Cloud Computing And Information Systems: A Comprehensive Analysis

Cloud Computing: Overview and Benefits

Discuss about the Cloud Based Solutions and Information Systems.

Although it is a new topic today, the concept of cloud computing can be traced back to the inception of computing technology. In this period, organizations used separate servers to host their data while the main devices (computers) processed information. A similar design is also seen today where various firms and institutions own server rooms to host their data resources. This operation structure represents the basics of cloud computing where IT resources are leased or hosted in a separate infrastructure. In fact, the modern outlook where users subscribe to services online follows a similar procedure only that the access is done using the internet. Therefore, cloud solution represents any internet service that is accessed and paid for based on a user’s requirement. The Commonwealth project also aims to apply this concept in its system design. Through this technology, the My Health Record program will increase its accessibility and availability while maintaining a low expenditure cost. As such, this paper analyses the relationships between cloud computing and information systems.

A variety of solutions are provided by the market, each offering different features as designed by the developers. This section highlight some notable IS vendors together with their affiliated features.

McKesson – one of the oldest and largest healthcare systems provider that offers various solutions to medical institutions. Its solutions include diagnosis, treatment and radiology solutions among many others.

Features:

• Standard system integration – regardless of the program, functions are integrated into the healthcare environment which provides a means to collaborate resources.
• Advanced visualization – complete with extensive display protocols, all systems are equipped with 3D interfaces and intensity projection.
• System analytics – cloud-based analytic solutions are used to provide accurate results for data-driven decisions to be used in medical activities.
• Complete user information access – driven by role-based policies, users can access any data so long as they have the right authority.
• Enhanced participation – integrative workflow tools are used to facilitate communication while mitigating systems interruptions for optimal users’ interaction.
• User support – a two function resource that is accomplished by a help desk resource and an education center (Change Healthcare, 2018).

Epic – to enhance the objectives of data exchange, Epic is recently designing systems that have complete interoperability with all healthcare records. As such, most of its IS are designed in an open forum to increase user engagement.

Features:

• Interoperability – with the objectives of being able to see more and do more, the current IS modules are designed for open platforms.
• Streamlined workflow – all the functional elements of the systems are designed with common relationships to provide a seamless structure for operations.
• A variety of data elements – countless discrete information components are available such as social determinants, imaging data, specialist insights and history data among many others.
• Holistic approach – data is presented in a collaborative way to minimize the cost for the end users who otherwise are often forced to pay for specialized and distinct results.
• Access portal – led by the MyChart patient’s portal, systems are fitted with a common interface to view all the functional resources.
• Analytic infrastructure – both cloud solutions and business intelligence technologies are used to manage and analyze data for better decision making.
• System support – to ensure consistent service is provided, all Epic systems are remotely supported by the organization (Bresnick, 2018).

Healthland – providing an array of solutions, this vendor has information systems that cater for billing, patient management, facility control and electronic medical records (EMR) among many others.

Features:

• Dynamic user interface – a customizable system enhances usability as the users fit their own preferences into the functions of an application. This is met by the Healthland system which prioritizes users’ needs.
• Task manager feature – depending on the department or industry, systems are classified to provide different levels of administrative roles to coordinate responsibilities.
• Cloud resources – because collaboration with cloud services is provided, resources such as storage and networking infrastructure can be leased from a service provider.
• Cost effective – minimal storage, stationery, and manpower is needed to maintain the systems which minimize the overall cost of operations.
• Easy access – login credentials are the only requirement needed to access the available IS found on the World Wide Web.
• Automation – functions such as saving of data and security updates are done automatically based on the user’s settings (Healthland, 2018).

Cloud computing represents the latest trend in information exchange where IT resources are leased from third party members. Basically, the technology defines a form of Internet-based computing where services/resources such as software, hardware, and data are offered to users on demand. Therefore, common equipment can be requested by multiple clients who can access them simultaneously while connected to the same vendor. Now, to organizations, this outlook is extremely convenient as it provides cost-effective solutions that in other conditions would not be available. Furthermore, based on the different models available, cloud solutions offers services that are specialized to each subscriber’s needs (Alvi, Choudary, Jeferry & Pathan, 2012). Thus, front-end users acquire Software as a solution (SaaS) while extreme users adopt either Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) or Platform as a service (PaaS), solutions that are tailored to meet certain specifications.

1. Multiple cost-saving options – as a subscriber, the Commonwealth Government does not provide the capital to set up the IT resources. Further, the maintenance and management are also done by the vendor further minimizing the overall cost.
2. A vast amount of storage – with the high demand for data storage, cloud computing through the multiple warehouses provided by service provider offers an unlimited storage capacity to subscribers.

• Availability and accessibility – because the resources offered are accessed by the internet, they are accessible at any location and time which for the Commonwealth project increases its availability (Apostu et al., 2015).

Software Development Life Cycle Methodologies

Weaknesses

1. Bandwidth limitations – first the IT resources are accessed through the internet which on occasion has its limitations. Also, depending on the number of users accessing a single server, the services can have poor performances.
2. Limited control – a migration to the cloud infrastructure requires a client to hand over their data and administrative control to the vendor. Therefore, any technical issues faced by an organization forces them to depend on external help.

• Security – a serious vulnerability that is caused by the movement of data and IT resources across a public channel (internet) Moreover, the storage of information in third-party systems inherently creates the risks of leakages and tampering (Temitope, 2010).

