IT Fundamentals: Network Protocols and SDLC - University Report

This report delves into the fundamentals of IT, focusing on network protocols and the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). It explores the three-way handshaking process in TCP/IP networks, explaining its necessity and steps. The report then examines the Rapid Application Development (RAD) model, detailing its phases, advantages, and disadvantages. Furthermore, it discusses Agile methods, highlighting their benefits such as stakeholder collaboration and quality software, as well as their drawbacks. Finally, the report addresses SDLC scope creep, defining it as changes in project requirements and providing strategies for managing and mitigating it through planning, documentation, and communication. The report provides a comprehensive overview of these key IT concepts.

Running head: IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
IT Fundamentals: Network Protocols and SDLC
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1IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
Table of Contents
Three-Way Handshaking...........................................................................................................2
RAD...........................................................................................................................................2
Advantages.............................................................................................................................2
Disadvantages........................................................................................................................3
Agile Methods............................................................................................................................3
Advantages.............................................................................................................................3
Disadvantages........................................................................................................................4
SDLC: Scope Creep...................................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................6

2IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
Three-Way Handshaking
Three-way handshaking is a process of establishing a connection between the client
and the server in a TCP/IP network. As it is a three-step process, known as 3-way
handshaking. The three steps are an SYN data packet from client to server, an SYN/ACK
packet from server to client and the ACK packet from client to the server to confirm the
establishment of the connection. The three-way handshaking is needed as both the server and
the client need to synchronize with the Initial Sequence Numbers (ISN) and the other side has
to acknowledge the packet. In a two way handshaking, only one party can be able to send the
data, and other have to acknowledge it. If the client sends a packet and server does not SYN-
ACK, then the server will think the connection has been established and it will start sending
the main data. On another hand, the client cannot ACK the data packet as the client thinks
that the connection has not been established yet (Skoog et al., 2014). Using 3-way
handshaking, the client gets aware that server can send the data after SYN/ACK and the ISN
can be stored by both the parties.
RAD
RAD (Rapid Application Development) model is a modified version of the Waterfall
Model of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), where the aim of the development
is to complete it within a short period of time. Similar to the waterfall model, it has five
phases in the SDLC. The phases are Business Modelling, process Modelling, Data Modelling,
Application Generation and Testing-Turnover. It uses predefined development tools and
techniques to develop the software quickly (Kumar & Prashanth, 2014). The tools generally
consist of predefined components, methods and structure. It uses the Object-oriented based
programming methodology where inheritance is applied.

3IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
Advantages
a) The main advantages of the RAD model are the flexibility and adaptability of
accepting the changes in the model.
b) It has been found useful while reducing project risk. The scripts, codes, high
level abstractions and random blocks of codes are easier to transfer from one
section to another section of the project.
c) The code is reusable using the inheritance property of the object oriented
programming which regenerates the code.
d) Presence of prototyping reduces the risks of defects. Also, it can be developed
in very much short span of time, even with the fewer people.
Disadvantages
a) It is not useful for a smaller project. Also, all the applications are not
compatible with the RAD as it works with the object oriented programming
(Pop & Altar, 2014).
b) The pressure of a short time can cause project failure. On another hand,
problems occurred during the development can cause serious damage as there
are no documentation for the finished stages.
c) The development in such a short amount of time requires a highly skilled
developer.
Agile Methods
Agile methods are the techniques of developing large complex projects by breaking it
into several subproject and phases (Abrahamsson et al., 2017). Each stage includes the
communication between the stakeholders with iteration after each step at regular intervals.

4IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
Advantages
a) The main advantage of selecting an agile methodology is that it requires the constant
collaboration of the stakeholders. The whole project is developed in stages and each
stage is given individual attention and priorities, which results in a high quality
software product.
b) Agile methodologies have the least risk of failing the project (Shrivastava & Rathod,
2015). Each stage in the agile method has been developed using proper
documentation and methods that makes the software product failsafe.
Disadvantages
a) As the documentation is not provided in the starting of the project, sometimes the
requirements are not identified correctly which can lead to the unpredicted results of
the software product that can be different from the usability of the software.
b) As it is discussed earlier, each stage is developed with proper focus and
documentation; the agile method can be more time taking which can cause the
company to leave other major projects. Also, the continuous interaction and the
documentation costs more to the company during the development.
SDLC: Scope Creep
Scope creep means the changes in the requirements of the project during the
development that can deviate the project from its initially established goal or set of goals.
Generally, it is seen that after the start of the development, the clients demands some changes
in the requirements which he forgot in the first place. Sometimes the project manager
successfully explains the client, and sometimes the client successfully convinces the project
manager (Thakurta, 2013). However, in the second case, the changes in the requirements lead

5IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
to the different results of the software. Sometimes the miscommunication and internal
disagreement can also cause scope creep. Following ways are discussed below to deal with
scope creep during development:
a) Scope creep is inevitable, and every project manager and developer must plan for the
making changes in the project over time. The planning phase in the development
should have full documentation of the requirements.
b) Also, having a clear project schedule according to the requirements can help in cross
reference that the development and its objectives are being done according to the
requirements. One should also plan for the making changes while scheduling the
project.
c) The continuous communication with the stakeholders and the clients in regular
intervals will ease the development. Planning some extra time with stakeholders will
provide ease when new requirements will be introduced. By sharing all the documents
in time, it can also help in avoid scope creep.

6IT FUNDAMENTALS: NETWORK PROTOCOLS AND SDLC
References
Abrahamsson, P., Salo, O., Ronkainen, J., & Warsta, J. (2017). Agile software development
methods: Review and analysis. arXiv preprint arXiv:1709.08439.
Kumar, B. P., & Prashanth, Y. (2014, March). Improving the rapid application development
process model. In 2014 Conference on IT in Business, Industry and Government
(CSIBIG) (pp. 1-3). IEEE.
Pop, D. P., & Altar, A. (2014). Designing an MVC model for rapid web application
development. Procedia Engineering, 69, 1172-1179.
Shrivastava, S. V., & Rathod, U. (2015). Categorization of risk factors for distributed agile
projects. Information and Software Technology, 58, 373-387.
Skoog, R., Gannett, J., Kim, K., Kobrinski, H., Rauch, M., Von Lehmen, A., & Wilson, B.
(2014, March). Analysis and implementation of a 3-way handshake signaling protocol
for highly dynamic transport networks. In Optical Fiber Communication
Conference (pp. W1K-1). Optical Society of America.
Thakurta, R. (2013). Impact of Scope Creep on Software Project Quality. Vilakshan: The
XIMB Journal of Management, 10(1).