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Deploying enterprise solutions to the cloud - issues and vulnerabilities
No full textLegacy enterprise applications provide unique challenges for software security personnel. The \ud
size and historical nature of these systems can result in vulnerabilities that do not have the \ud
appropriate countermeasures in place. Development teams that support these systems can be \ud
unaware of such security weaknesses until they have been exploited by an adversary. By \ud
successfully identifying threats, development teams can put in place the appropriate \ud
mitigations. \ud
This research discusses the practice of Threat Modelling as a systematic approach to identifying \ud
security vulnerabilities in software systems. Although numerous works have been presented on \ud
the subject of Threat Modelling, very little has been published on the unique challenges faced \ud
with Threat Modelling legacy systems. This research presents different Threat Model \ud
methodologies and provides a comparison of leading practices suitable for the Threat \ud
Modelling of large scale systems. The comparison is based on both theoretical research and the \ud
practical application of two of the most popular Threat Models. This research then offers a \ud
Threat Model case study of a major component of a live commercial legacy enterprise \ud
application. An Irish based software company has provided access to an existing legacy system \ud
for the purpose of this project, the practical development of a Threat Model and a detailed \ud
analysis of the system
An exploratory study of the use of brand strategy in the Irish medical technology sector
Get PDFBranding is used with much force as a marketing tool in consumer markets but it is\ud
only used mildly in the Medical Technology industry (HBS Consulting 2011).\ud
According to HBS consulting (2011) many medical technology companies are\ud
“unaware of how to create an effective branding strategy or already have branding\ud
structures in place that are so disorganised” that they are ineffective. One major\ud
problem with this industry according to HBS Consulting (2011) is that many\ud
companies do not understand what branding is and “many are of the opinion that a\ud
brand is merely a name associated with a product or the company itself’.\ud
According to the Irish Exporters Association (2012) exports from the Medical\ud
Technology sector in Ireland came to approximately € 6 billion in 2011; as exporting\ud
is one of the primary activities of Medical Technology companies based in Ireland it\ud
is therefore extremely important for these companies to build a strong brand overseas\ud
to compete with competition abroad.\ud
Branding is central to creating customer value, and it is a key tool for creating and\ud
maintaining competitive advantage yet it is often overlooked in many companies\ud
(Holt 2003). The development o f a brand is not cheap but the returns can be great\ud
(Temporal 2000).\ud
The following research is an exploratory study into the use of brand strategies in the\ud
Medical Technology Industry in Ireland. The aim of the study is to explore if\ud
companies in the Medical Technology Industry in Ireland are familiar with and\ud
understand what branding means. It also aims to ascertain if brand strategies are used\ud
in Medical Technology companies in Ireland. Furthermore the study intends to\ud
examine the differences in the practices of the Medical Technology companies that\ud
use brand strategies and the Medical Technology companies that do not use brand\ud
strategies.\ud
A mixed methodology approach was used for the research in order to explore\ud
thoroughly the aims of the study. Quantitative research was used in the form of a questionnaire, a total of 178 questionnaires were sent to Medical Technology\ud
companies in the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland was excluded from the study\ud
as Medical Technology companies in Northern Ireland are part of the UK Medical\ud
Technology Industry. Of the 178 questionnaires that were distributed, 101 responses\ud
were received. The responses were analysed and were broken into two groups, group\ud
one was Medical Technology companies that say they do have a brand strategy in\ud
place and group two was Medical Technology companies that say they do not have a\ud
brand strategy in place. Qualitative research in the form of in-depth telephone\ud
interviews were conducted with four companies that said they do have a brand\ud
strategy in place and four companies that said they do not have a brand strategy in\ud
place in order to compare the practices of these companies.\ud
The study concludes that while the majority of companies in the Irish Medical\ud
Technology Sector are familiar with the term branding, not all of them fully\ud
understand what the term branding means. The study also demonstrated that the\ud
majority o f companies in the Irish Medical Technology Sector do not have a brand\ud
strategy in place. Furthermore, the study highlights that the majority of companies\ud
that have a brand strategy in place, are not conducting their branding activities\ud
