What Is Computer Programming

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

A computer program is a planned list of instructions that, once executed, causes the workstation to perform in a predetermined manner. Lacking of programs, PCs are useless machines.

Thus, programming can be described as designing or generating a set of instructions to ask the workstation to carry out several jobs which usually are very faster than human beings can do.

In order to start programming, we want to use certain computer language to communicate thru the workstation. There are several computer languages which are available, some of the instances are Visual Basic, Java, C++, FORTRAN, COBOL, Turbo Pascal, Assembly language. All of them are easy to learn since they are using a language very comparable to natural human language indeed. It includes using some special words for example If, Then, Else, Goto, Select and so on, so every learners can pick up the language very quickly, fast and easily.

A brief description of Visual Basic

VISUAL BASIC is a high level programming language developed from the previous DOS version known as BASIC. BASIC stands for Learners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. The program codes in Visual Basic look like the English language. Dissimilar software businesses produce dissimilar versions of BASIC, for instance Microsoft QBASIC, GWBASIC QUICKBASIC as well as IBM BASICA and so on.

Visual Basic is an objectively easy programming language to understand and it is for anyone who is attracted in programming but then lack specialized training in software engineering. Learning VB will aid undeveloped persons to develop their logical thinking talents and develop and improve their minds. You can take to programing in visual basic purely for enjoyment or you can make more advanced applications for example educational courseware as well as commercial software.

VISUAL BASIC can be categorized as VISUAL plus events driven Programming Language. These are the chief differences from the old BASIC. In BASIC, programming is completed in a text based environment and the program is performed consecutively.

In VISUAL BASIC, software development is completed in a graphical environment. In old version of BASIC, you have to write a text based way to design the interface; however Visual Basic allows you to design the interface by resizing as well as dragging the objects and altering their colors, just similar to any windows based programs indeed. (Dukovic & Joyce, 1995)

Event Driven

Visual Basic is event driven for the reason that users may click on a certain object by random, therefore every object has to be programmed and set independently to be capable to response to those actions (events). Instances of events are entering text into a text box, clicking a command button, choosing an item in a list box and so on. Consequently, a VISUAL BASIC Program is made up of several subprograms; each and any of them with its own program code which can be executed independently and beside that at the same time can be connected together in one way or another as well. (Dukovic & Joyce, 1995)

What can you do with Visual Basic?

Via Visual Basic, you can program basically the whole thing from educational software to teach science, history, language, and mathematics, geography to financial and accounting software to games. Certainly, there is no boundary or limitation to what you can program.

There are quite a number of features for the enormous success of Visual Basic (VB):

The structure of the Basic programming language is very simple and easy to learns, mainly as to the executable code.

Visual Basic is not simply a language but chiefly an integrated, interactive development environment ("IDE").

The VB-IDE has been greatly optimized to support rapid application development ("RAD"). It is mostly easy to improve graphical user interfaces and to link them to handler functions delivered via the application.

The graphical user interface of the VB-IDE delivers automatically appealing views for the management of the program structure in the huge and the several types of entities (classes, modules, procedures, forms, ...)

VB offers a comprehensive interactive as well as context sensitive online assistance system. (Logan, 2008)

LANGUAGE TO USE

Selecting which language to be used for the future system is one of the main challenges on every kind of the project. There are several languages in order to create a system, for instance Microsoft Visual Basic, Java as well as Feature C++.

Language

Microsoft Visual Basic

Java

Feature C++

Platform

Windows

Windows

Windows

License

Complete package

N/A

N/A

Fast applications

With native code

compilation provides fast applications

N/A

N/A

Powerful Windows-based

applications

Support

N/A

N/A

Simple and tightly

integrated support for

concurrent programming

N/A

Support

N/A

Powerful, flexible,

simplified data access

Support

N/A

N/A

Solving the extensibility

problem

N/A

N/A

Solves the

extensibility

problem by

creating a new

subclass

leaves the

class' existing

subclasses

Outdated.

Improved coding

Support

N/A

N/A

Direct access to the

platform

Support

N/A

N/A

Cope the increasing

complexity

N/A

N/A

Support

Full object-oriented

constructs

Support

N/A

N/A

Mobile Applications

Support

N/A

N/A

Database

What is DBMS?

Database management systems have become global as an important tool for managing info and data’s, and a course on the principles as well as practice of database systems is now an essential part of computer science programs.

