Technology

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

3.1 Overview
This chapter provides research methodology that reveals methods the study collect data. The method of data collection was through primary research and secondary research. The paper collected data to investigate LANWAN security of database on a cloud computing environment. The data collection through primary research was employed through quantitative method, data collection through secondary research was employed through critical analysis of journals articles, research articles, and white papers related to the LAN WAN security of database on a cloud computing environment. To enhance research validity and research reliability, data collected were subjected to critical analysis in order to enhance authenticity of the study.

The methodology pertaining to the field of research was through survey method and secondary research.

3.1.1 Methodology pertaining to the field of research
The methodology pertaining to the study is to investigate LANWAN security of database in computing cloud environment. In most research studies, methods of data collection were through qualitative and quantitative methods or mixed methods. However, where there is paucity of secondary research or data through primary research are not available, a study could employ experimental research to obtain data. This could be through stimulation methods. Typically, choosing an appropriate research pertaining to the field of study depends on the research aims and objectives. (Eramus,2009).

In this study, the aims and objectives were used to choose an appropriate method of data collection.

3.1.2 Two main goals in presenting the methodology illustration
There are several goals to be achieved in the research methodology for the LANWAN security of database  in cloud computing environment. One of   the goals to be achieved is to collect data to enhance security system in LAN and WAN database in computing cloud environment. In the contemporary business environment, database security has become utmost important, and has become one of the highest priority of the business organizations. Typically, a business organization could lose IT assets that worth several millions of dollars if adequate security is not implemented for an organizational database.

Apart from achieving security goal for WAN and LAN in computing could environment, the other goal to be achieved from presenting the research methodology is to fill the gap that has occurred through the paucity of data on the LANWAN security of database in a cloud computing environment. As being discussed in the previous chapter, there is paucity of   academic sources on secondary research. Moreover, cloud computing is a recent Information systems technique, many organisations have not experienced the implementation of database in cloud computing. Thus, the goal of the methodology employed is to enhance research knowledge on LANWAN security of database in computing cloud environment. (Cleveland, 2009).

To choose an appropriate research method for LANWAN security of database in cloud environment, a researcher critically examined all methods of data collection and made a systemize decision on all research approaches for the field of study before choosing an appropriate method.

3.1.3Systemizes decisions about the methods that will be deployed
The method to be deployed in data collection is very important, and the decision to choose an  appropriate method of  data collection depend on the problem to be addressed in a research  the aims and objectives of  research and research questions to answer. Foster (1998) pointed out that a researcher need to consider a research strategy that could fit his research questions.

Before making decision on the method to adopt in the data collection, the paper compares and contrasts the two important methods for data collection. The qualitative and qualitative methods have been the major methods of data collection in many academic studies. To make decision on the method to be deployed for this paper. The study compares and contrasts qualitative and quantitative methods.

3.1.4 Compare and Contrast quantitative method and qualitative method.
Both qualitative and quantitative methods employ different techniques to collect and analyse data. While quantitative method collects data through survey, the qualitative method employs unstructured interview as a method of data collection.  The benefits and shortcomings of both approaches enhance choosing an appropriate method of data collection to adopt in this study. Key (1997) argued that qualitative technique provides in-depth and comprehensive information for a research study, and this helped in providing deeper understanding of a research undertaking.  Ismail and Zin (2009) also pointed out that the qualitative method was an effective method to study LANWAN network security devices in cloud environment.

Despite the advantages of qualitative method for this study, it is difficult to establish validity and reliability of a study with qualitative method. (Maxwell, 1996, Wholey,  Hatry,  Newcomer, 2004).
On the other hand, quantitative method has the advantage of producing the accuracy of the results because personal bias could be avoided with this technique. (Hope University, 2010).

The accuracy of data collected through quantitative technique could be employed through statistical techniques with the aid of software packages and computational algorithms. (University of Wales, 2010, Patton, 2002).

The shortcoming of quantitative method is that research often takes place in unnatural setting, and it may be difficult to apply the result in real world.

