to know the business. Don't confuse a CIO with a CTO (Chief Technology Officer). Sorry, but I do not agree that in general the CIO needs to have a computer science degree, a CISSP nor one of those a Microsoft certification. (Of course, that depends on the type of company it is.)

Anyway, just for comparison, this is what one of the previous classes created:

*********************************************************

Chief Information Officer
Wiki Icky Inc.
Adelphi, MD

Announcement Number: WI-CSMN-601
Open: Jul 23, 2007
Closed: Open Until Filled.

Job Description:

Wiki Icky Inc., a leading company in the field of communications and technology innovations, is seeking a Chief Information Officer. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and provides strong collaborative forward thinking, and responsive leadership in the planning, development, implementation, maintenance, and management of Information Technology (IT) as infrastructure. CIO Is in charge of the Management Information Systems (MIS) organization within the company, charged with overseeing operations, setting MIS priorities, and being a top level advocate for the MIS. The CIO will also ensure that information technology is acquired and information resources are managed effectively; develop, maintain and facilitate a sound and integrated information technology architecture; and promote the effective and efficient design and operation of all major information resources management processes for the agency, including improvements to work processes. The incumbent will serve as a member of the senior leadership team and will act as the senior advisor for all information technology within the company.

Company Information:

Founded in 1991, Wiki Icky Inc. grew internally and through acquisitions until the early 2000s. Beginning in 2002, the company began acquiring companies with expertise in information technology products and services, particularly in the networking, distributed computing, and communications arena. Wiki Icky focuses on creating shareholder value while delivering superior products and services to all commercial and government sectors. The company emphasizes excellence in Information Technology Management improvement in all of its operations. Wiki Icky values ethical behavior and promotes a culture of integrity throughout all aspects of its business. This culture is evident in how the company deals with shareholders, employees, customers, partners, and the communities in which it operates.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate will be a visionary, progressive thinker, possessing a strong technical background with excellent management and analytical skills. He or she must possess a stellar record of employee management and demonstrate experience leading organization change and forming collaborative partnerships across organizations with diverse constituencies. He or she will have at least 10 years of experience at the senior management level. The ideal candidate will have experience in both public and private sectors. A MBA from an accredited college or university, with experience in Information Technology, and/or Systems Engineering is required; an advanced degree in a complementary field is highly desirable. A strong record of innovation, leadership, successful experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and implementation, and the ability to understand and engage emerging trends in information technology are essential. Strong knowlege of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) at level 5 and Project Management experience are essential. Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification preferred. should hold an active Secret clearance or have held one in the last two years.

Key knowledge, skills, and abilities of the CIO are:

