Computer Aided Planning for Wireless Systems

Information and communication technology (ICT) managers in the modern enterprises face a bewildering array of decisions regarding planning of new systems, integration of new systems with existing ones, securing the ICT assets, and administrating the resulting complex ICT systems. The rapid introduction of wireless systems (mobile computing and wireless communications) in the business and government settings is further exasperating the situation, particularly in the developing countries. A Computer Aided Planner (Planner), part of the UN eNabler Toolset, has been developed to quickly and effectively produce detailed strategic plans for a wide range of egovernment services with particular attention to wireless systems. This paper presents a high level overview of this effort. ReseaRch essay DOI: 10.4018/jbdcn.2012010104 International Journal of Business Data Communications and Networking, 8(1), 56-67, January-March 2012 57 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. the wheel in their efforts to launch mobile services initiatives in healthcare, education, economic development, supply chains for food distribution, and emergency services. We have been working with the United Nations GAID (Global Alliance for ICT Development) to build a Computer Aided Strategic Planner (Planner) to accelerate the pace of eservices and mservices in developing countries. This Planner is based on previous research (Umar, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009a, 2009b, in press) that has resulted in a planning, integration, security and administration (PISA) environment that is currently being used for small to medium businesses (SMBs). This paper gives an overview of the challenges faced, methodology used, and the patterns-based approach used by the Planner. CHALLENGES IN WIRELESS PLANNING Deployment of wireless systems involves several levels of issues that include wireless networks, wireless middleware services, mobile applications and mobile services. These issues are cast into a framework, shown in Figure 1 that will guide this discussion: • At the highest point in the chain are the business and social services such as mobile business, mobile government, and mobile life. Most of these “m” services are the next stage of “e” initiatives such as ebusiness, e-government, and e-life. These provide the main impetus for widespread use of wireless systems in the business, government, and personal life settings. • The mobile computing applications that support m-business, m-government and mobile life. These applications range from mobile version of those currently available on the wired Internet (including banking, book purchasing, email, news, and travel) to fundamentally new services designed specifically for mobile consumers (apps that find the nearest store, for example, or the automatic notification to nearby employees). These applications use wireless technologies to support mobility of business activities, customers, suppliers, employees, managers, and other players in the corporate world. In addition, these applications support other activities in our life such as heath, entertainment, and social contacts. Figure 1. Framework for discussion – levels of issues 10 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the product's webpage: www.igi-global.com/article/computer-aided-planningwireless-systems/66405?camid=4v1 This title is available in InfoSci-Journals, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Communications and Social Science. Recommend this product to your librarian: www.igi-global.com/e-resources/libraryrecommendation/?id=2