 However, the Network Instruments (2005) argued that both quantitative and qualitative could be employed to analyze the efficacy of the security devices in WAN and LAN environment. The White Paper presented by the Network Instruments revealed that the efficacy of security device known as Network Analyzer could be reviewed using both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The network analyzer was effective in security devices in WAN and LAN cloud computing environment because it helped in alerting the security administrator if other security devices have failed. (Motorola, 2010).
With the argument presented, the study decided to implement quantitative method to collect data. To make final decision on the appropriate method to adopt, this decision to choose qualitative technique to collect data was presented before the committee to ensure that a sound methodology was chosen within the field of research.

3.1.5 Allow Committee to ensure the sound methodology within the field of research
To enhance the integrity of research, the university policy mandates a researcher to present the methodology to implement for a research before a committee to allow scientific validity. It is essential to realize that using the methodology that is not in accordance with research aims and objectives is a waste of human effort, and waste of monetary values that a researcher has put in research. Thus, to avoid these mistakes, a committee systematically reviews the different research methodology put before it, and make ethical approval before. (Senate 2009).

Thus, to enhance ethical selection of an appropriate method to be adopted, the methodology reviewed and chosen were presented before the committee. After the consideration of the committee, a quantitative method was selected as an appropriate method for data collection for the study.
Logical organization of methodology is critical to enhance logical findings. The next section provides logical organization of methodology.

3.2 Logical Organization of Methodology
The logical arrangement of research methodology is very critical, and this enhances the research validity. Logical structure of a research provides the evidence to answer the research questions.
For the logical organization of methodology for this study, the identification of the sample population will come first. The identification of the sample population is very critical in the research methodology since data will be collected from the sample population. (Mama,2006).

Moreover, the questionnaires were designed and all the questionnaires were structured in a way to achieve research aim and objectives. The identification of medium to distribute the questionnaires to the sample population is also very critical. Since the study decided that all sample population should receive the questionnaires, the email was employed to distribute questionnaire to all sample population. The primary advantage of   employing email to distribute questionnaires is that email is fast and is cost effective.

Since the study employed different types of research for data collection, the different types of research conducted in this paper are presented in the next section.

3.2.1 Type of research and specific subtype.
The paper employed two different types of research for data collection. The primary research and secondary research were employed to collect data. The primary research adopted involved collecting data through quantitative technique, and the method employed for data collection in the primary research were through survey. The other type of research employed in this study was secondary research. The secondary research involved reviewed of scholarly journals articles, research articles, the white papers in computer security, and academic books. A primary advantage of secondary research is that data could be easily accessed through electronic database. Castle (2003) provided a key advantage of secondary research by pointing out that secondary research is its potential for resource savings and cost- effectiveness. (p3).

However, the context and access of the primary and secondary data are essential, and these were presented in the next section.

3.2.2 Context and access.
The context and access of primary research and secondary research are critical to this study. The context of secondary research connotes the research field investigated. The context of research revolved around LANWAN security of database in computing cloud environment. The secondary data was to satisfy the features of WAN and LAN. This include the characteristics of LAN and WAN. The context of secondary research also involved the essential features of database in LAN and WAN environment. Typically, the integration of LANWAN database in cloud computing environment is a new phenomenon in the computer information systems. The security devices to protect the LANWAN database in the computing cloud environment are also new phenomenon. Thus, the context of secondary research covers the database concepts, LANWAN concepts and security devices in the LANWAN database in the computing cloud environment. The method to access the secondary data were through electronic database, online library, and university library. The access from electronic databases was through Science Direct, ACM Digital library, the Institute of Electrical Electronic Engineering Xplore Digital library, and Wiley InterScience. One of the advantages of electronic database is that they contain large collection of scholarly journal articles, research articles, and reports on Information Technology. Moreover, electronic database contain large collection of computer and IT related research articles. (Pelmer,2010).

By accessing electronic database to access secondary data, this study was able to have access to large volume of data. To access relevant data, a researcher employed series of keywords to access data relevant to the study. The keywords were Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, Cloud Environment, Database security, Database security in LANWAN cloud computing environment. The essence of using these concepts to search data in the electronic database was to access data relevant to the study.

The context of primary data consists of the list of the questions employed to collect data from the respondents. There are 10 questions sent to the respondents and the respondents were asked to select an appropriate answer foe the listed   questions. The context of questionnaires sent to the respondents is presented in appendix 1.

The participants for the primary research were selected in systematic method. The next section identifies participant population and the method participants are selected.

