Computer Technology Fundamentals Report: Key Tech Areas Explored

This report provides a comprehensive overview of computer technology fundamentals, encompassing key areas such as workflow languages and Python programming, the functionalities of Apache Tomcat web server, and the benefits of cloud computing. It explores security measures for large enterprises, including data encryption and two-step verification, and examines emerging technologies like wearable fitness bands. The report also delves into the advantages of these technologies, offering insights into their applications and impacts on various domains. The content includes discussions on the importance of data security, cost-effectiveness, and disaster recovery in the context of cloud computing, as well as the role of fitness bands in promoting physical activity. Overall, the report aims to provide a clear understanding of modern computer technologies and their implications.

Running Head: COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
Student Name
Student Number
Tutor

1COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
Table of Contents
Class 5: Languages and Libraries....................................................................................................2
Class 6: The Web.............................................................................................................................3
Class 7: Security..............................................................................................................................6
Class 8: Mobile, Cloud and Internet of Things................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................9

2COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
Class 5: Languages and Libraries
1. Workflow languages are a specisfication which is used in describing analysis
workflow as well as tools in such a way that converts them into scalable and portable across a
wide variety of hardware and software environments from various workstations to small clusters
and cloud.
Python is one of the rare languages that can claim to be simple as well as powerful
(Zandbergen, 2015). It is very easy to concentrate to the solution of the problem instead of the
syntax as well as structure of the language that has been used for programming.
Python and workflow language makes programming easier, along with that hey also help
in dealing with system complexity for their intended purposes. In a particular analysis carries out
by the top most 39 departments of computer science, Python programming language has replaced
Java as a platform for writing code. Most of the engineering departments across the world teach
Python as an introductory subject because it helps them to understand programming well. Python
language is much more elegant as well as powerful compared to other programming languages.
Python is very easy to understand for a novice developer as well. A huge number of complex
programs can be executed in an easy way with the help of Python. Python used less number of
codes; as a result it results in development in no time. The standard library of Python helps the
network to support multiple platforms as well as systems.
2. In computing, the library can be referred to as a collection of several objects of same
nature for future use. They store units of physical storage like tape cartridges. Software libraries
are usually a platform which contains pre written classes, codes, procedures, configuration data,

3COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
scripts and many more. Software library can be manually added to a system in order to gain more
functionality or in order to automate a particular process. This customization does not need any
code to be written specially for it (McPhillips, Song & Kolisnik, 2015). A software library
consists of program library which includes a collection of programming routines which a
programmer needs to call whenever he requires it, in this process the does not need to write
codes himself. The chosen software library chosen for this particular paper is LAPACK.
LAPACK provides various routines in order to solve systems of numerous linear equations,
eigen value problems, least-square problems as well as singular value problems. Matrix
factorizations are also given, related computations like Schur factorizations’ reordering as well
as estimating the condition numbers. By using its API, LAPACK handles banded and dense
matrices but they are not able to handle sparse matrices. In all the areas, same type of
functionality is given for complex and real numbers in both the single as well as double
precision.
Class 6: The Web
1. A modern web server technology is Apache Tomcat. Apache tomcat is a very complex
system. There are various basic things that an Apache Tomcat servlet container performs in order
to service a particular request for a servlet. Apache Tomcat creates a specific request object and
populates it with numerous information which can be used by that invoked servlet like headers,
parameters, query string, cooking, URI and many more. The request object created by Apache
Tomcat is an instance of javax.servlet ServeletRequest interface or
javax.servlet.https.ServletRequest interface. Apache Tomcat also creates a response object which
is used by invoked servlet in order to send responses to their various web clients (Noureddine,

4COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
Rouvoy & Seinturier, 2014). A response object is a particular instance of java javax.servlet
ServeletResponse interface or javax.servlet.https.ServletResponse interface. Apache Tomcat
invokes the method of service of servlet and passes the response objects as well as requests. Here
that particular servlet reads those values from the sent request object and then writes down to the
response object.
Some unique characteristics of Apache Tomcat are as follows
 It is highly flexible: Apache Tomcat is very flexible, this is because of its light
weight nature as well as a suite of extensive and customization options that lets
users the freedom of changing the application, these options for customization are
in built in the application (Hesthaven, Rozza G., & Stamm, 2016). The users are
able to run it virtually in any platform they want. In any platform it will run
effectively. Its nature of being open source helps a lot because the user can
customize it according to his needs. One limitation of this feature is that the user
must know to handle and work with the application, only then he will be able to
customize it according to his needs.
 The user’s server would be more stable: One of the most unique features of
Apache Tomcat is that, it is a platform that is very stable where the users can
build on and use it in order to run the applications (Rahman & Adnan, 2017). This
as a result would also contribute in the stability of the server. This is because
Tomcat executes even if apache is not installed.
 It has a very light weight: Apache Tomcat is of light weight even if the user has a
certification of JavaEE. Apache Tomcat offers the basic functions that are
required in order to run a server (Baelde, Delaune & Gazeau, 2017). It provides

5COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
quick load as well as redeploys time as compared to many more applications
similar to Apache Tomcat. It allows a very fast development cycle and this is
possible because of its light weight nature. If a user needs an application that is
very rich in features, in that case Apache Tomcat is not the right choice (Goffee &
Scase, 2015). If the user wants a quick as well as easy way to run various
applications, Apache Tomcat is the best choice.
 It is open source: One of the most unique features that Apache Tomcat has is its
open source nature. Apache Tomcat is free for the users and the codes for running
the server are easily available. The users get an incredible level of freedom.
2. A newly proposed web technology is cloud computing. This technology solves
numerous problems faced by people as well as organizations are as follows
 Importance of the data and the place where it is stored: Cloud computing has
solved the major problem faced by numerous organizations especially the ones
that were growing from small to big businesses (Agrawal & Gupta, 2014). Small
businesses store their data in their own database and data storing devices but as
they grow their business, the data storage becomes a problem for them. Cloud
computing solves this problem.
 Security: one more problem solved by cloud computing is security of data.
Organizations do not need to worry about the security of data. Many
organizations hesitate in implementing cloud computing into their business, but
once implemented it solves most of the major problems solved by the
organizations (Andreassen, Marazita & Miskowiec, 2018). Security of data is

6COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
very important for every organization because the theft of data might have
vulnerable outcomes for the organization, employees, clients and the customers.
 Vulnerability to disasters: if the data of an organization is saved in local servers,
they might be more susceptible to experiencing disasters which would affect the
data as well as the overall business.
 Cost effectiveness: Most of the organizations pay a lump sum of money in order
to secure their data. Cloud computing helps the organizations to save the amount
by allowing the organizations to pay for the services used by them (Sampath &
Sprenkle, 2016). The organizations never pay for the services that they have never
used or are not useful for them.
 Benefit for disaster recovery: hosting systems as well as storing documents on
cloud provides a safeguard to the data during any emergency (Chen, Skillen &
Burns, 2014). Man made as well as natural disasters can cause damage to
equipments like computers, mobile phones and many more, but cloud can never
be destroyed.
Class 7: Security
1. Large enterprises have large networks and huge amount of data to be stored. They are
also more vulnerable to attacks by various cyber criminals. Some of the key issues in securing a
large enterprise and potential solutions to the issues are as follows
 Access to data provided to unauthorized user: There are many enterprises that do
not have an inventory if the IT assets which they have tied to their network. This,
results to be a massive problem for the enterprises (Rittinghouse & Ransome,

7COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
2016). The proper way to fix this problem is by conducting a review of various
devices on the enterprise’s network. Along with this, the identification of various
platforms used by the enterprise is also important.
 Insufficient IT security management: one more important problem faced by
various enterprises is that, they have numerous cyber security solutions that are
very useful, but they do not have sufficient professionals who can run them
efficiently.
 Data encryption: 85% of overall surveys carried out, prove that organizations tend
to encrypt data by classifying them into various categories. The data that are very
delicate, confidential and vulnerable to attacks are encrypted and others are ust
stored in a secured place. The decision-making regarding which data to encrypt
makes the overall data vulnerable to attacks.
2. Data has always been delicate and needed to be secured well. Organizations are
supposed to secure their data by using proper technologies. Various technologies have been
introduced to keep the data secured. People can keep their data safe in their devices by using
numerous applications that are readily available. A new security technology which keeps data
even more secured is two-step verification (Hossai & Muhammad, 2016). Two-step verification
is a new part of technology that has been introduced in order to secure data related to users. This
technology can also be used for securing organizational data. Users who access their data from
their personal devices like mobile phones can use this technology very effectively (Botta, De &
Persico, 2016. The settings of various applications can be set in such a way that whenever the
user tries to log in or register to any website they would be asked for two-step verification. In
this verification process, the users would be asked a security question and the correct answer

8COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
would redirect them to the data they were trying to access. One of the major benefits that are
provided by two step verification is improved security. Passwords can be forgotten or lost, lost
because most of the people have the habit of writing down their passwords and there are chances
of these passwords to get lost. Two-step verification sends an OTP to the user whenever a
transaction is carried out. The user needs to enter the OTP and hence the transaction proceeds.
Class 8: Mobile, Cloud and Internet of Things
1. A new wearable fitness technology is a fitness band. This band has various advantages,
these advantages are as follows
 They encourage physical activity: one of the major benefits of using a health band
is that it encourages the user to move. Most of the bands offer various goals or
offers which set goals or benchmarks regarding the amount of workout they
should do every day (Storey, 2016). An example of this is that, Fitbit has pre-set
goals that can be modified. The set would be like walking 10,000 steps per day.
This provides the users an idea regarding the minimum amount of activity they
are supposed to do in order to improve their health as well as fitness. This could
be a very good step for setting fitness and gym goals.
 They encourage healthy eating: fitness bands which include the aspect of food
tracking, helps with weight loss by tracking the calorie intake and encourage the
users to take healthy food.
 They measure the heart rate: Fitness bands also act as monitors of heart rate. They
help to measure the intensity of the work out done by the user, the effect of work

9COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
out in the body of user and the calories burnt by them. It also helps in keeping an
eye on the cardiovascular system of the user.
2. An interesting application for Internet of Things is the implementation of Smart City
by using the tools of Internet of Things. The technologies needs to support this particular
application are as follows
 Smart censors: smarts censors are a major part of implementing smart city. Smart censors
can be installed in various ways. One of the most important way by which sensors help
are waste management (Chang, Srirama & Buyya, 2017). Censors would help in
detecting the bins that are about to overflow and inform the workers regarding it. This
would prevent the roads from getting dirty by overflowing garbage bins. This changes the
traditional way of cleaning roads when the bins are overflowed.
 Smart street lights: smart street lights are also a part of smart city implementation. LED
street lights are one of the easiest ways for a city to add smart technology. One of the
benefits of smart street lights is that they reduce crime (Soldatos, Kefalakis & Hauswirth,
2015). Smart lights brighten automatically when it detects too many people in that
particular area. It saves energy as well because it dims when there is no one around that
place. Using smart street lights a city can cave more than $8 million every year.
 Cameras: installing cameras in public places is also a step that can contribute in turning a
city into a smart city. Installing cameras at public places would help reduce crimes as
well as encourage smooth working of the professionals like traffic police and workers
who are responsible for cleaning various areas (Chang, Srirama & Buyya, 2017).
Cameras would help in tracking down the criminals in case a crime takes place.

10COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
References
Agrawal, S., & Gupta, R. D. (2014). Development and comparison of open source based Web
GIS Frameworks on WAMP and Apache Tomcat Web Servers. The International
Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 40(4),
1.
Andreassen, O., Marazita, F., & Miskowiec, M. (2018). JACoW: Upgrade of the CERN RADE
framework architecture using RabbitMQ and MQTT.
Baelde, D., Delaune, S., Gazeau, I., & Kremer, S. (2017, August). Symbolic verification of
privacy-type properties for security protocols with XOR. In Computer Security
Foundations Symposium (CSF), 2017 IEEE 30th (pp. 234-248). IEEE.
Botta, A., De Donato, W., Persico, V., & Pescapé, A. (2014, August). On the integration of cloud
computing and internet of things. In Future internet of things and cloud (FiCloud), 2014
international conference on (pp. 23-30). IEEE.
Botta, A., De Donato, W., Persico, V., & Pescapé, A. (2016). Integration of cloud computing and
internet of things: a survey. Future Generation Computer Systems, 56, 684-700.
Chang, C., Srirama, S. N., & Buyya, R. (2017). Mobile cloud business process management
system for the internet of things: a survey. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 49(4), 70.
Chen, L., Skillen, K., Burns, W., Quinn, S., Rafferty, J., Nugent, C., ... & Solheim, I. (2014,
July). Learning behaviour for service personalisation and adaptation. In International

11COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FUNDAMENTALS
Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics (pp. 287-297). Springer, Berlin,
Heidelberg.
Goffee, R., & Scase, R. (2015). The Real World of the Small Business Owner (Routledge
Revivals). Routledge.
Hesthaven, J. S., Rozza, G., & Stamm, B. (2016). Certified reduced basis methods for
parametrized partial differential equations (p. 52). Cham: Springer.
Hossain, M. S., & Muhammad, G. (2016). Cloud-assisted industrial internet of things (iiot)–
enabled framework for health monitoring. Computer Networks, 101, 192-202.
McPhillips, T., Song, T., Kolisnik, T., Aulenbach, S., Belhajjame, K., Bocinsky, K., ... &
Huntzinger, D. (2015). YesWorkflow: a user-oriented, language-independent tool for
recovering workflow information from scripts. arXiv preprint arXiv:1502.02403.
Noureddine, A., Rouvoy, R., & Seinturier, L. (2014, March). Unit testing of energy consumption
of software libraries. In Proceedings of the 29th Annual ACM Symposium on Applied
Computing (pp. 1200-1205). ACM.
Rahman, M. M., & Adnan, M. A. (2017, January). Two step verification system of highly secure
social media: Possible to breach the security. In Networking, Systems and Security
(NSysS), 2017 International Conference on (pp. 185-190). IEEE.
Rittinghouse, J. W., & Ransome, J. F. (2016). Cloud computing: implementation, management,
and security. CRC press.
Sampath, S., & Sprenkle, S. (2016). Advances in Web Application Testing, 2010–2014. In
Advances in Computers (Vol. 101, pp. 155-191). Elsevier.