The Software Engineer of Venice

BASSANIO: In Belmont is a lady richly left, her name is Portia.
I am in love with the lady. But, alas! Her father has a condition,
that only such a person can marry her who knows system’s architecture.
Antonio, thou art my friend and the best software engineer that Venice has known.
Will thou not help thy bosom friend?
Tell me Antonio, Will thou explain to me?

ANTONIO: Bassanio thou art my bosom friend. And by doubting my affections, thou art insulting me.
It is but a certainty that even if I had to give a pound of flesh of my body to help thee, I would do that with no lament.

BASSANIO: Then pray! Assist me without further adieu.

ANTONIO: Listen then and be all ears.

ANTONIO: It might be astonishing to thee, but the human body is but a computer.
Then human body like the computer has the ability to process data like our human brain.
Like we have our five senses to absorb our surroundings, the computer too has input devices.
And akin to our responses to our environmental stimuli, the computer too has an output via various output devices.
The brain like the computer has the capability to store within its memory immeasurable amount of data.

BASSANIO: Then pray! Is the computer alas the mechanical equivalent of the human form?
Are there absolutely no differences?

ANTONIO: Look carefully and the differences will become perceptible. The human brain has the power of innovation; the computer on the other hand, has no emotional intelligence. The sixth sense my friend, is missing.

ANTONIO: Computer Science refers to Programs,
Data Structures, the type or structure of data which is to be entered into the computer just like smell or sound in case of the human body and,
Algorithms which specifies how it is to be processed, just like instructions given to a child.
Where as Information Systems Engineering refers to Systems which is again composed of two parts.
A Database which describes what is to be processed, that is the base on which the instructions are to act, and,
Applications, which specifies how it is to be processed, an aid to the procedure of processing.

ANTONIO: Now we may proceed to the more complex topic of integrated systems which says that,
Data must be logically distinct from Applications.
To do so we need to separate data from applications even if they are on the same physical hardware.

ANTONIO: Moving onto the Two Tier, Client Server Architecture.
The Data in the Server is operated on by instructions of the server software like Oracle, mySQL, SQL Server, DB2.
Applications stored on individual machines include;
Business Logic or the business rules and
Of course The Presentation Logic or the GUI which include windows, buttons etc.
Finally we may come to the LAN or the Local Area Network which Connects clients machines to server using TCP or IP protocols.
The advantages of this type of architecture is the convenient, graphics user interface,
Which does not place processing burden on server machine when you have hundreds of users
There are however certain disadvantages like
High Bandwidth requirements which slows down application,some Wide Area Network or WAN issues and
Finally Maintenance or Version Control of distributed software.


ANTONIO: Similarly we have the Three Tier Architecture where Application is partitioned so that
Business Logic is kept centrally which may change to business logic done at one location.
Presentation Logic one the other hand is kept locally so that Data transfer over the network is minimised.
Like wise, we have the Multi tier architecture.
Internet, my friend is no different from WAN
Both TCP or IP but WAN is private, Internet, however is public, which is inexpensive but insecure.
The Advantage lies in the fact that there is no need for specialist software at each client location whereas the disadvantage is
That business Application has to be “web enabled”. The Application server, the web server and the one required for data are
physically located on same machine.

ANTONIO: The various applications of the two tier system of architecture is that it acts as a sales server, an accounts server,
And at machines at the Head office as well as the Sales office.

Now Complexity of algorithm’s is of two types, Space and Time for the best use of time and space respectively for the execution of a programme.
Managing complexity is of type RDBMS and ERP
There are Handling Specialist Requirements like Integrated database and Integrated ERP system software.
How ever, few specialists may have specific software.
There are large, complex and distributed systems.
The WAN has three types of servers and two types of browsers which are web, application and
database server and web browsers respectively.

ANTONIO: Now go woo fair Portia and may luck be thy companion like thou art to me.

BASSANIO: Thank thee from the bottom of my vile heart. I shall forever be grateful to thee.