3.2.3Participant population and their selection procedure
The participants for primary research were the IT security experts, database administrators, system designers, system engineers and other IT experts.  Essentially, the participant population was also drawn from top executives of medium and large organizations whose companies had experienced LANWAN database in cloud environment. Moreover, the participants were drawn from executive of several IT firms. To ensure that all the important participants participated in the survey, a researcher employed probability sampling for selection of participant. According to Trochim (2006) probability sampling involves random selection from the sample population. With probability sampling, all the sample population has equal chance of being chosen. A researcher employed Stratified Random Sampling as one of the major method of probability sampling. The stratified random sampling is an effective method of probability sampling because all the sample population has the equal chance of being selected. (University of  Nebraska, 2009, Geogian Southern University, (2009).

Typically, a researcher distributed 200 survey questions to the sample population with the intention of receiving 50 correct questionnaires that were error free and free of bias. A researcher divided all the population into ten groups and distributed 20 questionnaires to each group. With this system, all the target population had equal chances of being selected.

To ensure that the questionnaires were properly filled and well understood by the participants, a researcher employed appropriate instrument for data collection.

3.2.4 Instrument
The survey instrument is essential in primary research because this is used for data collection. There were 10 questions sent to the participants, and special criterion was employed in the survey questions. Typically, a researcher used structured questions to draw the questionnaire. In this type of structured questionnaires, a participant was only allowed to tick an answer supplied by a researcher. Example of the questionnaire sent to the participants is as follows

A Survey Question Strongly disagreeDisagreeAgreeStrongly AgreeFirewall is an appropriate method of security device in LANWAN database in cloud environment FORMCHECKBOX  FORMCHECKBOX  FORMCHECKBOX   FORMCHECKBOX
All questionnaires sent to the participants are found in appendix 1.
Data collection is very critical in research methodology, and this enhances research findings.

3.2.5Data collection
All the data were collected through email. As it was being pointed out in the previous section, the questionnaires were distributed through email to ensure that all participants received the questions, and the data were collected on time. Meanwhile, a researcher started collecting data after 7 days of distributing the questionnaires. Major part of the questionnaire sent to the participant was returned through emails. From 200 questionnaires sent to the participants, researcher was able to receive 155 questionnaires. To ensure that all 155 returned questionnaires were reliable and valid to generate research findings, the data were subjected to data analysis.

3.2.6 Data analysis
Data analysis is very critical in a research. To enhance research validity, it is essential to analyze both primary and secondary data in order to enhance their accuracy.

3.2.6.1 Analysis of primary data
From all questionnaires, the participants returned 155 questionnaires. Analysis of these 155 questionnaires revealed that 32 participants did not fill their questionnaires in proper manners. There were 23 respondents who left their questionnaires blank, and 28 respondents did not fill their questionnaires with the notes of not understanding the contents of the questionnaires. Further analysis of the data revealed that there was suspected bias in 21 questionnaires. According to Trochim and Donnely (2007), it is essential to remove all suspected bias from the data in order to enhance data reliability. The summary of the entire correct filled questionnaires are provided in Table 1, and Fig 1. The SSPS computer software was employed for data analysis to enhance data reliability.

 Table 1 Summary of analysis of Primary data
Total Questionnaire Distributed200Total Questionnaire  returned by participants155Questionnaires not properly filled by participants32Questionnaire returned Blank23Questionnaires returned blank because participants not having knowledge IT security28Suspected Bias21Questionnaires properly returned and properly  filled51
Fig 1 Summary of graphical illustration of  analysis of  primary data


3.2.6.2 Analysis of secondary data
There are several strategies a researcher employed to analyze secondary data.
First, a researcher employed unique keywords to search for data from electronic database. The unique keywords employed were database, cloud computing, WAN, LAN, and security devices in LANWAN database in computing cloud environment. The essential reason of using these unique keywords to search for secondary data was to have access to data relevant to the study. Moreover, all the secondary data reviewed for the study were uniquely relevant to the study.

4 Summary
This chapter provides research methodology that consists of method of data collection, and the identification of sample population. The paper revealed that primary research method and secondary research were employed for data collection. The quantitative method was employed as an appropriate method in collecting data. To enhance data validity and data reliability, the data was subjected to data analysis in order to generate appropriate research findings.