Currently, I am a SQL server Business intelligence developer. My job involves the development of Business Intelligence (BI) applications using the SQL environment. The job is challenging as it requires a lot of technical knowledge and expertise. The courses that I have taken thus far are application security, information security and risk management, telecommunication network security, and security architecture and design. The different courses are highly relevant to my job. A lot of knowledge that I have acquired from the various courses will be useful in the design, development, deployment, and maintenance of BI applications developed using SQL. Information security is of serious concern to organizations that rely on computer systems to run their operations. Attacks on computer systems can create existential problems for an organization (Taylor, Fritsch & Liederbach, 2014). The courses will aid me in helping prevent attacks on BI systems that I will be developing.

The application security course is the most relevant to my job as the job involves the development of applications. In the course, I learned about the different ways that applications can be vulnerable and how to properly develop the same to avoid vulnerability. Coding is needed in developing applications. I learned in the course about best practices in coding. Good code will help secure an application from attack. Errors in an application’s code must be tracked and rectified as they can compromise its security. Debugging tools are critical in the tracking of errors and their correction. An application’s access measures are also important in securing the same. Sensitive applications require a username and password to access. Those lacking a username and password are locked out of the system. I learned about how to secure applications using authentication. I will use the knowledge gained in the application security course to develop secure BI applications

The course on information security and risk management is also highly relevant to my job. The course also introduced me to the different ways to secure information. Information on risk management will be beneficial in the planning phase of application development. I will now use the gained knowledge to adequately assess the different threats that may affect a BI application and try to mitigate the same in the development process. The knowledge of risk management will also help me in planning for how to act when an already deployed BI system is attacked. I will make plans regarding threats facing deployed systems and hot to mitigate or respond to the threats.

I cannot also understate the importance of the security architecture and design course. The course helped me understand how to design the security of computer systems. I will apply that knowledge in the design of the BI application’s security. The previously discussed course focuses on the threats facing applications and information. The security architecture and design course is keen on how to respond to the threats through excellent security design. The knowledge will be important in the planning, development, and deployment phases of BI systems development projects.

The knowledge that I gained from the telecommunication network security course is also relevant to my job. I develop BI applications that run in computer servers that are connected to networks. Several people access BI applications through the networks. Accessibility of the applications via networks presents additional security problems to the systems. Hackers who can access the network where the system operates can access the system. Application security measures like authentication would help aid in the protection of the application. All the security knowledge gained in the different courses will be of great value to my organization and me. My skills as a BI developer have been enhanced, and I will deliver better results to my employer.

References

Taylor, R. W., Fritsch, E. J., & Liederbach, J. (2014). Digital crime and digital terrorism. Prentice Hall Press.