1. Develop strategic plans and operating policies for computing and information technology;
2. Direct and develop programs and schedules for business and finance data processing, computer services, network communications, and management information services to accomplish corporate goals and objectives;
3. Manage and evaluate information security and data integrity of the company and its business units;
4. Implement the objectives of the information technology needs of the company to ensure the computer capabilities are responsive to the needs of the company's growth;
5. Evaluate overall operations of computing and information technology functions and recommend enhancements;
6. Advise senior management on strategic systems conversions and integrations in support of business goals and objectives;
7. Prepare enterprise objectives and budgets to facilitate the orderly and efficient capture, storage, processing, and dissemination of information;
8. Review and approve major contracts for computing and information technology services and equipment;
9. Coordinate the implementation of high-level security policies, standards and practices for the information systems, communication lines, and equipment;
10. Oversee the development, design, and implementation of new applications and changes to existing computer systems and software packages;
11. Responsible for the development, review, certification and testing of all back-up and disaster recovery procedures and plans;
12. Identify emerging information technologies to be assimilated, integrated, and introduced within the company;
13. Research new computing technologies to determine potential value for the company;
14. Establish company infrastructure to support and guide individual divisions/departments/sites in computing and information technology efforts;
15. Establish and implement short- and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures;
16. Serve on planning and policy-making committees, providing suggestions for technology based implementation or collaboration;
17. Responsible for application support for end users and achieve best practice metrics including high Service Level Agreement compliance, customer satisfaction scores, and use of technology and processes;
18. Leads implementation activities to achieve desired financial or procedural outcomes for new systems, using standardized implementation, use, and support models.
19. Manage $25 million annual capital budget for new applications;
20. Provide advice and assistance to senior managers on IT acquisition and management;
21. Maintains an inventory of information management hardware and software to identify gaps and needed changes;
22. Interviews and selects managerial and administrative support staff, provides training opportunities, evaluates the performance of incumbents, and reviews and approves administrative duties;
23. Oversee and contributes to Project Management efforts and standards as they relate to CMMI certification, I.T. development and management within the organization;
24. Envision the future of information technology at Wiki Icky Inc. and anticipate its impact on learning, research, outreach, and administration;
25. Develop and maintain a strong Information Assurance program ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all company information resources;
26. Implement and embrace information technology programs that support a strong process orientation to improve upon and maintain current CMMI levels throughout the corporation;
27. Seek opportunities for system consolidation and elimination of redundant functions;
28. Prior experience with migrating operating systems related to mergers and acquisitions;
29. Ability to prioritize between competing projects and resources to ensure work goals are met.
30. Coordinates scheduled training of Information Technology staff to promote professional development;
31. Coordinates upgrades and maintenance of all network, computer and hardware devices;
32. Other duties as assigned;

Salary:

The salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The pay scale is currently under review for this position, but will range from $185,000 to $210,000 annually. Guaranteed bonus at 25% of annual pay, depending upon meeting company and position specific goals.

Benefits:

Wiki Icky Inc. offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance. 401(k) and Pension Plan. Short and Long-Term Disability. 4 weeks paid vacation, 10 paid holidays, and paid sick leave. Health/Dependent Care Spending Account (Flex Account).

Working Conditions:

The incumbent is assigned to the Office Headquarters in Adelphi, Md. Travel up to 40% is expected with occasional over night stays. This is an exempt position. Some evening and weekend work is required, as well as the ability to work remotely.

For more information regarding the position, minimum qualifications, and application requirements please contact:

Dr. Les Pang
3501 University Blvd. East
Adelphi, MD 20783
Phone: 410-555-1234
E-Mail: **csmn601@umuc.edu**


Wiki Icky Inc.
An Equal Opportunity Employer

*********************************************************

Here is what another previous class came up with:

*********************************************************

IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN MARYLAND, PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS LISTING. HOW EVER, IF YOU ATTEND UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, YOU MAY APPLY.

Title: Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Company Info:
The Widget Manufacturing Organization (WMO) has been in business for over 20 years. We pride ourselves on our dedication to our clients and employees. Known for the quality widget produced, our widgets have made their way into every corner of the globe. We are committed in providing the best leading technology in the country and look forward in globalizing our technology.

Hours: Full - Time

Length: Perm

Reports To: President / CEO

Salary: $500,000 - $1,250,000, including stock options and 100% possible future ownership.

Location: Dallas, TX

Position Description:
Chief Information Officer (CIO) for a Widget Manufacturing Organization (WMO) will provide a technological vision and leadership to the company wide Information Technology Program. The CIO will lead the WMO network in both planning and implementing enterprise information systems. Must have and demonstrate success in meeting corporate goals, with the ability to develop regional and corporate managers. Additionally, the CIO:

Provides strategic and tactical planning, development, evaluation and coordination of the Information Technology systems for the WMO network.
Facilitates communication between staff, management, vendors and other technological resources within the organization.
Responsible for the management of multiple information and communications systems and projects, including voice, data, imaging and office automation.
Designs, implements and evaluates the systems that supports the end-users.
Oversees and evaluates system security and back up procedures.
Supervises the Network Administrator.
Demonstrates a strong teamwork environment.