A database management system (DBMS) is a complex set of software programs that controls the storage, management, organization, and recovery of data in a database. Database management system is classified according to their data type or structures; sometime Database management system is also identified as Data base Manager. It is a set of prewritten programs that are used to collect, update as well as retrieve a Database as well. (Chapple, 2013)

The Main Functions of the database management system is:

Create new databases

Describe the content of the DBs (databases)

Collection data

Query data

Protect data

Encrypt data

Handling of access rights

Synchronize accesses

Organization of physical data structures

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 r2

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 r2 is relational database management system software that has create wide implementation in the industry, covering a broad variety of applications as of online transactional processing (OLTP) applications, for example online analytical processing (OLAP) , to data warehouses Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Microsoft SQL Server databases use a flexible data based storage model to collect table records and indexes as well as logs.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 r2 can be called as a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) planned to run on platforms ranging from workstations to huge multiprocessor servers indeed. SQL Server is use normally as the backend system for any kind of websites and can support thousands of concurrent operators.

SQL Server 2008 r2 comes up with a number of tools to aid you with your database administration as well as programming tasks indeed. Microsoft SQL Server 2008 r2 can be considered as more robust and scalable as a desktop database management system for example Microsoft Access. Though SQL Server could also be run as a desktop database system, it is generally used as a server database system.

Server based database management systems are generated to work on a central server, so that many users can access and use the same data concurrently. The users usually access the database over an application.

In general, it is the application that offers the functionality to these users. It is the database management system that stores and collects the data and makes it accessible. (Microsoft, 2013)

Data base management system

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 r2

Microsoft Access

Relational database systems

A relational database system.

N/A

SQL compatibility

There are some SQL dialects. MySQL adheres to the present SQL standard although with important restrictions and a large amount of extensions. Through the configuration setting sql-mode can make the MySQL server behave for the most part compatibly by several database systems.

N/A

Stored procedures

Supported stored procedures since version 5.0.

N/A

Programming languages

There are quite an amount of APIs (application programming interfaces) and libraries for the development of MySQL applications. For client programming, the languages C, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, can be use.

Can be used as a back-end database to other apps such as apps written in Visual Basic, Delphi or C++.

Database record

50 million records

150,000 records

speed

Very fast database program.

Depends on the processor speed and memory of client Computers, the amount of users linked at any one time to the database (it tends to degrade after about 10 or so users), and Local Area Network speed (LAN).

Some features of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 r2 are:

Transparent Data Encryption

Enable encryption of an entire database, data files, or log files, without the need for application changes. Benefits of this include: Search encrypted data using ranges and fuzzy searches, search secure data from unauthorized users, and data encryption without any required changes in existing applications.

Extensible Key Management

SQL Server 2008 r2 offers a wide-ranging solution for encryption as well as key management. SQL Server 2008 r2 brings a brilliant solution to this increasing need via supporting third party key management.

Auditing

Generate and manage auditing via data definition language (DDL), while simplifying compliance via providing extra comprehensive data auditing. This allows organizations to response common questions, for instance, what data was retrieved?

Enhanced Database Mirroring

SQL Server 2008 r2 generate on SQL Server 2005 by making great reliable platform that has enhanced database mirroring, counting, improved performance, automatic page repair as well as enhanced supportability.

Log Stream Compression

Database mirroring needs data transmissions among the participants of the mirroring implementations. By SQL Server 2008 r2, compression of the outgoing log stream among the participants delivers optimal performance and reduces the network bandwidth used via database mirroring.

Predictable Query Performance

Allow better query performance stability as well as predictability thru providing functionality to lock down query plans, server upgrades, enabling administrations to promote stable query plans across hardware server alternatives as well as production deployments.

Data Compression

SQL Server 2008 r2 enables data to be kept more efficiently, and decrease the storage requirements for your files. Data compression too provides important performance improvements. (Microsoft, 2013)

Architecture

What is the .NET Framework?

A programming infrastructure generated by Microsoft for building, organizing, and running applications as well as services that use .NET technologies, for instance desktop applications plus Web services.

The .NET Framework is a fresh and revolutionary platform created for developing applications.

It is a platform for application designers.

It is a Framework that supports Multiple Language as well as Cross language integration.

IT has IDE (Integrated Development Environment).

Framework is a set of services or can say building blocks of your system application system.

.NET Framework delivers GUI in a GUI manner.

.NET is a platform independent but with assistance of Mono Compilation System (MCS). MCS is a middle level interface.

.NET Framework provides interoperability among languages Common Type System (CTS).

.NET Framework also contains the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR), which is in charge for maintaining the execution of all applications developed using the .NET library.

