Components of E-Business

Architecture Framework
The core E-Business consists of:

MBA FT- 7601

Managing E-Business

Weekly
Assignment - 3
Submitted By:
Aayush Goyal
F19-166
Contents
Components of E-Business Architecture
Framework ........................................................ 1
I. The Common Business Service
Infrastructure ................................................ 1
II. Messaging and Information Distribution
Infrastructure ................................................ 2
III. Content Development & Publishing
Infrastructure ................................................ 2
IV. Deployment & Distribution
Infrastructure ................................................ 2
V. Application Layer..................................... 3
I. The Common Business Service
Infrastructure
This consists of 6 main elements, which are
defined as below:
a. Security
Security is one of the major concerns while
conducting business on internet. Majorly,
encryption is used to help secure data.
Firewalls, proxies and other services are used
to help protect the applications. Virus
detection and spam filters are also used.
HTTPS (HTTP with SSL) is used to encrypt
data to ensure its integrity and safety. Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL) is a standard for secure
interactions use on the Web. It uses a
combination of private key encryption and
digital signatures. Concerns remain for e-
commerce transactions since there are
numerous examples of data and privacy issues.
b. Authentication
Authentication is the security process of
verifying that a user is who he or she says they

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are. Passwords are the most common type of
authentication. Digital signatures are now
gaining popularity for authenticating
transmitted information. They take place of
ordinary signatures in online transactions to
prove that the sender of message is who he or
she claims to be. They are also sent in
encrypted form to ensure they have not been
forged.
c. Encryption
Encryption systems translate data into a secret
code (multiple types of encryption used).
Encryption systems include 4 main
components: Plaintext, the unencrypted
message; an encryption algorithm that works
like the locking mechanism to a safe; a key that
works like the safe’s combination; Ciphertext
is produced from the plaintext message by the
encryption function; Decryption is the same
process in reverse but it does not always use
the same key or algorithm.
d. Electronic Payments
It is a way of making transactions for goods
and services via electronic medium. Several
payment methods are used by businesses to
make and receive payments on the Internet.
These methods are basically the equivalent of
off-line payment methods. A few of the most
popular types: Credit Cards, E-Cash, Virtual
Terminals, Transaction Processors, Internet
Checking, Electronic Funds Transfer, etc.
e. Search Engines
Search engines are used to index the contents
of the Internet to locate specific information.
Each search engine performs 3 tasks: Crawling,
Indexing and Creating Results. Managers
should pay attention to search engines as they
provide useful and extensive access to
information. They can also provide the
visibility.
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f. Web Services & Personalization
A web service is a standardized way of
integrating web-based applications so that
organizations can share data transparently.
Web services are the basic building blocks of
the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). They
are excellent for integrating systems across
organizational boundaries.
Personalization involves a process of gathering
user information during interaction with the
user, which is then used to deliver appropriate
content and services, tailor made to user’s
needs.
II. Messaging and Information
Distribution Infrastructure
This second building block of supporting
framework for e-commerce includes e-mail,
instant messaging, Voice over IP (VoIP),
point-to-point file transfers (FTP), and
groupware though E-mail is still largest use in
this area. ISP (Internet Service Provider)
connects the user to the Internet.
III. Content Development &
Publishing Infrastructure
It permits organization to publish a full range
of text and multimedia. There are three key
elements of web, URL, Network Protocol
and Standard Mark-up Language
(HTML). E.g. of materials transported
include Audio, Video, Graphics, Text, Photos,
Applications, etc.
IV. Deployment & Distribution
Infrastructure
The lowest level of building block of
supporting framework for e-business includes
data communications circuits over which
information travels. It consists of:
a. Packet-switched networking
(telephony is circuit-switched)
 b. Packets contain overhead information
including addressing
They are also routed, like mail, all of which
flows across Internet backbones. Newer
Internet access technologies include wireless
access, cable access and DSL.
V. Application Layer
The principal purpose of this layer is to provide
web access to applications supporting the
business processes. E-business applications are
web-based applications that can be
implemented to perform tasks for businesses.
These applications are not just for online
businesses, but also for traditional ones. E-
business applications usually rely on
relationships between company servers and
end user computers. Common e-business
applications provide some way for a company
to interact with consumers on the web or to
perform tasks related to meeting consumer
needs (such as online tracking of postal
shipments).