correctly or are only practicing parts o f best practice branding. The study also found\ud
that there is a limited amount of support and awareness of the benefits of building a\ud
brand strategy, available to Medical Technology companies in Ireland.\ud
According to the IMDA (2012), the Medical Technology Industry in Ireland is\ud
changing due to the ever increasing need to develop new technologies and keep up\ud
with new innovations. For that reason the Industry is becoming more and more\ud
competitive. Therefore, Irish Medical Technology companies need to consider\ud
branding as a key strategic tool to help them compete in the Sector
Towards a meta-theoretical framework for innovation and information systems research
Get PDFThe importance of theory to the IS discipline is the subject of ongoing debate and there have been recent\ud
calls for novel conceptualizations to stimulate research. In the area of innovation, one of the main\ud
conclusions of the influential Minnesota studies was the need to develop a metatheory. This paper\ud
examines the role of theory in the development of the research agenda for the emerging composite area of\ud
innovation and information systems. Our approach is to build on the seminal work of the Minnesota\ud
studies and on the innovation perspectives of Carl Slappendel. The result of the study is a proposition that\ud
Ecological Systems Theory (EST) addresses many of the gaps that emerged from the analysis of the\ud
literature. Consequently the paper makes a contribution by developing a meta-theoretical framework for\ud
the study of innovation and information systems derived from the EST schemata
An investigation into the effects of environmental variables on the early life history stages of fish, with special emphasis on the flatfish of the west of Ireland
Get PDFThe temperate waters of the North-east Atlantic host a diverse marine ecosystem, and within that ecosystem fish are a valuable resource both in terms of ecosystem functioning and commercial exploitation. The West Coast of Ireland provides nurseries for the early life stages of many species of fish whose adult forms are found both inshore within estuaries and bays and offshore in shelf waters. This study sought to examine the relationship between some of those early-stage fish and their physical environment using field data and statistical modelling techniques. An analysis of the environmental determinants of the distribution of larval and early juvenile fish of various species within the confines of Galway Bay revealed that onshore winds are a key driver, providing a mechanism for transport and retention in the bay. Growth rates during the pelagic larval stage of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) from the west of Ireland from one year were compared with samples from the eastern Irish Sea and the southern North Sea using otolith microstructure. Generalised additive mixed models (GAMMs) using cumulative degree day (CDD) as the main predictor of otolith growth brought to light differences in growth patterns between the areas, that may be related to spatial variation in hydrography, distance from spawning and settlement sites, and timing of spawning events. The duration of the pelagic larval phase was found to be negatively associated with water temperatures, consistent with previous studies of plaice. Similarly, growth during the larval stages of turbot (Psetta maxima) from sites in Kerry in the southwest and Galway in the west of Ireland was modelled using CDD within a GAMM framework. Minor but significant differences in growth were shown between the regions and the three years of the study period. Larval durations were negatively associated with higher temperatures though the relationship was not as pronounced as that in plaice. Settlement of turbot was modelled showing that tidal height, wind and rainfall were significant predictors of settlement events. These results show that larval fish on the west coast of Ireland and elsewhere respond to fluctuations in their physical environment over a range of scales
Development of an inspection regime for on-site domestic wastewater treatment systems
Get PDFThe overall purpose of this study was to develop a thorough inspection regime for onsite wastewater treatment systems, which is practical and could be implemented on all site conditions across the country. With approximately 450,000 onsite wastewater treatment systems in Ireland a risk based methodology is required for site selection. This type of approach will identify the areas with the highest potential risk to human health and the environment and these sites should be inspected first. In order to gain the required knowledge to develop an inspection regime in-depth and extensive research was earned out. The following areas of pertinent interest were examined and reviewed, history of domestic wastewater treatment, relevant wastewater legislation and guidance documents and potential detrimental impacts. Analysis of a questionnaire from a prior study, which assessed the resources available and the types of inspections currently undertaken by Local authorities was carried out. In addition to the analysis of the questionnaire results, interviews were carried out with several experts involved in the area of domestic wastewater treatment. The interview focussed on twelve key questions which were directed towards the expert’s opinions on the vital aspects of developing an inspection regime.\ud
