Computer Asset Management System Project Feasibility CS 410, Fall 2005 Semester October 20, 2005

2 Agenda Speakers Problem Statement Proposed Solution What We Are Not Doing Hardware Components Software Components Market Analysis Schedule Cost Risks & Issues Conclusion

3 Speakers Gold Team: –Keith Mulkey – Project Overview –Joe Kane – Hardware –Sergei Yemelianoff – Software –John Gedville – Market Analysis –Keith Mulkey – Wrap up

4 Problem Statement Network Administrators and Corporate Asset managers in large organizations spend numerous hours each year tracking and locating computer hardware assets.

5 Proposed Solution A turn-key computer asset management and inventory system based on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag technologies integrated with a specialized database management system.

6 What We Are Not Doing We are not re-inventing the RFID based inventory management systems already available and used by the Department of Defense and corporate giants such as Wal Mart.

7 Hardware Components RFID Tags –Passive or Active –Four frequency ranges –Re-writeable or write once RFID Scanner –Types of readers: Fixed and Mobile –PC card and compact flash –Wireless LAN with G or other wireless technology

8 Hardware Components of the Computer Asset Manager System RFID Tag PDA Computer RFID Scanner

9 Software Components RFID Application Program Interface –Every manufacturer provides its own API –Communicates with a PC via TCP/IP socket or COM port Client – Server paradigm –Connect PDA to remote server PC –Server PC communicates with a database engine

10 Software Components Database Engine –Independent database server –Software provides initial script of DB creation Development Platform & SDKs –J2SE & J2ME –JAVA APIs: java.com.*, java.net.*, sun.jdbc.*

11 Market Analysis Straw poll survey indicates 72% of those surveyed indicated an interest in such a product Very large potential market: computer repair facilities such as the Geek Squad® –Nearly 7,000 agents –Plans to open stand-alone stores by the end of 2006

12 Schedule

13 Estimated Development Cost

14 Risks & Issues Risks: Most obvious risk is questionable market Meeting development schedule given other demands on team members’ time Issues Management challenge with respect to diverse schedules of team members

15 Conclusion Market is questionable mainly due to already existing products. Overall however: –This system would be of great benefit to organizations that track a great many computer assets. –Project is technically feasible –Costs are within the budget of our group –Development schedule is achievable in CS410/411 –Our team has the expertise to complete the project. –The potential benefits outweigh the risks