Cis532

Case Study 1

Shertori Frappier

CIS 532

Professor Nelson Stewart

January 26,2014

Harriet’s Fruit and Chocolate Company has many specific needs as they attempt to grow to suit the needs of the organization and its customers. The physical constraints of the land and its cold storage buildings limit our options, as well as budget. I would investigate to see how temperature would be a factor at the cold storage locations. Some equipment cannot be stored in the cold and the need for an equipment room may result. The distance between the orchards and the storage buildings and the size of the orchards will be a factor as well. I will also speak with those who run the company about their vision for the growth of the company over the next two years. Scalability needs will be a piece of the design as we choose technologies that will allow for the company to grow.

One goal stated by the company is the ability to report ripe fruit in real time so customers will know what products are available and so employees know when to pick the fruit and place it in cold storage. Marketing has also expressed the need to access inventory in real time to better suit their customers. An obvious goal is moving into the future with equipment that will allow these goals to take place and allow for a positive experience for employees and customers alike. There are however, limitations on achieving these goals. Cost is a big factor and it is important that we choose technology and wiring/cabling that allows for the company’s goals to be met while staying within the designated budget. The more involved we design this network to be, the higher costs will rise for employees to run it. Equipment has maintenance costs and it is important that we plan for what our design will do for the company so we can attempt to achieve an acceptable return on investment.

The technical goals I would create for the company would be scalability, availability, affordability, security, and...