Reference no: EM133933135 , Length: Word Count:5000

Emerging Technology and Cloud Computing

Assessment Brief

In this assignment, you will write a report based on the needs of a manufacturing company. Your report will focus on the use of emerging technologies, big data, and cloud computing.

Your report will involve first analysing two emerging technologies that can support the company in achieving their goals. You will then propose a cloud-based architecture that enables the collection, storage, and analysis of equipment-related data. Finally, you will analyse the risks and issues faced by the project as well as explaining the strengths and weaknesses of your proposal.

K1: Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of emerging technologies as they apply to business.
C1: Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to design and evaluate Big Data architecture solutions that integrate emerging technologies, addressing real-world business challenges.
P1: Critically assess the ethical considerations, potential risks, and resource requirements associated with designing and deploying Big Data architectures that leverage emerging technologies. Get top-notch online assignment help.
T1: Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of various emerging technologies and big data storage solutions and their application to business strategy.
Throughout your report, you should:
Demonstrate appropriate academic skills, including clear structure, well-reasoned judgments, intellectual originality, and coherence.
Use references to support your arguments, following the required Harvard referencing format.
Use personal research skills to find additional sources and critically assess their relevance to your findings.

Scenario Overview
Background
AlwaysUp Ltd. is a manufacturing company specialised in producing power electric equipment for buildings and installations which require continuous, reliable electricity because even a brief outage can lead to critical failures.
The company has seen significant success in the UK market, where it offers its equipment to hospitals and healthcare facilities (ICUs and operating theatres rely on uninterrupted power for life-support machines, surgical equipment, and lighting), airports and air traffic control (power reliability is essential for radar, communication, security, and logistics), Telecommunications Networks (mobile phone towers, internet infrastructure, and other communication systems require constant power to maintain connectivity for individuals and businesses) and Data Centers and Tech Infrastructure (they house servers that manage everything from banking systems to streaming services).
AlwaysUp Ltd. products range from Backup Power Systems (e.g. diesel or gas generators, uninterruptible power supplies - UPS, and battery energy storage systems - BESS) to electrical infrastructure (e.g. surge protection devices, isolation transformers and redundant circuits and switchgear.
AlwaysUp Ltd. has been growing considerably in recent years and is now exploring new avenues for growth. To date, its products have been primarily focused on the UK market. However, the senior management is considering partnerships with distributors in Europe. By collaborating with local European distributors, AlwaysUp Ltd. aims to expand its reach and provide 24/7 electricity supply equipment to underserved markets on a larger scale. They intend to do this across European markets with an eventual plan for global reach. This shift marks a pivotal moment in the company's growth strategy, as it seeks to address the evolving needs of sectors with a critical dependency of electricity supply.
As AlwaysUp Ltd. looks to scale its services and expand into new regions, it faces several challenges. These include managing increasing volumes of equipment data, ensuring secure and seamless sharing of clients' information across partners, and providing personalised support service at scale.
The SafeCloud Project
To support its expansion and meet the growing demands of its user base, AlwaysUp Ltd. has initiated the SafeCloud project. The project's aim is to enhance AlwaysUp Ltd.'s infrastructure by integrating advanced data management and analysis capabilities into its platform.
As part of this initiative, AlwaysUp Ltd. intends to incorporate a range of emerging technologies to improve real-time remote equipment monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and maintenance. Additionally, the company plans to transition its entire infrastructure to the cloud, enabling greater flexibility, scalability, and security.
Goals and Objectives
The primary objectives of the SafeCloud project include:
Real-Time Remote Equipment Monitoring: Enabling continuous monitoring and data collection from equipment across countries to provide clients with critical infrastructure with timely and accurate information of their electricity supply backup equipment.
Personalised Preventive Maintenance: Using collected data to generate individual maintenance plans, predict potential component failure risks, and offer tailored preventive repair interventions.

Data Security and Compliance: Ensuring that all client's equipment and installation data is securely stored, processed, and shared in accordance with appropriate regulations and best practices.
AlwaysUp Ltd. has engaged various distributors, technology partners, and data specialists to implement the project. However, the company faces critical decisions regarding the technologies and infrastructure required to support these ambitious goals.

Stakeholders
AlwaysUp Ltd.'s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) are leading the project, overseeing the integration of emerging technologies and the migration to cloud infrastructure. They are supported by the Chief Operations Officer (COO), who ensures that the technological advancements align with policies and standards of the different market sectors they serve.
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is also closely involved, overseeing budgetary concerns and evaluating the financial sustainability of the project. Furthermore, data privacy and security are top priorities, and as such, the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) and the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will be critical in addressing regulatory compliance and ensuring that clients data remains secure throughout the project's lifecycle.