Qualifications:
Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in a leadership position and previous CIO experience. A with increasing management and support responsibility in Widget Manufacturing Organization information systems technology, including direct management of a major IT operation. Experience should also include experience with multi-client server environment. The ideal candidate will also have:

Experience with desktop, notebook, handheld and server computer hardware.
Experience with local and wide area networks.
Experience in strategic planning and execution.
Experience with implementation of information technology integrations in a large division/company
Knowledge of various operating systems such as Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Solaris, and Linux.
Extensive hands-on experience managing and integrating Windows 2003 Active Directory and Windows Server 2003.
Extensive knowledge of network security practices preferably with a CISSP certification.
Minium knowledge of Oracle 7i, 8i, 9i, and 10g.
Experience in Unix & SQL server.


Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Leadership experience and strategic direction for capital investment planning process and enterprise architecture to maximize innovative use of technology, protect the organization’s information systems technology, and reduce costs.
Provide leadership and strategic direction to develop and operate a comprehensive enterprise-wide information systems technology security program, including system plans and hardware and software purchases.
Provide a full range of communications and cyber security techniques to protect decentralized communications and cyber resources.
Be able to effectively define an Information Technology vision for the future of our company.
Be the eyes, ears, and heartbeat for the President on issues IT related that involve our company.
Develop and implement an organizational vision integrating national and program goals, priorities, and values. Create work environment that encourages creative thinking and maintain focus, intensity, and persistence under adversity.
Develop programmers and have an effective relationship with multi-national clientele and staff.
Design and implement strategies to maximize employee potential and foster high ethical standards to meet organizational vision, mission, and goals.
Stress personnel accountability and continuous improvement, to make timely and effective decisions and produce results through strategic planning by implementing and evaluating programs and policies.
Acquire and administer, human, financial, materials, and information resources to accomplish the organization’s mission, and use technology to enhance decision making.
Explain, advocate, and express facts and ideas in a persuasive manner in negotiations with internal and external groups. Develop professional network with other organizations, and identify internal and external politic that could significantly impact the organization’s mission and goals. Budget preparation and monitoring, and negotiating with vendors and contractors in IT related business.
Seek out new prospects to introduce new technology of ongoing business
Meets with department managers to review current and future infrastructure development, enhancement needs and requirements to stay abreast of business and operating requirements.
Knowledge of information technology computer systems and software and the ability to manage the entire spectrum of information technology operations.

Proven Skills in:

Negotiating with vendors, contractors and others.
Budget preparation and monitoring.
Showing direction and vision in expanding business globally.
Planning and organizing.
Management and Leadership.
Excellent communication skills.
Proven track record of on-time completion of projects.
Creating strong and effective teams.
Patients and proven peer mediation skills

Demonstrated ability to:

Communicate to all levels within and outside the organization.
Motivate and educate other team members.
Plan, implement and support systems in a complex environment.
Set and manage priorities.
Comprehend complex technical subjects.
Apply complex IT technologies to business strategies.
Mentor and develop talent.

Educational & Certification Requirement

Masters in Business Administration or E-Commerce is highly desirable.
Security Requirement

Candidate is required to posses or be able to obtain a TOP SECRET & POLY GRAPH security clearance.

Please forward your resume only if you are serious about furthering your career in management.

Travel: 10%

Telecommute: No

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Reflections on Session 12

I really liked the virtual debate we had on SDLC and its application for web developers. Robert and Jeffery really got into it! There was also some differences of opinion on procedural vs OO languages. I love controversy in the discussion questions! Bottom line is that there is no single right answer to all situations -- it always depends!

I am sure students now understand why we academics do not like students to cite Wikipedia as a reference. As part of the mini-project, many of the student edited the SDLC article. During the course of Monday evening when student were feverishly entering revisions to the article, it was vandalized twice in a single night! It shows how easy it is to change the content. It is also very easy to insert unreliable information and opinions. In your research papers, expect a deduction if you cite Wikipedia.

