Post #7 – Tech Topic Connection

Tech Topic Connection - IT Careers

Why are careers in IT important? 

To answer this question, we must look at the basic fundamentals of information technology.  Technology has improved our way of life. Since Moore’s Law was established in 1965, where Moore predicted that circuit chip capacity will increase while the cost of components will decrease every two years, computing power has improved exponentially (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017).  And while Moore’s Law still holds true today, the growth of information technology is experiencing dramatic changes beyond the scope of computer chips getting faster.

Businesses that have been around since the turn of the century have adapted to use technology to their advantage.  Today’s growth in the use of technology in everyday life would not exist if it weren’t for people in Information Technology (IT) careers.  Individuals working in IT are creating, refining, and improving the applications and information systems we use today. 

Historically IT careers have developed because of great advances in computer technology.  Manual tasks were replaced as the information age began in the 1990’s, where industries began using computer technology, like word processing and database management, to automate work that was once performed manually (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). Computer science, the study of information systems, and the current and potential use of technology is essential now, more than ever. Industries are turning to technology to solve problems, streamline processes, and increase productivity and revenue. In summary, the use of technology in how we do business and live our personal lives is creating a constant demand for IT professionals.

Growth of IT Careers

The assortment of IT careers ranges from entry-level careers as Computer Support Specialists starting at $54,000 yearly, to top-end IT careers like Computer Network Architects and Computer Research Scientists who could earn upwards of $122,000 annually.  In addition to salary, the projected growth in IT-related fields is expected at a much faster than average growth rate (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).  The higher than average growth rate in IT careers can be attributed to the new technology trends that are being integrated into our daily lives.  

The adoption of technology has created an IT-boom.  A few years ago, a GSMA report showed that there were 7.3 billion connected mobile devices (McCoy, 2015). The vast amount of computing devices is a testament to the need for IT support.  People with technology skills are essential for supporting and managing applications and information systems in use today. Investment in Research and Development (R&D) by governments and the private sector is an indication that technology will continue to improve.  And, the improvement means there are jobs in place to help support existing computer, network, and information technologies as well as jobs that are available to help develop technological innovations.  The IT career path is a fundamental necessity in how large businesses operate and offers many different job opportunities. 

IT Careers and Technology Trends

Trends that surround technology development will increase jobs in IT.  Career demands will continue to rise as businesses look for ways to improve and innovate the following technologies:

• Internet of Things (IoT) devices
• Big Data and data analytics
• Cloud computing
• Artificial Intelligence
• Web and Mobile Applications
• Database management systems
• Information security
• Robotics
• Hardware & Software components

Should you pursue a career in IT?

These technologies require personnel to maintain systems, code programs, provide security, and develop efficiencies. There is great importance placed on technology and careers in IT play a pivotal role in keeping our systems working, our information secure, and our hardware safe.  Our future development of technology will hinge upon the people who fill IT careers.  With so many technology jobs available, it is an essential need to develop skills where our future can ensure we are able to fill these IT career roles.  

Reference

McCoy, F. (2015). Career Outlook: Spotlight on Information Technology. Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology, 30(1), 31-44. Retrieved July 5, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/43757403

U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. (2020, April 10). Computer and information technology occupations. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/

 

Post #6 – Network Security

Information Security – Network Security

Network Ping Attacks

Information traveling from your computer to a network is broken down into packets of information that travel through routers along a path of successful transmissions to its final destination.  Likewise, when the internet was first established, users were allowed to trace the route of these packets of information via pings and traceroutes (Vahid & Lysecky 2017).  Unfortunately, malicious users could bombard a router with pings with oversized packets which could cause a router to crash, freeze, or fail.  This collection of compromised and affected routers could disrupt the transmission of real messages reaching a destination, thus creating a distributed denial of service (DDoS) (Yihunie, Abdelfattah, & Odeh, 2018). Thus, to reduce the threat of DDoS attacks, there is great value in creating a secure network environment by using due diligence by applying information security practices. 

Imagine having a valuable item in your house and not locking the doors.  If you discover that your item is stolen the next morning it is because there was no security for that item.  The same principle applies to information located on your personal computer or a business computer system.  Information is a valuable item and to make sure that it does not get stolen it is important to implement security protocols for protection.  Information security covers a wide range of practices, like using anti-virus software to protect against malware, creating a secure network, using multi-factor authentication, and having awareness of cyber-attack practices. Awareness coupled with good practices can reduce the chances of being a victim of an information security breach.

