Table Of Content

NPS ARCHIVE 1997. 0«\ LOEWEN, E. NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS INTRANET FOR THE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT by Edward D. Loewen and Robert H. Lunn September, 1997 Thesis Advisor: Suresh Sridhar Second Reader: Hemant Bhargava Thesis L7912265 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. DUt;. OXLIBRARY MAV F ^GRADUATESCHOOL CA C3943-5101 DUDLEYKNOX LIBRARY POSTGRADUATE •'AL : 101 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE FormApproved OMBNo. 0704-0188 Publicreporting burdenforthis collection ofinformation isestimatedto average 1 hourperresponse, includingthetimeforreviewing instruction, searchingexistingdata sources, gathering and maintaining thedata needed, and completing and reviewingthecollectionofinformation. Send comments regardingthisburden estimateoranyotheraspectofthiscollectionofinformation, includingsuggestionsforreducingthisburden,to Washington headquarters Services, DirectorateforInformation Operationsand Reports, 1215Jefferson DavisHighway, Suite 1204,Arlington,VA 22202-4302, andtotheOfficeofManagementand Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project(0704-0188)Washington DC20503. 1. AGENCY USEONLY (Leaveblank) 2. REPORTDATE 3. REPORTTYPEANDDATESCOVERED September 1997 Master's Thesis 4. TITLEANDSUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Intranet forthe Systems Management Department 6. AUTHOR(S) Loewen, EdwardD. and Lunn, RobertH. PERFORMINGORGANIZATION NAME(S)ANDADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION 7. REPORTNUMBER Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING/MONITORINGAGENCY NAME(S)ANDADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORTNUMBER SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 11. The views expressed in thisthesis arethose ofthe authorand do notreflectthe officialpolicy orposition ofthe Departmentof DefenseortheU.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITYSTATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved forpublic release; distributionunlimited. 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) The objective ofthis thesis is to describe in detail the reasoning and development ofan Intranetbased decision support system. This thesis is intended to show how World Wide Web technologies can be used to develop aprototype Intranet that can provide access to information for faculty, students and staffmembers via a World Wide Web browser. It provides more open communication in the Department ofSystems Management, quicker and more consistent information flows (service) to the faculty and staff, and reduced time spent on the handling ofrepetitive and often simple information exchanges. The decision support function is supported by a database which is an information clearinghouse, providing all personnel with 24- hour access. Personnel are empowered by information availability and are likely to be more proactive. A prototype has been developed to demonstrate the concept and to demonstrate the validity ofrapid prototyping as a means ofvalidating the effectiveness ofthe modified Intranet development methodology. The prototype is located at [http://131.120.41.236]. 14. SUBJECTTERMS 15. NUMBEROF Intranet for the Systems Management Department PAGES jgg 16. PRICECODE C17L.ASSSEICFUIRCIATTYION OF REPORT T18H.ISSEPCAUGREITYCLASSIFICATION OF O19F.ASBESCTURRAITCYTCLASSIFI CATION A20B.SLTIRMAICTATTIONOF Unclassified UL Unclassified Unclassified NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298(Rev. 2-89) Prescribed byANSIStd. 239-18 11 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited INTRANET FOR THE SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT Edward D. Loewen Captain, United'States Army B.B.A., OklahomaUniversity, 1987 and Robert H. Lunn Major, United States Army B.S. Texas Tech University, 1983 Submitted in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 1997 OXLIBRARY ru,m cv «WAX IRRARY jA TGRADUATE3CM001 I MONTEREY C 3-5101 ABSTRACT The objective ofthis thesis is to describe in detail the reasoning and development ofan Intranet based decision support system. This thesis is intended to show how World Wide Web technologies can be used to develop a prototype Intranet that can provide access to information for faculty, students and staff members via a World Wide Web browser. It provides more open communication in the Department of Systems Management, quicker and more consistent information flows (service) to the faculty and staff, and reduced time spent on the handling ofrepetitive and often simple information exchanges. The decision support function is supported by a database which is an information clearinghouse, providing all personnel with 24-hour access. Personnel are empowered by information availability and are likely to be more proactive. A prototype has been developed to demonstrate the concept and to demonstrate the validity of rapid prototyping as a means of validating the effectiveness of the modified Intranet development methodology. The prototype is located at [http://131.120.41.236]. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. 1 BACKGROUND A. 1 B. THE INTERNET 1 INTRANETS C. 2 1. Benefits ofIntranets 3 2. Limitations 5 D. DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS „.6 WWW DECISION SUPPORT USING THE E. 7 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH F. 11 METHOD G. 11 H. SCOPE OF RESEARCH 12 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROTOTYPE I. 12 J. EXPECTED BENEFITS OF RESEARCH 14 K. THESIS ORGANIZATION 15 INTRANET DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY II. 17 A. CHOICE OF THE SYSTEM 17 1. Goal ofthe Intranet System 17 2. Development Process 17 III. SYSTEM DEFINITION PHASE 25 METHOD A. 25 1. Web Site Study 25 vn 2. Background 25 3. The Current System and Deficiencies 26 4. Anticipated Needs 30 5. Estimated Cost ofDevelopment 30 6. Customer Requirements 31 7. Systems Analysis and Design 34 8. Process Analysis ofKey Processes : 41 9. Selection ofPrototype Processes 48 10. Process Impact ofImplementation 52 11. Entity to Process Relationship 53 12. Sytems Architecture and Design 58 INTRANET DESIGN IV. 61 INTRANET TOOLS AND PROTOCOLS A. 61 1. Basic Components 61 2. Client 61 3. Server 62 B. TOOL SELECTION 64 Hardware 64 1. 2. Software 65 C. USEFUL RESOURCES 69 V. IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES 71 COST A. 71 B. TRAINING 72 vin