The .NET Framework contains mainly of a gigantic library of code. (Microsoft, 2013)

.NET Framework Architecture

.NET can be considered as tiered, modular as well as hierarchal. Each tier of the .NET Framework is a layer of abstraction. .NET languages are the best tier and the greatest abstracted level. The common language runtime would be the bottom tier, the minimum abstracted, and similar to the native environment. This is significant meanwhile the common language runtime works carefully with the operating environment to manage .NET applications. The .NET Framework is divided into modules, all with its own separate responsibility. Lastly, since higher tiers ask for services only from the lower tiers, .NET is hierarchal.

.NET Framework can be categorized as managed environment. The common language runtime observers the execution of .NET applications and provides needed services as well. It handles exceptions, manages memory and make sure that applications are well behaved.

http://i.msdn.microsoft.com/dynimg/IC62708.gif

Language interoperability is one objective of .NET. .NET languages would share a common runtime (the common language runtime or a common class library), a common component model, the Framework Class Library (FCL), and common types. In .NET, the programming language is an existence choice. Apart from subtle changes, C#, VB.NET, or JScript.NET offer a related experience indeed.

.NET abstracts lesser level services, whereas retaining best of their flexibility. This is significant to C-based computer programs, who shudder at the limits existing in Visual Basic 6 and before. (Microsoft, 2013)

Methodology

In simple terms methodology can be well-defined as, it is used to provide a clear cut notion on what the researcher is carrying out his or her investigation. In order to plan and organize in a right point of time and for improving the research work methodology, creating the right platform for the researcher to planning out the research work in relevance to create solid ideas.

Methodology is a clarification tree, or a directed acyclic chart that rooted at the problem statement and consists of the system approval test that satisfies all of the aims in the problem statement indeed. In case of software methodology meaning, a methodology is the study of how to navigate over each stage of the software development model, which is defining data, control, or uses hierarchies, dividing functions, and allocating necessities. And how to signify phase products in structure diagrams, stimulus-response threads, as well as state transition figures. Methodology is very significant though developing certain software. It acts as a assistance that may affect the whole progress and phases of the development. An appropriate methodology usage may monitor the developer through the entire project in order to meet the user condition.

Furthermore, methodology aids the researcher to be contained and to be active in his or her specific section of enquiry. Lots of the situations the goal of the research and the research topic would not be similar at every time it differs from its objects and flow of the research but via assuming a suitable methodology this can be achieved indeed.

Right from choosing the topic and carrying out until recommendations research methodology makes the researcher in the right path. The whole research plan is based on the theory of right methodology.

Moreover over methodology the external environment constitutes the research via giving a depth notion on setting the correct research objective, followed with literature point of view, based on that selected analysis over interviews and questionnaires findings will be obtained and lastly concluding by this research.

Instead, from the methodology the internal environment constitutes via understanding and finding the exact type of research, strategy, philosophy, approaches, time horizon, next right actions and methods based on his or her research work. In other hand the research methodology performances as the nerve center as the whole research is limited by it and to perform an excellent research work, the internal as well as external environment has to follow the correct methodology process. (Bhattacharya, 2006)

The Prototyping Model can be define as a systems development method in which a prototype (an early estimate of a final system) is put up and build, tested, and then reworked as essential until an suitable prototype is lastly achieved from which the comprehensive system or product can now be advanced. This model works best in developments where not entire of the task necessities are recognized in detail ahead of time. Prototyping is an iterative, trial and error method that takes place among the developers, researchers and the users.

There are several steps in the Prototyping Model:

The new system necessities are well-defined in as much detail as thinkable. This typically contains interviewing an amount of users representing all the sections or aspects of the present system.

An initial design is generated for the new system.

A main prototype of the fresh system is created from the preliminary design. This is typically a scaled-down system, and signifies an approximation of the characteristics of the ending system.

The users carefully evaluate the first prototype, noting its strengths as well as weaknesses, what essentials to be added, and what should to be detached. The developer gathers and investigates the remarks from the users.

The first prototype is improved, based on the clarifications supplied by the users, and a next prototype of the fresh system is built.

The next prototype is evaluated in the similar manner as was the first prototype.

The preceding phases are iterated as many times as needed, till the users are satisfied that the prototype signifies the final system desired.

The final system is created, grounded on the final prototype.

The final system is carefully evaluated and going to be tested. Routine maintenance is carried out on a continuing basis to stop big scale failures and to reduce downtime. (Rouse, 2013)

The figure below displays the prototyping methodology for the future system.

Planning

Analysis

System prototype

Design

Implementation

Implementation

System

As a result, based on the planned project, Network Monitoring and SMS Alarm System, developer has selected prototyping as the guidance through the entire project. Prototyping is the process of quickly placing together a working model (a prototype) in order to test several features of a design, demonstrate ideas and meet early user feedback.

