Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management

(SLITHM)

Computer Studies

HOUSKEEPING OPERATIONS
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL

Version 1.0
Communication Devices

A communication device is a hardware device capable of transmitting an analog or digital signal

over the telephone, other communication wire, or wirelessly.

Communication device examples

Bluetooth devices
Infrared devices
Modem (over phone line)
Network card (using Ethernet)
Smartphone
Wi-Fi devices (using a Wi-Fi router)
(PCI Desktop Card/ USB WiFI Dongle)

Video and other resources;

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/communication-devices.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu5rm5vyIIA&t=136s

Introduction to Computer networks

History of the computer network

Short for (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), ARPANET or ARPAnet began
development in 1966 by the United States ARPA. ARPANET was a Wide Area Network linking
many Universities and research centers, was first to use packet switching, and was the
beginning of what we consider the Internet today. ARPANET was created to make it easier for
people to access computers, improve computer equipment, and to have a more effective
communication method for the military.

Types of computer networks

A computer network is a group of computers linked to each other that enables the computer to
communicate with another computer and share their resources, data, and applications.

A computer network can be categorized by their size. A computer network is mainly of four
types:

• LAN(Local Area Network)

• PAN(Personal Area Network)
• MAN(Metropolitan Area Network)
• WAN(Wide Area Network)
LAN (Local Area Network)

• Local Area Network is a group of computers

connected to each other in a small area such as
building, office.
• LAN is used for connecting two or more personal
computers through a communication medium such
as twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
• It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive
hardware such as hubs, network adapters, and
ethernet cables.
• The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate
in Local Area Network.
• Local Area Network provides higher security.

PAN (Personal Area Network)

• Personal Area Network is a network arranged

within an individual person, typically within a
range of 10 meters.
• Personal Area Network is used for connecting the
computer devices of personal use is known as
Personal Area Network.
• Personal Area Network covers an area of 30 feet.
• Personal computer devices that are used to
develop the personal area network are the laptop,
mobile phones, media player and play stations.
• Wired and Wireless are the two type of PAN’s

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

• A metropolitan area network is a network that covers a larger geographic area by

interconnecting a different LAN to form a larger network.
• Government agencies use MAN to connect to the citizens and private industries.
• In MAN, various LANs are connected to each other through a telephone exchange line.
• The most widely used protocols in MAN are RS-232, Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN, OC-3,
ADSL, etc.
• It has a higher range than Local Area Network (LAN).
WAN (Wide Area Network)

• A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a

large geographical area such as states or countries.
• A Wide Area Network is quite bigger network than the
LAN.
• A Wide Area Network is not limited to a single location,
but it spans over a large geographical area through a
telephone line, fibre optic cable or satellite links.
• The internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world.
• A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of
Business, government, and education.

References:

Lesson 4 - NETWORKS - TEACHING COMPUTER NETWORKING (google.com)

Network Topologies

A Network Topology is the arrangement/layout with which computer systems or network

devices are connected to each other. Topologies may define both physical and logical aspect of
the network.

BUS Topology

• The bus topology is designed in such a way that all the stations are connected through a
single cable known as a backbone cable.
• Each node is either connected to the backbone cable by drop cable or directly connected
to the backbone cable.
• When a node wants to send a message over the network, it puts a message over the
network. All the stations available in the network will receive the message whether it has
been addressed or not.
• The configuration of a bus topology is quite simpler as compared to other topologies.
• The backbone cable is considered as a "single lane" through which the message is
broadcast to all the stations.

Advantages of Bus topology:

• Low-cost cable
• Moderate data speeds
• Limited failure

Disadvantages of Bus topology:

• Extensive cabling
• Difficult troubleshooting
 • Signal interference
• Reconfiguration difficult

Ring topology

In this topology, all computers connect in a circle. Each computer directly connects to two other
computers in the network. Data moves down a one-way path from one computer to another.
When data signals pass from one computer to the next, each computer regenerates the signals.
Since the signals are regenerated on each passing computer, the quality of the signals remains
constant throughout the ring.

The following image shows a typical ring topology.

Advantages :

• It does not use terminators.

• It is relatively easy to troubleshoot.
• Since data flows only in one direction, there is no collision in the network.

Disadvantages :

• It uses more cables.

• It is too expensive.
• A single break in the cable can bring the entire network down.

Star topology

In this topology, all computers connect to a centralized networking device. Usually, a

networking switch or a Hub (in earlier days) is used as the centralized device. Each computer in
the network uses its own separate twisted pair cable to connect to the switch. The twisted-pair
cable uses RJ-45 connectors on both ends.
The following image shows an example of the star topology.

Advantages

• It is easy to install.
• Relocating computers is easier than other topologies.
• Since each computer uses its separate cable, a fault in the cable does affect other
computers of the network.
• Troubleshooting is relatively easy.
• It provides a higher data transfer speed.

Disadvantages

• It uses more cables than other topologies.

• If the centralized device fails, it brings the entire network down.
• The total installation cost is higher than the other topologies.
• Use the twisted pair cable which is prone to break.
• Too many cables make the network messy.

Mesh topology

Mesh topologies are employed when network communication dependability is critical: military
organizations frequently use mesh topologies to avoid communication breakdowns. Wireless
mesh networks are increasingly being used by cities to monitor traffic flow, sewage treatment,
and street lighting control.
Advantages of Mesh Topology:

• Mesh topologies are dependable and stable, and the network’s high level of
interconnection makes it resistant to failure Advantages
• In the network, if any one of the devices fails then it does not cause any break to data
transmission.
• Including extra devices does not interrupt the transmission of data among other devices.
• This topology high traffic as several devices can broadcast data simultaneously.