Your Role
As an Emerging Technologies and Cloud Solution Consultant, you are tasked with supporting AlwaysUp Ltd. in selecting and implementing the appropriate technologies and solutions that will enable them to meet the objectives of the SafeCloud project. Your report should critically evaluate the emerging technologies and cloud solutions that could be integrated into AlwaysUp Ltd.'s platform, helping the company overcome its challenges and fulfil its goals.
The summative assessment consists of four tasks, which should be addressed as part of a formal business report. For the formative assessment you will produce an initial draft of the report, as well as a critical analysis of an AI- generated attempt at the assessment.

Summative Assessment
Your summative submission (a single file, 5000 words) will be a written report aimed at senior management within AlwaysUp Ltd. In your report, you must:
Identify and evaluate relevant emerging technologies;
Propose a cloud-based architecture for the big data solution;
Analyse how the solution could meet the requirements;
Appraise the key issues involved in the deployment of cloud-based big data systems for this scenario.
This report should be clearly articulated within the relevant context, and you should use a range of appropriate academic sources to support your arguments. Your report must address the following tasks in full.

Task 1: Emerging Technologies in a Business Context (Ref: K1)
Task Description:
Propose and critically evaluate two emerging technologies that could help AlwaysUp Ltd. address its objectives and challenges in the SafeCloud project.
Guidelines:
Select two ETs that can improve AlwaysUp Ltd.'s support and equipment care services.
Evaluate each technology's potential benefits and limitations in the manufacturing sector.
Use real-world examples to support your evaluation.

Task 2: Designing and Evaluating Big Data Architecture Solutions (Ref: C1)
Task Description:
Propose a big data architecture solution (cloud platform) that integrates the two selected emerging technologies and supports AlwaysUp Ltd.'s objectives.
Guidelines:
Propose a cloud-based architecture that integrates the two ETs.
Include an architecture diagram of your proposed solution.
Evaluate the solution's scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness.
Discuss how the solution supports real-time data processing and decision-making.

Task 3: Data Protection, Ethical, Risk, and Resource Assessment (Ref: P1)
Task Description:
Assess the ethical considerations, risks, and resource requirements associated with the implementation of your big data solution.
Guidelines:
Identify data protection and ethical issues related to the use of your identified emerging technologies in the SafeCloud project.
Discuss the risks that AlwaysUp Ltd. will face when implementing the project.
Outline the resources needed.

Task 4: Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses (Ref: T1)
Task Description:
Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of your proposed project, which combines the two selected emerging technologies with the Big Data architecture solution, and how they apply to AlwaysUp Ltd.'s business strategy. Guidelines:
Identify the strengths of integrating the two emerging technologies with the big data solution.
Discuss the weaknesses or challenges.
Evaluate how the combination of these technologies supports AlwaysUp Ltd.'s strategic goals.

Conclusion, Referencing and Appendices
You must finish your report with a conclusion and propose a route forward for AlwaysUp Ltd. that is based on your findings.
Citations and references should be provided to demonstrate the academic research you have undertaken in your report.
Citations should be presented throughout the main text in Harvard style.
Include a list of references at the end of your report, in Harvard style.

Appendices may be included at the end of the report, if you believe these are necessary to support your work.
References, citations and appendices do not count towards the word limit.

Part 1: Draft Report (750 words)
Prepare a draft report, following suitable academic practices and using a professional writing style. At a minimum, your draft should outline the following in the context of the above scenario:
The two technologies that you propose for adoption by AlwaysUp Ltd.
A critical evaluation of the value these two technologies bring to the organisation.
Any data protection and ethical considerations that could arise as a result of implementing these technologies.
The strengths and weaknesses that AlwaysUp Ltd. will face as a result of implementing the new technologies.

Part 2: Analysis of AI Response (250 words)
The text that follows is a response that was generated by a popular piece of AI software, Microsoft Copilot. The prompt asked the AI to draft a response to Task 1 of the summative assessment.
Write a critical analysis that evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the response in relation to the AlwaysUp Ltd. SafeCloud project brief. Consider aspects such as:
How well the response addresses the specific context and challenges of AlwaysUp Ltd.
The depth and balance of the analysis of the technologies discussed.
The relevance and effectiveness of examples used.
Any important areas or details that might be missing or underdeveloped. Use evidence from the text to support your points.