The benefits of using prototyping are providing the proof of concept essential to attract funding and the quick visibility of the prototype gives users notion of what the last system appear.

On the other hand, it also encourages active contribution between users producer and enables an advanced output for user. Furthermore, prototyping would be more cost effective. That is the improvement costs reduced. Finally, it growths system improvement speed.

Conclusion

As shown by this Literature Review, there is a large different ways which can describe network monitoring and alerting system and their place in formal organizational settings. Much of this is still on an investigative level and much more research is required in this area.

It is often suggested in the literature that network administrator need to be aware of the problems that might be occur in case of network failure and need to be alarmed if this problem happened to solve the problem immediately.

CHAPTER 3: PRIMARY RESEARCH

Introduction

Primary research is the kind of researcher in which the researcher required to go out to gather the information in the form of the questionnaires and interviews; it means together the information from the real world; observation as well as surveys comes into the primary research classification. The capable writer is the one who recognize how to collect the primary data and the secondary info and then able to write and support both the info into the paper indeed. The primary research is very necessary to learn for the writers since it is very essential to gather the authentic info from the real aspects and source.

Types of Primary Research are categorized as blew:

Questionnaire

A questionnaire is a research tool containing of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of collecting info from respondents indeed. Though, they are often designed for statistical investigation of the responses.

Interviews

Interviews are very useful in offering the exact info concerning of the topic; this research is on one to one basis. Interviews are much more time consuming as well as costly. It is based on smaller info’s.

Surveys

Surveys are very rigid and offers minor amount of info, but here the greater population is involved.

Observations

In observations, the researcher used to write down the observations associated to the events and the dissimilar occurrences.

Analysis

It defines as collect the information and then writes it in an organized way. The analysis is carried out to exploration for the certain pattern. (Dana Lynn Driscoll, 2013)

Requirements for the Primary Research

Before to conduct the primary research it is essential to identify the questions like, what the researcher likes to discover, the method of research, who are the contributors of the research, how one can get the admission to these contributors, what is expected out of the investigation, these are the queries which one requirements to answer before going into the primary research, since if the researcher needs to complete the research efficiently as well as effectively then try to organize and breakdown the works into minor parts and then try to accomplish those tasks which leads to the completion of the task.

Questionnaire

1. Usually how many times per month do you face technical network problems?

A) Never

B) Once a month

C) Twice a month

D) More than twice a month

The outcome of this question will lead us to recognize how often in the month, the participants have network problems which can help the researcher to understand the quantity of technical issues.

2. How often do you usually monitor your network?

A) Every day

B) Every week

C) Every month

D) Never

The result would let the researcher to know about how the users care about the network and how much they prevent of any failure problem in network. The failures of network software’s might have bad consequences, as result users should monitor their networks continuously. That is why the network monitor is so significant to network users. With a network monitor, users can solve the uptime problem regularly.

3. How would you rate your network performance?

A) Poor

B) Average

C) Good

D) Excellent

The result of this question would defiantly led the researcher to know about users satisfaction on the performance of the network and if they need any kind of improvement on their network or not.

4. What are the common network problems?

A) A problem with the server

B) A problem with a hub, router, bridge, and so on

C) A problem with the cabling

D) A problem with a workstation

As far as users do have knowledge of troubleshooting and network problems, the outcomes will show the researcher, the most reasons that user have problem with and which kind of network parts has most effect on network failure.

5. How the network should be monitored?

A) By free software

B) By advance monitoring software

C) By specialist (network administrator)

D) Others

As result of this question, researcher would be understood that users should monitor their networks continuously. With a network monitor software’s or any specialist in networking, users can solve the uptime problem regularly.

6. Do you believe that your network monitoring systems reliable? (Does it give correct reports?)

A) Poor

B) Average

C) Good

D) Excellent

They accuracy of a network monitoring system is highly significant, for the reason that if users do not give correct reports as well as warning, the network administrators might not be up-to-date about problems, so the problem can cause important network down time.as a result of this question, researcher would understand that how much users count on their monitoring system software’s.

7. Do you think having a tool which is able to send problem report is necessary?

A) Strongly Agree

B) Agree

C) Neutral

D) Disagree

By the result of this question, developer will understand that if the users and network administrators need the network monitoring systems which consist of the alerting system that makes them be aware of network failure.

8. How much do you usually monthly spend on maintenance and monitoring of your network?

A) Nothing

B) 50 RM

C) 100 RM

D) Above 100 RM

We all recognize that having a workstation break down or a network failure is a chief annoyance and we all know that it must cost money – lost efficiency, time for maintenances, and the incapability to continue business. But few of us get that how much a workstation or network failure actually costs. The outcome of this question would give good understanding to researcher that how much users would usually cost for their network monitoring.