The background research, combined with the questionnaire analysis and information from the interviews provided a solid foundation for the development of an inspection regime. Chapter 8 outlines the inspection regime which has been developed for this study. The inspection regime includes a desktop study, consultation with the homeowners, visual site inspection, non-invasive site tests, and inspection of the treatment systems. The general opinion from the interviews carried out, was that a standardised approach for the inspections was necessary. For this reason an inspection form was produced which provides a standard systematic approach for inspectors to follow. This form is displayed in Appendix 3.\ud
The development of a risk based methodology for site selection was discussed and a procedure similar in approach to the Geological Survey of Irelands Groundwater Protection Schemes was proposed. The EPA is currently developing a risk based methodology, but it is not available to the general public yet. However, the EPA provided a copy of a paper outlining the key aspects of their methodology. The methodology will use risk maps which take account of the following parameters: housing density, areas with inadequate soil conditions, risk of water pollution through surface and subsurface pathways. Sites identified with having the highest potential risk to human health and the environment shall be inspected first. Based on the research carried out a number of recommendations were made which are outlined in Chapter 10. The principle conclusion was that, if these systems fail to operate satisfactorily, home owners need to understand that these systems dispose of the effluent to the 'ground' and the effluent becomes part of the hydrological cycle; therefore, they are a potential hazard to the environment and human health. It is the owners, their families and their neighbours who will be at most immediate risk
A regional water supply scheme for the Glenamaddy area environmental impact statement
Get PDFThe aim of the EIA is to identify and predict any impacts of consequence; to describe the means and extent by which they can be reduced or ameliorated; to interpret and communicate information about the impacts; and to provide an input into the decision making and planning process. The intention of this research is to do an Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed establishment of a regional water supply scheme for the Glenamaddy area. That is, the study will try to explore mitigating circumstances, so as to protect and enhance the environment to its fullest potential
Defining habitat characteristics influencing the distribution, density and growth of Plaice (Pleuronectes Platessa) and Dab (Limanda Limanda) on west of Ireland nursery grounds
Get PDFPlaice (Pleuronectes platessa, L.) and dab (Limanda limanda, L.) are among the most abundant flatfishes in the north-eastern Atlantic region and the dominant species in shallow coastal nursery grounds. With increasing pressures on commercial flatfish stocks in combination with changing coastal environments, better knowledge of population dynamics during all life stages is needed to evaluate variability in year-class strength and recruitment to the fishery. The aim of this research was to investigate the complex interplay of biotic and abiotic habitat components influencing the distribution, density and growth of plaice and dab during the vulnerable juvenile life stage and to gain insight in spatial and temporal differences in nursery habitat quality along the west coast of Ireland. Intraspecific variability in plaice diet was observed at different spatial scales and showed a link with condition, recent growth and morphology. This highlights the effect of food availability on habitat quality and the need to consider small scale variation when attempting to link habitat quality to feeding, growth and condition of juvenile flatfish. There was evidence of trophic, spatial and temporal resource partitioning between juvenile plaice and dab allowing the co-existence of morphologically similar species in nursery grounds. In the limited survey years there was no evidence that the carrying capacity of the studied nursery grounds was reached but spatial and interannual variations in fish growth indicated fluctuating environments in terms of food availability, predator densities, sediment features and physico-chemical conditions. Predation was the most important factor affecting habitat quality for juvenile plaice and dab with crab densities negatively correlated to fish condition whereas shrimp densities were negatively associated with densities of small-sized juveniles in spring. A comparison of proxies for fish growth showed the advantage of Fulton’s K for routine use whereas RNA:DNA ratios proved less powerful when short-term environmental fluctuations are lacking. This study illustrated how distinct sets of habitat features can drive spatial variation in density and condition of juvenile flatfish highlighting the value of studying both variables when modeling habitat requirements. The habitat models generated in this study also provide a powerful tool to predict potential climate and anthropogenic impacts on the distribution and condition of juveniles in flatfish nurseries. The need for effective coastal zone management was emphasized to ensure a sustainable use of coastal resources and successful flatfish recruitment to the fishery
