Computer System Analysis

Chapter 12 describes systems support and security tasks that continue throughout the useful life of the system. In addition to user support, this chapter discusses maintenance, security, backup and disaster recovery, performance measurement, and system obsolescence.

· Explain the systems support and security phase

· Describe user support activities, including user training and service desks

· Define the four types of maintenance

· Explain various techniques for managing systems maintenance and support

· Describe techniques for measuring, managing, and planning system performance

· Explain risk management concepts

· Assess system security at six levels: physical security, network security, application security, file security, user security, and procedural security

· Describe backup and disaster recovery

· List factors indicating that a system has reached the end of its useful life

· Assess future challenges and opportunities for IT professionals

· Develop a strategic plan for career advancement and strong IT credentials

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

When you finish this chapter, you will be able to:

Managing systems support and security involves three main concerns: user expectations, system performance, and security requirements.

A systems analyst is like an internal consultant who provides guidance, support, and training. Successful systems often need the most support because users want to learn the features, try all the capabilities, and discover how the system can help them perform their tasks. In most organizations, more than half of all IT department effort goes into supporting existing systems.

This chapter begins with a discussion of systems support, including user training and service desks. You will study the four main types of maintenance: corrective, adaptive, perfective, and preventive. You also will learn how the IT group uses maintenance teams, configuration management, and maintenance releases, and you will examine system performance issues and maintenance tools. You will analyze the security system at each of the six security levels: physical security, network security, application security, file security, user security, and procedural security. You will also learn about data backup and recovery issues. Finally, you will learn how to recognize system obsolescence, and about some of the challenges and opportunities you are likely to face as an IT professional.

PREVIEW CASE: Mountain View College Bookstore

Background: Wendy Lee, manager of college services at Mountain View College, wants a new information system that will improve efficiency and customer service at the three college bookstores.

In this part of the case, Tina Allen (systems analyst) and David Conroe (student intern) are talking about operation, support, and security issues for the new system.

Participants:

Tina and David

Location:

Tina’s office, Friday afternoon, March 28, 2014

Project status:

Tina and David successfully implemented the bookstore information system. Now they will discuss strategies for supporting, maintaining, and securing the new system.

Discussion topics:

Support activities, training, maintenance, techniques for managing systems operation, enhancing system performance and security, and detecting system obsolescence

Tina:

Well, we finally made it The system is up and running and the users seem satisfied. Now we focus on supporting the system and ensuring that it delivers its full potential, and is properly secured and protected.

David:

How do we do that?

Tina:

First, we need to set up specific procedures for handling system support and maintenance. We’ll set up a service desk that will offer user training, answer technical questions, and enhance user productivity.

David:

Sounds good. I’ll set up a training package for new users who missed the initial training sessions.

Tina:

That’s fine. You also should learn about the four types of maintenance. Users typically ask for help that requires corrective maintenance to fix problems or adaptive maintenance to add new features. As IT staff, we will be responsible for perfective maintenance, which makes the system more efficient, and preventive maintenance to avoid problems.

David:

Anything else for us to do?

Tina:

Yes, we’ll need a system for managing maintenance requests from users. Also, we’ll need to handle configuration management, maintenance releases, and version control. These tools will help us keep the system current and reduce unnecessary maintenance costs.

David:

What about keeping tabs on system performance issues?

Tina:

That’s important, along with capacity planning to be sure the system can handle future growth.

David:

What about system security?

Tina:

Good question. We’ll look at physical security, network security, application security, file security, user security, and procedural security. We’ll also look at backup and disaster recovery issues.

David:

Sounds like we’ll be busy for quite a while.

Tina:

Well, that depends on the system itself and user expectations. Every system has a useful life, including this one. We’ll try to get a good return on our investment, but we’ll also watch for signs of obsolescence. Here are some tasks we can work on:

FIGURE 12-1 Typical systems support and security task list.

