Tony’s Chip Website Migration Project

¶ … Migration Project for Tony's Chip

The focus of this document is to develop an internally hosted Website Migration Project for Tony's Chip Company. The website will have a back-up site that will serve as a failover in case the original site goes down or unavailable. To assist Tony's Chip Company building a dynamic Website that provides a disaster recovery plan, and minimal downtime to ensure that the site is available for 24 hours, the project will design the website using SDLC (system development life cycle). RESTful concept describes web architecture as the protocols that uses the HTTP, and standard operations such as POST, GET, and DELETE. The RESTful also uses the SOAP messaging over the HTTP to assist in enhancing an effective message transfer. Despite the benefits associated to the REST concept, however, its specification is still poor for the development of a dynamic website. However, this project will still use some of the REST concepts to develop the website. The project will add different web developing concepts to make the company website becoming dynamic, which will achieve the project objectives. Additionally, the website will be redesigned to allow customers to order online. The project uses the SDLC to complete the project, the major benefit of the SDLC is to eliminate the errors associated to a project development. Using the SDLC, it is previewed that the project will be free of errors and achieve the project objectives. The logical SDLC steps to complete the project are as follows:

System Analysis

Systems design

Implementation

Integration and testing

Acceptance, installation, & deployment

Maintenance.

System Analysis

This section analyzes different hardware and software needed to build the website, which will achieve a minimal downturn, and providing an effective disaster recovery solution. Building a Web architecture to migrate from the existing website to a new website involves a multilayer process comprised of different hardware components. First, the website will require the database server that will be used to store customers' information and all online transaction process The MySQL is an effective software to store all the online transactions. The Tony's Chip will also require a web server that will process information using the HTTP or HHTTS. The essence of the web server is to distribute the information through the WWW (World Wide Web) that will allow the company website to be viewed globally. However, the installation will be configured to allow the company website to achieve a global outreach.

IIS (Internet Microsoft Services)

The Internet Microsoft service is one of the important web architectures to complete the migration process. While there are many open web servers available, however, many open web servers are not effective for this project because some of them do not offer the technical supportS in case the owner of the website face problems. Moreover, they do not offer wide scalable services to enhance an effective web development. This project suggests using the IIS ( Internet Microsoft Services) for the web server because the IIS offers a manageable, secure, and flexible Web services that assist in hosting the media, PHP, web application and different application on the web. Major benefits of the IIS is that it offers a standard publishing protocols that will assist the company to publish the contents securely. The IIS uses the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to offer security for the web contents that prevent an unauthorized access to the data in the network system. Additionally, the IIS offers a membership-based authentication that provides an administrator a rich diagnostic and management experience.

PHP

The project will also use the PHP to develop the website. The PHP ( Hypertext Preprocessor) is a scripting language server and a powerful designing tool to develop interactive and dynamic website. One of the benefits of the PHP is its efficiency and it is free of charge for a developer. The PHP can also be integrated in the HTML code to develop a rich and graphical application. An application server is also required to develop the web architecture. An application server is defined as a software framework that delivers the facilities to run a server environment, and to create a web application. For example, a PHP application server assists in managing and running the PHP application.

Microsoft ASP.NET

The project will also Use ASP.NET to build the a great website for the company. The ASP.NET uses the CSS, HTM and JavaScript to develop the website. Moreover, the installation of the firewall is critical to enhance security of the company website. The goal of the firewall is to prevent an unauthorized network accessing the company network system. In the contemporary IT environment, it is very critical to protect an unauthorized access to customer's data since Tony's Chip will need to collect the customer sensitive information such as the credit card, and it is critical to offer maximum security protocols to protect the customers' data.

File Transfer Software

File Transfer Software is also one of the web architecture to develop the website. The internet files will be generally written in a local computer and then transferred over the Internet server, which will make them accessible on the web. "FTP software includes features that provide more flexibility and often greater speed for the transfer of files, including files that cannot be handled by the web editors." (Department of Education, 2003 p 22). Typically, File Transfer Software permits easy transfer of the file over the internet

"FTP software enables a remote user to control functions for moving, saving and deleting files over the Internet or other Internet Protocol (IP)-based networks. Some web editors include publishing functions that permit the user to save his or her files at the remote location." (Department of Education, 2003 p 22).