An experimental investigation of arching in piled embankments and embankments overlying voids
Get PDFSoil arching is a natural phenomenon which occurs in all granular soils as a result of\ud
stress redistribution. This study investigated the arching mechanism in three sands in\ud
a 1:3 experimental model. The degree of soil arching within an embankment is\ud
assumed to be dependent on a number o f factors such properties of the fill material,\ud
the fill density and the height of the embankment and three series of tests were carried\ud
out to determine the effect of these factors on the arching mechanism At slow\ud
settlement rates load transfer occurred instantaneously and maximum load transfer\ud
was achieved after base displacements o f 3-7mm. A faster rate of settlement of the\ud
subsoil increased load transfer initially however as settlement continued this lowered\ud
to a residual load transfer similar in magnitude to the load transfer achieved at slower\ud
settlement rates.\ud
The density index and peak and constant value angles of friction were found to be\ud
governing factors for load transfer and surface displacements. From the load transfer\ud
and displacement data a value for the critical height for each sand was calculated. The\ud
critical height was not a constant but was found to be also dependent on the\ud
geotechnical parameters of the fill material. Base and surface settlements reduced\ud
considerably once the height of the fill was above the critical height, He, however\ud
differential surface settlements were observed in all tests suggesting that zero\ud
differential settlement may only be achieved at fill heights significantly greater that\ud
the critical height, He.\ud
The stress reduction ratio, (SRR) was employed to compare the experimental results\ud
with current design methods. The range for the critical height determined from the\ud
model tests was found to be in close agreement to those stated in the literature by\ud
Terzaghi (1943), Aslam and Ellis (2008), van Eekelen et al (2003) and Na ughton\ud
(2007)
Marketing techniques and SMEs: evidence from Donegal
Get PDFThe purpose of this dissertation was to gain a more profound understanding of the \ud
marketing techniques used by small medium enterprises (SMEs) in Donegal, thus, enhancing \ud
owner/manager’s decision making. By analysing the existing literature it was evident that \ud
research specific to marketing within SMEs was not extensive. Traditionally, marketing \ud
theory has been developed based on studies of larger organisations. This research aims to \ud
be particularly useful to SMEs within Donegal and Ireland, with regards to the usage levels \ud
of marketing and the true value achieved from such usage. A mixed methods approach of \ud
data collection was adopted which included semi-structured interviews with \ud
owner/managers of SMEs in Donegal and questionnaires were conducted at the “Donegal \ud
Enterprise Week” held on the 5th\ud
to 9th\ud
of March 2012. The study’s main focus was on areas \ud
of interest to students and SMEs such as marketing knowledge, perception and \ud
performance. Thus, the importance of marketing and owner/managers opinions are \ud
discussed in order to give a true understanding of the level of marketing undertaken by \ud
SMEs in Donegal. The findings indicated positive feelings towards marketing and showed \ud
that owner/managers play a dominant role in making key decisions. The results also showed \ud
the lack of financial resources SMEs face in Donegal, and also the lack of employing \ud
graduates which was disappointing. A number of areas discussed may help managers in \ud
making some key marketing decisions to aid business performanc
Open innovation: the case of the Innovation Value Institute (IVI) Service Innovation Yearbook.
No full textOver the last decade, significant research has emerged in two areas related to innovation: firstly at the macroeconomic level with the debate on the role and composition of national innovation systems (NIS) and secondly at the operations level with the argument that enterprises must move from ‘closed innovation’ to ‘open innovation’ models. The aim of this paper is to examine a case of the practical implementation of open innovation, i.e. the Innovation Value Institute (IVI). Furthermore, the IVI is a ‘triple-helix’ collaboration between actors drawn from academic, industrial and public service sectors with a focus on one important technology for practitioners and for the region; the management of Information Technology