While there are many types of information security cyber-attacks, the two types of information security breaches that most commonly attack individuals but are easily recognized and avoidable are phishing emails and social engineering.  Learning how to manage phishing and social engineering attacks is an important cybersecurity skill.

Social Engineering – Electronic Phishing 

A phishing email is a form of social engineering attack that uses a misleading email that direct users to a website that impersonate a trusted and known website.  Users are prompted for their credentials, like login information, username, password, and sometimes even more personal information like social security numbers and date of birth.  The phishing emails are meant to gather data about the user and compromise their accounts or any accounts that may use the same information (Wang & Kissel, 2015). Most phishing emails can be spotted but may take some attentiveness to details of the email.  For example, a phishing email may use incorrect grammar, a suspicious email address, or URL that does not send the user to its website.  Likewise, if you see a phishing email that states “click here to unsubscribe” then do not click the link, as it can notify the sender that their email was read.  The best course of action is to delete the email, or some companies establish a “report phishing” email address where users can forward entire emails for the company to deal with the cyber imposter.  

Social Engineering – Physical Impersonation

The other type of social engineering is the physical impersonation that might occur to gather information from a victim. Information contained in a trash or recycle bin might be taken to gather data about a user or company. Likewise, social engineering to steal information might come in the form of a phone call from someone impersonating an authority figure or someone prominent within an organization. These impersonators might ask users for logon information or help to get into a system (Wang & Kissel, 2015). Either way through stolen papers or physical impersonation, the data that is gathered from the victim is meant to gain entry into a computer system. To avoid social engineering users must understand that their personal information will never be asked of them by any reputable source. Moreover, it is important to never share any personal information over the phone, email, or on paper. Keeping information private will ensure that social engineering attempts will not be able to obtain access to any systems.

Reference

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. zybooks.zyante.com/

Wang, J., & Kissel, Z. A. (2015). Introduction to network security : theory and practice (Second edition.). Wiley.

Yihunie, F., Abdelfattah, E., & Odeh, A. (2018). Analysis of ping of death DoS and DDoS attacks. 2018 IEEE Long Island Systems, Applications and Technology Conference (LISAT), Systems, Applications and Technology Conference (LISAT), 2018 IEEE Long Island, 1–4. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1109/LISAT.2018.8378010

 

 

 

Post #5 – Computers in the Workplace

Some businesses have withstood the test of time because they are adopters of technology evolution.  Take for example the shipping industry which uses technology for the delivery of goods.  The use of technology within the shipping industry has created huge improvements in supply chain management (SCM). Shipping has evolved because of globalization and e-commerce.  Computer technology and the internet aid in reducing and eliminating geographical limitations of the past.  The technology used today, like GPS, SCM applications, and real-time tracking has set a standard that is expected and allows businesses to operate worldwide.

Advancements in technology will continue to improve the shipping industry.  Major shipping companies like UPS, FedEx, and DHL are incorporating the use of drone technology and autonomous machines within their organizational processes which would not be a consideration without improvements in machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud technology and edge computing.  Within ten years’ time, AI and networking advancements will increase the shipping industry’s use in robotics, driverless fleets, and drones.

And while machines may replace humans performing some tasks in the shipping industry it will not replace the employees who need to support those computers, systems, and hardware that perform those tasks. This is why it is important for employees to be computer literate and understand how hardware, software, and operating systems work and how it contributes to the overall success of the organization.   

 

Post #4 – Traveling Through a Network

When you type a URL in your computer address bar, it sends packets of information using internet protocol through a worldwide network.  If for any reason, there’s a noticeable delay of transmission from your computer to the network site you’re trying to reach then you have tools on your computer that can help you determine where the delay of transmission might be occurring. One of the tools is the Terminal tool on a Mac OS or the CMD tool on a Windows OS.  Using the Terminal tool on the MacOS I conducted the Ping and Traceroute tests on websites to explain what information is being relayed through the tool.

