Transparent and secure remote network storage system using an untrusted server

Työssä kehitettin läpinäkyvä Internet Small Computer Systems Interface-verkkolevyä (iSCSI) käyttävä varmistusjärjestelmä. Verkkolevyn sisältö suojattiin asiakaspään salauskerroksella (dm-crypt). Järjestely mahdollisti sen, että verkkolevylle tallennetut varmuuskopiot pysyivät luottamuksellisina, vaikka levypalvelinta tarjoava taho oli joko epäluotettava tai suorastaan vihamielinen. Järjestelmän hyötykäyttöä varten kehitettiin helppokäyttöinen prototyyppisovellus. Järjestelmän riskit ja haavoittuvuudet käytiin läpi ja analysoitiin. Järjestelmälle tehtiin myös karkea kryptoanalyysi sen teknistenominaisuuksien pohjalta. Suorituskykymittaukset tehtiin sekä salatulle että salaamattomalle iSCSI-liikenteelle. Näistä todettiin, että salauksen vaikutus suorituskykyyn oli häviävän pieni jopa 100 megabittiä sekunnissa siirtävillä verkkonopeuksilla. Lisäksi pohdittiin teknologian muita sovelluskohteita ja tulevia tutkimusalueita.

R&D Performance Analysis: Case Studies on the Challenges and Promotion of the Evaluation and Measurement of R&D

Due to the intense international competition, demanding, and sophisticated customers, and diverse transforming technological change, organizations need to renew their products and services by allocating resources on research and development (R&D). Managing R&D is complex, but vital for many organizations to survive in the dynamic, turbulent environment. Thus, the increased interest among decision-makers towards finding the right performance measures for R&D is understandable. The measures or evaluation methods of R&D performance can be utilized for multiple purposes; for strategic control, for justifying the existence of R&D, for providing information and improving activities, as well as for the purposes of motivating and benchmarking. The earlier research in the field of R&D performance analysis has generally focused on either the activities and considerable factors and dimensions - e.g. strategic perspectives, purposes of measurement, levels of analysis, types of R&D or phases of R&D process - prior to the selection of R&Dperformance measures, or on proposed principles or actual implementation of theselection or design processes of R&D performance measures or measurement systems. This study aims at integrating the consideration of essential factors anddimensions of R&D performance analysis to developed selection processes of R&D measures, which have been applied in real-world organizations. The earlier models for corporate performance measurement that can be found in the literature, are to some extent adaptable also to the development of measurement systemsand selecting the measures in R&D activities. However, it is necessary to emphasize the special aspects related to the measurement of R&D performance in a way that make the development of new approaches for especially R&D performance measure selection necessary: First, the special characteristics of R&D - such as the long time lag between the inputs and outcomes, as well as the overall complexity and difficult coordination of activities - influence the R&D performance analysis problems, such as the need for more systematic, objective, balanced and multi-dimensional approaches for R&D measure selection, as well as the incompatibility of R&D measurement systems to other corporate measurement systems and vice versa. Secondly, the above-mentioned characteristics and challenges bring forth the significance of the influencing factors and dimensions that need to be recognized in order to derive the selection criteria for measures and choose the right R&D metrics, which is the most crucial step in the measurement system development process. The main purpose of this study is to support the management and control of the research and development activities of organizations by increasing the understanding of R&D performance analysis, clarifying the main factors related to the selection of R&D measures and by providing novel types of approaches and methods for systematizing the whole strategy- and business-based selection and development process of R&D indicators.The final aim of the research is to support the management in their decision making of R&D with suitable, systematically chosen measures or evaluation methods of R&D performance. Thus, the emphasis in most sub-areas of the present research has been on the promotion of the selection and development process of R&D indicators with the help of the different tools and decision support systems, i.e. the research has normative features through providing guidelines by novel types of approaches. The gathering of data and conducting case studies in metal and electronic industry companies, in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, and in non-profit organizations helped us to formulate a comprehensive picture of the main challenges of R&D performance analysis in different organizations, which is essential, as recognition of the most importantproblem areas is a very crucial element in the constructive research approach utilized in this study. Multiple practical benefits regarding the defined problemareas could be found in the various constructed approaches presented in this dissertation: 1) the selection of R&D measures became more systematic when compared to the empirical analysis, as it was common that there were no systematic approaches utilized in the studied organizations earlier; 2) the evaluation methods or measures of R&D chosen with the help of the developed approaches can be more directly utilized in the decision-making, because of the thorough consideration of the purpose of measurement, as well as other dimensions of measurement; 3) more balance to the set of R&D measures was desired and gained throughthe holistic approaches to the selection processes; and 4) more objectivity wasgained through organizing the selection processes, as the earlier systems were considered subjective in many organizations. Scientifically, this dissertation aims to make a contribution to the present body of knowledge of R&D performance analysis by facilitating dealing with the versatility and challenges of R&D performance analysis, as well as the factors and dimensions influencing the selection of R&D performance measures, and by integrating these aspects to the developed novel types of approaches, methods and tools in the selection processes of R&D measures, applied in real-world organizations. In the whole research, facilitation of dealing with the versatility and challenges in R&D performance analysis, as well as the factors and dimensions influencing the R&D performance measure selection are strongly integrated with the constructed approaches. Thus, the research meets the above-mentioned purposes and objectives of the dissertation from the scientific as well as from the practical point of view.

