Chapter 8

SAP's NetWeaver platform is a collection of modules. Which module gives users complete access to all their work on a single screen, using links to connect users to all the major applications needed to perform their jobs? a. Enterprise Portal b. Mobile Infrastructure c. Master Data Management d. Exchange Structure

A. Enterprise Portal

The primary performance measure for data storage systems is latency. Latency is defined as ____. a. the time between when a request is made for data from a storage device and when the data is delivered b. the time required for the BI system to finish analyzing specified data that is gathered c. the difference between the time required to access data from memory and the time required to access data from a hard disk d. the time between when the BI system finishes analyzing specified data and the time that resulting analysis is displayed on the monitor

A. The time between when a request is made for data from a storage device and when the data is delivered.

What is known as the combination of software tools that lets various programs within an organization communicate with other applications? a. Web services b. Internet hot links c. Internet tie-ins d. Binders

A. Web Services

Both SAP's and Oracle's in-memory solutions are designed to analyze what is now being termed "big data." What is "big data" and what are the needs of "big data?"

ANS: Big data refers to the enormous amount of data that is now available for BI use from all the available sources, including ERP systems, Web sites, corporate databases, scientific research, Twitter, and other social networking applications. Big data needs fast computing to be usable, and in-memory computing allows for rapid processing.

What are the two main challenges with using a multidimensional cube structure?

ANS: First, a significant level of technical expertise is needed to construct a cube, which means that an IT specialist rather than an end user usually must complete this task. In practice, the end user and an IT specialist usually have to collaborate to construct the correct multidimensional data cube, and frequently they do not speak the same language - that is, the end user thinks in terms of business problems while the IT specialist thinks in terms of database technology. Second, the multidimensional cube is a structure that necessarily restricts how the data can be analyzed.

Cite one advantage of using software as a service (SaaS).

ANS: Initial affordability Shorter implementation time Lower support costs and complexity

What is the advantage of using RFID technology over barcode labels and barcode readers?

ANS: Most materials are still tracked using bar codes and bar-code readers. However, barcode labels can degrade in bad weather, and an employee must point a barcode reader directly at a bar code to read it. RFID technology does not need this line-of-sight connection, and can withstand most environmental stresses.

The technology that is becoming an increasingly efficient tool for tracking items through a supply chain is ______________________.

ANS: RFID radio frequency identification radio frequency identification device radio frequency identification (RFID) radio frequency identification device (RFID)

What is an RFID?

ANS: Radio frequency identification technology, known commonly as RFID, is an efficient way of tracking items through a supply chain. An RFID device is a small package, or tag, that includes a microprocessor and an antenna that can be attached to products. The location of an item with an RFID tag can be determined using an RFID reader, which emits radio waves and receives signals back from the tag. The reader is also sometimes called an interrogator because it "interrogates" the tag.

Cite one disadvantage of using software as a service (SaaS).

ANS: Security Bandwidth Response time Flexibility No frills Technical, not business focused

What is the advantage of the concept of enterprise service-oriented architecture (SOA)?

ANS: Software designed with an SOA can be quickly deployed and reconfigured as business conditions require changes to the applications, databases, and other infrastructure hosted in data centers owned by a company.

What is defined as the delivery of a software product to a user via the Internet? a. Web services b. Cloud computing c. Mobile computing d. Service-oriented computing

B. Cloud Computing

Which type of mobile device is being used more frequently to provide traffic information services that may use static sensors or traffic cameras to augment built-in maps (to avoid accidents and rush-hour traffic)? a. GPS devices b. Smartphones c. PDAs d. Netbooks

B. Smartphones

Business intelligence (BI) is a term used to describe a range of different applications and technologies used to extract and analyze large amounts of data to aid in decision making, is also referred to as ______________________,

Business Analytics

Technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and smartphones are fueling explosive growth in the amount of data available for businesses to process. This data can provide real business value, but the challenge is ____. a. how to deliver the data to resources for analysis b. how to store and protect the data against loss c. how to manage and evaluate the data to gain business knowledge d. All of the above

C. How to manage and evaluate the data to gain business knowledge

What is the minimum acceptable rate of return on a project that a company will accept? a. running rate b. recount rate c. hurdle rate d. mortgage rate e. None of the above

C. Hurdle Rate

What is a way to figure out whether an investment is profitable, and to address the time value of money? a. Exchange rate b. Real-time business intelligence c. Net present value (NPV) d. Hurdle rate

C. Net Present Value (NPV)

In an initial trial of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on garments in 2007, American Apparel found that inventory shrinkage, a reduction in inventory, was 20 percent, double the retail industry average. The inventory shrinkage was a result of ____. a. Employee theft b. being soft on shoplifting c. lax internal controls over shipping and delivery d. all of the above

D. All of the above

Walmart has been on the leading edge of the move to integrate RFID technology into the supply chain. The major opportunity at this time for RFID technology is to reduce out-of-stock situations ____. a. between the manufacturer and the storeroom at the individual store b. between the manufacturer and the distribution centers c. between the distribution centers and the storeroom at the individual store d. between the backroom stock area and the store shelves

D. Between the backroom stock area and the store shelves

SAP is not the only ERP provider with in-memory capability. In February 2012, Oracle released its in-memory solution for business analytics called ____. a. NetWeaver b. Duet c. Internet Transaction Service (ITS) d. Exalytics

D. Exalytics

On the left side of the accompanying SAP Business Intelligence (BI) Framework figure are the potential BI ____________________, which are growing both in number and in the volume of data produced. For example, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media applications can provide information on consumer reaction to new products.

Data Sources

Data stored in data warehouse servers usually consist of aggregated data - from an ERP system or other sources. To speed access to this data, the data in a data warehouse are structured as _____________________, which allow for relationships in the data to be analyzed quickly.

Multidimensional Data Cubes