Ping

Ping is like using Google Maps if you go to an address repeatedly; picture plugging in an address then logging each time it took you to arrive at that address. When you send a ping, packets of information disassemble then reassemble, traveling from your network to that IP address and then giving you information on how long it took to get there.  Now, going back to the Google Maps analogy, say that your driving route is blocked, your routing information is not displayed.  In the case of Ping, the information that is displayed when you can’t reach a site might display “Request timed out.” This is an indication that you’re not able to travel outside of your network.  If your network devices are down or your ISP is down then these are reasons why a Ping might fail.

 

Ping sites:

Google.com

Amazon.ca

Iceland.is

Ping and Geographical Location

 

My ping results show the average time it takes to reach the Google server is 8ms, the average time to reach the Canadian Amazon server is 46ms, and the average time it took to reach the Iceland server is 109ms.  The longer packet transmission times show that information takes longer to reach its destination as you travel further from where you are located. 

 

Traceroute

 

Traceroute on the other hand is like looking at Google Maps and the stops you made on your route to your destination; it tells you how long it took to get from one point to the next point, and how many stops you made till you arrived at your destination.  Since information travels in a non-linear way through ping packets, the packets take hops from one router to another until it is reassembled at the URL you’re trying to reach.  Traceroute will display the various routers that your packets were sent to and how long it takes to get from one router to the other and how many hops it took altogether (GeeksforGeeks, n.d.).  A traceroute can show you lots of information and some companies will block certain ports so a traceroute can’t be done, thus causing the tracert to fail. 

 

Traceroute sites:

Ashford.edu

Amazon.ca

Iceland.is

Reference

 

GeeksforGeeks. (n.d.). Difference between ping and traceroute. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-ping-and-traceroute

 

Post #3 – Documenting a Day

Documenting a Day, the Role of Applications – A Reflection Essay 

The use of digital tools has become a common practice in today’s world. And depending on your line of work the tools used might include a wide assortment of applications that manage databases, manipulate data, or record information. The role of applications plays a huge part in how we do business. Technology has increased the use of word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, presentation applications, and database management systems. 

Upon reflection of this week’s assignment, using Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, I have found that my career experience in IT has allowed me to hone my digital tool skills. Since my initial introduction to computers, I have always been fascinated by the use of journals and I’ve even dabbled in journaling online. Word processing applications make it convenient to keep digital logs of information or events without paper and pen. The word processing application is a necessary tool in my personal and business life. Where word processing applications let you format text, spreadsheets applications are used for formatting tables of information. Tables allow you to calculate, sort data, or create graphical charts from table input (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). 

I’ve had lots of recent experience in my statistics and accounting classes where I had to create formulas and charts in Excel, the most commonly used spreadsheet application. Additionally, presentation applications, like Microsoft’s PowerPoint, allow you to deliver information visually. Presentation apps are commonly used for delivering information to an audience and the information can be in the form of numbers, pictures, texts and animations (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017). From personal experience, I find that PowerPoint is an application I enjoy working with. I enjoy creating visually pleasing presentations and I find that delivering good presentations is a skill that needs to be learned. In the business world, a good presentation can mean success in project acceptance. Lastly, the most essential tools for business success is the use of software applications and database management systems. These digital tools give meaning to data. They transform data into meaningful information that senior staff can make decisions on for their enterprise. Database management systems collect, store, and sort information, and applications are designed to work with the database to process or use that information. 

Overall, applications play a vital role in how we do business and it is essential to have an understanding of how applications affect our lives.

Post #2 – Web/Mobile App Critique

Web/Mobile App Critique - Apple's Home Application

• Apple’s Home app is an application that is used for controlling compatible smart devices. More internet of things (IoT) smart devices are entering the market and devices that are Apple HomeKit approved can be added to the Home app.  This allows the user the freedom to access multiple devices from multiple providers through a centralized application.  

  Usability

  The basic questions with usability are:

  What is the app going to be used for?

  Who is going to be using it?

  Will the user interface make sense to the user?

  Usability of the Home app is very straightforward for all devices that are connected.  It is very intuitive and easy to navigate because the screens are not cluttered with too many options.  

  
  Design

  The design is the user interface that creates an enjoyable user experience (UX).  UX is an important aspect of the success of an app.  The design should be self-explanatory and an easy to follow user tree.  The users should not have more than a few clicks to navigate to a desired screen.  The application developers need to design the application so that it is simple and easy to use.  

  The design of the Home app is very clean and simple.  On the home screen you see all of the devices that are connected, and you can simply tap the button to turn the device on and off.
  