System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) defines the process of designing and implementing information systems. Essentially, the process involves functions such as planning, analysis, and maintenance, where the overall objective is usually to develop solutions based on the end user’s requirements. As such, SDLC is usually the foundation of all system development methodologies, functioning to coordinate all the affiliated activities from the project’s budgets to developing the detailed users’ documentation. Furthermore, the concept often follows a logical structure that assesses the system requirements based on the immediate needs of the end user, an outcome gives it the lifecycle tag name (Kute & Thorat, 2014). Therefore, SDLC and its affiliated techniques are the results of the industrial demands that today requires the full automation of operational activities and system standards (Cohen, Haan & Dori, 2010). Unlike before, holistic development methods cannot satisfy these needs thus necessitates specialized methodologies based on the functional requirements.

A traditional model which assumes that all the development steps can be predicted based on the requirements and available resources. This outlook thus often is characterized by sequential phases that are logically designed to fit a specific pre-determined procedure, which is executed with minimal instances of overlap. Moreover, once the process starts there are usually minimal deviations as alterations result in different solutions which usually forces a complete restart of projects. A good example of this approach is the waterfall model which sequentially implements systems using a predictable process that does not deviate from the planned instructions (MIS, 2012).

Advantages

• The technique incorporates formal reviews at the end of each stage which increases management control.
• It also has a strict documentation process.
• Furthermore, its sequential structure makes it easier to follow and understand.
• Finally, it often has minimal resource requirements.

Disadvantages

• Systems are developed based on the understanding of the developers which limits their usability.
• A time-consuming process as all implementation steps is performed independently.
• Limited to no flexibility which restrains the users’ requirements in case they change.
• Finally, it is only applicable for simple projects (Ghahrai, 2017).

Adaptive SDLC

A completely different approach as compared to the predictive SDLC method, where changes are adequately accommodated. Unlike the traditional models it does not follow a sequential structure but a logical procedure that executes phases simultaneously based on the needs of the users. Furthermore, to improve the usability of systems, iterative techniques are used to assemble the final product, where a series of implementation cycles are followed, with their number depending on the program in question. Therefore, each development process is usually unique in nature and cannot be replicated for another project (MIS, 2012).

Advantages

• User satisfaction is guaranteed as the development process continuously adjusts itself to meet the immediate demands.
• Functionality is prioritized over any other element which further improves the overall system.
• Defines a flexible model that can accommodate any change.
• Projects are delivered on time as the development phases are implemented simultaneously.

Disadvantages

• There is little emphasis on design and documentation.
• It requires a lot of resource particularly expertise.
• The model is not easily understood (360Logica, 2018).

My Health Record projects aim to increase the availability of medical resources to practitioners and patients. Furthermore, it hopes to enhance the collaboration of the members of the healthcare industry by integrating their functions. Now, considering the number of people in question, the method used to develop the system should accommodate any requirement or preferences given by the end users. Moreover, because the application will be integrated with a cloud-based resource, the development process must be agile enough to meet any impromptu demands. Therefore, without a doubt, the adaptive approach is the best solution for this project on account of its complexity, design structure and requirements.

Conclusion

Information systems offer organizations the ability to manage data so as to make credible decisions. On the other hand, cloud solutions provide access to IT resources that in other conditions are usually unavailable. The combination of these two technologies increases the benefits of IT services where accurate managerial decisions are made while experiencing minimal expenditure costs. In this project, the goals of accessibility, availability and cost efficiency are highlighted which necessitates the application of both cloud computing and IS.

References

360Logica. (2018). Agile Development – Advantages, Disadvantages and when to use it? Saksoft Company. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://www.360logica.com/blog/agile-development-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/

Alvi, F., Choudary, B., Jaferry, N & Pathan, E. (2012). A review on cloud computing security issues & challenges. Cloud Computing. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/fe9a/9021c573cd6be9acf3294eb6a23e1401984b.pdf.

Apostu, A., Puican, F., Ularu, G., Suciu, G & Todoran, G. (2015). Study on advantages and disadvantages of Cloud Computing – the advantages of Telemetry Applications in the Cloud. Recent Advances in Applied Computer Science and Digital Services. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/da62/49af5e0df8ed36334b34c2f1010ed19c53f4.pdf.

Bresnick, J. (2018). New Epic Systems EHR, Big Data Features Zero In on Interoperability. Health IT Analytics. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://healthitanalytics.com/news/new-epic-systems-ehr-big-data-features-zero-in-on-interoperability

Change Health. (2018). McKesson Radiology. Enterprise Radiology Solution. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://www.changehealthcare.com/solutions/radiology

Cohen, S., Haan, U & Dori, D. (2010). A Software System Development Life Cycle Model for Improved Stakeholders’ Communication and Collaboration. International Journal of Computers, Communications & Control. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228651776_A_Software_System_Development_Life_Cycle_Model_for_Improved_Stakeholders%27_Communication_and_Collaboration

Ghahrai, A. (2017). Overview of SDLC Methodologies in Software Testing. SDLC Methodologies. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://www.testingexcellence.com/sdlc-methodologies-advantages-disadvantages/

Healthland. (2018). Compare Software. Official website page. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://www.wesuggestsoftware.com/hospital-clinics/healthland/

Kute, S & Thorat, S. (2017). A Review on Various Software Development Life Cycle

(SDLC) Models. International Journal of Research in Computer and Communication Technology, 13(7). Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312473242_A_Review_on_Various_Software_Development_Life_Cycle_SDLC_Models

MIS. (2012). The System Development Life Cycle. MIS. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/1166782/files/38198507/download.

Temitope, O. (2010). Cloud Computing for Business. MSc Computing & Management. Retrieved 24 May, 2018, from: https://minerva.leeds.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/orgs/SCH_Computing/MSCProj/reports/0910/omoniyi.pdf.