Unit 49 Systems Integration (D/618/7485) Assignment Brief 2026

Unit 49 Systems Integration Assignment Brief 2026

Introduction

Large organisations and businesses are composed of different functional areas, such as finance, HR, customer management, engineering services, product manufacturing, storage and warehousing. These functional areas carry out different operations in order to fulfil the goals of the business and often use a variety of different IT systems, for example stock control, accounts, human resources, from a range of different suppliers and vendors to service their needs. The success of any large business or enterprise in achieving its goals depends on the ability of IT systems to communicate effectively with each other. However, IT systems from different vendors or suppliers often use different hardware and/or software platforms and services, creating the need for systems integration.

This unit introduces students to enterprise business requirements and the need for and purpose of systems integration to support organisational goals. Students will gather and review business objectives with the aim of developing a systems specification document. As part of a feasibility analysis, students will evaluate factors and issues affecting the successful completion of integration, including describing and documenting the functional architecture and design of a system. Students will explore the hardware and software technologies used to connect systems and subsystems and will establish an integration methodology to design and implement an integrated solution. Students will also investigate and compare different cloud service models and evaluate deployment methods, considering their effect on systems integration.

Among the topics included in this unit are: enterprise business objectives, purpose and operation of systems integration, systems specification documents, feasibility analysis, risk assessments, architectural development, hardware and software technologies for systems integration, operational configuration, systems integration design framework, design, development and deployment of a systems integration solution, quality assurance, cloud services as a systems integration provision, cloud service models and different deployment models, such as private and public cloud services.

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to analyse systems integration requirements in terms of business objectives. They will know how to investigate different hardware and software systems in terms of connectivity, communication and data transfer, and be able to prepare a suitable integrated solution based on a set of business requirements. They will also be able to compare a range of cloud computing providers and evaluate their services. As a result, students will develop skills such as communication literacy, critical thinking, analysis, reasoning and interpretation, which are crucial for gaining employment and developing academic competence.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit students will be able to:

LO1 Analyse systems integration requirements in terms of business objectives

LO2 Investigate different hardware and software systems in terms of connectivity, communication and data transfer

LO3 Prepare a suitable integrated solution based on a set of business requirements

LO4 Compare a range of cloud computing providers and evaluate their services in terms of the impact on systems integration.

Essential Content

LO1 Analyse systems integration requirements in terms of business objectives

Identification of business objectives:

The purpose and operation of ‘systems integration’.

Interpreting business needs from different functional areas and departments.

Developing a systems specification document, including establishing and that ensuring requirements can be met.

The concept of non-functional requirements, including security, availability, scalability, and manageability.

Feasibility analysis:

Use of risk assessments to evaluate issues threatening the successful completion of integrating systems, including identifying any reasonable steps necessary to prevent or mitigate issues.

Appropriate risk mitigation strategy, including assuming and accepting some risk, avoidance of risk, control of risk, transference of risk and watching and monitoring risk.

Architectural development, including describing and documenting the functional architecture and design of the system and specifying all technical requirements and capabilities.

LO2 Investigate different hardware and software systems in terms of connectivity, communication and data transfer

Exploration of hardware and software technologies:

Research hardware and software servers, technologies, platforms and services impacted by the systems integration process.

Methods of connecting systems and subsystems, including custom software services and development.

Establishment of a systems integration methodology:

Operational configuration, including exploring requirements, information needs and facilitating data transfer and communication.

Identifying and tracking issues for problem resolution and fault detection, including diagnosing type and location.

Implementing a design framework, including using top-down and bottom-up methodologies.

LO3 Prepare a suitable integrated solution based on a set of business requirements

Integrated systems solution document:

Based on using existing systems specification and risk assessment documents, including illustrated design diagrams and details on information flow.

Detailed integrated systems solution including fully annotated diagrams, details on information flow, risk, redundant systems, back-ups, security, connectivity, deployment and testing.

Establishment of a strategic approach:

Analysis of functional architecture and technical capabilities against a specification document, to determine the probability of successfully developing (and deploying) an effective integrated solution.

Establishment of a management strategy based on business needs.

System design, development and deployment:

Design, development and monitoring of an integrated system.

Quality Assurance, including deploying and testing an integrated system.

Evaluation of system functionality, including documentation, maintenance and upgrades.

LO4 Compare a range of cloud computing providers and evaluate their services in terms of the impact on systems integration

Investigation and comparison of cloud service models:

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service).

PaaS (Platform as a Service).

SaaS (Software as a Service).

Investigation and comparison of deployment models:

Private, public and hybrid clouds and issues including security, privacy and constraints.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Recommended Resources

Textbooks

Erl, T., Mahmood, Z. and Puttini, R. (2014) Cloud Computing: Concepts, Technology & Architecture. USA: Prentice Hall.

Paul, D., Yeates, D. and Cadle, J. (2020) Business Analysis. 4th edn. UK: BCS.

Poulton, N. (2016) CompTIA Server + Study Guide: Exam SK0-004. USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Links

This unit links to the following related unit:

Unit 28: Cloud Computing.

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