UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2018/2019
EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT/ MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
DATA COMMUNICATIONS
MDCN5306 MISM5202 WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES
DATE: APRIL 2019 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One & ANY OTHER TWO questions.
QUESTION ONE (20 MARKS)
a) Case Study
“External systems integration refers to IT-mediated transactions between independent
business entities, for example, between a company and its customers, suppliers, or other
business partners, such as co-producers and banks, and it is important for both economic
and strategic business reasons. Today external systems integration involves many
technologies and business arrangements with different pros and cons, but they can be
grouped in two broad categories: one-to-one or one-to-many approaches that link an
individual company with its business partners and hub-and-spoke approaches that provide
the possibility of many-to-many connections. One-to-one approaches are most prevalent,
though hub-and-spoke approaches may offer greatest business value in terms of cost and
fit with the dynamic business environment of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures and
multi-party business arrangements, such as business process outsourcing and supply
chain facilitation. Few companies today have a systematic strategy for dealing with
external systems integration. Both business issues and technical issues should be
addressed in an external systems integration strategy.”
(i) Discuss the main business and technical considerations for developing an external
systems integration strategy in one particular industry (e.g. biotechnology, hospitality,
health care, legal services, telecommunications, and financial services). State whether
you are taking the perspective of a single firm or of an industry consortium.
(10 Marks)
b) Discuss the different Wireless Networks (4 Marks)
c) Discuss what is Wifi giving its advantages and disadvantages (6 Marks)
QUESTION TWO (15 MARKS)
a) Using examples differentiate between (4 Marks)
i.) Mobile and wireless
ii.) Nomadic computing and Ubiquitous computing
b) Describe TWO Problems with TCP in a wireless environment and propose justifiable
solutions (6 Marks)
c) What is the difference between centralized and decentralized routing? (5 Marks)
QUESTION THREE (15 MARKS)
a) Discus the advantages and challenges of mobile devices (8 Marks)
b) Discuss the four components of an 802.11 wireless network (4 Marks)
c) Describe types of topologies used in 802.11 wireless network?
(3 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR (15 MARKS)
a) What are the network services that are required in 802.11 wireless networks?
(7 Marks)
b) What are the main disadvantages of dynamic routing? (4 Marks)
c) How does a routing table operate? (4 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE (15 MARKS)
a) What is the location asset? Explain why location is such a unique asset within the wireless
world. What sorts of location products and services can be offered in the commercial world?
Discuss who would potentially use location-based products and services. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of the mobile (or “wireless”) Internet?
(6 Marks)
b) Define what is meant by “wireless telemetry”. What advantages and disadvantages are
present in tracking and monitoring the mobile workforce? Discuss how the remote and
automated tracking of mobile workforces assists management decision making. Do you know
of any cases where people have been tracked by their mobile phone signal?
(6 Marks)
c) Outline the various “levels” of socio-technical communication and discuss how wireless
mobile devices and wireless business systems have impacted on general business activity.
Does wireless technology provide a different socio-technical communications experience
compared with wired technology? (3 Marks)
