Discussion 0: Introduction (Not graded, but required)

Introducing the way Discussion is to be done.

Discussion 1: Adopting New Communication Technologies (graded)

Accurate Accounting: Diego Lopez is the managing partner of Accurate Accounting, a small accounting firm that operates a dozen offices in California. Accurate Accounting provides audit and consulting services to a growing number of small­ and medium­sized firms, many of which are high technology firms. Accurate Accounting staff typically spend many days on­site with clients during their consulting and audit projects but has increasingly been using e­mail and instant messaging (IM) to work with clients. Now, many firms are pushing Accurate Accounting to adopt videoconferencing. Diego is concerned about what videoconferencing software and hardware to install.

Although Accurate Accounting’s e­mail system enables it to exchange e­mail with any clients, using IM has proved difficult because Accurate Accounting has had to use one IM software package with some companies and different IM software with others. Diego is concerned that videoconferencing may prove to be as difficult to manage as IM.

“Why can’t IM work as simple as e­mail?” he asks. “Will my new videoconferencing software and hardware work as simply as e­mail, or will it be IM all over again?”

Discussion 2: Networks and Protocols (graded)

Atlas advertising: Atlas advertising is a regional advertising agency with offices in Boston, New York, Providence, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

1.   Describe what types of networks you think they would have (e.g., LANs, BNs, WANs) and where they are likely to be located?

2.   What types of standard protocols and technologies do you think they are using at each layer (e.g., please see textbook Figure 1­5)?