High Performance Electrical Drive System for a Biomechanical Test and Rehabilitation Equipment

Suunniteltiin ja rakennettiin suoraa vääntömomenttisäätöä soveltava taajuudenmuuttajakäyttö oikosulkumoottorin ohjaukseen korvaamaan passiivinen jarrukäyttö. Laite on kuntoutuslaite, jolla tehdään lihasvoiman mittauksia ja voimaharjoituksia. Selvitettiin kaupallisten moottoreiden ja taajuudenmuuttajien suoritusominaisuuksia ja tämän perusteella valittiin käyttöön sopivat laitteet. Työssä esitetään kaksi oikosulkumoottorin ohjaustapaa: vektorisäätö ja suora vääntömomenttisäätö. Merkittävin osa tästä työstä käsittelee - tarkan turvallisuussuunnitelman lisäksi - kuntoutuslaitteen prototyypin komponentteja, kokoamista ja suoritustestien tuloksia.

Tasapainotettu tuloskortti energiayhtiön strategisena työvälineenä

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli suunnitella ja toteuttaa tasapainotetun mittariston rakentamisprojekti Kotkan Energia Oy:ssä. Mittaristosta oli tarkoitus luoda ylimmän johdon käyttöön työväline, jota voidaan hyödyntää suorituskyvyn seuraamisen lisäksi myös organisaation strategisessa ohjauksessa. Rakennetun mittariston perustana käytettiin Kaplanin ja Nortonin kehittämää Balanced Scorecardia, jossa strategista suorituskykyä tarkastellaan talouden, asiakkaiden, sisäisten prosessien sekä innovatiivisuuden ja oppimisen näkökulmista. Tutkimusmetodologiana käytettiin konstruktiivista lähestymistapaa. Mittaristoprojektin tuloksena Kotkan Energia Oy:lle luotiin tasapainotettu tuloskortti, joka pohjautuu yhtiön missioon, visioon ja strategiaan. Tuloskortin näkökulmiin määritettiin kriittisten menestystekijöiden perusteella mittarit, jotka jaoteltiin varsinaisiin mittareihin, seurantamittareihin ja valmisteilla oleviin mittareihin. Varsinaisille mittareille asetettiin sekä lyhyen että pitkän tähtäimen tavoitteet. Mittaristoa ja mittareita analysoitiin useista näkökulmista projektin eri vaiheissa. Mittareihin liittyvät tiedot dokumentoitiin mittarikuvauksiin. Mittareille määritettiin raportointitaajuudet ja –ajankohdat. Lisäksi tutkittiin mittaritietojen vertailtavuutta muihin organisaatioihin. Projektin osana yhtiön intranet-sivuille luotiin käyttöliittymä, jonka avulla yhtiön koko henkilöstö pystyy hyödyntämään mittariston tietoja. Mittariston viimeistelyyn ja kehittämiseen liittyvät ideat muotoiltiin jatkosuunnitelmiksi.

Performance Indicators in Sourcing : Case: Mainospyörä Ltd

The business environment has rapidly become more global and more competitive. It sets new requirements for the company management. It is not enough to look at the financial information of the company, but one need to analyse also the internal processes as well. Sourcing exists in every company. It is no longer just a supporting function in a company chain of operations. By sourcing company can affect the profitability of the company in both direct and indirect ways The thesis overviewed the role of strategic accounting, sourcing and performance measurements in particularly, in company strategic steering. The study is qualitative, where the meaning was to describe true life. In the same time it is an explanatory case study. The aim of the study was to build up a set of sourcing performance indicators for the case company.

Suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmän implementointi ammattikorkeakoulussa

Ammattikorkeakoulu on asiantuntijaorganisaatio, joka tietointensiivisenä organisaationa muodostaa haastavan mittausympäristön. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli rakentaa ammattikorkeakoulun koulutusohjelmille suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmä. Tutkimuksen toissijaisena tavoitteena oli suorituskyvyn mittaamisen avulla luoda perusta oikeudenmukaiselle ja tasapuoliselle palkitsemisjärjestelmälle. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin pääasiassa konstruktiivista tutkimusotetta, mutta tutkimusote voidaan nähdä vahvasti myös toiminta-analyyttisenä. Tutkimuksen teoriaosassa käsitellään suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmän suunnittelua ja käyttöönottoa asiantuntijaorganisaatiossa. Lisäksi perehdytään suorituskyvyn mittaamisen teoriaan ja asiantuntijaorganisaatioita käsittelevään kirjallisuuteen. Tutkimuksen käytännön osassa suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmä rakennettiin ja implementoitiin kolmeen case-organisaation koulutusohjelmaan. Kehitetty suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmä koostuu kuudesta mittausnäkökulmasta: uudistuminen ja työkyky, opetus, kansainvälisyys, T&K ja maksullinen palvelutoiminta, talous ja vaikuttavuus. Suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmän mittausnäkökulmiin määritettiin 16 kriittistä menestystekijää ja niitä mittaamaan valittiin 25 mittaria. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa löydettiin koulutusohjelman ja henkilöstön oikeudenmukaiseen ja tasapuoliseen palkitsemiseen soveltuvia mittareita.

Harmonized performance measurement system for basic industry's service centers

The objective of this study is to create measurement system that is capable to measure performance in basic industry’s service centers. First it is examined what is performance and how it can be measured. The study also introduces commonly known measurement frameworks. After theory the study investigates how companies in the field of basic industry measure their operations in practise. The investigation is done examining three case examples and by analyzing survey results from basic industry companies. On the survey results focus is on what meters and measurement systems companies use. It is also viewed what measurement problems companies have faced. In the applied part of the study harmonized performance measurement system is created. The framework of the measurement system is introduced and measurement system for the target company is created. The target company felt that the harmonized performance measurement system has good potential and continues to develop it further.

Creating a Performance Measurement System for Accounting Services of Large Paper Company

The main objective of this research is creating a performance measurement system for accounting services of a large paper industry company. In this thesis there are compared different performance measurement system and then selected two systems, which are presented and compared more detailed. Performance Prism system is the used framework in this research. Performance Prism using success maps to determining objectives. Model‟s target areas are divided into five groups: stakeholder satisfaction, stakeholder contribution, strategy, processes and capabilities. The measurement system creation began by identifying stakeholders and defining their objectives. Based on the objectives are created success map. Measures are created based on the objectives and success map. Then is defined needed data for measures. In the final measurement system, there are total just over 40 measures. Each measure is defined specific target level and ownership. Number of measures is fairly large, but this is the first version of the measurement system, so the amount is acceptable.

Kernel-Based Ranking. Methods for Learning and Performance Estimation

Machine learning provides tools for automated construction of predictive models in data intensive areas of engineering and science. The family of regularized kernel methods have in the recent years become one of the mainstream approaches to machine learning, due to a number of advantages the methods share. The approach provides theoretically well-founded solutions to the problems of under- and overfitting, allows learning from structured data, and has been empirically demonstrated to yield high predictive performance on a wide range of application domains. Historically, the problems of classification and regression have gained the majority of attention in the field. In this thesis we focus on another type of learning problem, that of learning to rank. In learning to rank, the aim is from a set of past observations to learn a ranking function that can order new objects according to how well they match some underlying criterion of goodness. As an important special case of the setting, we can recover the bipartite ranking problem, corresponding to maximizing the area under the ROC curve (AUC) in binary classification. Ranking applications appear in a large variety of settings, examples encountered in this thesis include document retrieval in web search, recommender systems, information extraction and automated parsing of natural language. We consider the pairwise approach to learning to rank, where ranking models are learned by minimizing the expected probability of ranking any two randomly drawn test examples incorrectly. The development of computationally efficient kernel methods, based on this approach, has in the past proven to be challenging. Moreover, it is not clear what techniques for estimating the predictive performance of learned models are the most reliable in the ranking setting, and how the techniques can be implemented efficiently. The contributions of this thesis are as follows. First, we develop RankRLS, a computationally efficient kernel method for learning to rank, that is based on minimizing a regularized pairwise least-squares loss. In addition to training methods, we introduce a variety of algorithms for tasks such as model selection, multi-output learning, and cross-validation, based on computational shortcuts from matrix algebra. Second, we improve the fastest known training method for the linear version of the RankSVM algorithm, which is one of the most well established methods for learning to rank. Third, we study the combination of the empirical kernel map and reduced set approximation, which allows the large-scale training of kernel machines using linear solvers, and propose computationally efficient solutions to cross-validation when using the approach. Next, we explore the problem of reliable cross-validation when using AUC as a performance criterion, through an extensive simulation study. We demonstrate that the proposed leave-pair-out cross-validation approach leads to more reliable performance estimation than commonly used alternative approaches. Finally, we present a case study on applying machine learning to information extraction from biomedical literature, which combines several of the approaches considered in the thesis. The thesis is divided into two parts. Part I provides the background for the research work and summarizes the most central results, Part II consists of the five original research articles that are the main contribution of this thesis.