Fig 1: Tony Chip Website Architecture

Router

A router is used to connect two or more LAN (Local Area Network). Moreover, the router will be used to connect Tony's Chip employees' computer together to assist them sharing files over the network. Despite the benefits of all the aforementioned web architectures for the Tony's Chip Company, nevertheless, there is a need to develop a disaster recovery plan to enhance a continuity of the business in case of man-made or natural disaster.

Disaster Recovery Plan

The goal of a disaster recovery plan is to enhance a continuity of the vital business process. A major strategy used to develop a disaster recovery is to develop Website Failover Service where the company website will be redirected in case the primary server is unavailable or underperforming. However, there is still a need to locate the Website Failover at a secondary location. Moreover, the company needs to develop data backup site which the company can fall on in case of a disaster. A backup site is the major strategy to achieve a disaster recovery plan objective where the company data will store online. (Martin, 2002). However, high storage configuration does not protect the data against software or user errors, thus, an effective backup is required to assist the company recovering from errors.

Databases program such as Oracle or MySQL can support online data recovery and backups. The company still need to develop both offsite and online data backup to protect critical data, an offsite data backup assists the company to transfer and restart the critical data on an entire different server in case the original site is inoperable. However, the MySQL Enterprise database software can offer a backup for the entire database or selected data from the database. Moreover, the Oracle NetBackup is very powerful because of its ability to backup large data. Moreover, the Window NetBackup also provides a fast and reliable strategy for the data backup and recovery. The NetBackup can also protect file server, web server and application server.

Evaluation the Alternatives to the Self-hosting Site

An alternative to self-hosting is to use an external service provider to host the company website. While hosting a website externally offers some advantages, however, it is also subject to different shortcomings. A cost benefit is the major advantage of hosting a website through an external service provider because the company will not incur the hardware and software costs to develop a website It is the a service provider that will shoulder all these costs. Moreover, hosting website through external service provider is very cheaper since the company will only pay a yearly subscription costs to manage the website. Despite the benefits that Tony's Chip Company stands to derive from the external service providers, however, this option has several shortcomings. First, the company data may be at risks since the company will be forced to put the sensitive customer data onto the hand of an outsider. If the data are stolen or compromised, the company can face the risks of being sued to court. Moreover, the external service provider may not entirely provide service that will be 100% tailored to the company objectives. By hosting the company website in-housing, Tony's Chip Company will able to offer a 100% security to the customer data. The company will also be able to design a website that will be tailored to its business objectives.

A major justification of migrating the Tony's Chip website from a service provider to an in-house is that the company online business is not automated when it was with the external service provider. While the website is available, nevertheless, the customers are still unable to shop online with their credit card. With the old website, a sale representative normally collects customer payment through phone, which is not only time consuming, and sometimes, some customers are often reluctant to submit their credit card information through phone. Thus, the whole process is implemented manually, which is often lead to error. For example, the sale representative is required to enter the customer information manually into the system, while the IT administrator is required to retrieve the customer record from the system manually. Thus, the whole process is not only expensive and time consuming, however, the process is prone to error.

The company will derive several benefits from hosting website in-house rather than allowing the external service provider hosting the website. First, company will eliminate the costs and time associated to manual business process because the entire process will be automated since the system will be configured to collect the customer and credit card information online and processed automatically.

The new system will also make the web service available globally, and 24 hours at any time of the day. The company will also be able to offer its product at B2B (Business-to-Business) market making it to enjoy competitive market advantages since it has already planned ahead for the accidental downturn. The new web service will also offer high performances when customers connect to the site. Since the company is going to host its website in-house, the connection will be rapid assisting Tony's Chip to generate high revenue from the site. The new web service will help Tony's Chip to plan for the marketing campaign. For example, the marketing analytic will be integrated in the web platform to assist the company predicting the customer market preference.

Project Gantt Chart

This section develops the Gantt Chart using the Microsoft Project software to reveal all tasks for the Website implementation. The project is to be implemented within 4 months between June 2, 2016 and September, 30 2016. Typically, the costs of $100,000 are available to implement the project that include project design costs, training cost, and implementation.