Disadvantages of Mesh Topology:

• Mesh topology is more expensive to implement than other topologies.

• It’s difficult to develop, maintain, and it takes a long time.
• The possibility of making unneeded connections is great.

Computer Network Architecture

Computer Network Architecture is defined as the physical and logical design of the software,
hardware, protocols, and media of the transmission of data. Simply we can say that how
computers are organized and how tasks are allocated to the computer.

The two types of network architectures are used:

 1. Peer-To-Peer network
• Peer-To-Peer network is a network in which all the computers are linked together
with equal privilege and responsibilities for processing the data.
• Peer-To-Peer network is useful for small environments, usually up to 10 computers.
• Peer-To-Peer network has no dedicated server.
• Special permissions are assigned to each computer for sharing the resources, but
this can lead to a problem if the computer with the resource is down.

Advantages Of Peer-To-Peer Network:

• It is less costly as it does not contain any dedicated server.
• If one computer stops working but, other computers will not stop working.
• It is easy to set up and maintain as each computer manages itself.

Disadvantages Of Peer-To-Peer Network:

• In the case of Peer-To-Peer network, it does not contain the centralized system .
Therefore, it cannot back up the data as the data is different in different
locations.
• It has a security issue as the device is managed itself.
 2. Client/Server Network

• Client/Server network is a network model designed for the end users called clients,
to access the resources such as songs, video, etc. from a central computer known as
Server.
• The central controller is known as a server while all other computers in the network
are called clients.
• A server performs all the major operations such as security and network
management.
• A server is responsible for managing all the resources such as files, directories,
printer, etc.
• All the clients communicate with each other through a server. For example, if client1
wants to send some data to client 2, then it first sends the request to the server for
the permission. The server sends the response to the client 1 to initiate its
communication with the client 2.

Advantages Of Client/Server network:

• A Client/Server network contains the centralized system. Therefore, we can back up the
data easily.
• A Client/Server network has a dedicated server that improves the overall performance of
the whole system.
• Security is better in Client/Server network as a single server administers the shared
resources.
• It also increases the speed of the sharing resources.

Disadvantages Of Client/Server network:

• Client/Server network is expensive as it requires the server with large memory.
• A server has a Network Operating System (NOS) to provide the resources to the clients,
but the cost of NOS is very high.
• It requires a dedicated network administrator to manage all the resources.

Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqJ8jz7lwns
Network Cables - Types
• Transmission media carry signals between computers
• Can be divided into two broad categories:

Cable-based/Guided media: the signal are guided along a solid medium

• Twisted-pair cable
– Consists of two conductors (normally copper), each with its own
plastic insulation, twisted together.
– Two types
▪ Unshielded Twisted-Pair cable (UTP)
▪ Shielded Twisted-Pair cable (STP)

RJ 45 Connector

• Coaxial cable: - uses copper wire to conduct the signals electronically

BNC Connector
 • Fiber-optic cable: - uses glass or plastic conductor and transmits the
signals as light

Reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OryAzEL0_Kw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgOkvIHKgXQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH-pTvkrK9w

What is Open source Software?

Open-source software (OSS) is software that is distributed with its source code, making it
available for use, modification, and distribution with its original rights.

Benefits of using open-source software

Flexibility.

The software can be customized to meet specific business needs. Engineers can write more
code to add an extra functionality and vice versa – delete unnecessary parts.

Stability.

You can use this product for long-term projects with confidence because it won’t disappear
from the market or become outdated if its authors stop working on it. The user community will
take care of an open source software.

Security and reliability.

Numerous people with different skill levels may work on the same software, which may lead to
code inconsistency. That’s when the culture of open source is beneficial. Other developers from
around the world can review, fix, and update this code. The faster code review, the more
secure and reliable the software is. Authors and users improve a solution because they need it
to perform well.

Easier evaluation.

What you (or your developers) see is what you get. Full transparency of a source code allows
your team to examine and evaluate a product learning about its capabilities and flaws.

Better support.

As an OSS user, you have more ways of getting technical advice and support: from a vendor, a
consultancy company specializing in this exact product, or from other users that are ready to
share their experience and knowledge across forums or mailing lists.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Open Source Software

Advantages :
• Boosts Innovation
• High-end reliability
• Cultivates Better Learning
• Simple Bug Removal and Tracking

Disadvantages:
• Slightly Risky
• Lower customized support
• Not user-friendly

Property Management System

A property management system (PMS) is a software application for the operations of hospitality
accommodations and commercial residential rental properties. PMS is also used in
manufacturing industries, local government and manufacturing. A property management system
is sometimes referred to as a hotel operating system or hotel OS.

PMS provides a centralized computer system to organize, schedule and perform the day-to-day
functions and transactions involved in accommodations businesses. Computer record keeping
and PMS have increased the efficiency of hospitality industries significantly simply by making it
possible to update and consult centralized records from multiple computers and devices. PMS
solutions have been customized for the needs of the hospitality industry to further increase
ease of operations.
Functions managed by a PMS include automation of many common tasks, including:

• Bookings
• Check-in and check-out
• Telephone systems integration
• Point of sale (POS) integration
• Event planning
• Food and beverage costing
• Hotel inventory supply management
• Reporting of key performance indicators (KPI)
• Security and room locks

References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jz689rY7uo&t=3s

https://www.protel.net/cloud-pms/housekeeping/

Energy Management System

An energy management system (EMS) is software that allows you to control and monitor your
electric utilities and electricity-consuming devices. For example, an energy management system
could control your hotel’s HVAC systems that are present in each guestroom. The EMS gives
you insight into energy usage so you can reduce your consumption and utility costs while
maximizing functionality and comfort.

References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vboJPsKj4vs