DeVry Computing Technology, Essay Example

DeVry, Inc. is a publicly-traded company that owns many subsidiary organizations including DeVry University, Keller Graduate School and the Becker Review.  This organization uses many different types of hardware and software in its computing technology to ensure the proper efficiency for the entire organization.  Because of the complexities surrounding the differences between Macintosh and PC computers, DeVry has decided to utilize only PC computer in all of their buildings.  Even coursework performed by the online students must be from a PC computer that has a fully-functional version of Microsoft Windows XP or greater.  In addition, each student, staff and faculty member must also use Microsoft Office 2007 in order to avoid any potential compatibility issues with previous versions of the software.

Each individual campus or office building also has a password-protected networking system that is closely monitored by a universal antivirus program and spyware removal tool.  This software varies by location per the experience and preferences of the IT personnel that work at each building.  One universal issue that DeVry has failed to respond to is their networking and internet capacities for their online courses.  Each course has unlimited storage capacity for the submissions of papers and projects by the students and faculty.  However, this is performed through a third-party web servicing company that receives none of the consequences from a poorly-functional system.  There have been common recurring problems with the DeVry online student portal at DevryU.net that often are not working.  This causes several frustrations for students, staff and faculty associated with the student portal and it lowers the reputation and student retention for these schools.

To assist in this issue as well as the Macintosh problem, the company should seek to find another third-party service provider or to hire an IT personnel department to manually create and install their own server so that these problems can be dealt with on site immediately.  Furthermore, additional research should be spent on creating an interactive and compatible server that allows for students to use Macintosh software and programming.  Many of the same Microsoft Office programs that are required for PC users are available for Macintosh computers.  The main struggle comes from the IT courses where students are asked to create programming and other projects that are specifically available only to PC users.  By solving this problem, it provides greater opportunities for a larger population to enroll in DeVry courses as well as increases the technology reputation for the school and company.

References

Devry Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.devryinc.com/corporate_information/history.jsp

Online options | technical specs | devry university. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.devry.edu/online-options/technical-specs.jsp