We are heading closer and closer to the final! I sense perhaps that some students are running out of gas? A few students did not complete the Session 12 mini-projects and I am a bit concerned. Please e-mail me if you have personal issues and/or conflicts so we can work things out!

We are approaching the finish line! Hang in there!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Reflections on Sessions 10 and 11

Session 10

We had a really lively discussion on whether data mining constituted invasion of privacy. My thoughts are posted at the end of the discussion thread. Some of you may disagree but you need to separate the technology from its application.

My first contact with bots was a computer program called AI Doctor. You, "the patient," would converse with a virtual doctor to help diagnose your ailment and come up with a treatment. It worked on the same principle as ALICE where words from the "patient" were parsed, processed and linked with pre-programmed responses. We have come far from AI Doctor with the use of the XML dialect, Artificial Intelligence Markup Language. This is a significant leap forward compared to when I used GW-BASIC many years ago to program my AI Doctor program.

For the session's mini-project, most students were quite unimpressed with their interactions with the chat bots. I guess it is because of their expectations, the current wave of video games, and what they have seen in the past.

Little do my students know that...I....AM....A....CHAT BOT!
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo
I certainly fooled yo

(::Transmission ending due to technical issues technical issuestechnical issuestechnical issuestechnical issues



The REAL Dr. Pang!


Session 11

Regarding Fedscope, I am glad that most of the students were exposed to a powerful OLAP tool. They are seeing a Cognos (now IBM) product formerly called PowerPlay, but there are other companies such as BusinessObjects, Microsoft, Oracle, who can produce similar cubes and interfaces. These tools are certainly easier to use than pivot tables in spreadsheets. I am always impressed when I see the insightful trends and relationships students identified and the derived strategies based on these findings.

Although almost everyone wanted to recruit and hire more staff, some of the strategies focused on social inequities such as the lack of diversity in various dimensions (gender, race, age, etc.) I am glad this class is cognizant of these social issues. Too bad the cubes did not contain any "green" information. I'm sure that a student would try to fix that!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Reflections on Sessions 8 and 9

Session 8

Wow, the discussion thread on instituting an Internet sales tax generated quited heated exchanges! I really like these controversies because they force students to think and argue. I just hope students don't get carried away and start a fight in our virtual parking lot!

I realized that a handful of students found the Session 8 mini-project assignment (come up with a unique e-business) to be very frustrating. (Now, who egged and tepeed my house?) Although most of you were up for the challenge, some folks did not even attempt an idea or gave up after the first try. In a way, this challenging assignment was like your midterm exam. As mentioned before, imagination is more important than knowledge.

Here is a summary of ideas on possible e-businesses from past classes:

Satellite lawn service
Robotic adventures
Online gas station account
GPS with restaurant wait times
Custom build-it-yourself computer kit
Online make-up simulator
Independent local news correspondents
Remote energy control of appliances
Pre-purchase preview
Paid standees
Online parking payments
Custom baby bottles and sippers
Organ donor business
Pranksters, Inc.
Food price comparison site
Fragrance USB device
Custom gum
PickAFight.com
Personal online fashion consultant
Stinky jersey rental business
On-the-go music and try-it-on clothing service
Virtual acupuncture
Virtual Worldwide Vacations
A New You
An Internet music marketing site
Online to-do manager
A real-time auto mechanic assistant
Personalized health care
My Couch Potato
Design My Radio Control car
"See-a-Pet"
Onstar Restaurant Locator
Dr. Everything custom instruction
Audio-visual beach simulation headphones
Miniature puffball pals
An online personal conflict manager
Charity Bridge Play Bidding System
Offer Finder web crawler
An online race management system
Design your own lighting fixtures
An online gas pre-payment system
Junk mail eliminator
Personalized online time management service
3-D modeling tool for an environmentally aware home
Online sports card inventory tracker
Auction site which matches sound equipment with performer
Small-town French restaurant selection guide
Organized weekend camping trips for gamers
College book rental
Family taxi for parents
Grocery price comparison site
Making jealous mates
College transcript clearinghouse
Home improvement contractor online bidding service
e-Closet - hotel storage for travelers
Gifted kids competition
SlingBox feed exchange
Customized beer delivered to your home
Online calorie counter for a broad range of restaurants
Nonalcoholic activity planner
An online hostage negotiator
Team picker based on behavioral survey results
Homepainting recommendation service
Anonymous shopper service
An e-business search service
Personal security-check web service
A one-stop pet resource
Virtual vacations which uses VR helmets
Guild builder for games
An advertiser-customer target marketer
A Mac and PC cross-platform software supplier
A pet food labeling service (has picture of their pet on the can!)
An unbiased fantasy football selector (disregards user's loyalties)
An MP3 music tagging service
Recordings of daughters' comedy routines
Custom cross-stitching service
Virtual DJ services