  Functionality

  Functionality is the overall purpose of the application.  The main question is, what experience are you trying to provide the user?  Are all of the functions easily and quickly accessible? 

  The rule for UX functionality is to keep it simple.  Apple’s Home app keeps the functions simple.  You can turn on and off devices from the home screen and for additional functions you navigate to additional tabs easily located at the top of the screen. 

  Three recommendations for improvements

  Apple allows users to add family members so that apps are shareable.  Apple’s Home app is shareable but there is only one main user device and all other user devices that have access to the same Home set up must be added by the main device user.  Home’s automation and Scene’s can only be set up from the main device, unless the other members are given permission to make edits.   

   

• Because my boyfriend takes such delight in playing with new gadgets he set up our Home app on his device and I am only able to use the app but not customize it.  But, Apple does allow the main device Home owner to designate permissions to users that share the app.  One of my recommendations is that Apple should provide a default option to prompt the primary user to set user privileges when adding someone to the app. Another issue I sometimes face, as a Home user, is devices not responding when there is any sort of update or change to the primary device.  This is frustrating because I have no notifications as to why the device is not responding.  If there is a message to device users that state “update required” or “login required” or some message as to whatever the reason is that might be causing the device to be unresponsive.  The third recommendation I have is for improving automation, so it allows users to schedule devices like a calendar. For example, I would like to see options like a calendar – Weekdays, Weekends, Repeating, and date ranges, then display a listing of devices and have options to turn on, off & duration for each device.  Ideally, I could have a work mode automation or a vacation mode automation. Currently Apple Home does not offer this feature and it is cumbersome to set up automations for multiple devices.  I would personally like having the UI string device actions so it allows automation to create an easy to set up If This Then That (IFTTT) scenario. 

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Post #1 – Programming Languages

• Scratch is a block language program that is designed to teach beginners how to put computer code together to design programs. I really enjoyed playing around with Scratch.  I think this is a great way to introduce how code works together and it doesn’t require learning syntax to create something.  It is extremely user friendly. 

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  Scratch! Find Out More

•  I did have some difficulties when I created additional sprites in the program.  The sprite, or additional objects, did not run when I played the program. I had created a block program to have two characters interact with each other and when I hit play, only my first sprite’s actions and dialogue would play. Here's a link to my one and only amateur Scratch creation https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/405055142.

• As I was building the scene, I realized that I had not completely stopped the scenario from playing and I did not add conditions to returning the scenario to the beginning when I created the scene.  I added a few starting points and then I hit the stop button first before hitting the flag to restart my code.  But once those items were in place I had a scene that worked!

• I believe the insight I gained is that coding can be introduced in a fun, playful way that can engage beginners to develop a base knowledge so they can transition more easily into the more complex coding languages because they have a fundamental understanding of how code flows.

• Programming in scratch is very different than programming in Python in the sense that you really don’t know what the commands are to make an action occur in Scratch.  Whereas, in Python, you must know exactly what the variables are when writing the code.

• Scratch is a simple point and click way to create animation.  I think that other machine languages like assembly and python require the user to understand certain concepts about coding, like exact syntax that needs to be written out.  Scratch is definitely the easiest of the languages introduced. The point and click UI is very user friendly.

• Initially, I thought Scratch is an introductory language to programming but after viewing featured projects I fully appreciate the complexity of the programming language.  There were a number of game projects that were intricately put together, using hundreds of blocks of code.  This programming language is effective for putting together games.  Low level language like Assembly is used for hardware like CPU processing through the translation of binary code to comprehend data as input, add, output and stop. High level language like Python on the other hand is a programming language is more complex.  High level language is a language that can manipulate data and perform complex data calculations then compile it to low level machine language. High level language is used in most of today’s programming, there are many variations of high-level language like Python, C+, C++, Java, to name a few (Vahid & Lysecky, 2017).

• High-level programming language is more popular because of its capabilities. TIOBE index ranks C as the most popular language, followed by JAVA and Python. The index gathers data on the most frequent search from various search engines.  Such popular programming languages have large communities that share libraries of code and overall, the index is an indicator of the languages with which the most code is written (TIOBE, 2020).

Reference

TIOBE. (2020, June). TIOBE Index for June 2020. https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index//

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. zybooks.zyante.com/