How do we do what we do and what do we do it with?
This is an attempt to explain the Technical aspect of Business Solutions in a non-technical way and by discussing each component of a Business Solutuion. These are example solutions to the components and are not meant to be fully comprehensive answers. For more detailed answers to your problems please contact us.
A Database is a system for storing structured information, which is organised and stored in a way to allow its quick and efficient retrieval. The latter part of this statment is only true of the database has been designed correctly, a lot of effort should be put in the early stages of design to ensure that the data can be retreived efficiently.
What database, or Database Management System (DBMS), should we use, Access?, Sql Server?, Oracle? How much will they cost or will our requirement by enable us to use a free DBMS? Each of them have their merits and we will advise you on which fulfills your needs.
How will we maintain them? Do we need specialist personnel to look after them? Each DBMS has it's positive and negative points and we will advise you on which is best for your requirements and we will design your database.
Your data is a critical and costly asset, if you lost it would your business survive? How much would it cost to get your database back up and running again? We can plan and cost this for you.
Do not think that a spreadsheet is a database. You can store data in a spreadsheet, and a spreadsheet is a powerfull tool, but it is not a database.
There is great utility to be had by networking computers, even if it is only to share resources. What type of network do you need, do you need a workgroup or a domain and what software is required to enable these networks to be set up? How do we share printers, files, drives, the internet? What about a wireless network, how do we set that up?
How do we secure a wired or wireless network?
We will design and build the networking infrastructure that your business requires to fulfill your business needs.
Bespoke, or custom, software is software that is developed to fulfill a specific business need. Compare this with Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software solutions which are often lacking much of the functionality required. COTS solutions often require a buisness to make painful trade-offs between existing processes and procedures and the capability of the COTS package.
Bespoke software fulfills the need of the organisation and ensures that the organisation doesn't fulfill the needs of the software.
Creating a bespoke software package can be a large undertaking and must follow a Software Development Process. This process begins with Requirements Analysis.