9. How much bandwidth do you use each month?

A) Under 10GB

B) 10-100GB

C) 100-300GB

D) Over 400GB

High usage of bandwidth would increase the network traffic. High network traffic might take the very high performance usage of network devices such as switches and routers and as far as in much organization very professional equipment’s such as cisco and any other professional brands are not used, that high level of bandwidth usage eventually causes network failure. The result of this question would led the researcher to understand that how much bandwidth users usually take and how much this usage would effect on their network failure.

10. What kind of alert system would you commonly use for your network problems?

A) SMS

B) Emil

C) Call by administrator

D) All the mention above

Any kind of alert in the category of monitoring would be the important part which make administrator be aware that possibly something goes wrong in the network and prevent of any failure or downtime of the network and solve the problem sooner as possible, the result of this question would shows that what kind of alerting would be more reliable for the users and network administrator as well.

Interview

What are the methods used to detect the network problem? What are some of the more common user problems that Network Technicians face on a daily basis?

End-to-End fault as well as performance problems discovery in network area production is becoming progressively hard as the difficulty of the paths, the variety of the performance, and dependency on the network growth. Numerous monitoring infrastructures are made to monitor different networks and gather monitoring info from thousands of hosts around the world.by the result of this question the researcher would be find out that what are the common problems that network administrator would usually face when they want to monitor the network and what sort of method that they use to find it out.

How to get network traffic data from the network?

As organizations intranets continue to develop it is increasingly significant that network administrators are aware of and have a handle on the dissimilar kinds of traffic that is traversing their networks indeed. Traffic monitoring and analysis is necessary in order to more efficiently troubleshoot and resolve matters when they happen, so as to not bring network facilities and services to a stand still for extended periods of time.by the result of this interview question, developer will find out that what kind of tools are used by network administrator in case of collect information about the network traffic which can make the network downtime indeed.

How do you usually manage and monitor your bandwidth?

Bandwidth Control gives network users the ability to monitor and control bandwidth usage on their network. It can be used to make sure that your network continues to operate well and that bandwidth is shared optimally based on what is significant to you.

Whenever bandwidth is low than makes some failure in network which administrator should be aware of this and the result of this interview question would led developer to find out who specialist monitor they bandwidth.

How do you usually monitor your network? What kind of software you usually use?

The important result which is come out of this question would specifically point to the software that technical people use for monitoring the network. This software’s can be open sources and free which everybody can have access to it and using for their networks. Whoever there are lots of way for monitoring the network which this question what to make sure that which way would be the best way for the monitoring of the network.

Which kind of alerting system will you prefer? Alerting system only via SMS? Or the system can also include electronic mail. Why?

Alerting system is the most significant part of the network monitoring. Network administrators need to be alert before something worst happen in the network. There is lots of ways which whenever bandwidth is low make an alert for the administrator. The result of this question would show what kind of alerting system is more useful for the administrators or network specialist.

What are the most common networking problems that you as a Network Administrator deal with on a daily basis?

This question is more in advance level of networking which network administrator are usually deals with every day. The outcome of this question would probably led the developer to know about what are the network failure casus and what kind of difficulties are occur every day which make them to solve it.

How many users do your network monitoring system support? Are all workstations in the immediate area?

Growing of network is incredible. All the network users whether home users or huge organization needs networking indeed. This interview question would led the researcher to understand how many users can be supported by the network monitoring system at the same time or even in same place which are in a same LAN area.

Does company network have one main server or multiple servers for data backup? What kind of backup or redundancy is used to protect data?

As data volumes raise and systems grow into being more complex, backup tools frequently fall short of expectations. Businesses want to know that their information is stored securely and can be recovered fast using the least of space for the full benefit. There are several database management systems which overcome this problems.as a network monitoring system, it is necessary to have backup of the server’s files.

What type of network topology Does Company currently uses (i.e. token ring, star, bus, etc.)? What hardware standards are used in case of network monitoring?

Depending on the organization topology and the size of it , some necessary requirements are need in case of network monitoring which can be categorized as hardware and software that network administrator going to use in case of monitoring. The result of this question would show that in case of monitoring, what the essentials needed for the system.

What is the most likely cause for the failure of a user to connect to network?

Investigation on the reasons that why and what are the problems that users cannot connect to network would be the main concept of network troubleshooting. Network administrator should have a high level of understanding about network failure which can aid them to solve the network problem immediately. This question would be found out that what the major failure causes are in user’s network.