© Cengage Learning 2014

OVERVIEW

The systems support and security phase begins when a system becomes operational and continues until the system reaches the end of its useful life. Throughout the development process, the objective has been to create an information system that is efficient, easy to use, and affordable. After delivering the system, the IT team focuses on support and maintenance tasks.

The first part of this chapter covers four main topics. You will learn how to provide user support, maintain the system, manage the maintenance process, and handle system performance issues.

USER SUPPORT

Companies provide user support in many forms, including user training and a service desk to provide technical support and assistance.

User Training

In Chapter 11, you learned about initial training that is performed when a new system is introduced. Additionally, new employees must be trained on the company’s information systems. For example, a firm that produces electronic assemblies must train its new employees, as shown in Figure 12-2.

If significant changes take place in the existing system or if a new version is released, the IT department might develop a user training package . Depending on the nature of the changes, the package could include online support via e-mail, a special Web site, a revision to the user guide, a training manual supplement, or formal training sessions. Training users about system changes is similar to initial training. The main objective is to show users how the system can help them perform their jobs.

Service Desks

As systems and data structures become more complex, users need constant support and guidance. To make data more accessible and to empower users, many IT departments create service desks. A service desk , also called a help desk or information center (IC) , is a centralized resource staffed by IT professionals who provide users with the support they need to do their jobs. A service desk has three main objectives: (1) Show people how to use system resources more effectively, (2) provide answers to technical or operational questions, and (3) make users more productive by teaching them how to meet their own information needs. A service desk is the first place users turn when they need information or assistance.

A service desk does not replace traditional IT maintenance and support activities. Instead, service desks enhance productivity and improve utilization of a company’s information resources.

FIGURE 12-2 Whether a company is training manufacturing technicians, data entry personnel, or customer service representatives, employees need high-quality instruction to perform their jobs efficiently.

© iStockPhoto/fatihhoca

Service desk representatives need strong interpersonal and technical skills plus a solid understanding of the business because they interact with users in many departments. A service desk should document carefully all inquiries, support tasks, and activity levels. The information can identify trends and common problems and can help build a technical support knowledge base.

A service desk can boost its productivity by using remote control software , which allows IT staff to take over a user’s workstation and provide support and troubleshooting. Popular examples of remote control software include GoToMyPC by Citrix, LogMeln Pro by LogMeln, and PC Now by WebEx, among many others.

FIGURE 12-3 A service desk, also called a help desk or an information center, provides support to system users, so that users hopefully will not have the experience shown in the Dilbert© example on page 503.

© Shutterstock/Konstantin Chagin

During a typical day, the service desk staff members shown in Figure 12-3 might have to perform the following tasks:

· Show a user how to create a data query or report that displays specific business information

· Resolve network access or password problems

· Demonstrate an advanced feature of a system or a commercial package

· Help a user recover damaged data

· Offer tips for better operation

· Explain an undocumented software feature

· Show a user how to use Web conferencing

· Explain how to access the company’s intranet or the Internet

· Assist a user in developing a simple database to track time spent on various projects

· Answer questions about software licensing and upgrades

· Provide information about system specifications and the cost of new hardware or software

· Recommend a system solution that integrates data from different locations to solve a business problem

· Provide hardware support by installing or reconfiguring devices such as scanners, printers, network cards, wireless devices, optical drives, backup devices, and multimedia systems

· Show users how to maintain data consistency and integrity among a desktop computer, a notebook computer, and a handheld computer or smartphone

· Trouble shoot software issues via remote control utilities

In addition to functioning as a valuable link between IT staff and users, the service desk is a central contact point for all IT maintenance activities. The service desk is where users report system problems, ask for maintenance, or submit new systems requests. A service desk can utilize many types of automated support, just as outside vendors do, including e-mail responses, on-demand fax capability, an online knowledge base, frequently asked questions (FAQs), discussion groups, bulletin boards, and automated voice mail. Many vendors now provide a live chat feature for online visitors.