Implementation Plan

Tasks

Responsibilities

Start Date

End Date

1

Specify requirements

02-juin-16

30-Sept-16

1.1

User interviews Checklist

U, IT

06-juin-16

13-juin-16

6

1.2

Consolidate requirements

U, IT

13-juin-16

15-juin-16

3

1.3

Drafting of the project requirement

U

15-juin-16

15-juin-16

1

2

Search for vendors

19-juin-14

26-juin-16

2.1

possible software, vendors

IT, U

19-juin-16

20-juin-16

2

2.2

Identification of Vendors requirements

IT, U

21-juin-16

22-juin-16

2

2.3

vendors and issue RFI

IT

25-juin-16

26-juin-16

2

3

Review RFI responses

29-juin-16

06-juil-16

3.1

RFI responses

IT, U

29-juin-16

03-juil-16

3

3.2

Compare against the requirements

IT, U

02-juil-164

04-juil-16

3

3.3

Short list 3 or 4 vendors

IT, U

05-juil-14

05-juil-16

1

3.4

Inform the vendors

IT

06-juil-16

06-juil-16

1

4

Systems demonstrations

27-juin-14

17-juil-14

4.1

Short listed vendors

IT

06-juil-16

06-juil-16

1

4.2

Creating the demo questions / scripts

U, IT

27-juin-16

28-juin-14

2

4.3

Attend demonstrations

U, IT

11-juil-16

13-juil-16

3

5

Refining new system design

09-juil-16

17-juil-16

5.1

Additional designing the thoughts

U, IT

09-juil-16

10-juil-16

2

5.2

systems demonstrated

U, IT

12-juil-16

13-juil-16

2

5.3

Updating system design

U, IT

17-juil-16

17-juil-16

1

6

RFP (Request for proposal)

16-juil-16

31-juil-16

6.1

Prepare RFP

IT, U

16-juil-16

19-juil-16

4

6.2

Issue RP to the shortlisted vendors

IT

23-juil-16

23-juil-16

1

6.3

Analyzing, score responses

IT, U

26-juil-16

31-juil-16

4

7

Additional investigations

1-Aug-16

6-Aug-16

7.1

Software & due diligence checks

IT, U

1-Aug-16

6-Aug-16

4

7.2

Hardware, network, AND database

IT

3-Aug-16

6-Aug-16

2

8

Resolve outstanding issues

7-Aug-16

24-Aug-16

8.1

Queries from the RFP responses

IT, U

7-Aug-16

10-Aug-16

4

8.2

Software demonstrations

U, IT

9-Aug-16

14-Aug-16

4

8.3

Prototyping

IT, U

15-Aug-16

21-Aug-16

5

8.4

Test system

IT, U

22-Aug-16

24-Aug-16

3

9

Visit reference sites

15-Aug-16

28-Aug-16

9.1

Identify who visit

U, IT

15-Aug-16

15-Aug-16

1

9.2

Determine agenda

U, IT

16-Aug-14

16-Aug-16

1

11

Project management

04-juin-16

30-sept-16

11.1

Project plan

PM

04-juin-16

04-juin-16

1

11.2

Project kick-off meeting

PM, ALL

05-juin-16

05-juin-16

1

11.3

Weekly progress meetings

PM, U, IT

04-juin-16

07-sept-16

14

10

The decision

29-Aug-16

07-sept-16

10.1

Review findings & consider options

PM, M, IT, U

29-Aug-16

31-Aug-16

3

10.2

Prepare the proposal paper

PM, PS

31-Aug-16

31-Aug-16

1

10.3

Board & steering group meeting

B, SG, PS

06-sept-16

06-sept-16

1

10.4

Decision made

B, SG, PS

06-sept-16

06-sept-16

1

10.5

Contract SLA negotiations

P, PM

07-sept-16

30-sept-16

1

Justification of the System architecture Selected

This section discusses the justification of the system architecture. The costs benefit is the first justification. For example, the Microsoft allows the user of the IIS to evaluate the software for 120 days before paying for the software revealing that Tony Chip's Company can use the software for 4 months free of charge. Apart from the benefits associated to the IIS, the AAR ( Application Request Routing ) enables the web administrator to offer a reliable and scalable web pages that reduce management costs. Moreover, the IIS is a powerful software that supports, hosts, deploys, and manages most popular web application such as PHP . More importantly, the IIS architecture delivers high performances, reliable and secured web applications assisting in enhancing fast performances.