Developing the measurement and management of knowledge: applying the constructive research approach in a knowledge intensive service environment

Intellectual assets have attained continuous attention in the academic field, as they are vital sources of competitive advantage and organizational performance in the contemporary knowledge intensive business environment. Intellectual capital measurement is quite thoroughly addressed in the accounting literature. However, the purpose of the measurement is to support the management of intellectual assets, but the reciprocal relationship between measurement and management has not been comprehensively considered in the literature. The theoretical motivation for this study rose from this paradox, as in order to maximise the effectiveness of knowledge management the two initiatives need to be closely integrated. The research approach of this interventionist case study is constructive. The objective is to develop the case organization’s knowledge management and intellectual capital measurement in a way that they would be closely integrated and the measurement would support the management of intellectual assets. The case analysis provides valuable practical considerations about the integration and related issues as the case company is a knowledge intensive organization in which the know-how of the employees is the central competitive asset and therefore, the management and measurement of knowledge are essential for its future success. The results suggest that the case organization is confronting challenges in managing knowledge. In order to appropriately manage knowledge processes and control the related risks, support from intellectual capital measurement is required. However, challenges in measuring intellectual capital, especially knowledge, could be recognized in the organization. By reflecting the knowledge management situation and the constructed strategy map, a new intellectual measurement system was developed for the case organization. The construction of the system as well as its indicators can be perceived to contribute to the literature, emphasizing of the importance of properly considering the organization’s knowledge situation in developing an intellectual capital measurement system.

Maintaining supply performance during an ERP system implementation phase : case Cloetta Suomi Oy

Implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system often means a major change to an organization and involves significant risks. It is typical that many of the ERP system implementations fail resulting in tremendous damage to the business. Moreover, running normal business operations during an ERP system implementation is far more complicated than normally. This thesis focuses on how an organization should manage the ERP system implementation process in order to maintain supply performance during the implementation phase. The theoretical framework in this thesis focuses on ERP system implementations with a critical success factor approach. Critical success factors can be divided into strategic and tactical level success factors. By considering these critical success factors, ERP system implementation project’s timeline and best practices of an ERP implementation, a critical success factor based ERP system implementation management framework is presented. The framework can be used as a theoretical framework when the goal is to avoid ERP system implementation phase issues that are driven by the ERP system implementation project and that may decrease organization’s supply performance. This thesis is a case study that was written on an assignment to a confectionary company Cloetta Suomi Oy. In order to collect data, interviews of the case company personnel were conducted. In addition, several other data collection methods were used throughout the research process. These data collection methods include examination of presentations and archival records as well as direct observations in case company meetings and in various work duties. The results of this thesis indicate that there are several factors that may decrease organization’s supply performance during the ERP system implementation. These issues are categorized under external and internal issues and further into six risk drivers that are suppliers, customers, products, staff, information systems and other projects. After the description and categorization of each issue, the thesis focuses on finding solutions on how to avoid or mitigate the impact of these issues on the organization’s supply performance. This examination leads to several operational activities that are also practical to business practitioners. It is also stated that a successful ERP system implementation that also causes minimal disturbance to organization’s supply performance during the ERP system implementation, is achieved by considering three levels of actions.

A Model-Based Development and Verification Framework for Distributed System-on-Chip Architecture