I wonder if any of my students will become billionaires because of their ideas. Hey, look at a Maryland student named Sergey Brin. He was born in Moscow, Russia, to a Jewish family, the son of a mathematician and economist. In 1979, when Sergey was six, his family emigrated to the United States. Brin attended grade school at Paint Branch Montessori School in Adelphi, Maryland, but he received further education at home; his father Michael Brin, a professor in the department of mathematics at the University of Maryland, nurtured his interest in mathematics and his family helped him retain his Russian language skills. In September 1990, after having attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Sergey enrolled in the University of Maryland, College Park to study Computer Science and Mathematics, where he received his Bachelors of Science in May 1993 with high honors. After graduating from Maryland, Sergey received a graduate fellowship from the National Science Foundation, which allowed him to study for his masters degree in Computer Science at Stanford University.

Brin is the American entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Larry Page. He is currently the President of Technology at Google and has a net worth estimated at $16.6 billion as of March 9, 2007, making him the 26th richest person in the world together with Larry Page and the 9th richest person in the United States. He is also the 4th youngest billionaire in the world.



Session 9

I am glad most of the students got to experience a wiki for the first time. It is an excellent collaboration tool but alas nothing is perfect. Often you need an effective facilitator/moderator to ensure that the wiki is well structured and managed and to prevent any wiki vandalism, mis-entries or posting of non-politically correct ideas. Later on, the class will do a mini-project that will not involve any supervision or facilitation on my part. It will be an interesting experiment in human behavior!


Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Reflections on Sessions 6 and 7

I am glad students are taking a global perspective in this class. Hey let's face it....we live in a global village. (But the question arises...now who is the village idiot? Oh....sorry 'bout that.) We get our cars from Japan and Germany, our coats from Poland and the Czech Republic, our fruits and coffee from Costa Rica and Colombia, and our TV shows from Great Britain (Office, Weakest Link, BBC shows, etc.).

It will be more evident with the Beijing Olympics coming up in a month or so!

One of the threads in Session 7 provided a means for you to give me mid-semester feedback. Thanks for your feedback!!!

As a result of this feedback request, I will be making the following changes:

1. Require that all postings and blogs be APA compliant with references.
2. Require a 200-word threshold for postings.
3. Add a midterm to THIS semester.
4. Change this f2f class to a hybrid in order that I can torture students in person.
5. Students get a personal visit from Miss Rambo!

Only kidding! :-)

Sorry that this class won't be using the new textbook but the current events postings have kept us all up to date.

Session 7 involved enterprise integration which is one of the greatest challenges in any organization. I hope students now understand the tools for integration such as ERPs, CRM, data warehouses, data marts and so on. Just as important, I hope that they understand the issues and challenges associated with with implementing and maintaining them. Incidentally many of these tools are being used for homeland security to help organizations to talk to one another and connect the dots.

Several semesters ago, I experienced a major failure of an ERP. It had an not-so-friendly interface, a cryptic navigation system, poor performances (long response times) and poorly written documentation. What was ironic was that the university had classes on ERP implementation, designing effective user interfaces, optimizing system performance and preparing quality documentation! Goes to show that we in academia often don't do what we preach!