The capabilities and thus, design complexity of VLSI-based embedded systems have increased tremendously in recent years, riding the wave of Moore’s law. The time-to-market requirements are also shrinking, imposing challenges to the designers, which in turn, seek to adopt new design methods to increase their productivity. As an answer to these new pressures, modern day systems have moved towards on-chip multiprocessing technologies. New architectures have emerged in on-chip multiprocessing in order to utilize the tremendous advances of fabrication technology. Platform-based design is a possible solution in addressing these challenges. The principle behind the approach is to separate the functionality of an application from the organization and communication architecture of hardware platform at several levels of abstraction. The existing design methodologies pertaining to platform-based design approach don’t provide full automation at every level of the design processes, and sometimes, the co-design of platform-based systems lead to sub-optimal systems. In addition, the design productivity gap in multiprocessor systems remain a key challenge due to existing design methodologies. This thesis addresses the aforementioned challenges and discusses the creation of a development framework for a platform-based system design, in the context of the SegBus platform - a distributed communication architecture. This research aims to provide automated procedures for platform design and application mapping. Structural verification support is also featured thus ensuring correct-by-design platforms. The solution is based on a model-based process. Both the platform and the application are modeled using the Unified Modeling Language. This thesis develops a Domain Specific Language to support platform modeling based on a corresponding UML profile. Object Constraint Language constraints are used to support structurally correct platform construction. An emulator is thus introduced to allow as much as possible accurate performance estimation of the solution, at high abstraction levels. VHDL code is automatically generated, in the form of “snippets” to be employed in the arbiter modules of the platform, as required by the application. The resulting framework is applied in building an actual design solution for an MP3 stereo audio decoder application.

Suorituskyvyn mittaaminen rakennusteollisuudessa

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli rakentaa rakennusteollisuuteen sopiva suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmä. Järjestelmä on koko yrityksen kattava ja tasapainoinen. Tällöin voidaan paremmin saavuttaa yritystoiminnan perimmäinen tarkoitus eli kannattava liiketoiminta sekä taata yrityksen taloudelliset toimintaedellytykset, niin pitkällä kuin lyhyelläkin aikavälillä. Työ oli toimintatutkimus, mikä on reaalimaailmaa koskeva empiirinen tutkimus, joka konstruoi uutta todellisuutta. Toimintatutkimukselle on tyypillistä, että se suuntautuu käytäntöihin, pyrkii muutokseen ja tutkittavat osallistuvat tutkimusprosessiin. Aluksi käytiin läpi suorituskyvyn mittaamiseen liittyvää teoriaa. Sen jälkeen aloitettiin itse järjestelmän suunnittelu pohtimalla yrityksen visiota, strategiaa ja menestystekijöitä huomioiden rakennusteollisuuden erityispiirteet. Näiden pohjalta valittiin mitattavat osa-alueet sekä niihin liittyvät mittarit. Suorituskyvyn analysointijärjestelmän toteutuksen lisäksi havaittiin, että järjestelmän rakentaminen itsessään oli yritykselle erinomainen oppimisprosessi, joka avasi uusia näkökulmia sekä yrityksen toiminnan että henkilöstön kehittämiseen.

The Russian National Innovation System - an International Perspective

Russia inherited a large research and development (R&D) sector from the Soviet times, and has retained a substantial R&D sector today, compared with other emerging economies. However, Russia is falling behind in all indicators measuring innovative output in comparison with most developed countries. Russia’s innovation performance is disappointing, despite the available stock of human capital and overall investment in R&D. The communist legacy still influences the main actors of the innovation system. The federal state is still the most important funding source for R&D. Private companies are not investing in innovative activities, preferring to “import” innovations embedded in foreign technologies. Universities are outsiders in the innovation system, only a few universities carry out research activities. Nowadays, Russia is a resource-depended country. The economy depends on energy and metals for growth. The Russian economy faces the challenge of diversification and should embrace innovation, and shift to a knowledge economy to remain competitive in the long run. Therefore, Russia has to tackle the challenge of developing an efficient innovation system with its huge potential in science expertise and engineering know-how.

Improving reporting management with relational database management system

Data management consists of collecting, storing, and processing the data into the format which provides value-adding information for decision-making process. The development of data management has enabled of designing increasingly effective database management systems to support business needs. Therefore as well as advanced systems are designed for reporting purposes, also operational systems allow reporting and data analyzing. The used research method in the theory part is qualitative research and the research type in the empirical part is case study. Objective of this paper is to examine database management system requirements from reporting managements and data managements perspectives. In the theory part these requirements are identified and the appropriateness of the relational data model is evaluated. In addition key performance indicators applied to the operational monitoring of production are studied. The study has revealed that the appropriate operational key performance indicators of production takes into account time, quality, flexibility and cost aspects. Especially manufacturing efficiency has been highlighted. In this paper, reporting management is defined as a continuous monitoring of given performance measures. According to the literature review, the data management tool should cover performance, usability, reliability, scalability, and data privacy aspects in order to fulfill reporting managements demands. A framework is created for the system development phase based on requirements, and is used in the empirical part of the thesis where such a system is designed and created for reporting management purposes for a company which operates in the manufacturing industry. Relational data modeling and database architectures are utilized when the system is built for relational database platform.